Assess the Antifibrotic Activity of Fuzheng Huayu in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients With Hepatic Fibrosis

NCT00854087 | Completed Phase 2 Results DMC

• 1 other identifier: Fuzheng Huayu S-USIIT-01 Study
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 118
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 8

Brief Summary

Current treatment of chronic liver disease relies upon removing the primary insult to the liver (e.g., alcohol) or treating the underlying viral infection (HBV, HCV, etc.). However, in the case of hepatitis C, a significant number of individuals will not clear the virus with current approved standard antiviral therapy, leaving them no options to manage their hepatic fibrosis, which can progress to cirrhosis and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Fuzheng Huayu has been used in numerous studies in China and has been found to have a satisfactory prophylaxis effect on the chronic liver injury and formed liver fibrosis in rats and humans. In addition, it enhances the degradation of liver fibrosis and protects hepatocytes from injury and death, manifesting as decreasing of ALT and AST, and enhancement of albumin level. In addition, preliminary studies indicate that the Fuzheng Huayu has a good safety and tolerability profile with promising efficacy. The number of patients failing Interferon based therapy (i.e. not achieving SVR) is increasing. There are no approved standard of care treatment options for this population nor for patients who are intolerant or unwilling to receive Interferon; thus they are at higher risk for the progression of fibrosis. Moreover, there are no approved therapies to treat hepatic fibrosis, but basic research is exploring the pathophysiological mechanisms. Fuzheng Huayu is easy to administer, with a good safety and efficacy profile against fibrosis. Therefore, the investigators propose to further study the safety and efficacy profile of Fuzheng Huayu in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind study in Chronic Hepatitis C patients with hepatic fibrosis who have failed prior anti-HCV therapy or are intolerant or refuse Interferon based therapy. The primary objective of this study is to establish the safety and efficacy of Fuzheng Huayu treatment in chronic hepatitis C subjects who have failed prior anti-HCV therapy or cannot receive or refused Interferon based therapy in improving liver fibrosis.

Conditions

Chronic Hepatitis C Infection

Keywords

Hepatitis C Virus; HCV; Herbal treatment; Herbs; San Diego; Non responder; Relapser; Treatment failure; Antifibrotic; Anti-fibrotic; Fibrosis; Failure of previous Interferon based therapy; Refuse Interferon based therapy; Intolerance to Interferon; Male or female 18-70 years of age

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Safety of Fuzheng Huayu Treatment in Chronic Hepatitis C Subjects Who Have Failed Prior Anti-HCV Therapy or Cannot Receive or Refused Interferon Based Therapy.

  Safety will be evaluated through the changes in vital signs, physical examinations, adverse events, concomitant medication assessments as well as laboratory tests.

  Baseline to Week 60

• Efficacy of Fuzheng Huayu Treatment in Chronic Hepatitis C Subjects Who Have Failed Prior Anti-HCV Therapy or Cannot Receive or Refused Interferon Based Therapy.

  Efficacy of Fuzheng Huayu treatment was assessed through the change in liver fibrosis stage from the assessment before (pre) and after (post) study drug. The liver fibrosis staging system used was the Ishak scale. The Ishak liver fibrosis score ranges from 0 indicating no fibrosis to 6 indicating cirrhosis. "Fibrosis improved" was defined as a lower post study drug Ishak score, by at least 1 point, from pre-study drug assessment of the liver fibrosis e.g. if a pre study drug Ishak score of 4 and then a post study drug Ishak score of 3 or lower. "Fibrosis did not change" was defined as having the same Ishak score before and after study drug assessments e.g. if a pre study drug Ishak score of 4 and then a post study drug Ishak score of 4. "Fibrosis worsened" was defined as a higher post study drug Ishak score, by at least 1 point, from pre-study drug assessment of the liver fibrosis e.g. if a pre study drug Ishak score of 4 and then a post study drug Ishak score of 5 or higher.

  Baseline to Week 48

Study Arms (2)

Fuzheng Huayu

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Pill with Fuzheng Huayu

Drug: Fuzheng Huayu

Placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Pill without Fuzheng Huayu (sugar pill)

Drug: Placebo

Interventions

Fuzheng Huayu DRUG

The subjects will be taking 2 tablets three times a day for 48 weeks.

Also known as: Gan Ping, 319 Recipe, FZHY

Fuzheng Huayu

Placebo DRUG

The subjects will be taking 2 tablets three times a day for 48 weeks.

Placebo

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 70 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Male or female 18-70 years of age.
• Chronic hepatitis C infection based on documented history of a positive serum anti-HCV antibody test and/or detectable levels of HCV RNA ≥ 50 IU/mL.
• Failure to achieve sustained Virologic response (SVR) with previous Interferon based therapy or subjects who refuse Interferon based therapy or are intolerant to Interferon.
• All subjects enrolling in the study and all fertile or potentially fertile sexual partners of subjects must be using two reliable forms of effective contraception during the study unless a study participant/partner is surgically sterile or postmenopausal.

You may not qualify if:

• Subjects with any history of decompensated liver disease, including but not restricted to portal hypertension as manifested by gastroesophageal varices, variceal bleeding, ascites, or encephalopathy or a hepatic mass lesion suspicious for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
• Liver histology consistent with any other co-existing cause of chronic liver disease (apart from fatty liver).
• Subjects who have been treated for HCV infection within 6 months before Screening.
• Subjects who have been on any experimental protocol or therapy within 28 days before Screening.
• Known HIV infection.
• Chronic hepatitis B infection
• Uncontrolled diabetes.
• Unstable or uncontrolled thyroid disease
• Uncontrolled seizures disorder.
• History of malignant cancer within the last 5 years with the exception of localized basal or squamous cell carcinoma.
• Alcohol and/or drug abuse within the past year.
• Pregnant or lactating women or women who plan to become pregnant during the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tarek Hassanein: lead
• Shanghai Sundise Traditional Chinese Medicine Co., Ltd.: collaborator

Study Sites (8)

SCTI Research Foundation

Coronado, California, 92118, United States

Location

VA Palo Alto HCS

Palo Alto, California, 94304, United States

Location

Huntington Medical Research Institutes

Pasadena, California, 91105, United States

Location

UC Davis Health System

Sacramento, California, 95817, United States

Location

Southern California Liver Centers

San Clemente, California, 92673, United States

Location

Advanced Medical Research Center

Port Orange, Florida, 32127, United States

Location

St. Luke's Advanced Liver Therapies

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

Location

University of Utah HSC

Salt Lake City, Utah, 84132, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hepatitis C; Fibrosis

Interventions

fuzheng huayu; ping gan

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Blood-Borne Infections; Communicable Diseases; Infections; Hepatitis, Viral, Human; Virus Diseases; Flaviviridae Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Hepatitis; Liver Diseases; Digestive System Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Dr. Tarek Hassanein
• Organization: SCTI Research Foundation

thassanein@livercenters.com

6195220330

Study Officials

• Tarek Hassanein, MD

  SCTI Research Foundation

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restriction Type: LTE60
• Restrictive Agreement: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 2
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: INDIV
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Medical Director

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 26, 2009
• First Posted: March 2, 2009
• Study Start: August 1, 2010
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2013
• Study Completion: August 1, 2013
• Last Updated: May 19, 2021
• Results First Posted: June 18, 2014

Record last verified: 2021-04

Locations

US (8)