NCT01179217

Brief Summary

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effects of L-glutamine as a therapy for Sickle Cell Anemia or Sickle ß0 Thalassemia as evaluated by the number of occurrences of sickle cell crises.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
230

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for phase_3

Timeline
Completed

Started May 2010

Typical duration for phase_3

Geographic Reach
1 country

31 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

May 1, 2010

Completed
20 days until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

May 21, 2010

Completed
3 months until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 11, 2010

Completed
3.6 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

March 1, 2014

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

March 1, 2014

Completed
3.4 years until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

August 10, 2017

Completed
Last Updated

August 19, 2020

Status Verified

July 1, 2017

Enrollment Period

3.8 years

First QC Date

May 21, 2010

Results QC Date

December 14, 2016

Last Update Submit

August 17, 2020

Conditions

Keywords

Sickle Cell AnemiaSickle Cell Pain CrisesPainful CrisesSickle Cell PainVaso-occlusive Crises

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • The Number of Occurrences of Sickle Cell Crises

    The number of occurrences of protocol-defined sickle cell crises that occur from Week 0 to Week 48 will be used to evaluate the efficacy of oral L-glutamine as a treatment for sickle cell anemia and beta-0 thalassemia.

    48 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (9)

  • The Number of Hospitalizations for Sickle Cell Pain

    48 weeks

  • The Number of Emergency Room/Medical Facility Visits for Sickle Cell Pain

    48 weeks

  • The Effect of Oral -L-glutamine on Hematological Parameters

    Baseline, Week 4, 24 and 48

  • The Effect of Oral L-glutamine on Vital Signs

    Baseline, Week 4, 24, and 48

  • The Effect of Oral L-glutamine on Hematological Parameters

    Baseline, Week 4, 24 and 48

  • +4 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

L-glutamine

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients will be randomized to receive investigational product, L-Glutamine.

Drug: L-glutamine

100% maltodextrin

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Patients will be randomized to receive Placebo.

Drug: Placebo

Interventions

0.3 g/kg of L-glutamine will be administered twice a day orally to each patient for 48 weeks. The dosage will be in increments of 5 grams based on weight. The upper limit for daily dose of study medication will be set at 30 grams. Patients will be given verbal and written instructions for self-administration of the study medication at the Baseline visit. The powder can be mixed with water or most non-heated beverages other than alcohol, or can be mixed with most non-heated foods such as yogurt, applesauce, or cereal for administration. Mixing L-glutamine with soda or highly acidic juices (such as grapefruit juice or lemonade) is not recommended.

Also known as: oral L-glutamine
L-glutamine

0.3 g/kg of placebo (100% maltodextrin) will be administered twice a day orally to each patient for 48 weeks. The dosage will be in increments of 5 grams based on weight. The upper limit for daily dose of study medication will be set at 30 grams. Patients will be given verbal and written instructions for self-administration of the study medication at the Baseline visit. The powder can be mixed with water or most non-heated beverages other than alcohol, or can be mixed with most non-heated foods such as yogurt, applesauce, or cereal for administration.

Also known as: Maltodextrin
100% maltodextrin

Eligibility Criteria

Age5 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Patient is at least five years of age.
  • Patient has been diagnosed with sickle cell anemia or sickle ß°-thalassemia (documented by hemoglobin electrophoresis).
  • Patient has had at least two documented episodes of sickle cell crises within 12 months of the screening visit.
  • If the patient has been treated with an anti-sickling agent within three months of the screening visit, the therapy must have been continuous for at least three months with the intent to continue for the duration of the study.
  • Patient or the patient's legally authorized representative has given written informed consent.
  • If the patient is a female of child-bearing potential, she agrees to avoid pregnancy during the study and is willing and agrees to practice a recognized form of birth control during the course of the study (e.g. barrier, birth control pills, abstinence).

You may not qualify if:

  • Patient has a significant medical condition that required hospitalization (other than sickle cell crisis) within two months of the screening visit.
  • Patient has prothrombin time INR \> 2.0.
  • Patient has serum albumin \< 3.0 g/dl.
  • Patient has received any blood products within three weeks of the Screening Visit.
  • Patient has uncontrolled liver disease or renal insufficiency.
  • Patient is pregnant or lactating or has the intention of becoming pregnant during the study (if female and of child-bearing potential).
  • Patient is currently taking or has been treated with any form of glutamine supplement within 30 days of the screening visit.
  • Patient has been treated with an experimental anti-sickling medication/ treatment within 30 days of the screening visit (with the exception of hydroxyurea in pediatric patients).
  • Patient is currently taking or has been treated with an investigational drug within 30 days of the screening visit (with the exception of hydroxyurea in pediatric patients).
  • Patient is currently enrolled in an investigational drug or device study and/or has participated in such a study within 30 days of the screening visit.
  • There are factors that would, in the judgment of the investigator, make it difficult for the patient to comply with the requirements of the study.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (31)

University of South Alabama Medical Center

Mobile, Alabama, 36617, United States

Location

Phoenix Children's Hospital Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders

Phoenix, Arizona, 85016, United States

Location

Kaiser Permanente

Inglewood, California, 90301, United States

Location

Children's Hospital & Research Center at Oakland

Oakland, California, 94609, United States

Location

Children's Hospital of Orange County

Orange, California, 92868, United States

Location

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

Torrance, California, 90509, United States

Location

University of Denver School of Medicine Sickle Cell Treatment & Research Center

Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States

Location

Howard University Hospital & Howard University

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20060, United States

Location

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida, 32610-0296, United States

Location

All Children's Hospital

St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, United States

Location

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston/Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States

Location

University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States

Location

University of Louisville School of Medicine

Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, United States

Location

Sickle Cell Center of S. Louisiana, Tulane University School of Medicine

New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States

Location

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States

Location

Boston University Medical Center

Boston, Massachusetts, 02118, United States

Location

Children's Hospital of Michigan

Detroit, Michigan, 48201, United States

Location

University of Mississippi Medical Center

Jackson, Mississippi, 39216, United States

Location

Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics

Kansas City, Missouri, 64108, United States

Location

Children's Specialty Center of Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada, 89109, United States

Location

Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada, 89109, United States

Location

Cooper University Hospital

Camden, New Jersey, 08103, United States

Location

The Brooklyn Hospital Center

Brooklyn, New York, 11201, United States

Location

SUNY - Downstate Medical Center

Brooklyn, New York, 11203, United States

Location

Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center

Brooklyn, New York, 11212, United States

Location

New York Methodist Hospital - SC/Thalassemia Program

Brooklyn, New York, 11215, United States

Location

Interfaith Medical Center

Brooklyn, New York, 11238, United States

Location

Bronx Lebanon Hospital

The Bronx, New York, 11203, United States

Location

Presbyterian Blume Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Clinic

Charlotte, North Carolina, 28204, United States

Location

University of Tennessee Cancer Institute

Memphis, Tennessee, 38104, United States

Location

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Virginia, 23298-0306, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

  • Bolarinwa AB, Oduwole O, Okebe J, Ogbenna AA, Otokiti OE, Olatinwo AT. Antioxidant supplementation for sickle cell disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2024 May 22;5(5):CD013590. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013590.pub2.

  • Niihara Y, Miller ST, Kanter J, Lanzkron S, Smith WR, Hsu LL, Gordeuk VR, Viswanathan K, Sarnaik S, Osunkwo I, Guillaume E, Sadanandan S, Sieger L, Lasky JL, Panosyan EH, Blake OA, New TN, Bellevue R, Tran LT, Razon RL, Stark CW, Neumayr LD, Vichinsky EP; Investigators of the Phase 3 Trial of l-Glutamine in Sickle Cell Disease. A Phase 3 Trial of l-Glutamine in Sickle Cell Disease. N Engl J Med. 2018 Jul 19;379(3):226-235. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1715971.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anemia, Sickle CellVaso-Occlusive Crises

Interventions

Glutaminemaltodextrin

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Anemia, Hemolytic, CongenitalAnemia, HemolyticAnemiaHematologic DiseasesHemic and Lymphatic DiseasesHemoglobinopathiesGenetic Diseases, InbornCongenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Amino Acids, BasicAmino AcidsAmino Acids, Peptides, and ProteinsAmino Acids, DiaminoAmino Acids, Neutral

Results Point of Contact

Title
Yutaka Niihara, MD, MPH
Organization
Emmaus Medical, Inc

Study Officials

  • Yutaka Niihara, MD, MPH

    Chairman and CEO

    STUDY DIRECTOR

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
No
Restriction Type
OTHER
Restrictive Agreement
Yes

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 3
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
INDUSTRY
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

May 21, 2010

First Posted

August 11, 2010

Study Start

May 1, 2010

Primary Completion

March 1, 2014

Study Completion

March 1, 2014

Last Updated

August 19, 2020

Results First Posted

August 10, 2017

Record last verified: 2017-07

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations