Vitamin C With Steroids for Gastrointestinal GVHD

NCT07197749 | Not Yet Recruiting Early Phase 1 DMC

• 1 other identifier: H-58040 Vit C for GVHD
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 35
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

After a transplant from another donor, one risk is graft versus host disease (GVHD) that happens because of differences between the donated cells (graft) and the patient's body cells (host). The new cells from the donor might see the body's cells as different and attack them. GVHD can be very serious and cause death. The standard first treatment for GVHD is corticosteroids but not all patients respond and in cases where they don't, they need to go onto other treatments that may or may not be effective. In addition, when GHVD involves the gut it can damage the cells of the gastrointestinal track causing long term problems such as abdominal pain and bowel disturbance. In laboratory studies giving a vitamin C has been able to protect the gastrointestinal cells and help them recover. In this trial the investigators would like to see if vitamin C can do the same thing when given with steroids in patients with GVHD. The standard first treatment for acute GVHD is corticosteroids but not all patients respond and in cases where they don't, they need to go onto other treatments that may or may not be effective. In addition, when GHVD involves the gut it can damage the cells of the gastrointestinal track causing long term problems such as abdominal pain and bowel disturbance. In the laboratory vitamin C has been able to protect gut stem cells and help them recover and the investigators would like to learn if this happens in people too. Vitamin C is a readily available supplement. Vitamin C has NOT been approved by the FDA for the treatment of acute GVHD.

Conditions

Gastrointestinal; Graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD)

Keywords

Graft-Versus-Host-Disease; GVHD; Vitamin C; Gastrointestinal

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Primary Endpoint

  The primary endpoint is overall (complete or partial) response to combination of vitamin C with steroids at day 28 post-treatment.

  28 days post-treatment

Study Arms (1)

Treatment

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients will be treated with intravenous (IV) or oral (PO) vitamin C depending on the severity of symptoms, ability to tolerate PO intake, and location of treatment (inpatient versus outpatient setting).

Drug: Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Interventions

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) DRUG

All patients enrolled on this trial will receive steroids at a minimum dose of prednisone 2 mg/kg/day PO (or methylprednisolone 1.6 mg/kg/day IV) divided into 1-2 daily doses as therapy for acute GVHD. For patients that weigh over 100 kg, maximal starting dose of prednisone will be 200 mg (or methylprednisolone-equivalent). Patients will be treated with intravenous (IV) or oral (PO) vitamin C depending on the severity of symptoms, ability to tolerate PO intake, and location of treatment (inpatient versus outpatient setting): IV dosing: 50 mg/kg/day divided TID (max 4 grams total/day) PO dosing: 500 mg BID or 1000 mg daily (depending on the prescribed formulation) Vitamin C will be administered through day 56 from start of vitamin C treatment. Patients initially receiving IV administration may be transitioned to PO formulation once tolerating PO intake; per treating physician discretion.

Treatment

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 5 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Patients 5 years of age or older at time of enrollment.
• Patients experiencing their initial presentation of stage 2 or greater acute LGI GVHD (with or without other organ involvement) or stage 1 LGI + skin aGVHD requiring systemic therapy after allogeneic transplant for any malignant or non-malignant indication using any graft/donor source or conditioning intensity.
• KPS ≥70%
• Patients should not have received systemic immune suppressive therapy for treatment of active GVHD except for a maximum of 72 hours of steroid therapy (with or without ruxolitinib) prior to enrollment. Topical skin and GI corticosteroids (such as budesonide and oral beclomethasone diproprionate) are allowed.
• Informed Consent explained to, understood by and signed by patient/guardian. Patient/guardian given copy of informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Relapsed, progressing or persistent malignancy or evidence of minimal residual disease (MRD) requiring withdrawal of systemic immune suppression.
• Patients with acute GVHD developing after administration of a donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) for relapse/progression of disease.
• Patients with uncontrolled infections will be excluded. Infections are considered controlled if appropriate therapy has been instituted and, at the time of enrollment, no signs of progression are present. Progression of infection is defined as hemodynamic instability attributable to sepsis, new symptoms, worsening physical signs or radiographic findings attributable to infection. Persisting fever without other signs or symptoms
• Known or suspected hypersensitivity to vitamin C.
• De novo chronic GVHD or overlap syndrome developing before or present at the time of enrollment.
• Patients receiving other drugs for the treatment of GVHD except as noted above. GVHD prophylaxis agents (e.g., calcineurin inhibitors) may be continued at local Investigator's discretion.
• Patients on renal replacement therapy.
• Patients requiring continuous supplemental oxygen \> 2L/min to maintain peripheral O2 saturation \[SpO2\] \> 90%.
• Patients with active hepatic sinusoidal obstructive syndrome (SOS) and/or clinical evidence of impaired hepatic function (ascites or encephalopathy related to liver disease.
• Patients receiving systemic corticosteroids (CS) for any indication within 7 days before enrollment, except the following:
• Corticosteroids administered as premedication for supportive care (such as before transfusion of blood products or before intravenous medications to prevent infusion reactions, fever, etc.).
• If steroid therapy has been administered for treatment of a non-GVHD related condition and tapered to \< 0.6 mg/kg/day prednisone (0.5 mg/kg/day methylprednisolone) for 7 or more days prior to enrollment.
• History of G6PD deficiency, sickle cell disease or hemochromatosis.
• History of oxalate kidney stones.
• Patients unlikely to be adherent to study specific assessments at the transplant center.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Baylor College of Medicine: lead
• The Methodist Hospital Research Institute: collaborator
• Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine: collaborator

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Graft vs Host Disease

Interventions

Ascorbic Acid

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Immune System Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Sugar Acids; Acids, Acyclic; Carboxylic Acids; Organic Chemicals; Hydroxy Acids; Carbohydrates

Study Officials

• LaQuisa Hill, MD

  Baylor College of Medicine

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

LaQuisa Hill, MD

CONTACT

713-441-1450; lchill@bcm.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: early phase 1
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 26, 2025
• First Posted: September 29, 2025
• Study Start (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2029
• Last Updated: March 4, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share