MedPath

Merimepodib (MMPD) in Triple Combination for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C

Phase 2
Completed
Conditions
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis
Registration Number
NCT00088504
Lead Sponsor
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Brief Summary

This trial is designed to test whether or not the addition of merimepodib (MMPD) to the standard therapy of pegylated interferon and ribavirin will result in a positive treatment response for people who have not previously responded to this therapy. Approximately 315 subjects will be enrolled in this research study at approximately 55 clinical sites in the United States. There will be three study groups. Everyone in the study will receive Pegasys® (pegylated interferon) and Copegus® (ribavirin) at the normally prescribed doses. Two of the groups will also receive the study drug merimepodib (MMPD) twice a day, one group at each dose level being tested. The third group will take a placebo instead of MMPD, with the Pegasys® and Copegus®.

After the first 24 weeks of treatment, blood tests will be done to see if subjects are responding to treatment. If they are responding, they will continue receiving study treatment in the study for another 24 weeks. If they are not responding, they will stop study treatment. Everyone who is responding will be monitored for 24 weeks after the last dose of medication, to see how long the response lasts.

Evaluations will be performed during the study to look at the safety of the Pegasys®/Copegus® and MMPD or placebo combination, and to see how the combination is working by measuring Hepatitis C Virus in the blood.

At some of the clinical sites performing the study, some subjects may also participate in additional testing to look at the metabolism of the drugs, or to look at the immune response to Hepatitis C virus infection and treatment.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
315
Inclusion Criteria

The following is a summary of the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the Merimepodib Triple Combination (METRO) trial. There are also additional criteria, which will be reviewed with you by the staff at the clinical study site, to make sure you are eligible for the study. Some of the criteria are dependent on the results of blood tests and other tests that will be done at the clinical site.

If you are not sure whether you meet these criteria, please call the clinical study site nearest you, and they can help you figure out if you might be eligible for the study:

  • You must have been diagnosed with Hepatitis C.
  • You must have been treated with pegylated interferon (brand names are Pegasys® or Peg-Intron®) and ribavirin (brand names Rebetol® or Copegus®), for at least 12 weeks. However, you cannot have received more than one course of this combination therapy.
  • You must have been a "non-responder" to this treatment, meaning that the virus levels in your blood were always detectable. If you responded to the treatment and then the virus became detectable again (called a "relapse"), you would not be eligible.
  • You must not have used illegal drugs, or have a history of significant alcohol use, within the last year before you start the study.

Pegasys® and Copegus® are not recommended for people with some illnesses. You should be in good health in general, with no illnesses that would prevent you from using Pegasys® and Copegus®. If you do not know whether you have any illness or conditions that would prevent you from using these medications, the study doctor or nurse will review your medical history with you to determine this.

If you are a woman who can have children, you must be willing to use two effective methods of birth control during the study and for 6 months after the last dose of the medication. You will have monthly pregnancy tests during this time to make sure you do not become pregnant (This is recommended for anyone taking ribavirin, even when they are not in a clinical study.).

If you are a male, your female partner must not be pregnant, and you both must be willing to use birth control during the time you are in the study, and for 6 months after the last dose of the medication (This is recommended for anyone taking ribavirin, even when they are not in a clinical study.).

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (67)

David N. Schwartz, M.D.

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Attleboro, Massachusetts, United States

Lawrence D. Wruble, M.D.

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Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Lawton Shick, M.D.

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Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Michael T. Bennett, M.D.

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San Diego, California, United States

Robert L. Carithers, M.D.

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Seattle, Washington, United States

Mark E. Jonas, M.D.

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Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

George G. Burnazian, M.D.

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Houston, Texas, United States

Rise Stribling, M.D.

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Houston, Texas, United States

Alvaro G. Koch, M.D.

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Lexington, Kentucky, United States

Jill P. Smith, M.D.

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Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Vinod Rustgi, M.D.

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Fairfax, Virginia, United States

Andrew Muir, M.D.

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Durham, North Carolina, United States

Ronald Pruitt, M.D.

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Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Jeffrey Rank, M.D.

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Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States

Marcelo Kugelmas, M.D.

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Englewood, Colorado, United States

Joseph L. Cochran, M.D.

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Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Stuart C. Gordon, M.D.

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Detroit, Michigan, United States

John B. Gross, M.D.

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Rochester, Minnesota, United States

George Koval, M.D.

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Portland, Oregon, United States

F. Fred Poordad, M.D.

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Los Angeles, California, United States

Herbert L. Bonkovsky, M.D.

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Farmington, Connecticut, United States

Harvey A. Tatum, M.D.

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Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

Peter J. Molloy, M.D.

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Victor Araya, M.D.

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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Daniel Pambianco, M.D.

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Charlottesville, Virginia, United States

Robert A. Wohlman, M.D.

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Bellevue, Washington, United States

James Scott Strohecker, M.D.

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Columbia, South Carolina, United States

Gary L. Davis, M.D.

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Dallas, Texas, United States

Suresh Karne, M.D., Ph.D.

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Huntsville, Alabama, United States

Prahalad B. Jajodia, M.D.

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Fresno, California, United States

Vijayan Balan, M.D.

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Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Michael P. DeMicco, M.D.

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Anaheim, California, United States

Arnold L. Lentnek, M.D.

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Marietta, Georgia, United States

Lisa M. Nyberg, M.D.

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San Diego, California, United States

Ramsey Cheung, M.D.

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Palo Alto, California, United States

Myron J. Tong, M.D., Ph.D.

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Pasadena, California, United States

Helen Te, M.D.

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Chicago, Illinois, United States

Natalie Bzowej, M.D.

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San Francisco, California, United States

Donald R. Graham, M.D.

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Springfield, Illinois, United States

Eugene R. Schiff, M.D.

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Miami, Florida, United States

Ellen B. Hunter, M.D.

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Boise, Idaho, United States

Jawahar L. Taunk, M.D.

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Palm Harbor, Florida, United States

Gerald J. Mingoletti, M.D.

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Oak Forest, Illinois, United States

Robert M. Be, M.D.

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Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States

Steven L. Flamm, M.D.

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Chicago, Illinois, United States

Shaban Faruqui, M.D.

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Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States

Bal Raj Bhandari, M.D.

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Monroe, Louisiana, United States

Luis A. Balart, M.D.

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New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Michael Epstein, M.D.

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Annapolis, Maryland, United States

Robert Perrillo, M.D.

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New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Mark Sulkowski, M.D.

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Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Natarajan Ravendhran, M.D.

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Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Nezam Afdhal, M.D.

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Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Milton J. Koch, M.D.

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Silver Spring, Maryland, United States

Adrian Di Bisceglie, M.D.

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Saint Louis, Missouri, United States

Ira M. Jacobson, M.D.

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New York, New York, United States

Rajendra Prasad Gupta, M.D.

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Trenton, New Jersey, United States

Robert Reindollar, M.D.

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Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

David Eric Bernstein, M.D.

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Manhasset, New York, United States

Douglas T. Dieterich, M.D.

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New York, New York, United States

William C. Sloan

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Florham Park, New Jersey, United States

John E. Poulous, M.D.

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Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States

William M. Lee, M.D.

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Dallas, Texas, United States

Eric J. Lawitz, M.D.

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San Antonio, Texas, United States

Michael F. Lyons II, M.D.

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Tacoma, Washington, United States

David Winters McEniry, M.D.

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Tacoma, Washington, United States

Mitchell Shiffman, M.D.

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Richmond, Virginia, United States

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