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Clofazimine in the Treatment of Pulmonary Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC)

Phase 2
Active, not recruiting
Conditions
Mycobacterium Avium Complex
Interventions
Other: sugar pill
Registration Number
NCT02968212
Lead Sponsor
Oregon Health and Science University
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of clofazimine when used to treat Mycobacteria avium complex (MAC) lung disease.

Funding Source - FDA OOPD

Detailed Description

Clofazimine is an orphan antibiotic drug that is no longer available through pharmacies in the United States. It is approved for the treatment of Mycobacterium leprae (leprosy) infections. Clofazimine has been used for many years off-label against other Mycobacterium, including Mycobacteria avium complex (MAC) lung disease, an increasingly prevalent infection in older Americans. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently oversees clofazimine use to treat MAC lung disease through a special investigational drug access program. However, to date, there is little understanding of the benefits and risks of clofazimine when used to treat MAC lung disease. Accordingly, the investigators have developed a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of clofazimine. To be eligible, participants must have MAC lung disease, positive sputum cultures for MAC, and not currently taking antibiotics for MAC. Eligible participants (102 total enrolled) will be randomly given either clofazimine or placebo for 6 months, and followed closely by their treating physician. The percentage of participants who become culture negative in each group will be compared, as it is suspected that participants treated with clofazimine will be more likely to become culture negative. The safety of clofazimine will be measured as well as other potential benefits of the therapy including changes in lung function and quality of life.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
102
Inclusion Criteria
  • At least 2 positive MAC sputum cultures in the last 12 months with at least one obtained within 12 weeks prior to randomization
  • Meet ATS/IDSA 2007 pulmonary disease criteria
  • Adult males and females age 18 or over
  • Ability to provide informed consent for the use of study drug
Exclusion Criteria
  • Any patient who is unwilling or unable to provide consent or to comply with this protocol
  • Cavitary NTM disease
  • Patients who are currently taking or within the prior 12 weeks received any of the following: bedaquiline, or any component of ATS/IDSA multi-drug recommended therapy (macrolide, ethambutol, rifampin) for MAC
  • Current usage of inhaled amikacin, tobramycin, or gentamicin
  • In the judgment of the investigator, the patient is not a candidate for observation (e.g. severe symptoms, extensive disease burden) but rather should be treated with standard multi-drug therapy
  • Prior use of clofazimine that has resulted in an allergy to clofazimine or a severe adverse reaction
  • Current usage of medications associated with QT prolongation (see Appendix C for full list of prohibited concomitant medications)
  • Corrected QT (QTc) interval on electrocardiogram (ECG) > 470 ms for females or 450 ms for males, calculated using Fridericia's formula60,61
  • Advanced lung disease (FEV<30%)
  • HIV
  • Active pulmonary tuberculosis requiring treatment at screening
  • Active pulmonary malignancy or chemotherapy or radiation within 1 year of screening
  • Use of chronic systemic corticosteroids at doses of 15 mg/day for more than 12 weeks
  • Prior lung or other solid organ transplant
  • Pregnancy, or breastfeeding that will continue during treatment

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
sugar pillsugar pillParticipants receive placebo
clofazimineClofazimineParticipants receive lamprene
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change from Baseline sputum culture at 24 weeksSputum examined for culture change from Baseline at 24 weeks

sputum will be processed for acid fast bacilli stain/acid fast bacterial culture. A semi-quantitative assessment will be made by colony count for patients.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change from Baseline 6 Minute Walk Test at 24 weeks6 Minute Walk Test results examined for change from Baseline at 24 weeks

Walking distance achieved in 6 minutes is assessed

Change from Baseline PROMIS Fatigue 7a short form questionnaire at 24 weeksPROMIS Fatigue 7a short form results examined for change from Baseline at 24 weeks

Self-administered questionnaire assessing a range of self-reported symptoms over the past seven days, from mild subjective feelings of tiredness to an overwhelming, debilitating, and sustained sense of exhaustion that likely decreases one's ability to execute daily activities and function normally in family or social roles. Fatigue is divided into the experience of fatigue (frequency, duration, and intensity) and the impact of fatigue on physical, mental, and social activities.

Change from Baseline Quality of Life-Bronchiectasis (QOL-B) with NTM module at 24 weeksQOL-B results examined for change from Baseline at 24 weeks

Self-administered questionnaire measuring 8 separate domains: Physical Functioning, Role Functioning, Vitality, Emotional Functioning, Social Functioning, Treatment Burden, Health Perceptions, and Respiratory Symptoms.

Change from Baseline CT scan at 24 weeksCT scan examined for change from Baseline at 24 weeks

CT scans will be computationally evaluated using custom software to provide volumetric assessment of NTM-associated abnormalities.

Change from Baseline semi-quantitative sputum acid fast smear culture at 24 weekssemi-quantitative sputum acid fast smear culture examined for change from Baseline at 24 weeks

sputum will be processed for acid fast bacilli stain/acid fast bacterial culture. A semi-quantitative assessment will be made by colony count for patients.

Change from Baseline Spirometry at 24 weeksSpirometry with FEV1/FVC ratio examined for change from Baseline at 24 weeks

Mean change in pulmonary function parameters as measured by %predicted FEV1 and FVC

Change from Baseline C-Reactive Protein levels at 24 weeksC-Reactive Protein levels examined for change from Baseline at 24 weeks

Detecting change in Inflammatory markers

Number of Adverse EventsNumber of Patient-reported and Investigator-reported Adverse Events at 24 weeks

Comparison of experienced adverse events between the two study groups

Change from Baseline QT interval at 24 weeksQT interval examined for change from Baseline at 24 weeks

A 12-lead ECG will be conducted, and the QT interval calculated using Fridericia's formula: QTC = QT / RR 1/3

Change from Baseline Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate at 24 weeksErythrocyte Sedimentation Rate examined for change from Baseline at 24 weeks

Detecting change in Inflammatory markers

Change from Baseline blood serum chemistry at week 24blood serum chemistry examined for change from Baseline at 24 weeks

Detecting changes in liver ALT and AST levels

Change from Baseline complete blood count at week 24complete blood count examined for change from Baseline at 24 weeks

Detecting changes in complete blood count

Change from Baseline Minimal Inhibitory Concentration of MAC isolates in vitro at week 24Minimal Inhibitory Concentration of MAC isolates in vitro examined for change from Baseline at 24 weeks

Detecting change in MAC isolates sensitivity to clofazimine

Trial Locations

Locations (7)

National Jewish Health

🇺🇸

Denver, Colorado, United States

University of South Florida

🇺🇸

Tampa, Florida, United States

University of Chicago

🇺🇸

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Louisiana State University

🇺🇸

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

🇺🇸

Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Oregon Health & Science University

🇺🇸

Portland, Oregon, United States

University of Texas Health Science Center

🇺🇸

Tyler, Texas, United States

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