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Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type IPhase 1/2NCT00661453

CARNIVAL Type I: Valproic Acid and Carnitine in Infants With Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type I

A Phase 1/2 study testing Valproic Acid and Levocarnitine in people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type I, run by University of Utah at 8 sites in 3 countries.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This is a multi-center trial to test safety and evaluate early treatment intervention with valproic acid and carnitine in moderating SMA symptoms of Type I infants. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 2 weeks to 12 months
Conditions the study is for
Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type I
What is being tested?
Valproic Acid and Levocarnitine
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
40 participants
Where
8 sitesin 3 countries
Study dates
Apr 2008to Jun 2012
Phase
Phase 1/2
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 2 weeks to 12 months
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Laboratory documentation of SMN mutation/deletion consistent with a genetic diagnosis of SMA
  • Clinical diagnosis of SMA type I
  • Age 2 weeks to 12 months
  • Written informed consent of parents/guardian

Who cannot join

  • Any clinical or laboratory evidence of hepatic or pancreatic insufficiency.
  • Laboratory results drawn within 14 days prior to start of study drug demonstrating:
  • Liver transaminases (AST, ALT), lipase, amylase: > 1.5 x ULN White Blood Cell Count: < 3 Neutropenia: <1 Platelet: <100K Hematocrit: <30, persisting over a 30-day period
  • Serious illness requiring systemic treatment and/or hospitalization within two weeks prior to study entry.
  • Use of medications or supplements within 30 days of study enrollment that interfere with VPA or carnitine metabolism; that increase the potential risks of VPA or carnitine; or that are hypothesized to have a beneficial effect in SMA animal models or human neuromuscular disorders, including riluzole, valproic acid, hydroxyurea, oral use of albuterol, sodium phenylbutyrate, butyrate derivatives, creatinine, growth hormone, anabolic steroids, probenecid, oral or parenteral use of corticosteroids at entry, or agents anticipated to increase or decrease muscle strength or agents with presumed histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition.
  • Infants who have participated in a treatment trial for SMA within 30 days of study entry or who will become enrollees in any other treatment trial during the course of this study.
  • Unwillingness to travel for study assessments.
  • Coexisting medical conditions that contradict use of VPA/carnitine or travel to and from study site.

Trial locations and contacts

8 sites in 3 countries.

8 sites in 3 countries

United States6 sites
  • Johns Hopkins University

    Baltimore, Maryland, 21287

  • Ohio State University Medical Center, Dept. of Neurology

    Columbus, Ohio, 43210

  • Children's Hospital of Michigan

    Detroit, Michigan, 48201

  • Duke University Medical Center

    Durham, North Carolina, 27710

  • University of Wisconsin Children's Hospital

    Madison, Wisconsin, 53792-9988

  • University of Utah/Primary Children's Medical Center

    Salt Lake City, Utah, 84132

Other trials in United States

Canada1 site
  • Hospital Sainte-Justine

    Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1C5

Other trials in Canada

Germany1 site
  • Klinikum der Universität zu Köln

    Cologne, 50924

Other trials in Germany

About this study

Official title: Phase I/II Trial of Valproic Acid and Carnitine in Infants With Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type I (CARNI-VAL Type I)

This is a multi-center trial to test safety and evaluate early treatment intervention with valproic acid and carnitine in moderating SMA symptoms of Type I infants.

Read the detailed description

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic disorder that results in severe muscle weakness. It is one of the most common conditions causing muscle weakness in children. Patients with SMA most often develop weakness as babies or young children. Most people with SMA gradually lose muscle strength and abilities over time. Babies with the severe infantile form of SMA, SMA type I, usually lose abilities and strength quickly over a few weeks or months.

Valproic acid (VPA) is a medicine that has been used for many years to treat patients with epilepsy. Recent research suggests that VPA may be able to upregulate expression of a backup copy of the SMN gene in SMA patient cell lines. In addition, some preliminary data suggests it may prolong survival in animal models of SMA. Because VPA can deplete carnitine in children with SMA Type I, carnitine is added to help prevent possible toxicity.

In this multi-center trial, we will evaluate the effects of VPA/carnitine on infants with SMA type I. A variety of outcome measures, including assessment of safety, will be performed at each study visit to follow the course of the disease. The protocol includes two baseline visits over a period of two weeks, two clinical assessments on medication at 3 and 6 months, and then 6 months additional followup via telephone. Total duration of the study will be approximately 12 months.

Being tested
Valproic Acid and Levocarnitine
Keywords
Spinal Muscular Atrophy, SMA, Valproic Acid
Medical subject headings
Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood, Muscular Atrophy, Spinal

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Valproic Acid and LevocarnitineDrug

    Drug: Valproic Acid and Levocarnitine; syrup; dosage is by weight

Study groups in NCT00661453
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
1ExperimentalAll patients will receive VPA and carnitine.
Receives: Drug: Valproic Acid and Levocarnitine

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Laboratory Safety Data

    Measured: -2 weeks, + 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months

  2. Anthropometric Measures of Nutritional Status (Body Mass Index [BMI] Z-scores, Weight for Length Ratios, Lean/Fat Mass Via DEXA, Growth Parameters, and Triceps Skinfold Measures)

    Measured: -2 weeks, time 0, 3 months, 6 months

Secondary outcomes (6)
  1. Time to Death or Ventilator Dependence (Defined as >16 Hours/Day)

    Measured: monthly

  2. Primary Caregiver Functional Rating Scale for SMA Type I Subjects (PCFRS)

    Measured: time 0, and monthly for 12 months

  3. Functional Motor Assessments: TIMPSI Scores

    Measured: -2 weeks, time 0, 3 months, 6 months

  4. Quantitative SMN mRNA and Protein Measures

    Measured: -2 weeks, time 0 , 3 months, or 6 months

  5. Maximum Ulnar CMAP Amplitude/Area and MUNE

    Measured: -2 weeks, time 0, 3 months, 6 months

  6. Whole Body DEXA Scanning for Lean Body Mass and Total Bone Mineral Density/ Content

    Measured: -2 weeks or time 0, 3 months, 6 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted18 Apr 2008 (estimated)
  2. Study startApr 2008
  3. Primary completionMay 2012
  4. Study completionJun 2012

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 1/2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
40 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00661453
Sponsor's protocol ID
25409
Other IDs
IND 79276
Status last verified
Jun 2015
First submitted
14 Apr 2008
Last updated
15 Jun 2015
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Brahe C, Bertini E. Spinal muscular atrophies: recent insights and impact on molecular diagnosis. J Mol Med (Berl). 1996 Oct;74(10):555-62. doi: 10.1007/s001090050059.

    PubMed 8912176
  • Roberts DF, Chavez J, Court SD. The genetic component in child mortality. Arch Dis Child. 1970 Feb;45(239):33-8. doi: 10.1136/adc.45.239.33.

    PubMed 4245389
  • Pearn J. Incidence, prevalence, and gene frequency studies of chronic childhood spinal muscular atrophy. J Med Genet. 1978 Dec;15(6):409-13. doi: 10.1136/jmg.15.6.409.

    PubMed 745211
  • Czeizel A, Hamula J. A hungarian study on Werdnig-Hoffmann disease. J Med Genet. 1989 Dec;26(12):761-3. doi: 10.1136/jmg.26.12.761.

    PubMed 2614795
  • Emery AE. Population frequencies of inherited neuromuscular diseases--a world survey. Neuromuscul Disord. 1991;1(1):19-29. doi: 10.1016/0960-8966(91)90039-u.

    PubMed 1822774
  • Merlini L, Stagni SB, Marri E, Granata C. Epidemiology of neuromuscular disorders in the under-20 population in Bologna Province, Italy. Neuromuscul Disord. 1992;2(3):197-200. doi: 10.1016/0960-8966(92)90006-r.

    PubMed 1483045
  • Pearn J. Classification of spinal muscular atrophies. Lancet. 1980 Apr 26;1(8174):919-22. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(80)90847-8.

    PubMed 6103267
  • Bromberg MB, Swoboda KJ. Motor unit number estimation in infants and children with spinal muscular atrophy. Muscle Nerve. 2002 Mar;25(3):445-7. doi: 10.1002/mus.10050.

    PubMed 11870724
  • Swoboda KJ, Prior TW, Scott CB, McNaught TP, Wride MC, Reyna SP, Bromberg MB. Natural history of denervation in SMA: relation to age, SMN2 copy number, and function. Ann Neurol. 2005 May;57(5):704-12. doi: 10.1002/ana.20473.

    PubMed 15852397
  • Crawford TO. From enigmatic to problematic: the new molecular genetics of childhood spinal muscular atrophy. Neurology. 1996 Feb;46(2):335-40. doi: 10.1212/wnl.46.2.335. No abstract available.

    PubMed 8614490
  • Gilliam TC, Brzustowicz LM, Castilla LH, Lehner T, Penchaszadeh GK, Daniels RJ, Byth BC, Knowles J, Hislop JE, Shapira Y, et al. Genetic homogeneity between acute and chronic forms of spinal muscular atrophy. Nature. 1990 Jun 28;345(6278):823-5. doi: 10.1038/345823a0.

    PubMed 1972783
  • Melki J, Lefebvre S, Burglen L, Burlet P, Clermont O, Millasseau P, Reboullet S, Benichou B, Zeviani M, Le Paslier D, et al. De novo and inherited deletions of the 5q13 region in spinal muscular atrophies. Science. 1994 Jun 3;264(5164):1474-7. doi: 10.1126/science.7910982.

    PubMed 7910982
  • Monani UR, Lorson CL, Parsons DW, Prior TW, Androphy EJ, Burghes AH, McPherson JD. A single nucleotide difference that alters splicing patterns distinguishes the SMA gene SMN1 from the copy gene SMN2. Hum Mol Genet. 1999 Jul;8(7):1177-83. doi: 10.1093/hmg/8.7.1177.

    PubMed 10369862
  • Campbell L, Potter A, Ignatius J, Dubowitz V, Davies K. Genomic variation and gene conversion in spinal muscular atrophy: implications for disease process and clinical phenotype. Am J Hum Genet. 1997 Jul;61(1):40-50. doi: 10.1086/513886.

    PubMed 9245983
  • Lefebvre S, Burlet P, Liu Q, Bertrandy S, Clermont O, Munnich A, Dreyfuss G, Melki J. Correlation between severity and SMN protein level in spinal muscular atrophy. Nat Genet. 1997 Jul;16(3):265-9. doi: 10.1038/ng0797-265.

    PubMed 9207792

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1/2 study testing Valproic Acid and Levocarnitine in people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type I, run by University of Utah at 8 sites in 3 countries.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 15 Jun 2015. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 8 sites in United States, Canada, Germany. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this combined phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 15 Jun 2015). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Laboratory Safety Data (time frame: -2 weeks, + 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00661453, which also lists 42 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 15 Jun 2015.

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