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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2Early Phase 1NCT03445702

Metformin Gastrointestinal Intolerance: Measurement of Mitochondrial Complex I

A Early Phase 1 study testing Metformin in people with Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 and Metformin Adverse Reaction, run by St. Louis University at 1 site in United States.

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

Metformin is associated with a high degree of gastrointestinal intolerance, which limits the effective use of the medication. It is proposed to be an inhibitor of liver mitochondrial glycerophosphate dehydrogenase which results in partial blockade of mitochondrial complex 1 and inhibition of metabolism of lactate to… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 40 to 70 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
What is being tested?
Metformin
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
15 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
15 Oct 2018to 27 Oct 2020
Phase
Early Phase 1
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

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 40 to 70 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Tolerance to meformin
  • Intolerance to metformin

Who cannot join

  • Exclusion: Pregnant or nursing mothers
  • Those not competent to provide informed consent
  • Known systemic allergy (not intolerance) to metformin
  • Congestive heart failure NYHA class III-IV
  • Renal impairment,EGFRr<45ml/min
  • Liver cirrhosis

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Saint Louis University

    St Louis, Missouri, 63110

Other trials in United States

About this study

Metformin is associated with a high degree of gastrointestinal intolerance, which limits the effective use of the medication. It is proposed to be an inhibitor of liver mitochondrial glycerophosphate dehydrogenase which results in partial blockade of mitochondrial complex 1 and inhibition of metabolism of lactate to pyruvate. There is also evidence that it is accumulated in gastrointestinal cells, and that there are certain genotypes associated with inclusion or lack of exclusion of the metformin from these cells. To validate this hypothesis investigators propose to give metformin after a standard meal test to see if there is the accumulation of lactic acid in those with gastrointestinal intolerance to metformin, compared to those without intolerance, and to determine if these elevations of lactic acid and GI symptoms are associated with genetic predispositions.

Aims:

  1. To determine if the GI intolerance to metformin is associated with post meal elevations of lactic acid.
  2. The test will measure the inhibition of mitochondrial complex 1 levels of lactate to pyruvate compared with non- intolerant subjects.
  3. To determine if individuals with gastrointestinal symptoms and elevated lactate/pyruvate ratios have genetic variation in the organic cation transporters.
Read the detailed description

Metformin is the primary drug of choice for management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Most recent evidence suggest that the drug is a noncompetitive inhibitor of mitochondrial glycerophosphate dehydrogenase which modifies mitochondrial complex 1 in the liver, reducing the generation of NADH, increasing the ratio of lactate to pyruvate, and reducing gluconeogenesis. Metformin which is a guanidine/ biguanide analog is not metabolized in vivo and is cleared by the kidney. It has a limited degree of mitochondrial inhibition, and only becomes toxic when serum levels accumulate in renal failure. Other guanidine analogs, such as fenformin or galegine, however may be associated with irreversible complete mitochondrial blockade and lactic acidosis.

The incidence of gastrointestinal intolerance to the drug can range between 10% and 30%. It is postulated that the gastrointestinal enterocyte may accumulate the metformin. It is postulated that metformin uptake and accumulation may be exacerbated in those with genetic predispositions for certain organic transporters which are involved in the uptake and removal of metformin in cells. Metformin appears to be taken up from the intestine by plasma monoamine transporter (PMAT; SLC29A4), organic cation transporter 1 (OCT1; SCLC22A1) and organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3; SLC22A3) and actively removed from target tissues by multi-antimicrobial extrusion protein 1 (MATE1; SLC47A1) and eliminated by the urinary multi-antimicrobial extrusion protein 2 (MATE2; SCL47A2). Although certain genotypes are associated with a high incidence of intolerance, the gene low gene frequency does not explain the high degree of intolerance in the population.

ii) Innovation: The plan is to develop a test to evaluate whether there is accumulation of lactic acid after a therapeutic dose of metformin and whether the levels of lactic acid are higher in subjects with GI intolerance than those not intolerant. The hypothesis is that there is increased generation of lactic acid in those intolerant individuals, independent of glucose lowering effect on liver metabolism. Investigators propose to measure the generation of lactate/pyruvate (L/P, mitochondrial complex 1), in those with and without clinically known metformin gastrointestinal symptoms. Investigators will correlate gastrointestinal symptoms with L/P ratios. Investigators will also evaluate for genomic susceptibility for the origin transporters with comparison to the metformin tolerance test generation of lactic acid.

iii) Approach: Investigators wish to develop a pilot project of 24 subjects who will complete the protocol. Subject will be seen in the Endocrinology clinic of St. Louis University, and investigators will recruit 12 subjects who have clinical symptoms of gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea or bloating) and 12 subjects who are tolerant. Subjects will be randomized to receive a fasting standard dose of 1000 mg brand metformin (Glucophage) or comparable placebo on day one and then the alternate medicine on a second day. The study drug will be given with Diabetasourse meal (standard meal) which will provide carbohydrates to challenge the mitochondrial system [2]. Bloods for glucose, L/P, will be obtained at 0, 30 60 90 and 120 minutes. Symptoms of gastrointestinal effects will be documented by a Likert type questionnaire. Outcomes will be 1) the effect of metformin vs. placebo on the meal tolerance glucose levels 2) the effect of metformin on post meal challenge levels of L/P, in intolerant vs. tolerant individual and 3) the correlation of gastrointestinal symptoms with changes in L/P. From animal data, metformin causes a 2 fold increase in lactic acid at 60 minutes. In our laboratory with a normal reference lactic acid of 1.0 mmol/L and a SD=0.725. Twelve pairs would be sufficient for a pilot study to determine a difference at an alpha of 0.05 and beta of 0.80.

Being tested
Metformin, Placebo
Medical subject headings
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2

What participants receive

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

  • MetforminDrug

    Also called Glucophage

    Metformin 1000mg once

  • PlaceboDrug

    Sugar pill manufactured to mimic metformin 1000mg

Study groups in NCT03445702
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Metformin intolerant & metforminExperimentalMetformin 1000mg once
Receives: Drug: Metformin
Metformin intolerant & placeboPlacebo comparatorPlacebo 1000mg once
Receives: Drug: Placebo
Metformin tolerant & metforminActive comparatorMetformin 1000mg once
Receives: Drug: Metformin
Metformin tolerant and placeboPlacebo comparatorPlacebo 1000mg once
Receives: Drug: Placebo

What is being measured

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

  1. Lactate to pyruvate ratio

    Meal tolerance test. Absolute levels and ratios of L/P will be compared pre and post metformin and between group by analysis of variance for repeated measures where the covariance is group (tolerant or intolerant) and drug (metformin vs placebo).

    Measured: 2 weeks

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Genomic testing

    The subjects will have genomic testing for variations in cellular transporters

    Measured: 2 weeks

Timeline

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

  1. First posted26 Feb 2018
  2. Study start15 Oct 2018
  3. Primary completion27 Oct 2020
  4. Study completion27 Oct 2020

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
Early Phase 1
Primary purpose
Screening
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
Randomized, double blinded, placebo controlled crossover trial
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
15 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03445702
Sponsor's protocol ID
25319
Status last verified
Oct 2020
First submitted
19 Feb 2018
Last updated
28 Oct 2020
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Undecided

Publications

  • Ferrannini E. The target of metformin in type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2014 Oct 16;371(16):1547-8. doi: 10.1056/NEJMcibr1409796. No abstract available.

    PubMed 25317875
  • Madiraju AK, Erion DM, Rahimi Y, Zhang XM, Braddock DT, Albright RA, Prigaro BJ, Wood JL, Bhanot S, MacDonald MJ, Jurczak MJ, Camporez JP, Lee HY, Cline GW, Samuel VT, Kibbey RG, Shulman GI. Metformin suppresses gluconeogenesis by inhibiting mitochondrial glycerophosphate dehydrogenase. Nature. 2014 Jun 26;510(7506):542-6. doi: 10.1038/nature13270. Epub 2014 May 21.

    PubMed 24847880
  • Bailey CJ, Wilcock C, Scarpello JH. Metformin and the intestine. Diabetologia. 2008 Aug;51(8):1552-3. doi: 10.1007/s00125-008-1053-5. Epub 2008 Jun 5. No abstract available.

    PubMed 18528677
  • Bailey CJ, Wilcock C, Day C. Effect of metformin on glucose metabolism in the splanchnic bed. Br J Pharmacol. 1992 Apr;105(4):1009-13. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1992.tb09093.x.

    PubMed 1504710
  • Buse JB, DeFronzo RA, Rosenstock J, Kim T, Burns C, Skare S, Baron A, Fineman M. The Primary Glucose-Lowering Effect of Metformin Resides in the Gut, Not the Circulation: Results From Short-term Pharmacokinetic and 12-Week Dose-Ranging Studies. Diabetes Care. 2016 Feb;39(2):198-205. doi: 10.2337/dc15-0488. Epub 2015 Aug 18.

    PubMed 26285584
  • Tarasova L, Kalnina I, Geldnere K, Bumbure A, Ritenberga R, Nikitina-Zake L, Fridmanis D, Vaivade I, Pirags V, Klovins J. Association of genetic variation in the organic cation transporters OCT1, OCT2 and multidrug and toxin extrusion 1 transporter protein genes with the gastrointestinal side effects and lower BMI in metformin-treated type 2 diabetes patients. Pharmacogenet Genomics. 2012 Sep;22(9):659-66. doi: 10.1097/FPC.0b013e3283561666.

    PubMed 22735389
  • Pawlyk AC, Giacomini KM, McKeon C, Shuldiner AR, Florez JC. Metformin pharmacogenomics: current status and future directions. Diabetes. 2014 Aug;63(8):2590-9. doi: 10.2337/db13-1367.

    PubMed 25060887
  • Wang L, Weinshilboum R. Metformin pharmacogenomics: biomarkers to mechanisms. Diabetes. 2014 Aug;63(8):2609-10. doi: 10.2337/db14-0609. No abstract available.

    PubMed 25060891
  • Davidson J, Howlett H. New prolonged-release metformin improves gastrointestinal tolerability. British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease 2004; 4: 273.

  • Blonde L, Dailey GE, Jabbour SA, Reasner CA, Mills DJ. Gastrointestinal tolerability of extended-release metformin tablets compared to immediate-release metformin tablets: results of a retrospective cohort study. Curr Med Res Opin. 2004 Apr;20(4):565-72. doi: 10.1185/030079904125003278.

    PubMed 15119994

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Early Phase 1 study testing Metformin in people with Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 and Metformin Adverse Reaction, run by St. Louis University at 1 site in United States.

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 3 inclusion and 6 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 28 Oct 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Early Phase 1 (sometimes called Phase 0) studies give a very small amount of a treatment to a few people, mainly to see how the body handles it.

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

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

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?

Lactate to pyruvate ratio (time frame: 2 weeks). 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 NCT03445702, which also lists 10 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 28 Oct 2020.

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