Acute Decompensated Heart FailurePhase 3WeanilevoNCT04158674
Interest of Levosimendan in Reducing Weaning Failures of ExtraCorporeal Life Support - ECLS
A Phase 3 study testing Levosimendan and Cernevit in people with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure, run by Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is a circulatory cardio supplementation technique; it therefore makes it possible to compensate for a defective cardiac or cardio-respiratory function. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Acute Decompensated Heart Failure
- What is being tested?
- Levosimendan and Cernevit
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 82 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 24 Feb 2020to 11 Oct 2023
- Phase
- Phase 3
- 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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- adult patient
- patient or person responsible for the patient has given written consent
- patient with acute circulatory heart failure under ECLS
- patient meeting criteria for ECLS withdrawal
- ECLS flow rate at 1.0-1.5l/min and/or ECLS pump rpm ≤ 1500 rpm
- LVEF > 20% in cardiac ultrasound and aortic ITV > 10 cm
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- VIS score ≤ 10
- Arterial lactates ≤ 2 mmol/l
- Right ventricular outflow tract shortening fraction > 30%
- Basal diameter at the tricuspid telediastolic ring of the right ventricle < 35 mm
- Fraction of inspired oxygen combined between ventilator and ECLS < 80%
- ECLS withdrawl scheduled within 48 hours
- Absence of an initial or progressive infectious episode (no planned introduction of antibiotic therapy within 48 hours prior to inclusion)
Who cannot join
- Patient with hepatic insufficiency: cytolysis at least 20 times normal
- Drug intoxication and attempted suicide
- Patient with a contraindication to the use of levosimendan:
- hypersensitivity to the active substance or any of the excipients
- severe hypotension and ventricular tachycardia
- significant mechanical obstructions affecting ventricular filling and/or ejection
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- severe renal failure (creatinine clearance < 30 ml/min)
- severe liver failure (TP<50%)
- history of torsades de pointes
- Patient with a contraindication to the use of CERNEVIT®:
- hypersensitivity to active substances, in particular to vitamin B1 or to one of the excipients or to soy protein products or to peanut protein products
- hypervitaminosis to any vitamin contained in this formulation
- severe hypercalcemia, hyper calciuria, tumour, bone metastasis, primary hyperparathyroidism, granulomatosis
- patient not affiliated to or not benefiting from national health insurance
- patient subject to legal protection (curatorship, guardianship)
- patient subject to limited judicial protection
- pregnant, parturient or breastfeeding woman
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Interest of Levosimendan in Reducing Weaning Failures of ExtraCorporeal Life Support - ECLS. Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter, Double-blind, Multicenter Clinical Trial
Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is a circulatory cardio supplementation technique; it therefore makes it possible to compensate for a defective cardiac or cardio-respiratory function. ECLS nevertheless remains a temporary assistance technique pending a potential recovery of cardiac function, or it can be used to direct patients towards a heart transplant or long-term circulatory assistance (Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) or Total Heart). In patients with complete or partial recovery of cardiac and circulatory function, ECLS withdrawal may be considered. Withdrawal from ECLS remains a delicate phase and the risk of failure is high. The mechanism of action of levosimendan, a drug that increases the contractility of the heart, suggests that it would improve the heart-vessel connection and reduce the rate of ECLS withdrawal failure. The effect of levosimendan is maximal 24 to 48 hours after the end of the infusion and has a prolonged period of action.
The objective is to evaluate the efficacy of levosimendan administration (0.2 µg/kg/min over 24 hours) - versus placebo - prior to ECLS removal on the rate of withdrawal failure in patients under ECLS.
- Conditions
- Acute Decompensated Heart Failure
- Being tested
- Levosimendan, Cernevit
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
LevosimendanDrug
Levosimendan 2.5mg/ml, solution to be diluted for infusion Dilution in a 500ml bag of 5% Glucose The product is administered as a continuous infusion for 24 hours at an initial rate of 0.2 µg/kg/min
CernevitDrug
mixture of 12 vitamins The dilution of the treatment is done in a 500ml bag of 5% Glucose The product is administered as a continuous infusion for 24 hours at an initial rate of 0.2 µg/kg/min
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Levosimendan | Experimental | Not described Receives: Drug: Levosimendan |
| Placebo | Sham comparator | Not described Receives: Drug: Cernevit |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
ECLS withdrawal failure
Withdrawal failure is defined as the absence of ECLS discontinuation within 48 hours of randomization or the use of temporary circulatory assistance such as ECLS, Impella® pump or intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) or death
Measured: 7 days after ECLS removal
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 Nov 2019
- Study start24 Feb 2020
- Primary completion11 Oct 2023
- Study completion11 Oct 2023
Why it stopped: There was insufficient funding to continue the study in good conditions.
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Acute Decompensated Heart FailureStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Centre Hospitalier Universitaire DijonThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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 3
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 82 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04158674
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- ELLOUZE_ORION_2018
- Acronym
- Weanilevo
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 7 Nov 2019
- Last updated
- 28 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Publications
Ellouze O, Soudry Faure A, Radhouani M, Abou-Arab O, Besnier E, Moussa M, Cransac A, Ksiazek E, Fischer MO, Mertes PM, Bouhemad B, Guinot PG. Levosimendan in venoarterial ECMO weaning. Rational and design of a randomized double blind multicentre trial. ESC Heart Fail. 2021 Aug;8(4):3339-3347. doi: 10.1002/ehf2.13427. Epub 2021 Jun 18.
PubMed 34145993Guinot PG, Berthoud V, Soudry-Faure A, Abou-Arab O, Mertes PM, Fischer MO, Moussa M, Ellouze O, Nguyen M, Bouhemad B; for WEANILEVO trial group. Short- and Long-term Efficacy and Safety of Levosimendan in Veno-arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Weaning: The WEANILEVO Randomized Double-Blind Multicenter Trial. Anesthesiology. 2026 Jul 20. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000006143. Online ahead of print.
PubMed 42101006
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Interest of Levosimendan in Reducing Weaning Failures of ExtraCorporeal Life Support - ECLS. Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter, Double-blind, Multicenter Clinical Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04158674
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Weanilevo / ELLOUZE_ORION_2018
- Conditions
- Acute Decompensated Heart Failure
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- TerminatedReason stopped: There was insufficient funding to continue the study in good conditions.
- Enrolment
- 82 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire DijonUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 24 Feb 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 11 Oct 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 11 Oct 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 12 Nov 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is a circulatory cardio supplementation technique; it therefore makes it possible to compensate for a defective cardiac or cardio-respiratory function. ECLS nevertheless remains a temporary assistance technique pending a potential recovery of cardiac function, or it can be used to direct patients towards a heart transplant or long-term circulatory assistance (Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) or Total Heart). In patients with complete or partial recovery of cardiac and circulatory function, ECLS withdrawal may be considered. Withdrawal from ECLS remains a delicate phase and the risk of failure is high. The mechanism of action of levosimendan, a drug that increases the contractility of the heart, suggests that it would improve the heart-vessel connection and reduce the rate of ECLS withdrawal failure. The effect of levosimendan is maximal 24 to 48 hours after the end of the infusion and has a prolonged period of action.
The objective is to evaluate the efficacy of levosimendan administration (0.2 µg/kg/min over 24 hours) - versus placebo - prior to ECLS removal on the rate of withdrawal failure in patients under ECLS.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Levosimendan | Experimental | Drug: Levosimendan |
| Placebo | Sham comparator | Drug: Cernevit |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (13 listed)
- adult patient
- patient or person responsible for the patient has given written consent
- patient with acute circulatory heart failure under ECLS
- patient meeting criteria for ECLS withdrawal
- ECLS withdrawl scheduled within 48 hours
Key exclusion criteria (17 listed)
- Patient with hepatic insufficiency: cytolysis at least 20 times normal
- Drug intoxication and attempted suicide
- Patient with a contraindication to the use of levosimendan:
- Patient with a contraindication to the use of CERNEVIT®:
- patient not affiliated to or not benefiting from national health insurance
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| LevosimendanLevosimendan 2.5mg/ml, solution to be diluted for infusion Dilution in a 500ml bag of 5% Glucose The product is administered as a continuous infusion for 24 hours at an initial rate of 0.2 µg/kg/min | Drug | Levosimendan |
| Cernevitmixture of 12 vitamins The dilution of the treatment is done in a 500ml bag of 5% Glucose The product is administered as a continuous infusion for 24 hours at an initial rate of 0.2 µg/kg/min | Drug | Placebo |
Primary outcome
ECLS withdrawal failure
Time frame: 7 days after ECLS removal
Withdrawal failure is defined as the absence of ECLS discontinuation within 48 hours of randomization or the use of temporary circulatory assistance such as ECLS, Impella® pump or intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) or death
Results and safety
The study was stopped early (reason given: There was insufficient funding to continue the study in good conditions.). Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 Sep 2026.
- Background: PubMed 34145993Ellouze O, Soudry Faure A, Radhouani M, Abou-Arab O, Besnier E, Moussa M, Cransac A, Ksiazek E, Fischer MO, Mertes PM, Bouhemad B, Guinot PG. Levosimendan in venoarterial ECMO weaning. Rational and design of a randomized double blind multicentre trial. ESC Heart Fail. 2021 Aug;8(4):3339-3347. doi: 10.1002/ehf2.13427. Epub 2021 Jun 18.
- Results publication: PubMed 42101006Guinot PG, Berthoud V, Soudry-Faure A, Abou-Arab O, Mertes PM, Fischer MO, Moussa M, Ellouze O, Nguyen M, Bouhemad B; for WEANILEVO trial group. Short- and Long-term Efficacy and Safety of Levosimendan in Veno-arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Weaning: The WEANILEVO Randomized Double-Blind Multicenter Trial. Anesthesiology. 2026 Jul 20. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000006143. Online ahead of print.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 3 study testing Levosimendan and Cernevit in people with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure, run by Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon at 1 site in France.
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 13 inclusion and 17 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: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Sep 2026. 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 France. 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?
Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.
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 was stopped early (reason given: There was insufficient funding to continue the study in good conditions.). Results are not available in the source record.
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?
ECLS withdrawal failure (time frame: 7 days after ECLS removal). 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 NCT04158674, which also lists 2 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 Sep 2026.