Septic ShockPhase 4DARK-SepsisNCT05824767
Serum Biomarkers to Predict Response to Angiotensin II in Septic Shock
A Phase 4 study testing Angiotensin II in people with Septic Shock and Vasodilatory Shock, run by University of New Mexico at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This trial will be a randomized controlled single-center pilot trial comparing the use of angiotensin II versus standard-of-care (SOC) vasopressor therapy in adult patients with persistent vasodilatory shock despite moderate-dose norepinephrine, with a primary outcome of the ability of novel biomarkers (renin and… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Septic Shock, Vasodilatory Shock
- What is being tested?
- Angiotensin II
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 42 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 17 Apr 2023to 12 Mar 2025
- Phase
- Phase 4
- 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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Adult patients ≥18 years-old with persistent vasodilatory shock despite moderate-dose norepinephrine monotherapy, defined as those who require ≥0.1 mcg/kg/min for at least 30 minutes to maintain a MAP between 65-70 mmHg.
- Patients are required to have central venous and arterial catheters present, and they are expected to remain in place for at least the initial 72 hours of study.
- Patients are required to have an indwelling urinary catheter present, and it is expected to remain in place for at least the 72 hours of study.
- Patients must have received 20-30 mL/kg of crystalloid over the previous 24-hour period, as clinically appropriate, and no longer be fluid responsive as per UNMH protocol. By UNMH protocol, lack of fluid responsiveness is considered a failure to increase stroke volume, stroke volume index, cardiac output, or cardiac index (typically measured by non-calibrated pulse contour analysis using a FloTrac device) by at least 10% after a 500-mL crystalloid bolus or a passive leg raise. Patients for whom the treating physicians feel that 20 mL/kg of crystalloid may be clinically inappropriate can qualify for the study if the reason for withholding further IV fluids is documented.
- Patient or (in patients unable to consent) legal authorized representative (LAR) is willing and able to provide written informed consent and comply with all protocol requirements.
- Approval from the attending physician and clinical pharmacist conducting the study.
Who cannot join
- Patients who are < 18 years of age.
- Patients diagnosed with acute occlusive coronary syndrome requiring intervention and/or cardiogenic shock.
- Patients with or suspected to have abdominal aortic aneurysm or aortic dissection.
- Acute stroke.
- Patients with acute mesenteric ischemia or those with a history of mesenteric ischemia.
- Patients with known Raynaud's phenomenon, systemic sclerosis, or vasospastic disease.
Show all 21Show fewer
- Patients on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO).
- Patients with liver failure with a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score of =/>30.
- Patients with burns covering >20% of total body surface area.
- Patients with a history of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with active acute bronchospasm or (if not mechanically ventilated) with an acute exacerbation of their asthma/COPD requiring the use of inhaled bronchodilators.
- Patients requiring more than 500 mg daily of hydrocortisone or equivalent glucocorticoid medication as a standing dose.
- Patients with an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of < 1,000/mm3
- Patients with hemorrhagic shock OR active bleeding AND an anticipated need (within 48 hours of initiation of the study) for transfusion of >4 units of packed red blood cells.
- Patients with active bleeding AND hemoglobin < 7g/dL or any other condition that would contraindicate serial blood sampling.
- Untreated venous thromboembolism (VTE) or inability to tolerate pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis.
- Patients with a known allergy to mannitol.
- Patients with an expected survival of <24 hours, SOFA score ≥ 16, or death deemed to be imminent or inevitable during the admission.
- Either the attending physician or patient and/or substitute decisionmaker are not committed to all active treatment, e.g., do-not-resuscitate (DNR) status.
- Patients who are known to be pregnant at the time of screening. All women ≤50 years-old will need a negative serum pregnancy test (serum quantitative beta-hCG) to enroll.
- Prisoner status
- Patients who are currently participating in another interventional clinical trial.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87106
About this study
Official title: DPP3, Angiotensin II, and Renin Kinetics in Sepsis (DARK-Sepsis) Pilot: Serum Biomarkers to Predict Response to Angiotensin II vs. Standard-of-care Vasopressor Therapy in the Treatment of Septic Shock, a Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial
This trial will be a randomized controlled single-center pilot trial comparing the use of angiotensin II versus standard-of-care (SOC) vasopressor therapy in adult patients with persistent vasodilatory shock despite moderate-dose norepinephrine, with a primary outcome of the ability of novel biomarkers (renin and DPP3) to predict blood pressure response to angiotensin II. Given our angiotensin II will be compared to SOC, this will be an unblinded study.
Read the detailed description
Sepsis affects >1 million Americans yearly and, when septic shock ensues, it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Though first-line norepinephrine is standard of care, there are limited prospective data to guide the choice of additional vasopressors in septic shock. While more studies are needed, preliminary data suggest that the vasopressor angiotensin II (AngII) may improve outcomes in septic shock, especially in certain subsets of patients, such as those with acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), or high severity of illness.
Furthermore, there are no validated biomarkers currently available to guide the choice of vasopressor therapy in septic shock. In this study the investigators will evaluate two potential biomarkers, renin and dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPP3). Renin has been shown in preliminary studies to accurately predict mortality in septic shock, outperforming lactate, and to predict beneficial response to AngII. A less well-known candidate biomarker is DPP3, which is an aminopeptidase that cleaves a variety of biologically active oligopeptides including angiotensin II. Similar to renin, preliminary observational data show that elevated DPP3 levels in patients with sepsis are associated with organ dysfunction and short-term mortality, outperforming lactate as a predictor of death.
This study is an unblinded pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing AngII (intervention) to standard-of-care (SOC) vasopressor therapy in adult patients with persistent vasodilatory shock requiring moderate dose norepinephrine. The primary outcome will be the ability of renin and DPP3 to predict blood pressure (BP) response to AngII. As both renin and DPP3 are associated with overall short-term prognosis in sepsis, the SOC arm will allow us to determine if the predictive value of renin and DPP3 is specific to AngII therapy. A variety of secondary clinical outcomes will also be tracked, but the primary purpose of this pilot study is to inform the future design of a large multicenter RCT evaluating the biomarker-guided use of angiotensin II as a second-line vasopressor in septic shock.
- Conditions
- Septic Shock, Vasodilatory Shock
- Being tested
- Angiotensin II
- Keywords
- septic shock, vasopressor, angiotensin II, renin, dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPP3), randomized controlled trial
- Medical subject headings
- Shock, Septic
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Angiotensin IIDrug
Also called Giapreza
Angiotensin II (Giapreza) is a pharmacologic version of a naturally occurring peptide hormone of the same name which is a component of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Angiotensin II (Giapreza) was FDA-approved in 2017 as a vasoconstrictive agent in the treatment of vasodilatory shock.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Angiotensin II | Experimental | For patients randomized to the intervention group, once the dose of background norepinephrine reaches ≥0.10 mcg/kg/min for ≥30 minutes, angiotensin II will be started at a dose of 20 ng/kg/min (recommended starting dose in package insert).Thereafter, angiotensin II and norepinephrine will both be titrated to mean arterial pressure (MAP) goal of >/= 65 mmHg according to the protocol titration scheme and in accordance with the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) Nursing Department Titration Guideline. Angiotensin II treatment will be capped at 72 hours, at which point (if a second vasopressor is still needed) the patient will be started on an alternative agent. Receives: Drug: Angiotensin II |
| Standard of Care (SOC) | No intervention | Vasopressor therapy be titrated by the clinical team per usual SOC and UNMH Nursing Department Titration Guideline. using other available vasopressor agents (e.g., higher-dose norepinephrine, vasopressin, epinephrine, phenylephrine, and/or dopamine). To provide a comparator arm, patients in the SOC will have renin and DPP3 levels obtained at equivalent timepoints. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Ability of Baseline Active Renin to Predict Norepinephrine Equivalent Dose (NED) at 3 Hours
BP response will be assessed at 3 hours in both groups and measured using NED. The primary outcome will be ability of baseline renin (obtained at drug initiation or equivalent SOC timepoint) to predict total NED at 3 hours, stratified by treatment arm (AngII vs. SOC) and adjusted for baseline Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores. Shown are beta-coefficients from linear regression analyses between baseline levels of each biomarker and change in NED at 3 hours, adjusted for baseline SOFA score. NED shown is as defined by Goradia et al. J Crit Care. 2021;61:233-240 and See et al. J Crit Care. 2024;79:154453.
Measured: 3 hours post drug initiation or SOC equivalent
Ability of Baseline DPP3 to Predict NED at 3 Hours
BP response will be assessed at 3 hours in both groups and measured using NED. The primary outcome will be ability of baseline DPP3 (obtained at drug initiation or equivalent SOC timepoint) to predict total NED at 3 hours, stratified by treatment arm (AngII vs. SOC) and adjusted for baseline Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores. Shown are beta-coefficients from linear regression analyses between baseline levels of each biomarker and change in NED at 3 hours, adjusted for baseline SOFA score. NED shown is as defined by Goradia et al. J Crit Care. 2021;61:233-240 and See et al. J Crit Care. 2024;79:154453.
Measured: 3 hours post drug initiation or SOC equivalent
Secondary outcomes (1)
Hospital Mortality
Death before hospital discharge. Specified as a key secondary outcome.
Measured: Until hospital discharge or 28 days post-randomization.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Apr 2023
- Study start17 Apr 2023
- Primary completion12 Mar 2025
- Study completion12 Mar 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (18)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Septic ShockStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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 4
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of New Mexico
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Joao P. Teixeira, University of New Mexico
- Investigators
- Joao P Teixeira, MD, Principal investigator, University of New MexicoNathan D Nielsen, MD MSc, Principal investigator, University of New Mexico
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05824767
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 22-111
- Acronym
- DARK-Sepsis
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 5 Mar 2023
- Last updated
- 2 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Reasonable requests for data will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will require regulatory approval by both University of New Mexico and the study sponsor (La Jolla Pharmaceutical).
Publications
Teixeira JP, Perez Ingles D, Barton JB, Dean JT, Garcia P, Kunkel SJ, Sarangarm P, Weiss NK, Schaich CL, Busse LW, Nielsen ND. The scientific rationale and study protocol for the DPP3, Angiotensin II, and Renin Kinetics in Sepsis (DARK-Sepsis) randomized controlled trial: serum biomarkers to predict response to angiotensin II versus standard-of-care vasopressor therapy in the treatment of septic shock. Trials. 2024 Mar 12;25(1):182. doi: 10.1186/s13063-024-07995-0.
PubMed 38475822Khanna A, English SW, Wang XS, Ham K, Tumlin J, Szerlip H, Busse LW, Altaweel L, Albertson TE, Mackey C, McCurdy MT, Boldt DW, Chock S, Young PJ, Krell K, Wunderink RG, Ostermann M, Murugan R, Gong MN, Panwar R, Hastbacka J, Favory R, Venkatesh B, Thompson BT, Bellomo R, Jensen J, Kroll S, Chawla LS, Tidmarsh GF, Deane AM; ATHOS-3 Investigators. Angiotensin II for the Treatment of Vasodilatory Shock. N Engl J Med. 2017 Aug 3;377(5):419-430. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1704154. Epub 2017 May 21.
PubMed 28528561Tumlin JA, Murugan R, Deane AM, Ostermann M, Busse LW, Ham KR, Kashani K, Szerlip HM, Prowle JR, Bihorac A, Finkel KW, Zarbock A, Forni LG, Lynch SJ, Jensen J, Kroll S, Chawla LS, Tidmarsh GF, Bellomo R; Angiotensin II for the Treatment of High-Output Shock 3 (ATHOS-3) Investigators. Outcomes in Patients with Vasodilatory Shock and Renal Replacement Therapy Treated with Intravenous Angiotensin II. Crit Care Med. 2018 Jun;46(6):949-957. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000003092.
PubMed 29509568Gordon AC, Mason AJ, Thirunavukkarasu N, Perkins GD, Cecconi M, Cepkova M, Pogson DG, Aya HD, Anjum A, Frazier GJ, Santhakumaran S, Ashby D, Brett SJ; VANISH Investigators. Effect of Early Vasopressin vs Norepinephrine on Kidney Failure in Patients With Septic Shock: The VANISH Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2016 Aug 2;316(5):509-18. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.10485.
PubMed 27483065Gleeson PJ, Crippa IA, Mongkolpun W, Cavicchi FZ, Van Meerhaeghe T, Brimioulle S, Taccone FS, Vincent JL, Creteur J. Renin as a Marker of Tissue-Perfusion and Prognosis in Critically Ill Patients. Crit Care Med. 2019 Feb;47(2):152-158. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000003544.
PubMed 30653055Bellomo R, Forni LG, Busse LW, McCurdy MT, Ham KR, Boldt DW, Hastbacka J, Khanna AK, Albertson TE, Tumlin J, Storey K, Handisides D, Tidmarsh GF, Chawla LS, Ostermann M. Renin and Survival in Patients Given Angiotensin II for Catecholamine-Resistant Vasodilatory Shock. A Clinical Trial. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020 Nov 1;202(9):1253-1261. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201911-2172OC.
PubMed 32609011Busse L, Albertson T, Gong M. Outcomes in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome receiving angiotensin II for vasodilatory shock [Abstract P125]. Crit Care.2018;22(Suppl 1):82 (50).
Nguyen M, Denimal D, Dargent A, Guinot PG, Duvillard L, Quenot JP, Bouhemad B. Plasma Renin Concentration is Associated With Hemodynamic Deficiency and Adverse Renal Outcome in Septic Shock. Shock. 2019 Oct;52(4):e22-e30. doi: 10.1097/SHK.0000000000001285.
PubMed 30407370Kullmar M, Saadat-Gilani K, Weiss R, Massoth C, Lagan A, Cortes MN, Gerss J, Chawla LS, Fliser D, Meersch M, Zarbock A. Kinetic Changes of Plasma Renin Concentrations Predict Acute Kidney Injury in Cardiac Surgery Patients. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2021 May 1;203(9):1119-1126. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202005-2050OC.
PubMed 33320784Flannery AH, Ortiz-Soriano V, Li X, Gianella FG, Toto RD, Moe OW, Devarajan P, Goldstein SL, Neyra JA. Serum renin and major adverse kidney events in critically ill patients: a multicenter prospective study. Crit Care. 2021 Aug 14;25(1):294. doi: 10.1186/s13054-021-03725-z.
PubMed 34391450Jeyaraju M, McCurdy MT, Levine AR, Devarajan P, Mazzeffi MA, Mullins KE, Reif M, Yim DN, Parrino C, Lankford AS, Chow JH. Renin Kinetics Are Superior to Lactate Kinetics for Predicting In-Hospital Mortality in Hypotensive Critically Ill Patients. Crit Care Med. 2022 Jan 1;50(1):50-60. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000005143.
PubMed 34166293Meersch M, Weiss R, Massoth C, Kullmar M, Saadat-Gilani K, Busen M, Chawla L, Landoni G, Bellomo R, Gerss J, Zarbock A. The Association Between Angiotensin II and Renin Kinetics in Patients After Cardiac Surgery. Anesth Analg. 2022 May 1;134(5):1002-1009. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000005953.
PubMed 35171852Deniau B, Blet A, Santos K, Vaittinada Ayar P, Genest M, Kastorf M, Sadoune M, de Sousa Jorge A, Samuel JL, Vodovar N, Bergmann A, Mebazaa A, Azibani F. Inhibition of circulating dipeptidyl-peptidase 3 restores cardiac function in a sepsis-induced model in rats: A proof of concept study. PLoS One. 2020 Aug 27;15(8):e0238039. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238039. eCollection 2020.
PubMed 32853284Rehfeld L, Funk E, Jha S, Macheroux P, Melander O, Bergmann A. Novel Methods for the Quantification of Dipeptidyl Peptidase 3 (DPP3) Concentration and Activity in Human Blood Samples. J Appl Lab Med. 2019 May;3(6):943-953. doi: 10.1373/jalm.2018.027995. Epub 2018 Nov 30.
PubMed 31639686Blet A, Deniau B, Santos K, van Lier DPT, Azibani F, Wittebole X, Chousterman BG, Gayat E, Hartmann O, Struck J, Bergmann A, Antonelli M, Beishuizen A, Constantin JM, Damoisel C, Deye N, Di Somma S, Dugernier T, Francois B, Gaudry S, Huberlant V, Lascarrou JB, Marx G, Mercier E, Oueslati H, Pickkers P, Sonneville R, Legrand M, Laterre PF, Mebazaa A; AdrenOSS-1 Study Investigators. Monitoring circulating dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPP3) predicts improvement of organ failure and survival in sepsis: a prospective observational multinational study. Crit Care. 2021 Feb 15;25(1):61. doi: 10.1186/s13054-021-03471-2.
PubMed 33588925
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- DPP3, Angiotensin II, and Renin Kinetics in Sepsis (DARK-Sepsis) Pilot: Serum Biomarkers to Predict Response to Angiotensin II vs. Standard-of-care Vasopressor Therapy in the Treatment of Septic Shock, a Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05824767
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- DARK-Sepsis / 22-111
- Conditions
- Septic Shock, Vasodilatory Shock
- Keywords
- septic shock, vasopressor, angiotensin II, renin, dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPP3), randomized controlled trial
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of New MexicoUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company
- Study start
- 17 Apr 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 12 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 12 Mar 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 24 Apr 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 2 Jul 2026
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This trial will be a randomized controlled single-center pilot trial comparing the use of angiotensin II versus standard-of-care (SOC) vasopressor therapy in adult patients with persistent vasodilatory shock despite moderate-dose norepinephrine, with a primary outcome of the ability of novel biomarkers (renin and DPP3) to predict blood pressure response to angiotensin II. Given our angiotensin II will be compared to SOC, this will be an unblinded study.
Detailed description
Sepsis affects >1 million Americans yearly and, when septic shock ensues, it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Though first-line norepinephrine is standard of care, there are limited prospective data to guide the choice of additional vasopressors in septic shock. While more studies are needed, preliminary data suggest that the vasopressor angiotensin II (AngII) may improve outcomes in septic shock, especially in certain subsets of patients, such as those with acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), or high severity of illness.
Furthermore, there are no validated biomarkers currently available to guide the choice of vasopressor therapy in septic shock. In this study the investigators will evaluate two potential biomarkers, renin and dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPP3). Renin has been shown in preliminary studies to accurately predict mortality in septic shock, outperforming lactate, and to predict beneficial response to AngII. A less well-known candidate biomarker is DPP3, which is an aminopeptidase that cleaves a variety of biologically active oligopeptides including angiotensin II. Similar to renin, preliminary observational data show that elevated DPP3 levels in patients with sepsis are associated with organ dysfunction and short-term mortality, outperforming lactate as a predictor of death.
This study is an unblinded pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing AngII (intervention) to standard-of-care (SOC) vasopressor therapy in adult patients with persistent vasodilatory shock requiring moderate dose norepinephrine. The primary outcome will be the ability of renin and DPP3 to predict blood pressure (BP) response to AngII. As both renin and DPP3 are associated with overall short-term prognosis in sepsis, the SOC arm will allow us to determine if the predictive value of renin and DPP3 is specific to AngII therapy. A variety of secondary clinical outcomes will also be tracked, but the primary purpose of this pilot study is to inform the future design of a large multicenter RCT evaluating the biomarker-guided use of angiotensin II as a second-line vasopressor in septic shock.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Angiotensin II | Experimental | Drug: Angiotensin IIFor patients randomized to the intervention group, once the dose of background norepinephrine reaches ≥0.10 mcg/kg/min for ≥30 minutes, angiotensin II will be started at a dose of 20 ng/kg/min (recommended starting dose in package insert).Thereafter, angiotensin II and norepinephrine will both be titrated to mean arterial pressure (MAP) goal of >/= 65 mmHg according to the protocol titration scheme and in accordance with the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) Nursing Department Titration Guideline. Angiotensin II treatment will be capped at 72 hours, at which point (if a second vasopressor is still needed) the patient will be started on an alternative agent. |
| Standard of Care (SOC) | No intervention | –Vasopressor therapy be titrated by the clinical team per usual SOC and UNMH Nursing Department Titration Guideline. using other available vasopressor agents (e.g., higher-dose norepinephrine, vasopressin, epinephrine, phenylephrine, and/or dopamine). To provide a comparator arm, patients in the SOC will have renin and DPP3 levels obtained at equivalent timepoints. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Adult patients ≥18 years-old with persistent vasodilatory shock despite moderate-dose norepinephrine monotherapy, defined as those who require ≥0.1 mcg/kg/min for at least 30 minutes to maintain a MAP between 65-70 mmHg.
- Patients are required to have central venous and arterial catheters present, and they are expected to remain in place for at least the initial 72 hours of study.
- Patients are required to have an indwelling urinary catheter present, and it is expected to remain in place for at least the 72 hours of study.
- Patients must have received 20-30 mL/kg of crystalloid over the previous 24-hour period, as clinically appropriate, and no longer be fluid responsive as per UNMH protocol. By UNMH protocol, lack of fluid responsiveness is considered a failure to increase stroke volume, stroke volume index, cardiac output, or cardiac index (typically measured by non-calibrated pulse contour analysis using a FloTrac device) by at least 10% after a 500-mL crystalloid bolus or a passive leg raise. Patients for whom the treating physicians feel that 20 mL/kg of crystalloid may be clinically inappropriate can qualify for the study if the reason for withholding further IV fluids is documented.
- Patient or (in patients unable to consent) legal authorized representative (LAR) is willing and able to provide written informed consent and comply with all protocol requirements.
Key exclusion criteria (21 listed)
- Patients who are < 18 years of age.
- Patients diagnosed with acute occlusive coronary syndrome requiring intervention and/or cardiogenic shock.
- Patients with or suspected to have abdominal aortic aneurysm or aortic dissection.
- Acute stroke.
- Patients with acute mesenteric ischemia or those with a history of mesenteric ischemia.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Angiotensin IIAlso: GiaprezaAngiotensin II (Giapreza) is a pharmacologic version of a naturally occurring peptide hormone of the same name which is a component of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Angiotensin II (Giapreza) was FDA-approved in 2017 as a vasoconstrictive agent in the treatment of vasodilatory shock. | Drug | Angiotensin II |
Primary outcome
Ability of Baseline Active Renin to Predict Norepinephrine Equivalent Dose (NED) at 3 Hours
Time frame: 3 hours post drug initiation or SOC equivalent
BP response will be assessed at 3 hours in both groups and measured using NED. The primary outcome will be ability of baseline renin (obtained at drug initiation or equivalent SOC timepoint) to predict total NED at 3 hours, stratified by treatment arm (AngII vs. SOC) and adjusted for baseline Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores. Shown are beta-coefficients from linear regression analyses between baseline levels of each biomarker and change in NED at 3 hours, adjusted for baseline SOFA score. NED shown is as defined by Goradia et al. J Crit Care. 2021;61:233-240 and See et al. J Crit Care. 2024;79:154453.
Ability of Baseline DPP3 to Predict NED at 3 Hours
Time frame: 3 hours post drug initiation or SOC equivalent
BP response will be assessed at 3 hours in both groups and measured using NED. The primary outcome will be ability of baseline DPP3 (obtained at drug initiation or equivalent SOC timepoint) to predict total NED at 3 hours, stratified by treatment arm (AngII vs. SOC) and adjusted for baseline Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores. Shown are beta-coefficients from linear regression analyses between baseline levels of each biomarker and change in NED at 3 hours, adjusted for baseline SOFA score. NED shown is as defined by Goradia et al. J Crit Care. 2021;61:233-240 and See et al. J Crit Care. 2024;79:154453.
1 secondary outcome
Hospital Mortality
Time frame: Until hospital discharge or 28 days post-randomization.
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Jul 2026.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Background: PubMed 38475822Teixeira JP, Perez Ingles D, Barton JB, Dean JT, Garcia P, Kunkel SJ, Sarangarm P, Weiss NK, Schaich CL, Busse LW, Nielsen ND. The scientific rationale and study protocol for the DPP3, Angiotensin II, and Renin Kinetics in Sepsis (DARK-Sepsis) randomized controlled trial: serum biomarkers to predict response to angiotensin II versus standard-of-care vasopressor therapy in the treatment of septic shock. Trials. 2024 Mar 12;25(1):182. doi: 10.1186/s13063-024-07995-0.
- Background: PubMed 28528561Khanna A, English SW, Wang XS, Ham K, Tumlin J, Szerlip H, Busse LW, Altaweel L, Albertson TE, Mackey C, McCurdy MT, Boldt DW, Chock S, Young PJ, Krell K, Wunderink RG, Ostermann M, Murugan R, Gong MN, Panwar R, Hastbacka J, Favory R, Venkatesh B, Thompson BT, Bellomo R, Jensen J, Kroll S, Chawla LS, Tidmarsh GF, Deane AM; ATHOS-3 Investigators. Angiotensin II for the Treatment of Vasodilatory Shock. N Engl J Med. 2017 Aug 3;377(5):419-430. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1704154. Epub 2017 May 21.
- Background: PubMed 29509568Tumlin JA, Murugan R, Deane AM, Ostermann M, Busse LW, Ham KR, Kashani K, Szerlip HM, Prowle JR, Bihorac A, Finkel KW, Zarbock A, Forni LG, Lynch SJ, Jensen J, Kroll S, Chawla LS, Tidmarsh GF, Bellomo R; Angiotensin II for the Treatment of High-Output Shock 3 (ATHOS-3) Investigators. Outcomes in Patients with Vasodilatory Shock and Renal Replacement Therapy Treated with Intravenous Angiotensin II. Crit Care Med. 2018 Jun;46(6):949-957. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000003092.
- Background: PubMed 27483065Gordon AC, Mason AJ, Thirunavukkarasu N, Perkins GD, Cecconi M, Cepkova M, Pogson DG, Aya HD, Anjum A, Frazier GJ, Santhakumaran S, Ashby D, Brett SJ; VANISH Investigators. Effect of Early Vasopressin vs Norepinephrine on Kidney Failure in Patients With Septic Shock: The VANISH Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2016 Aug 2;316(5):509-18. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.10485.
- Background: PubMed 30653055Gleeson PJ, Crippa IA, Mongkolpun W, Cavicchi FZ, Van Meerhaeghe T, Brimioulle S, Taccone FS, Vincent JL, Creteur J. Renin as a Marker of Tissue-Perfusion and Prognosis in Critically Ill Patients. Crit Care Med. 2019 Feb;47(2):152-158. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000003544.
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- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Reasonable requests for data will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will require regulatory approval by both University of New Mexico and the study sponsor (La Jolla Pharmaceutical).
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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.
Joao P Teixeira, MD principal investigator
University of New Mexico
Nathan D Nielsen, MD MSc principal investigator
University of New Mexico
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 4 study testing Angiotensin II in people with Septic Shock and Vasodilatory Shock, run by University of New Mexico 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 6 inclusion and 21 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 2 Jul 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 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. 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 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.
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 2 Jul 2026). 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?
Ability of Baseline Active Renin to Predict Norepinephrine Equivalent Dose (NED) at 3 Hours (time frame: 3 hours post drug initiation or SOC equivalent). 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 NCT05824767, which also lists 18 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 2 Jul 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 26 Oct 2026.