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Non-melanoma Skin CancerPhase 3SPRINTRNCT05955924

Nicotinamide Chemoprevention for Keratinocyte Carcinoma in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients - Pivotal Trial

A Phase 3 study testing Nicotinamide in people with Non-melanoma Skin Cancer and Carcinoma, Squamous Cell, run by Women's College Hospital at 7 sites in Canada.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

As patients live longer after receiving an organ transplant, there is a need to reduce the long-term side effects of the drugs used to prevent organ rejection. In particular, long-term use of these drugs increases the risk of skin cancer. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
What is being tested?
Nicotinamide
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
396 participants
Where
7 sitesCanada
Study dates
28 Aug 2023to Aug 2027
Phase
Phase 3
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

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

  • Age ≥ 18 years old
  • Kidney, liver, heart, or lung transplant at least two years ago
  • History of at least one prior histologically-confirmed keratinocyte carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma in situ
  • Currently immunosuppressed with a calcineurin inhibitor-based regimen (cyclosporine or tacrolimus)
  • Able to attend follow-up visits

Who cannot join

  • Use of nicotinamide or niacin (≥250 mg daily) within past 12 weeks
  • Untreated localized skin cancer at baseline (patient can enrol after skin cancer treatment)
  • Biopsy-confirmed acute rejection episode within the past 12 weeks
  • Active liver disease (high AST >3 times or bilirubin >1.5 times)
  • Severe kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate <20 mL/min/1.73 m2)
  • Solid organ or hematologic malignancy, invasive melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, or metastatic skin cancer within the past five years
Show all 9Show fewer
  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Need for ongoing carbamazepine or primidone
  • Allergy to nicotinamide or any ingredient of the vitamin or placebo capsules

Trial locations and contacts

7 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Stephanie Jewell, BSc. Hons contact

416 351-3732 ext. 2706

sprintr@wchospital.ca

7 sites in 1 country

Canada7 sites, 7 recruiting
  • University of Calgary

    Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4

    Coralea Bignell, coralea.bignell@albertahealthservices.ca

    Ngam Lam

    Not yet recruiting
  • University of Alberta

    Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2R3

    Kelly Kim, kkim6@ualberta.ca

    Sita Gourishankar

    Recruiting
  • The Ottawa Hospital

    Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4E9

    Christine Lennox, clennox@ohri.ca

    Jennifer Beecker

    Recruiting
  • Toronto General Hospital

    Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2C4

    Marsida Stafa, SPRINTR@wchospital.ca

    An-Wen Chan

    Recruiting
  • Women's College Hospital

    Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1B2

    Stephanie Jewell, SPRINTR@wchospital.ca

    An-Wen Chan

    Recruiting
  • Vancouver General Hospital

    Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 1M9

    Natalie Ng, natalie.ng@ubc.ca

    Sunil Kalia

    Recruiting
  • St. Paul's Hospital

    Vancouver, British Columbia, V6Z 1Y6

    Anushka Sood, asood1@providencehealth.bc.ca

    John Gill

    Recruiting

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: Nicotinamide Chemoprevention for Keratinocyte Carcinoma in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: a Multicentre, Pragmatic Randomized Trial

As patients live longer after receiving an organ transplant, there is a need to reduce the long-term side effects of the drugs used to prevent organ rejection. In particular, long-term use of these drugs increases the risk of skin cancer. Skin cancer is now a leading cause of illness and disfigurement after kidney, liver, heart, and lung transplantation. Given the increased risk and burden of skin cancer in transplant recipients, prevention is critical.

Nicotinamide is a form of Vitamin B3 that has been shown to protect against skin cancer in the general population. However, it is unclear whether nicotinamide is effective among immune-suppressed transplant recipients. Investigators will conduct a clinical trial involving multiple transplant centres in Canada to evaluate whether oral nicotinamide (500 mg twice daily) is effective and safe for preventing skin cancer. Investigators will recruit 396 high-risk adult kidney, liver, heart, and lung transplant patients who have previously had at least one skin cancer. Patients will receive nicotinamide or sham tablets for up to 4 years. The results will inform efforts to improve the long-term health of transplant recipients.

Read the detailed description

Improved survival after solid organ transplantation has created the need to better prevent the long-term adverse effects of immunosuppressant drugs in transplant survivors - particularly cancer development. Keratinocyte carcinoma (non-melanoma skin cancer) is by far the most common form of post-transplant malignancy and has a more aggressive clinical course than in the general population. Preventive measures are thus critical to reduce the burden of skin cancer in the high-risk transplant population.

Nicotinamide is a low-cost, commercially available, over-the-counter Vitamin B3 derivative that has been found to safely reduce the rate of keratinocyte carcinoma in immunocompetent patients with a history of skin cancer. It is unclear whether its efficacy and safety translate to the immunosuppressed transplant population.

Given this uncertainty, Investigators plan to build on our internal pilot study (N=120) to conduct the SPRINTR (Skin cancer PRevention with Nicotinamide in Transplant Recipients) pivotal trial to address these specific aims:

Primary question: Does oral nicotinamide (500 mg twice daily) reduce the rate of further keratinocyte carcinoma compared with placebo when used in addition to standard care for up to 208 weeks in high-risk solid organ transplant recipients?

Secondary questions:

  1. What is the safety of nicotinamide when used in addition to standard care for up to 208 weeks in the transplant population?
  2. What is the effect of nicotinamide on quality of life related to skin cancer?

Investigators will conduct a multicentre, pragmatic, parallel group, investigator- and patient-blinded, randomized trial with a superiority framework. This pivotal trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral nicotinamide versus placebo to prevent further keratinocyte carcinoma in 396 high-risk solid organ transplant recipients. Data from our previous internal pilot study (N=120 participants) will be combined with data from the current pivotal trial (N=276 additional patients) in the final analysis.

Being tested
Nicotinamide, Placebo
Medical subject headings
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell, Carcinoma, Basal Cell

What participants receive

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

  • NicotinamideDrug

    Also called niacinamide

    Oral nicotinamide (500 mg) twice daily

  • PlaceboDrug

    Matching placebo capsule twice daily

Study groups in NCT05955924
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
NicotinamideExperimentalIntervention Drug : Nicotinamide
Receives: Drug: Nicotinamide
PlaceboPlacebo comparatorIntervention: Placebo Oral Capsule
Receives: Drug: Placebo

What is being measured

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

  1. Time to first biopsy-confirmed keratinocyte carcinoma (basal cell carcinoma or invasive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma)

    Measured: Up to 208 weeks

Secondary outcomes (43)
  1. Time to first invasive squamous cell carcinoma during follow-up

    Measured: Up to 208 weeks

  2. Time to first basal cell carcinoma during follow-up

    Measured: Up to 208 weeks

  3. Time to multiple keratinocyte carcinomas over follow-up

    Measured: Up to 208 weeks

  4. Occurrence of adverse events during follow-up

    Overall and by body system, frequency, seriousness, and severity

    Measured: 208 weeks

  5. Acute graft rejection (biopsy-confirmed)

    Adverse event

    Measured: 208 weeks

  6. Graft loss or retransplantation

    Adverse event

    Measured: 208 weeks

  7. High/low cyclosporine or tacrolimus blood concentration requiring dose adjustment

    Adverse event

    Measured: 208 weeks

  8. Change from baseline in annual Basal and Squamous Cell Carcinoma Quality of Life (BaSQoL) score

    Measured: 52 weeks

  9. Change from baseline in annual Basal and Squamous Cell Carcinoma Quality of Life (BaSQoL) score

    Measured: 104 weeks

  10. Change from baseline in annual Basal and Squamous Cell Carcinoma Quality of Life (BaSQoL) score

    Measured: 156 weeks

  11. Change from baseline in annual Basal and Squamous Cell Carcinoma Quality of Life (BaSQoL) score

    Measured: 208 weeks

  12. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

    Measured: 52 weeks

  13. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

    Measured: 104 weeks

  14. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

    Measured: 156 weeks

  15. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

    Measured: 208 weeks

  16. Neurocognitive substudy - Proportion of participants with cognitive impairment

    As defined by the International Cognition and Cancer Task Force (T scores ≥2 standard deviations below the normative population mean on a single test, or ≥1.5 standard deviations below the mean on at least two tests, or both)

    Measured: 52 weeks

  17. Neurocognitive substudy - Proportion of participants with cognitive impairment

    As defined by the International Cognition and Cancer Task Force (T scores ≥2 standard deviations below the normative population mean on a single test, or ≥1.5 standard deviations below the mean on at least two tests, or both)

    Measured: 104 weeks

  18. Neurocognitive substudy - Proportion of participants with cognitive impairment

    As defined by the International Cognition and Cancer Task Force (T scores ≥2 standard deviations below the normative population mean on a single test, or ≥1.5 standard deviations below the mean on at least two tests, or both)

    Measured: 156 weeks

  19. Neurocognitive substudy - Proportion of participants with cognitive impairment

    As defined by the International Cognition and Cancer Task Force (T scores ≥2 standard deviations below the normative population mean on a single test, or ≥1.5 standard deviations below the mean on at least two tests, or both)

    Measured: 208 weeks

  20. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Hopkins Verbal Learning Test - Revised

    Measured: 52 weeks

  21. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Hopkins Verbal Learning Test - Revised

    Measured: 104 weeks

  22. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Hopkins Verbal Learning Test - Revised

    Measured: 156 weeks

  23. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Hopkins Verbal Learning Test - Revised

    Measured: 208 weeks

  24. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Trail Making A and B

    Measured: 52 weeks

  25. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Trail Making A and B

    Measured: 104 weeks

  26. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Trail Making A and B

    Measured: 156 weeks

  27. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Trail Making A and B

    Measured: 208 weeks

  28. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Controlled Oral Word Association

    Measured: 52 weeks

  29. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Controlled Oral Word Association

    Measured: 104 weeks

  30. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Controlled Oral Word Association

    Measured: 156 weeks

  31. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Controlled Oral Word Association

    Measured: 208 weeks

  32. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Animal Naming Task

    Measured: 52 weeks

  33. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Animal Naming Task

    Measured: 104 weeks

  34. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Animal Naming Task

    Measured: 156 weeks

  35. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Animal Naming Task

    Measured: 208 weeks

  36. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition-Canadian (WAIS-IV-CDN).

    Measured: 52 weeks

  37. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition-Canadian (WAIS-IV-CDN).

    Measured: 104 weeks

  38. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition-Canadian (WAIS-IV-CDN).

    Measured: 156 weeks

  39. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition-Canadian (WAIS-IV-CDN).

    Measured: 208 weeks

  40. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Digit Span subtest

    Measured: 52 weeks

  41. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Digit Span subtest

    Measured: 104 weeks

  42. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Digit Span subtest

    Measured: 156 weeks

  43. Neurocognitive substudy - Change from baseline in demographically-corrected T score for Digit Span subtest

    Measured: 208 weeks

Timeline

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

  1. First posted21 Jul 2023
  2. Study start28 Aug 2023
  3. Primary completionAug 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completionAug 2027 (estimated)

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 3
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Multicentre, parallel group, placebo-controlled, pragmatic randomized trial with 1:1 allocation and a superiority framework
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
396 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05955924
Sponsor's protocol ID
SPRINTR-pivotal
Acronym
SPRINTR
Status last verified
Oct 2026
First submitted
13 Jul 2023
Last updated
13 Oct 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: The trial protocol and statistical code will be shared upon request. Beyond 18 months after trial completion, the anonymized participant-level dataset will made available for sharing with external researchers upon approval of a reasonable study proposal describing the intended data usage.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 3 study testing Nicotinamide in people with Non-melanoma Skin Cancer and Carcinoma, Squamous Cell, run by Women's College Hospital at 7 sites in Canada.

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 5 inclusion and 9 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 7 sites in Canada. 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?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

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

Contact Stephanie Jewell, BSc. Hons (416 351-3732 ext. 2706, sprintr@wchospital.ca), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Time to first biopsy-confirmed keratinocyte carcinoma (basal cell carcinoma or invasive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma) (time frame: Up to 208 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
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 13 Oct 2026.

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