NCT00933361

Individual Dose-escalated Bi-daily Subcutaneously (sc) Ghrelin in Cancer Cachexia: a Phase I/II Study

Individual Dose-escalated Bi-daily sc Ghrelin in Cancer Cachexia: a Phase I/II Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1 / Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 21 (actual)
• Sponsor: Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Cachexia, a condition of severe malnutrition, negative nitrogen balance, muscle wasting, weight loss, and anorexia, is a frequent affecting more than 80% of patients in advanced cancer disease causing a high burden on patients and their families. Nutritional, pharmacological, and behavioural interventions for cancer-related ACS and associated symptoms have, despite the importance for cancer care, limited effect on only a minority of patients. New strategies are required. Ghrelin, a 28 amino acid peptide discovered in 1999, is predominantly secreted by gastric endocrine cells and is an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue (GHS) receptor. When administered peripherally it stimulates growth hormone secretion, food intake, triggers a positive energy balance, produces weight gain through a central mechanism involving hypothalamic neuropeptides and has anti-inflammatory effects. A recently completed trial on intravenous ghrelin in advanced cancer patients with ACS reports good tolerability and safety of single intravenous application of 2 and 8μg/kg Ghrelin. Given the facts that ACS is a major burden in patients suffering advanced cancer disease and ghrelin is a major signal for stimulating food intake, promoting positive energy balance and weight gain and may have anti-inflammatory effect it remains to be determined whether the administration of ghrelin will have a positive clinical effect on cancer anorexia/ cachexia syndrome ACS. The next logical clinical development step is a proper dose-finding study of twice daily subcutaneous administration and proof-of-concept of main outcomes.

Conditions

• Advanced Cancer
• Cachexia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	ghrelin	As starting dose the investigators choose a dose level which was shown in our last study to be safe in human beings, i.e. 8μg/kg intravenously. With an assumed bioavailability of 25% of subcutaneously administered ghrelin the corresponding dose for dose level 1 is therefore 32 μg/kg. In the first 4 dose levels for each subsequent dose level the dose is increased by 50% compared to the previous one, from the 5th dose level onwards the increase is 25%: Dose level 1 = 32 μg/kg Dose level 2 = 48 μg/kg Dose level 3 = 72 μg/kg Dose level 4 = 108 μg/kg Dose level 5 = 135 μg/kg Dose level 6 = 169 μg/kg Dose level 7 = 211 μg/kg The investigators define the maximum tolerable dose as 20mg ghrelin (equivalent to 5ml) for reasons of the high drug volume to be administered subcutaneously.

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-06-01
• Primary completion: 2011-12-01
• Completion: 2011-12-01
• First posted: 2009-07-07
• Last updated: 2017-08-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Switzerland