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TerminatedNCT00590538Updated Jun 30, 2011Results posted

Phenylbutyrate/Genistein Duotherapy in Delta F508-Heterozygotes (for Cystic Fibrosis)

A Phase 1/2 interventional study of Sodium 4-Phenylbutyrate and Genistein (Unconjugated Isoflavones 100) in Cystic Fibrosis, sponsored by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Terminated at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2011-06-30.

Sponsored by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia · Phase 1/2, Interventional, and Basic science

Why this study was terminated
12/15/2008 Voluntarily placed on inactive status-requested by the PI
Phase
Phase 1/2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
9
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this research study is to test a new combination of medicines, Phenylbutyrate and Genistein, to determine if they could be used to treat cystic fibrosis (CF). The most common genetic mutation found in patients with CF is called Delta F508. Due to this mutation, there is a lack of salt (chloride) movement in your nose, sinuses, lungs, intestines, pancreas and sweat glands. This lack of movement causes the clinical manifestations of the disease.

Although Phenylbutyrate has been extensively used to treat patients with rare metabolic diseases, Phenylbutyrate is an investigational drug for the purpose of this study. Genistein is a naturally occurring substance that is found in food products such as soy and tofu, but is also an investigational drug for this study. When used together, both drugs may be able to restore normal chloride and salt (water) movements in body organs and glands in people with CF.

We will be studying salt and water movement in the nose by a technique called nasal transepithelial potential difference (NPD).

Read the detailed description

This protocol is investigating novel pharmaceutical agents (Phenylbutyrate and Genistein), which are aimed at improving the physiologic function of mutant Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator (CFTR). CFTR is absent or dysfunctional in cystic fibrosis. Nasal epithelial CFTR function will be assessed by the NPD procedure.

We will test the hypotheses that:

  1. Phenylbutyrate given orally for 4 days will be safe in adult Delta F508- heterozygous subjects with CF and will result in small improvements in nasal epithelial CFTR function.
  2. Topical administration of Genistein to the nasal epithelia of Phenylbutyrate treated Delta F508-heterozygous CF subjects will be safe and lead to augmentation of the improved nasal epithelial CFTR function observed during Phenylbutyrate treatment, but not during placebo treatment.

Study Flow If eligibility is confirmed at the screening visit, there will be an additional 3 outpatient visits over a 1-2 week period, lasting 2-4 hours each.

Visit 1, all study related safety evaluations will be completed. There will also be a Nasal Potential Difference (NPD) measurement performed. To measure nasal potentials, or voltages, a small butterfly needle will be placed in the skin of the forearm and connected by a thin plastic tube to a monitoring device. A very small soft plastic catheter or tube will be placed against the inner surface of the nose. This catheter will pump a very small amount of saltwater onto the nose and it will connect to the monitoring machine. This machine senses very small electrical voltages that are generated by the body. It does not and cannot send electricity or shocks to the subject. A measurement is made and then the fluid pumped into the nose is changed to one containing a drug called amiloride. Amiloride changes the makeup of salt transported in the nose and reduces the electrical voltage. Then the fluid is changed to saltwater that does not contain chloride. The fluid is then changed to one that has the drug isoproterenol. Isoproterenol causes the cells in subjects without CF to move chloride. The doses of amiloride and isoproterenol used in this study are much lower than those typically used in patients for other reasons. Finally, the fluid will be changed to one containing the experimental drug Genistein.

Subject will then be randomized and given a 4-day supply of the study drug.

Visit 2, subject will have safety evaluations and NPD performed in the same manner as previous visit. No more study drug after this visit.

Visit 3, subject will have safety evaluations and NPD performed without the perfusion of Genistein.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cystic Fibrosis
03

In context

Cystic Fibrosis

1,581 studies on the registry are indexed under Cystic Fibrosis; 190 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 9 is below the median of 36 across 1,034 interventional studies indexed under Cystic Fibrosis.

Browse Cystic Fibrosis studies →

Lead sponsor

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is the lead sponsor of 480 studies on the registry; 85 are open to participants now.

Of its 28 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 22 (79%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  1. Able to communicate with pertinent staff, able to understand and willing to comply with the requirements of the trial, and able and willing to give informed consent.
  2. Willing to practice a reliable and study-accepted method of contraception during the study.
  3. Diagnosis of cystic fibrosis consisting of both:

    1. clinical manifestations of cystic fibrosis and
    2. either cystic fibrosis genotype heterozygous for Delta F508 with a second identified CFTR mutation, or cystic fibrosis genotype with one Delta F508 allele and one unidentified allele and sweat sodium or chloride > 60 mEq/L
  4. Oxyhemoglobin saturation greater than or equal to 92% while breathing room air

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Underlying diseases likely to limit life span and/or increase risk of complications:

    1. Cancer requiring treatment in the past 5 years, with the exception of cancers that have been cured, or in the opinion of the investigator, carry a good prognosis such as non-melanoma skin cancer, papillary thyroid carcinoma, and cervical cancer in situ.
    2. GI disease

    i. Inflammatory bowel disease requiring treatment in the past year ii. elevations in ALT or AST levels to greater than 3 times the upper limit of normal

  2. Conditions or behaviors likely to affect the conduct of the study

    1. Current or anticipated participation in another intervention research project
    2. Recent (with 2 months) sinus surgery or nasal polypectomy
    3. Currently pregnant or less than 3 months post-partum
    4. Currently nursing or within 6 weeks of having completed nursing
    5. Unwilling to undergo pregnancy testing or to report possible or confirmed pregnancy promptly during the course of the study
    6. Unwilling to use a reliable contraceptive method for two months after the completion of the study.
    7. Major psychiatric disorder, which, in the opinion of the investigators, would impede conduct of the study, e.g., alcoholism
    8. Other condition, which, in the opinion of the investigators, would impede conduct of the study.
  3. Glucocorticoids other than topical, ophthalmic, and inhaled preparations.
  4. Conditions that would place the patient at an increased risk for complications:

    1. Pneumothorax within the last 12 months
    2. Uncontrolled diabetes
    3. Asthma or allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis requiring systemic glucocorticoid therapy within the last two months
    4. Sputum culture growing a pathogen that does not have in vitro sensitivity to at least two types of antibiotics which could be administered to the patient
    5. History of major hemoptysis: (Greater than 240 mL of blood within a 24-hour period within the last 12 months).
  5. Medication use or conditions not specifically mentioned above, including severe or end stage CF lung disease, that may serve as criteria for exclusion at the discretion of the investigators.
  6. History of significant cardiovascular disease, such as myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, unstable arrhythmia, or uncontrolled hypertension.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1 / Phase 2
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
9 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Phenylbutyrate

    The standard oral adult dose is 20 g/day for 4 days. Every participant will receive Genistein during the NPD.

    Drug: Sodium 4-Phenylbutyrate · Drug: Genistein (Unconjugated Isoflavones 100)

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    The placebo is given to match the active comparator for 4 days. Every participant will receive Genistein.

    Drug: Genistein (Unconjugated Isoflavones 100) · Drug: Placebo

Interventions

  • DrugSodium 4-Phenylbutyrate

    The standard oral adult dose is 20 g/day (tablets) for 4 days.

    Also known as: 4PBA

  • DrugGenistein (Unconjugated Isoflavones 100)

    Every participant will be administered a perfusion of 50 MicroM of Genistein (Unconjugated Isoflavones 100) during the modified NPD procedure.

    Also known as: PTI G-4660, 87% Genistein

  • DrugPlacebo

    The placebo is given to match the active comparator for four days.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Voltage (mVolt) in Nasal Epithelium

    The basis of analysis for the primary outcome measure will be the comparison of data from both the standard CF Nasal Potential Difference (NPD) Protocol compared to a modified NPD protocol including the perfusion of Genistein. The NPD response will be compared from baseline to after study drug. NPD responses will then be compared between the Phenylbutrate group and the placebo group.

    Time frame: Baseline and 2 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second) in Spirometry.

    Outcome measure will be obtained from standard Pulmonary Function testing.

    Time frame: baseline and 2 weeks

  2. Change in FVC (Forced Vital Capacity)in Spirometry.

    Outcome measure will be obtained from standard Pulmonary Function testing.

    Time frame: baseline and 2 weeks

  3. Number of Participants With Adverse Events

    Adverse Events will be assessed and outcome measure obtained by completion of Interval history, physical and mental status examinations of every participant.

    Time frame: up to 2 weeks

  4. Number of Participants With Abnormal Laboratory Safety Tests

    Outcome measure will be obtained by completion of routine metabolic and hematological laboratory parameters for every participant. Metabolic testing willl include a CMP (comprehensive metabolic panel, ALT (alanine aminotransferase test), GGT (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase), and Uric Acid; Hematological testing will include a complete blood count (CBC), and partial thromboplastin (PT/PTT).

    Time frame: up to 2 weeks

07

Results

Posted Jun 30, 2011
Limitations and caveats
No analysis was completed on data collected; More clinically efficacious compounds have been identified which suggested that completion of this study might not be as critical as when initially proposed; therefore, the study was terminated by PI.

Participant flow

This study was terminated by the PI before completing enrollment

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestonePhenylbutyrate or Placebo
Started9
Completed7
Not completed2
Withdrew: Study terminated before completed2

Outcome measures

PrimaryChange in Voltage (mVolt) in Nasal Epithelium

The basis of analysis for the primary outcome measure will be the comparison of data from both the standard CF Nasal Potential Difference (NPD) Protocol compared to a modified NPD protocol including the perfusion of Genistein. The NPD response will be compared from baseline to after study drug. NPD responses will then be compared between the Phenylbutrate group and the placebo group.

Time frame:
Baseline and 2 weeks
Reported as:
Number · mVolts

No measurements were reported for this outcome.

SecondaryChange in FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second) in Spirometry.

Outcome measure will be obtained from standard Pulmonary Function testing.

Time frame:
baseline and 2 weeks
Reported as:
Number · Liters

No measurements were reported for this outcome.

SecondaryChange in FVC (Forced Vital Capacity)in Spirometry.

Outcome measure will be obtained from standard Pulmonary Function testing.

Time frame:
baseline and 2 weeks
Reported as:
Number · Liters

No measurements were reported for this outcome.

SecondaryNumber of Participants With Adverse Events

Adverse Events will be assessed and outcome measure obtained by completion of Interval history, physical and mental status examinations of every participant.

Time frame:
up to 2 weeks
Reported as:
Number · participants

No measurements were reported for this outcome.

SecondaryNumber of Participants With Abnormal Laboratory Safety Tests

Outcome measure will be obtained by completion of routine metabolic and hematological laboratory parameters for every participant. Metabolic testing willl include a CMP (comprehensive metabolic panel, ALT (alanine aminotransferase test), GGT (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase), and Uric Acid; Hematological testing will include a complete blood count (CBC), and partial thromboplastin (PT/PTT).

Time frame:
up to 2 weeks
Reported as:
Number · participants

No measurements were reported for this outcome.

Adverse events

Non-serious events are listed at a 5% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Phenylbutyrate or Placebo—0/9 (0%)0/9 (0%)

Baseline characteristics

Age, Categorical
Age, Categorical(Participants)Phenylbutyrate or Placebo
<=18 years0
Between 18 and 65 years9
>=65 years0
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)Phenylbutyrate or Placebo
Female6
Male3
Region of Enrollment
Region of Enrollment(participants)Phenylbutyrate or Placebo
United States9
08

Study locations

1 site
  • The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
09

References and documents

Publications

  • Southern KW, Murphy J, Sinha IP, Nevitt SJ. Corrector therapies (with or without potentiators) for people with cystic fibrosis with class II CFTR gene variants (most commonly F508del). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Dec 17;12(12):CD010966. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010966.pub3. PubMed 33331662 ↗
10

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 30, 2011, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
11

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00590538
Lead sponsor
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Collaborators
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
First posted
Jan 10, 2008
Start date
Feb 2003
Primary completion
Dec 2008
Completion
Dec 2008
Results posted
Jun 30, 2011
Last update
Jun 30, 2011

Study contacts

Ronald Rubenstein, M.D., PhD.
principal investigator · Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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