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CompletedNCT00813228Updated Nov 29, 2019

Assessment of the Effects of a DPP-4 Inhibitor (Sitagliptin) Januvia on Immune Function in Healthy Individuals

A Phase 1 interventional study of Sitagliptin (Januvia) in Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 and Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, sponsored by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-11-29.

Sponsored by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) · Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
76
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Patients with diabetes have high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) because pancreatic beta-cells no longer produce sufficient insulin. Insufficient beta-cell function can be caused by an autoimmune killing of the beta-cells in type 1 diabetes (T1D), or by poorly understood mechanisms in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) improves function of the insulin-producing beta cells, but GLP-1 has a very short circulating half-life because it is cleaved by the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-4). One current treatment being used to improve glycemia control in patients with T2D is sitagliptin, an inhibitor of DPP-4. By inhibiting DPP-4, sitagliptin increases GLP-1 levels, resulting in improved beta cell function. Sitagliptin is now being tested in individuals with new-onset T1D to determine whether it may help to preserve beta cell function. Because T1D is a disease in which the immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, we wish to determine if and how sitagliptin alters immune function. Sitagliptin has been shown by Merck to be safe and effective with no overt immuno-toxicities. However, several lines of evidence suggest that DPP-4 inhibitors such as sitagliptin could be immunomodulatory.

This randomized clinical trial will study immune function in healthy volunteers given short-term (4 week) treatment with either sitagliptin or placebo. During the study, we will take blood samples at various time intervals before, during and after treatment. We will compare the immune response with and without sitagliptin treatment using blood samples from healthy individuals. We will measure changes in the magnitude and type of immune responses. The study period is nine weeks. The study s primary outcome will be changes in blood plasma levels of a protein marker associated with decreased inflammation: Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 (TGF beta 1). In addition, we plan to use these blood samples to measure sitagliptin s effect on expression levels of several cytokines (immune proteins). We will also measure the level of proliferation in stimulated PBMCs (blood immune cells) and gene expression in whole blood after sitagliptin treatment.

Read the detailed description

Patients with diabetes have high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) because pancreatic b-cells no longer produce sufficient insulin. Insufficient b-cell function can be caused by an autoimmune killing of the b-cells in type 1 diabetes (T1D), or by poorly understood mechanisms in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Glucagon-like peptide -1 (GLP-1) improves function of the insulin-producing beta cells, but GLP-1 has a very short circulating half-life because it is cleaved by the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-4). One current treatment being used to improve glycemia control in patients with T2D is sitagliptin, an inhibitor of DPP-4. By inhibiting DPP-4, sitagliptin increases GLP-1 levels resulting in improved beta cell function. Sitagliptin is now being tested in individuals with new-onset T1D to determine whether it may help to preserve beta cell function. Because T1D is a disease in which the immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, we wish to determine if and how sitagliptin alters immune function. Sitagliptin has been shown by Merck to be safe and effective with no overt immuno-toxicities. However, several lines of evidence suggest that DPP-4 inhibitors such as sitagliptin could be immunomodulatory.

This randomized clinical trial will study immune function in healthy volunteers given short-term (4 week) treatment with either sitagliptin or placebo. During the study, we will take blood samples at various time intervals before, during and after treatment. We will compare the immune response with and without sitagliptin treatment using blood samples from healthy individuals. We will measure changes in the magnitude and type of immune responses. The study period is nine weeks. The study s primary outcome will be changes in blood plasma levels of a protein marker associated with decreased inflammation: Transforming Growth Factor-Beta1 (TGFb1). In addition, we plan to use these blood samples to measure sitagliptin s effect on expression levels of several cytokines (immune proteins). We will also measure the level of proliferation in stimulated PBMCs (blood immune cells) and gene expression in whole blood after sitagliptin treatment.

02

Conditions studied

  • Diabetes Mellitus Type 1
  • Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

Keywords

  • Immune Function
  • DDP-4
  • Sitagliptin
  • GLP-1
  • TGF Beta
03

In context

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1

3,614 studies on the registry are indexed under Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; 586 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 76 is above the median of 40 across 2,718 interventional studies indexed under Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1.

Browse Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 studies →

Lead sponsor

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) is the lead sponsor of 537 studies on the registry; 54 are open to participants now.

Of its 80 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 51 (64%) 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
Yes

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

Age greater than 18

Fasting blood glucose less than 100 mg/dl, and a normal Hgb A1c (less than 5.7%),

Available for follow up through 9 weeks.

In good general health without clinically significant medical history as deemed by study investigators.

Exclusion criteria

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

History of diabetes or other autoimmune diseases including (but not limited to) rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis.

Active hepatitis B, C and/ or HIV infection.

Recent diagnosis or active treatment for malignancy.

Recent (within 3 weeks) severe allergy symptoms such as allergy-induced asthma, skin eruptions or urticaria.

Recent (within 3 weeks) viral or bacterial infections.

History of other immune abnormalities, or the presence of disease processes or medications that, in the opinion of the investigator, may alter immune function.

Pregnant and nursing females.

Women who have child-bearing potential but not using adequate birth control.

History of hypersensitivity reaction to sitagliptin.

History of anemia (based on the NIH laboratory department hemoglobin reference range for normal individuals).

History of pancreatitis

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Enrollment
76 participants (actual)

Interventions

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in plasma TGF-Beta 1 levels.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Changes in plasma or stimulated PBMC cytokines levels, changes in stimulated PBMC proliferation, changes in peripheral blood gene expression and changes in immune phenotyping.

07

Study locations

1 site
  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Drucker DJ. Glucagon-like peptide-1 and the islet beta-cell: augmentation of cell proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis. Endocrinology. 2003 Dec;144(12):5145-8. doi: 10.1210/en.2003-1147. No abstract available. PubMed 14645210 ↗
  • Thompson MA, Ohnuma K, Abe M, Morimoto C, Dang NH. CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase IV as a novel therapeutic target for cancer and immune disorders. Mini Rev Med Chem. 2007 Mar;7(3):253-73. doi: 10.2174/138955707780059853. PubMed 17346218 ↗
  • Amori RE, Lau J, Pittas AG. Efficacy and safety of incretin therapy in type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA. 2007 Jul 11;298(2):194-206. doi: 10.1001/jama.298.2.194. PubMed 17622601 ↗
09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
Not marked actual or estimatedDates not marked actual or estimated

The record gives a start of Jan 2009, a primary completion of Nov 2019 and a completion of Nov 2019. It does not say whether these dates are actual or estimated.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Dec 19, 2008
First posted
Dec 22, 2008
Start
Jan 6, 2009
Primary completionActual
Nov 26, 2019
CompletionActual
Nov 26, 2019
Last update
Nov 29, 2019
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 29, 2019, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00813228
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Dec 22, 2008
Start date
Jan 6, 2009
Primary completion
Nov 26, 2019
Completion
Nov 26, 2019
Last update
Nov 29, 2019

Study contacts

Kristina I Rother, M.D.
principal investigator · Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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