ClinicalTrials.gg
TerminatedNCT02177825Updated Apr 8, 2019

Study of Imatinib Mesylate in Neurofibromatosis Type I Patients Aged 2 to 21 With Plexiform Neurofibromas

A Phase 2 interventional study of Imatinib Mesylate in Plexiform Neurofibromas, sponsored by St. Justine's Hospital. Terminated at 1 site in Canada. Open to participants aged 2 Years to 21 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-04-08.

Sponsored by St. Justine's Hospital · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Why this study was terminated
Slow accrual 5 patients out of 25 expected. Primary objectives could not be met without recruiting more patients.
Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
5
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
2 Years to 21 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This phase II trial will test the hypothesis that inhibition of c-kit signalling pathways in pediatric patients with Neurofibromatosis Type I(NF-1) and progressing plexiform neurofibroma will result in objective reduction and/or inhibition of plexiform neurofibromas progression.

This will be a Phase II study of imatinib mesylate given orally. Patients with stable or responding disease may receive the drug for a period not exceeding one year.

Read the detailed description

Clinical objectives

  1. Demonstrate the clinical benefit of imatinib in a pediatric patient population with progressing and metabolically active plexiform neurofibromas (NF)
  2. Demonstrate the need or not to pursue treatment for more than a year in responders to imatinib

Biological studies objectives

  1. Identify biological markers of plexiform neurofibroma progression and response to treatment
  2. Identify biological markers of mast cell responses to imatinib, given that mast cells are required for tumorigenesis and are a target for imatinib

Imaging studies objectives

Using 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron Emission Tomography (FDG PET/CT):

  1. Identify imaging characteristics of progressing plexiform neurofibromas
  2. Assess the role of F18-FDG PET/CT in comparison with CT/MRI to evaluate response to imatinib ¸

Pharmacological study

  1. Evaluate trough plasma levels of imatinib and its active metabolite (NDMIL N-desmethyl imatinib) achieved in this pediatric population
  2. Identify potential correlation between imatinib (and NDMI) trough levels achieved and clinical response
02

Conditions studied

  • Plexiform Neurofibromas
03

In context

Neurofibroma, Plexiform

63 studies on the registry are indexed under Neurofibroma, Plexiform; 19 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 5 is below the median of 36 across 43 interventional studies indexed under Neurofibroma, Plexiform.

Browse Neurofibroma, Plexiform studies →

Lead sponsor

St. Justine's Hospital is the lead sponsor of 156 studies on the registry; 27 are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
2 Years to 21 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

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

  1. Age Greater than or equal to 2 years and up to 21 years of age at time of study enrolment
  2. Diagnosis Patients with NF1 and an inoperable plexiform NFs that has the potential to cause significant morbidity.
  3. Patients must have by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and progressive plexiform neurofibroma(s) with or without clinical symptoms.

    • Patients must have a recent FDG-PET scan imaging study done in the last 3 months before being offered participation to the study
    • Surgery/Residual disease: Patients are only eligible if complete tumor resection is not feasible, or if a patient with a surgical option refuses surgery. Evidence of recurrent or progressive disease is NOT necessary. Patients must be at least 21 days from surgery, if performed, prior to receiving their first dose of study drug
  4. Performance level Patients must have a of > 70% or Lansky of >50% and a of > 6 months.
  5. Previous use of imatinib is permitted if there was no progressive disease during treatment.
  6. Prior therapy Patients must be at least 28 days without any treatment before enrolment in this study.
  7. Patient is free of another primary except if the other primary malignancy neither currently nor requiring active intervention.
  8. Organ function requirement

    • Creatinine \< 1.5 x (ULN)
    • Total \< 1.5 x ULN and and SGPT \< 2.5 x ULN
    • > 1.5 x 109/L and > 100 x 109/L
  9. Female patients of must have negative pregnancy test within 7 days before initiation of study drug dosing. Male and female patients of reproductive potential must agree to employ an effective barrier method of throughout the study and for up to 3 months following discontinuation of study drug.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Patient has received any other agents within 28 days of first day of study drug dosing.
  2. Patient with rapidly progressing disease may be enrolled before the 28 days period. In these cases, only the study chair can take this decision.
  3. Patient with Grade III/IV cardiac problems as defined by the Criteria.
  4. Female patients who are pregnant or breast-feeding.
  5. Patient has a severe and/or uncontrolled medical disease (i.e., uncontrolled diabetes, chronic renal disease, or active uncontrolled infection)
  6. Patient has a known . Non-specific central nervous system (CNS) changes on MRI/CT characteristic of NF1 are allowed, but not known CNS .
  7. Patient has known chronic liver disease (i.e., chronic active hepatitis, and cirrhosis).
  8. Patient has a known diagnosis of (HIV) infection.
  9. Patient received chemotherapy within 4 weeks prior to study entry.
  10. Patient previously received radiotherapy to greater than or equal to 25% of the bone marrow within 24 months.
  11. Patient had a major surgery within 2 weeks prior to study entry.
  12. Patient with any significant history of non-compliance to medical regimens.
  13. Patients who have or anticipate receiving permanent (or semi-permanent) metallic structures attached to their body. (e.g., braces on teeth, body piercings), which their physicians believe will interfere with the MRI.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(17)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Measurable disease

The amount of disease can be tracked with a defined measurement, so the study can see whether it shrinks or grows. It might be a tumour measured on a scan or, in some blood cancers such as myeloma, a marker measured in blood or urine.

The criteria or the study team say which measurement counts — having no tumour visible on a scan does not by itself rule you out.

Karnofsky performance status (KPS)

A 0–100 scale of how well someone can carry out everyday activities. 100 is no complaints and no signs of illness; 70 is able to look after yourself but not to work or keep up normal activity; 50 is needing considerable help and frequent medical care.

Studies often ask for 60 or 70 and above. Your doctor gives the score.

Life expectancy

The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

Clinically significant

Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.

ULN (upper limit of normal)

The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.

“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.

Bilirubin

A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.

Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.

ALT and AST (liver enzymes)

Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.

Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.

Absolute neutrophil count (ANC)

The number of neutrophils, white blood cells that help fight infection, in a given amount of blood. Too few raises the risk of infection.

It is a count, not a percentage of the white cells. Limits are written in units that mean the same: ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L is ≥ 1,500 per mm³ (µL). Each lab has its own reference range.

Platelets

Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.

Reproductive potential

Able to have children. For women this usually means from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery; for men, unless permanently sterile. Read who the line is about — participants, women, men, or their partners.

Criteria about it usually ask for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

NYHA class (heart failure)

The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.

I
No limits: ordinary activity causes no undue tiredness or breathlessness.
II
Slight limits: comfortable at rest, ordinary activity causes symptoms.
III
Marked limits: comfortable at rest, less than ordinary activity causes symptoms.
IV
Symptoms even at rest; any activity makes them worse.

Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.

Brain metastases

Cancer deposits in the brain from a cancer that started elsewhere in the body (CNS metastases include the spinal cord).

Studies differ: some leave out any brain metastases, some accept ones treated and stable for some weeks. Check what this study allows.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
5 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Imatinib Mesylate

    Imatinib Mesylate at 110 mg/m2 up to 440mg/m2 PO per day for twelve months taken in one morning dose (if dose is less than 200 mg/day) or two doses (morning and evening)

    Drug: Imatinib Mesylate

Interventions

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Demonstrate the clinical benefit of imatinib in a pediatric patient population with progressing and metabolically active plexiform NFs

    Time to tumor progression as assessed by volumetric MRI and FDG-PETScan analysis at baseline, after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months on therapy.

    Time frame: 12 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Changes in NF1 biomarkers after treatment with imatinib

    Patients on imatinib will have blood samples and urine taken at baseline and every 3 months until treatment completion or until disease progression. Mastocyte activation biomarkers will be monitored and evaluated as potential disease state indicators.

    Time frame: 12 months

Other outcomes

  1. Evaluate trough plasma levels of imatinib and its active metabolite (NDMIL N-desmethyl imatinib) achieved in this pediatric population

    We will evaluate trough plasma levels of imatinib achieved in this patient population at 3, 6, 9 and 12 month and correlate it with response to treatment

    Time frame: 12 months

07

Study locations

1 site
  • CHU Sainte-Justine
    Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada
08

Timeline

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

The record gives a start of Jun 2014, a primary completion of Mar 2019 and a completion of Mar 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
Jun 25, 2014
First posted
Jun 30, 2014
Start
Jun 2014
Primary completionActual
Mar 1, 2019
CompletionActual
Mar 1, 2019
Last update
Apr 8, 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 Apr 8, 2019, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02177825
Responsible party
Dr Perreault (Neurologist, St. Justine's Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jun 30, 2014
Start date
Jun 2014
Primary completion
Mar 1, 2019
Completion
Mar 1, 2019
Last update
Apr 8, 2019

Study contacts

Sébastien Perreault, MD/FRCPC
principal investigator · St. Justine's Hospital

Oversight

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

Not currently enrolling

This study is terminated, as verified in Apr 2019. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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Studies of the drug tested here: Imatinib

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