ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT03495609Updated Sep 7, 2023

Use of Recombinant hCG to Prevent Breast Cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 Carriers

A Phase 4 interventional study of Ovitrelle in hCG, BRCA1 Mutation and BRCA2 Mutation, sponsored by University Hospital, Ghent. Completed at 1 site in Belgium. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 30 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-09-07.

Sponsored by University Hospital, Ghent · Phase 4, Interventional, and Prevention

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 1 year 11 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Feb 2016, registered Jan 2018).
Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
33
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years to 30 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

Specific aim: To establish the proof of principle that treatment of "high breast cancer risk" women with recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin (r-hCG) will change their breast epithelium's high risk genomic profile to one similar to that identified in women with a history of early full first term pregnancy.

Read the detailed description

This study is based on the investigators preclinical data that have demonstrated that r-hCG exerts a mammary cancer preventive effect that is mediated by the induction of gland differentiation, which results in permanent changes in the genomic signature of this organ. This exploratory study will evaluate the genomic profile of breast epithelial cells obtained from random periareolar fine needle aspiration (RPFNA) specimens performed in high risk women treated for 90 days (an extra 4 weeks in a subgroup) with r-hCG. This knowledge will serve as the basis for establishing a novel genomic biomarker that will serve as a surrogate endpoint in future preventive clinical trials.

The objective of the proposed study is to characterize the genomic profile of breast epithelial cells obtained from 35 asymptomatic high breast cancer risk nulliparous premenopausal women carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 deleterious mutations. Gene expression measurements and benign breast tissue specimens will be obtained at baseline (time 0), after treatment with r-hCG at 90 days (time 1), at 270 days from baseline (time 2) and (in a subgroup) at 60 weeks (+/- 4 weeks).

The primary objective of the study is to compare the gene expression profiles of these women across the three (or four) time points and identify differentially expressed genes. The investigator is interested in comparing the expression profiles between all pairs of time points as well as across time. The comparison of profiles before and after treatment with r-hCG, both at 90 and 270 days are of particular interest. The women will receive 3x/week injections of 250 microgram r-hCG for a total of 12 weeks (an extra 4 weeks in a subgroup). Core Needle Biopsies specimens will be primarily utilized for analysis of genomic expression by cDNA microarray. In addition, a series of surrogate intermediate markers such as cytomorphologic evaluation and cell proliferation index will be analyzed.

02

Conditions studied

  • hCG
  • BRCA1 Mutation
  • BRCA2 Mutation
03

In context

Lead sponsor

University Hospital, Ghent is the lead sponsor of 685 studies on the registry; 158 are open to participants now.

Of its 5 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 4 (80%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 30 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
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

  • premenopausal women
  • BRCA1 carrier

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of allergic reaction to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to hCG
  • receiving medication that could interfere with the study protocol objectives (hormonal contraceptives, androgens, prednisone, thyroid hormones, insulin)
  • previous treatment with follicle stimulating hormone for assisted reproduction
  • uncontrolled intercurrent illness
  • Heart disease
  • Severe cognitive decline
  • Psychiatric desease
  • HIV positive
  • Hepatitis B or C infection
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
33 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Ovitrelle

    Drug: Ovitrelle

Interventions

  • Ovitrelle will be injected in 35 asymptomatic women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation during 90 days (an extra 4 weeks in a subgroup). The gene expression of the breast epithelial cells will be characterized and compared to the gene expression of the breast epithelial cells before ovitrelle injection.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Does Ovitrelle result in early prevention of breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers?

    The investigators are expecting that r-hCG is inducing genomic signature of protection in the breast. Participants will receive a subcutaneous injection of recombinant hCG three times a week for 12 (or 16) weeks. Normal breast tissue specimens will be collected by Spirotome at the beginning of treatment (day 0), at the end of treatment (week 13) and at 36 weeks. The specimens will be primarily utilized for analysis of genomic expression by cDNA microarray, RNA sequencing and epigenomic studies. In addition, a series of surrogate intermediate markers such as cytomorphologic evaluation and cell proliferation index will be analyzed. The primary objective is to compare the gene expression, and epigenomic profiles of sampled breast epithelial cells across the three time points and identify differentially expressed or silenced genes.

    Time frame: 48 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Does Ovitrelle result in early prevention of breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers?

    The investigators are expecting that r-hCG is inducing genomic signature of protection in the breast. Participants will receive a subcutaneous injection of recombinant hCG three times a week for 12 (or 16) weeks. Normal breast tissue specimens will be collected by Spirotome at the beginning of treatment (day 0), at the end of treatment (week 13) and at 36 weeks. The specimens will be primarily utilized for analysis of genomic expression by cDNA microarray, RNA sequencing and epigenomic studies. In addition, a series of surrogate intermediate markers such as cytomorphologic evaluation and cell proliferation index will be analyzed. The primary objective is to compare the gene expression, and epigenomic profiles of sampled breast epithelial cells across the three time points and identify differentially expressed or silenced genes.

    Time frame: 60 weeks

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Ghent University Hospital
    Ghent, East-Flanders 9000, Belgium
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reached

Ran from Feb 2016 to primary completion in Dec 2018, 34 months.

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

Registered
Jan 23, 2018
First posted
Apr 12, 2018
StartActual
Feb 17, 2016
Primary completionActual
Dec 18, 2018
CompletionActual
Dec 18, 2018
Last update
Sep 7, 2023
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 Sep 7, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03495609
Collaborators
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 12, 2018
Start date
Feb 17, 2016
Primary completion
Dec 18, 2018
Completion
Dec 18, 2018
Last update
Sep 7, 2023

Study contacts

Jose Russo, Prof.
principal investigator · Fox Chase Cancer Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Sep 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Studies of the drug tested here: Ovidrel

Start the discussion