ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT04824053Updated May 12, 2026

Effects of UNICLA-A2 Dairy Products on Patients at High-risk of Colorectal Cancer Development

An interventional study of Milk from genetically selected homozygous- β-casein-A2 cows fed with forages and a concentrate enriched on linseed and selenized yeast as sources of PUFAs and selenium and Conventional milk in Colorectal Polyp, sponsored by Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón. Recruiting at 1 site in Spain. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-12.

Sponsored by Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Feb 2022; still recruiting 4 years 8 months later.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
34
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Dietary intervention with UNICLA-A2 milk products containing beta casein A2 protein, and higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and selenium may contribute to maintain the intestinal integrity, reduce inflammatory processes, normalize the immune system, protect against oxidative damage and equilibrate the gut microbiota in high-risk colorectal cancer patients who have undergone polypectomy

Read the detailed description

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent cancers in the world and has a significant impact in terms of mortality and health costs. It is estimated that CRC causes around 900,000 deaths annually, mainly due to diagnoses made in advanced stages. Colorectal adenomas (CRA) are precancerous lesions that develop into colorectal cancer following a well-known process into the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. Prevention programs include screening for CRA and removing precancerous lesions by polypectomy, but the high recurrence rates after polypectomy makes it necessary to research on potential chemopreventive agents that may reduce this risk. Dietary recommendations or chemoprevention with different nutritional substances (diets rich in fiber, or poor in red meat, etc) or pharmacological substances including vitamin D, calcium, fatty acids, salicylic acetyl acid, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs), etc) have been studied. In this way, it seems reasonable to evaluate the effect caused by the administration of certain nutrients that affect lipid and protein metabolism involved in cellular homeostasis, in the preservation of the colonic mucosa or the development of lesions may have in populations at risk.

UNICLA A2 dairy products have a different nutrient profile than conventional ones. UNICLA A2 products have higher content in unsaturated fats, that is to say, increased content of healthy fatty acids such as oleic, linolenic, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Previous studies have suggested a contribution of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to reduce pro-inflammatory markers and, have shown they have antimicrobial and negative properties in relation to biofilm formation. These types of biofilm structures are characteristic of proximal CRC. For these reason, ω-3 PUFAs it is thought that they could modify the altered intestinal microbiota in patients at high risk of CRC towards a less pathogenic environment, correcting the gut dysbiosis. Moreover, they have higher selenium levels (Se), an element with essential biological functions which has been suggested improving effects in combination with other anticancer agents in CRC and taking part in the modulation of several processes, such as the immune response, apoptotic cell death, DNA repair, response to oxidative stress, carcinogenic metabolism, tumorigenesis and angiogenesis. Finally, they contain type A2 beta casein, which differs from A1 beta casein by a single amino acid at position 67 of a 107 amino acid chain. This fact is very important because beta casein contains a chain of amino acids called "beta casomorphin" (BCM7) with negative health effects reported. The proline 67 in beta casein A2 has a strong bond with BCM7 that does not allow it to separate and flow freely in milk to be absorbed. However, the mild bond due to histidine 67 in beta casein A1 allows BCM7 to reach the intestinal wall and be absorbed, being associated with intestinal discomfort, gastrointestinal transit time and stool consistency disturbances, abdominal pain and, increased levels of some inflammatory markers.

For these reasons, in this proposal the investigators aim to determine whether the change from conventional dairy products to UNICLA-A2 products but maintaining the habitual consumption habits in "real life" conditions, without forcing or inducing greater consumption, will have positive effects on maintaining the intestinal integrity by reducing the inflammatory profile, and leading the gut microbiota to a less pathogenic environment in patients at high-risk of CRC development.

02

Conditions studied

  • Colorectal Polyp

Keywords

  • polyp
  • inflammation
  • fecal microbiota
03

In context

Polyps

312 studies on the registry are indexed under Polyps; 60 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 34 is below the median of 150 across 204 interventional studies indexed under Polyps.

Browse Polyps studies →

Lead sponsor

Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón is the lead sponsor of 32 studies on the registry; 12 are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 80 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. Participants diagnosed with high-risk polyps in the colorectal cancer screening programme or in the relative's colon cancer prevention program or patients who are in follow-up due to prior detection of polyps with any of the following characteristics:

    • At least 10 adenomas
    • At least 5 proximal serrated polyps (PSP)
    • At least 2 serrated polyps with diameters ≥10 mm
    • Serrated Polyposis Syndrome (SPS)
    • Early invasive CRC (stage pT1) endoscopically resected (surgery not required)
    • A sessile or flat lesion ≥ 20 mm with fragmented resection
    • Patients with previous resection of polyps in which the resection margin was not assessable and are considered susceptible to repeat colonoscopy
    • Patients with intramucosal carcinoma in situ or invasion of the lamina propria (pTis)
  2. Regular consumer of milk and dairy products.
  3. form signed.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. History of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical composition to the study agents.
  2. Incomplete colonoscopy or with poor quality criteria, Boston \<6.
  3. Concomitant acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), NSAIDs, misoprostol, or statins needed on a regular or predictable basis during the time of the study.
  4. Previous gastrointestinal surgery (colon or small intestine or gastric) that affects the absorption of nutrients.
  5. History of familial adenomatous polyposis.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

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.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
34 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    UNICLA-A2 milk and its subproducts

    Participants (n=17) ingest milk and dairy products made from cows homozygous for beta casein A2 during 3 months. These products are also enriched in insaturated fatty acids and selenium. The daily intake reflects the habitual consumption habits. Recommended amounts are 250 mL of milk, a yogurt and 50 g fresh cheese per day.

    Dietary Supplement: Milk from genetically selected homozygous- β-casein-A2 cows fed with forages and a concentrate enriched on linseed and selenized yeast as sources of PUFAs and selenium · Dietary Supplement: Yogurt made from milk of genetically selected homozygous- β-casein-A2 cows fed with forages and a concentrate enriched on linseed and selenized yeast as sources of PUFAs and selenium · Dietary Supplement: Fresh cheese made from milk of genetically selected homozygous- β-casein-A2 cows fed with forages and a concentrate enriched on linseed and selenized yeast as sources of PUFAs and selenium

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    Participants (n=17) ingest conventional dairy products and milk daily during 3 months. As happens in the UNICLA-A2 arm, the daily intake reflects habitual dairy consumption habits in "real life" conditions, without forcing or inducing greater consumption. Therefore, recommended amounts are 250 mL of milk, a yogurt and 50 g fresh cheese per day.

    Dietary Supplement: Conventional milk · Dietary Supplement: Conventional yogurt · Dietary Supplement: Conventional fresh cheese

Interventions

  • Dietary supplementMilk from genetically selected homozygous- β-casein-A2 cows fed with forages and a concentrate enriched on linseed and selenized yeast as sources of PUFAs and selenium

    The daily intake should reflect habitual consumption habits in "real life" conditions, without forcing or inducing greater consumption. Therefore, patients will be recommended a daily intake of 250 mL of milk. The intervention duration will be 3 months

    Also known as: UNICLA-A2 milk

  • Dietary supplementConventional milk

    The daily intake should reflect habitual consumption habits in "real life" conditions, without forcing or inducing greater consumption. Therefore, patients will be recommended a daily intake of 250 mL of milk. The intervention duration will be 3 months

  • Dietary supplementYogurt made from milk of genetically selected homozygous- β-casein-A2 cows fed with forages and a concentrate enriched on linseed and selenized yeast as sources of PUFAs and selenium

    The daily intake should reflect habitual consumption habits in "real life" conditions, without forcing or inducing greater consumption. Therefore, patients will be recommended a daily intake of one yogurt. The intervention duration will be 3 months

    Also known as: UNICLA-A2 yogurt

  • Dietary supplementConventional yogurt

    The daily intake should reflect habitual consumption habits in "real life" conditions, without forcing or inducing greater consumption. Therefore, patients will be recommended a daily intake of one yogurt. The intervention duration will be 3 months

  • Dietary supplementFresh cheese made from milk of genetically selected homozygous- β-casein-A2 cows fed with forages and a concentrate enriched on linseed and selenized yeast as sources of PUFAs and selenium

    The daily intake should reflect habitual consumption habits in "real life" conditions, without forcing or inducing greater consumption. Therefore, patients will be recommended a daily intake of 50 g of fresh cheese. The intervention duration will be 3 months

    Also known as: UNICLA-A2 fresh cheese

  • Dietary supplementConventional fresh cheese

    The daily intake should reflect habitual consumption habits in "real life" conditions, without forcing or inducing greater consumption. Therefore, patients will be recommended a daily intake of 50 g of fresh cheese. The intervention duration will be 3 months

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change from baseline levels in pro-inflammatory circulating markers C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 (MIC-1) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), as well as in fecal calprotectin.

    The C-reactive protein and calprotectin are measured by conventional methods in the University Clinic Hospital Lozano Blesa and the circulating biomarkers IL-6, MIC-1 and TNFα by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

    Time frame: At baseline, at 3 months and through study completion, an average of 1 year after the colonoscopy that motivated the patient´s inclusion

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change from baseline in fecal microbiota.

    Stool samples are collected for DNA extraction and ulterior metagenomic analysis of the fecal microbiota's composition. Library construction is carried out with the Ion 16S™ Metagenomics Kit which permits PCR amplification of hypervariable regions of the 16S rDNA gene from bacteria and the material obtained is subjected to next-generation sequencing (NGS) to see the proportions of the main groups of microorganisms in the sample.

    Time frame: At baseline, at 3 months and through study completion, an average of 1 year after the colonoscopy that motivated the patient´s inclusion

  2. To assess the effect of treatment on colorectal adenoma recurrence

    The number of participants in each arm who develop one or more colorectal adenomas is determined in the follow-up colonoscopy (adenoma detection rate), as well as the presence of advanced or not advanced adenomas, serrated polyps, subtype, location and the total number of adenomas per participant.

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year after the initial colonoscopy that motivated the suitability of patients inclusion.

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Angel Lanas Arbeloa
    Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
    Recruiting
08

References and documents

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Started Feb 2022 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Nov 2027, 69 months after the start.

Of 68 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Polyps, half reached primary completion within 23 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 42. This study's planned 69 months is above that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 79 studies reached it within 23 months; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 42.

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

Registered
Mar 24, 2021
First posted
Apr 1, 2021
StartActual
Feb 28, 2022
Primary completionEst.
Nov 30, 2027
CompletionEst.
Dec 15, 2028
Last update
May 12, 2026
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 May 12, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04824053
Lead sponsor
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón
Collaborators
Cooperativas Lacteas Unidas, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa
Responsible party
Ángel Lanas Arbeloa (Head of Digestive Service (University Clinic Hospital Lozano Blesa) and Principal Investigator, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 1, 2021
Start date
Feb 28, 2022
Primary completion
Nov 30, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 15, 2028 (estimated)
Last update
May 12, 2026

Study contacts

Angel Lanas Arbeloa, MD, PhD
Contact
alanas@unizar.es
0034 976 76 57 86
Pilar Irun, PhD
Contact
mpirun.uit@gmail.com
Angel Lanas Arbeloa, MD, PhD
principal investigator · University Hospital Lozano Blesa. IIS Aragón. CIBER de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas.

Oversight

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

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