ClinicalTrials.gg
Active, not recruitingNCT05915104Updated Oct 21, 2026

Efficacy and Safety of Budesonide MMX® vs. Budesonide CR for Induction of Remission in Microscopic Colitis

A Phase 2 interventional study of Budesonide MMX® and Budesonide controlled ileal release (CR) capsules in Microscopic Colitis, sponsored by University of Calgary. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Canada. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-21.

Sponsored by University of Calgary · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Updated Oct 21, 2026Now Active, not recruitingFirst site in Canada+3 moreGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
80
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this research study is to compare how well two formulations of budesonide (budesonide MMX [Cortiment] and budesonide CR [Entocort]) work for treating patients with microscopic colitis.

Read the detailed description

After being informed of the study and potential risks, patients with symptomatically active microscopic colitis who provide written informed consent will undergo a 4-week screening period to determine their eligibility for the study. At week 0, eligible patients will be randomized in a single blind manner (patients will be aware, while investigators will be blinded) in a 1:1 ratio to budesonide MMX (9mg once daily) or budesonide CR (3mg three times daily). The total treatment duration will be for 8 weeks. The primary outcome will be clinical remission, defined by the Hjortswang criteria (daily average \<3 loose/watery bowel movements per 24 hours in the week preceding the final assessment (loose/watery stool consistency will be measured using the Bristol Stool Chart (types 6 and 7)).

02

Conditions studied

  • Microscopic Colitis

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03

In context

Colitis, Microscopic

23 studies on the registry are indexed under Colitis, Microscopic; 6 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 80 is above the median of 47 across 14 interventional studies indexed under Colitis, Microscopic.

Browse Colitis, Microscopic studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Calgary is the lead sponsor of 703 studies on the registry; 196 are open to participants now.

Of its 10 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 2 (20%) have results posted.

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

  • Male or non-pregnant, non-lactating females, 18-80 years old years of age
  • Females of must be taking adequate precautions (i.e., implants, injectables, hormonal intrauterine devices, combined hormonal contraceptives, having a vasectomized partner or total abstinence from heterosexual relations with no plans of becoming pregnant through insemination or in vitro fertilization) and have a negative urine pregnancy test prior to randomization.
  • Active symptoms of MC defined by non-bloody, watery diarrhea or loose bowel movements for at least 12 weeks (for patients with newly diagnosed MC) or a history of clinical relapse for at least one week before randomization in patients with previously established MC, and with >=28 stools within 7 days preceding randomization, of which >=20 were watery/soft stools
  • Colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy with confirmed MC, defined by signs of inflammation of the lamina propria and either:
  • lymphocytic colitis: ≥20 IELs/100 surface epithelial cells
  • collagenous colitis: subepithelial collagen band >10 micrometers in diameter
  • Ability of subject to participate fully in all aspects of this clinical trial
  • Written must be obtained and documented

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Evidence of infectious diarrhea (proved by stool culture or colonic ), diarrhea due to other organic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract including Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, ischemic colitis, Celiac disease (ruled out by either duodenal biopsy or serum antibodies), radiation colitis, or polyps >2cm, suspicion of drug-induced MC
  • History of partial or total colonic resection
  • Previous exposure to >7 days of any budesonide formulation for treatment of MC
  • Unwillingness to withhold protocol-proscribed medications during the trial
  • Received any of: aminosalicylates, (other than budesonide), (including thiopurines and methotrexate), bismuth subsalicylate, cholestyramine, biological treatments, or antibiotics (except for up to a 7-day course for conditions unrelated to microscopic colitis) within 8 weeks of randomization
  • Use of loperamide or diphenoxylate/atropine as an anti-diarrheal agent is not permitted during the screening period
  • Serious underlying disease other than MC which in the opinion of the investigator may interfere with the subject's ability to participate fully in the study, including a history of:
  • Severe anaemia ( \< 90 g/L) or leukopenia (white blood cell count \< 2.5 x 109 cells/L)
  • Known infection with , , or not on effective anti-viral therapy
  • Active
  • Cirrhosis or significant hepatic or renal insufficiency
  • Poorly controlled type 1 or type 2 diabetes
  • Glaucoma
  • History of alcohol or drug abuse which in the opinion of the investigator may interfere with the subject's ability to comply with the study procedures.
  • Pregnant or lactating women
  • to the active ingredient of budesonide MMX® or budesonide CR and
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(14)

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.

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.

Histologically or cytologically confirmed

The diagnosis was confirmed by looking at a sample under a microscope: tissue from a biopsy or surgery (histology), or cells from a fluid or needle sample (cytology).

Your pathology report is the document that shows this.

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.

Biopsy and archival tissue

A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.

Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.

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.

Immunosuppression

A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.

Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).

Hepatitis B tests

Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.

Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.

Hepatitis C tests

Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.

After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.

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.

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.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

Excipients

The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
80 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Budesonide MMX®

    Participant received 9 mg delayed and extended-release tablet, once daily, oral administration, for 8 weeks

    Drug: Budesonide MMX®

  • Active comparator
    Budesonide controlled ileal release (CR) capsules

    Participant received three 3 mg capsules, daily oral administration, for 8 weeks

    Drug: Budesonide controlled ileal release (CR) capsules

Interventions

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Clinical remission

    Hjortswang criteria defines clinical remission as a daily average \<3 loose/watery bowel movements per 24 hours in the week preceding the final assessment (loose/watery stool consistency will be measured using the Bristol Stool Chart (types 6 and 7)

    Time frame: Week 8

Secondary outcomes

  1. Histologic remission

    \<20 IELs/100 surface epithelial cells and subepithelial collagen band \<10 micrometers in biopsy samples and a reduction in lamina propria inflammation

    Time frame: Week 8

  2. Histologic response

    50% reduction in IEL count or subepithelial collagen band thickness compared to baseline and/or a reduction in lamina propria inflammation

    Time frame: Week 8

  3. Clinical response

    50% reduction in average daily stool frequency for the week prior to final assessment compared to baseline

    Time frame: Week 8

  4. Patient-reported symptom improvement

    Change in the European Microscopic Colitis Activity Index (E-MCAI) and its component items, including stool frequency and consistency (stools per day, solid vs. loose stools, stools of each Bristol Stool chart consistency), stools at night, feeling of a need to pass more stools shortly after a bowel movement, urgency of defecation, leakage, and abdominal pain

    Time frame: Week 8

07

Study locations

1 site
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — Deidentified IPD may be shared upon completion of the study and with formal written request

Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan, Informed consent form, Clinical study report, Analytic code

Time frame: Data will be available and stored for 15 years after the study completion

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Status
Not yet recruiting→Active, not recruiting
changed Oct 21, 2026
Sites
1 site added — first site in Canada
Show site
  • University of Calgary · Calgary, Canada
Oct 21, 2026
Start date
Jan 1, 2024→Mar 21, 2024 (actual)
Oct 21, 2026
Primary completion
Sep 1, 2026→Jul 27, 2026 (actual)
Oct 21, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Oct 21, 2026
    Not yet recruiting→Active, not recruiting
    1 site added — first site in Canada
    Show site
    • University of Calgary · Calgary, Canada
    Start date Jan 1, 2024→Mar 21, 2024 (now actual)
    Primary completion Sep 1, 2026→Jul 27, 2026 (now actual)
    + 3 other changes: verification date, contact details and index terms

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05915104
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 22, 2023
Start date
Mar 21, 2024
Primary completion
Jul 27, 2026
Completion
Dec 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 21, 2026

Study contacts

Christopher Ma, MD MPH
principal investigator · University of Calgary

Oversight

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

Not currently enrolling

This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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Studies of the drug tested here: Budesonide

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