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Autism Spectrum DisorderNCT01141595

Tetrahydrobiopterin Treatment in Children With Idiopathic Cognitive Developmental Disorders

A study testing sapropterin dihydrochloride in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, run by The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to develop biomarkers for central nervous system BH4 concentration in children with autism so they can be easily screened to determine if they may benefit from BH4 supplementation. Kuvan is a synthetic form of BH4. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 2 to 6 years
Conditions the study is for
Autism Spectrum Disorder
What is being tested?
sapropterin dihydrochloride
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
10 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Jul 2010to Sep 2011
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 2 to 6 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Children 2 years 0 months to 6 years 11 months of age will be recruited.
  • Delay in language and/or social development with or without delays in gross and/or fine motor development.
  • CSF BH4 level less than or equal to 30 nM/L as determined by lumbar puncture.
  • Adaptive Behavior greater than 50 as determined by the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale.

Who cannot join

  • Epilepsy / Seizure disorder as determined by medical history.
  • Epileptiform discharges without clinical seizures.
  • Metabolic disorder that would be a contraindication to tetrahydrobiopterin treatment.
  • Genetic disorder
  • Therapies that cannot be maintained at a constant level or have not been ongoing for more than 3 months as determined by medical history
  • Prematurity
Show all 13Show fewer
  • Developmental delay isolated to motor delay.
  • Current gastroesophageal reflux
  • Current or history of liver or kidney disease
  • Severe irritability (as determined by the aberrant behavior checklist)
  • Drugs known to affect folate metabolism (e.g., methotrexate) and their derivatives
  • Patients who are receiving drugs that affect nitric oxide-mediated vasorelaxation (e.g., PDE-5 inhibitors such as sildenafil, vardenafil, or tadalafil)
  • Patients who are receiving levodopa.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute

    Little Rock, Arkansas, 72202

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Biomarkers of Central Nervous System Tetrahydrobiopterin Concentration and Response to Tetrahydrobiopterin Supplementation in Children With Idiopathic Cognitive Developmental Disorders

The purpose of this study is to develop biomarkers for central nervous system BH4 concentration in children with autism so they can be easily screened to determine if they may benefit from BH4 supplementation. Kuvan is a synthetic form of BH4. BH4 is an enzyme cofactor that is essential for several critical metabolic functions.

Read the detailed description

SUMMARY

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to develop biomarkers for central nervous system BH4 concentration in children with autism so they can be easily screened to determine if they may benefit from BH4 supplementation. Kuvan is a synthetic form of BH4. BH4 is an enzyme cofactor that is essential for several critical metabolic functions.

Procedures: Consented subjects' behavior, particularly irritability, cognitive and language function will be assessed at baseline to make sure that the subject meets the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Parents of subjects will be instructed to give the subjects 20 mg/kg/day of Kuvan® orally dissolved in 4 - 8oz. of water or apple juice with breakfast. Subjects will not be permitted to start any new supplement treatments during the study period but will be allowed to continue previous supplements. Subjects will be permitted to take over the counter medications or other prescription medications for acute illnesses. Evaluation of subjects will include three clinic visits for neuropsychological and clinical testing, completion of study-related questionnaires and telephone follow-up visits.

Course of Study: Subjects will be in the study for up to 16 weeks.

Enrollment: The study will enroll 20 (male and female) subjects, 2-6 years old, with delays in language and/or social development. Vulnerable populations include children. A pediatric risk assessment was completed by Ian Butler, MD with an outcome of minimum risks to subjects.

Recruitment: Subjects will be recruited when their parents present them for care at the University of Texas medically-based autism clinic.

Known Risks: For the study drug Kuvan, there have been rare associations with gastroesophageal reflux and a previous form of this compound was associated with seizures in individuals taking Levodopa concurrently. There is a risk of loss of confidentiality.

Data Safety Monitoring: A DSMB will not be formed for this study. The PI will be responsible for the data and safety of the study.

Informed Consent: A written parental informed consent form has been submitted for review and approval. There is no cost for participation, and no remuneration. Confidentiality will be maintained through the use of unique study codes.

IND#: A request for a pre-IND meeting with the FDA to discuss the possible IND exemption has been submitted.

Funding Source: This study is being funded by BioMarin Pharmaceuticals.

SCIENTIFIC PRE-REVIEW: The Clinical Research Unit Review Board Committee Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) completed the submission with the outcome of CRU - Approved on12/10/2009.

Being tested
sapropterin dihydrochloride
Medical subject headings
Autism Spectrum Disorder

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • sapropterin dihydrochlorideDrug

    Also called Kuvan®

    Patients will be instructed to take 20 mg/kg/day of Kuvan® orally dissolved in 4 - 8oz. of water or apple juice with breakfast.

Study groups in NCT01141595
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Kuvan®ExperimentalPatients will be instructed to take 20 mg/kg/day of Kuvan® orally dissolved in 4 - 8oz. of water or apple juice with breakfast.
Receives: Drug: sapropterin dihydrochloride

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Preschool Language Scales

    Change in the raw score from baseline of the Preschool Language Scales over the 16 week period. The raw score was measured at baseline, 8 weeks and 16 weeks after starting treatment and the change over the 16 week period from baseline to the end of the study was calculated. There was no imputed data and the analysis was as treated. The raw score ranged from 0 to 130. Higher scores indicate better performance.

    Measured: 16 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted10 Jun 2010 (estimated)
  2. Study startJul 2010
  3. Primary completionSep 2011
  4. Study completionSep 2011

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
10 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01141595
Sponsor's protocol ID
HSC-MS-09-0578
Status last verified
Feb 2014
First submitted
8 Jun 2010
Last updated
1 Apr 2014
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Frye RE, Huffman LC, Elliott GR. Tetrahydrobiopterin as a novel therapeutic intervention for autism. Neurotherapeutics. 2010 Jul;7(3):241-9. doi: 10.1016/j.nurt.2010.05.004.

    PubMed 20643376
  • Frye RE. Central tetrahydrobiopterin concentration in neurodevelopmental disorders. Front Neurosci. 2010 Jul 8;4:52. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2010.00052. eCollection 2010.

    PubMed 20661295
  • Frye RE, DeLatorre R, Taylor HB, Slattery J, Melnyk S, Chowdhury N, James SJ. Metabolic effects of sapropterin treatment in autism spectrum disorder: a preliminary study. Transl Psychiatry. 2013 Mar 5;3(3):e237. doi: 10.1038/tp.2013.14.

    PubMed 23462988

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing sapropterin dihydrochloride in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, run by The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 13 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Apr 2014. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 24 Feb 2014). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Preschool Language Scales (time frame: 16 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01141595, which also lists 3 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Apr 2014.

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