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Hypoplastic Left Heart SyndromePhase 1CHILDNCT03406884

The CHILD Trial: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Study.

A Phase 1 study testing c-kit+ cells in people with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, run by Joshua M Hare at 4 sites 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 objectives of this pilot study are to evaluate the feasibility and safety of intramyocardial injection of autologous c-kit+ cells during the Stage II Bidirectional Cavopulmonary Anastomosis (BDCPA) operation and to observe effects on clinical outcome including right ventricular myocardial function, severity of… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 1 day to 21 days
Conditions the study is for
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
What is being tested?
c-kit+ cells
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
25 participants
Where
4 sitesUnited States
Study dates
16 Oct 2019to 1 Jul 2024
Phase
Phase 1
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 1 day to 21 days
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • For inclusion in the study, subjects must meet all of the inclusion criteria:
  • Subjects with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) (all types) requiring Stage I Norwood operation.

Who cannot join

  • Candidates will be excluded from the study if any of the following conditions are met:
  • Subjects undergoing the Stage I Norwood operation who do not have HLHS.
  • Subjects requiring mechanical circulatory support immediately prior to Stage II BDCPA operation (within 5 days).
  • Parent or guardian unwilling or unable to comply with necessary follow-up(s).
  • Mother is serum positive for HIV 1/2, hepatitis B surface antigen or viremic hepatitis C and Treponema pallidum.
  • Subjects who are unsuitable for inclusion in the study in the opinion of the investigator(s).

Trial locations and contacts

4 sites in 1 country.

United States4 sites
  • Michigan Medicine Congenital Heart Center/C.S. Mott Children's Hospital

    Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109

  • Emory University Children's Healthcare of Atlanta - Egleston Campus

    Atlanta, Georgia, 30322

  • University of Maryland - Division of Cardiac Surgery

    Baltimore, Maryland, 21201

  • Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

    Chicago, Illinois, 60611

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Autologous Cardiac Stem Cell Injection in Patients With Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: An Open Label Pilot Study.

The objectives of this pilot study are to evaluate the feasibility and safety of intramyocardial injection of autologous c-kit+ cells during the Stage II Bidirectional Cavopulmonary Anastomosis (BDCPA) operation and to observe effects on clinical outcome including right ventricular myocardial function, severity of tricuspid regurgitation, incidence of serious adverse events, re-hospitalizations, changes in health status, the need for transplantation, or mortality.

Being tested
c-kit+ cells
Keywords
stem cells, pediatric
Medical subject headings
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

What participants receive

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

  • c-kit+ cellsBiological

    Also called Autologous c-kit-positive cells (c-kit+ cells)

    The autologous c-kit+ cells will be harvested from participant's right atrial tissue obtained from participant's SOC Norwood Operation. The harvested c-kit+ cells containing up to a total of 12,500 cells/kg will be delivered through 6-10 intramyocardial injections of approximately 100uL per injection for a total volume of approximately 0.6 mL.

Study groups in NCT03406884
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Open label C-kit+ cells Group AExperimentalGroup A is an open-label treatment group determining safety and feasibility. Participants enrolled in this group will be receiving previously harvested c-kit+ cells during their Stage II BDCPA operation. Harvested c-kit+ cells will be injected into the right ventricle directly intramyocardially.
Receives: Biological: c-kit+ cells
C-kit+ cells Group BActive comparatorParticipants randomized to Group B Treatment Group will receive previously harvested c-kit+ cells during their Stage II BDCPA operation. Harvested c-kit+ cells will be injected into the right ventricle directly intramyocardially.
Receives: Biological: c-kit+ cells
No Intervention GroupNo interventionParticipants randomized to Group B Control Group will receive only their standard of care (SOC) Stage II BDCPA operation without the injection of harvested c-kit+ cells.

What is being measured

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

  1. Number of Incidence of Treatment Related Major Adverse Cardiac Events

    Safety will be reported as the number of incidence of treatment related major adverse cardiac events (MACE). MACE is defined as any of the following: greater than 30 seconds of sustained/symptomatic ventricular tachycardia requiring intervention, cardiogenic shock, unplanned cardiovascular operation due to injection site bleeding, need for new permanent pacemaker, stroke or embolic event to the brain determined by CT scan and death. MACE will be evaluated by the treating physician and assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Version 5.

    Measured: 30 days

  2. Number of C-kit+ Products

    Feasibility will be reported as the number of c-kit+ products that can be manufactured and delivered to subjects

    Measured: Day 1

  3. Number of Participants Completing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

    Feasibility will be reported as the number of participants that complete the baseline, 6-months, and 12-months follow up MRI.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 Months, 12 months

  4. Change in Right Ventricular Function (RVEF)

    Efficacy will be reported as the change in right ventricular function assessed as a percentage and will be measuring using serial echocardiograms and MRI scan.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 Months, 12 months

  5. Change in Right Ventricular End-diastolic Volume (RVEDV)

    Efficacy will be reported as the change in right ventricular end-diastolic assessed in milliliters per square meter and will be measured using serial echocardiograms and MRI scan.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 months, 12 months

  6. Change in Right Ventricular End-systolic Volume (RVESV)

    Efficacy will be reported as the change in right ventricular end-systolic volume assessed in milliliters per square meter and will be measured using serial echocardiograms and MRI scan.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 months, 12 months

  7. Change in Tricuspid Regurgitation

    Efficacy will be reported as the change tricuspid regurgitation assessed as a percentage and will be measured using serial echocardiograms and MRI scan.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 months, 12 months

Secondary outcomes (6)
  1. Number of Incidence of Serious Adverse Events

    Incidence of the following after the BDCPA / GLENN Procedure including: All-cause mortality; Cardiovascular mortality; Need for transplantation; Hospitalization for heart failure; Cardiovascular morbidity, including stroke or heart failure or sustained/symptomatic arrhythmias.

    Measured: Up to 12 months

  2. Change in Somatic Growth Velocity - Length (cm)

    Changes in somatic growth velocity will be evaluated by length (cm) over 12 months post study product injection.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 months, 12 months

  3. Change in Somatic Growth Velocity - Weight (kg)

    Changes in somatic growth velocity will be evaluated by weight (kg) over 12 months post study product injection.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 months, 12 months

  4. Change in Somatic Growth Velocity - Head Circumference (cm)

    Changes in somatic growth velocity will be evaluated by head circumference (cm) over 12 months post study product injection.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 months, 12 months

  5. Change in Infant Toddler Quality of Life Survey (ITQOL) - Overall Health

    The Infant Toddler Quality of Life Survey (ITQOL) is a validated 47-item parent-reported questionnaire assessing multiple domains of child health, including overall health, physical abilities, growth and development, discomfort/pain, mood, and behavior. Domain scores are transformed to a 0-100 scale, where 0 reflects the poorest health-related quality of life and 100 reflects the best. Higher scores indicate better quality of life.

    Measured: Baseline, 12 months

  6. Incidence of Mortality or Need for Transplantation

    Incidence of mortality or need for transplantation after the Stage II BDCPA operation will be reported

    Measured: Up to 12 months

Timeline

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

  1. First posted23 Jan 2018
  2. Study start16 Oct 2019
  3. Primary completion1 Jul 2024
  4. Study completion1 Jul 2024

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 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
The first 10 participants will be enrolled in Group A to assess safety and feasibility. An additional 22 participants will be enrolled in Group B and will be randomized to either the Treatment or Control Group.
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
25 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03406884
Sponsor's protocol ID
20190743
Acronym
CHILD
Status last verified
Jan 2026
First submitted
20 Dec 2017
Last updated
23 Jan 2026
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Kaushal S, Hare JM, Mahle WT, Khan A, Ohye RG, Slesnick TC, Chai PJ, Shashidharan S, Robinson JD, Jone PN, Doman T, Si MS, Lu JC, Bacallao K, Nettina AE, Lamazares R, Saltzman RG, Simpson LM, Li R, Bettencourt JE, Mansoor K, Davis BR, Deatrick KB, Yang J, Mishra R, Everett AD, Lai D, Davis ME. Phase I Randomized Study of Cardiac Stem Cells in Patients With Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: The CHILD Trial. JACC Heart Fail. 2026 Jan;14(1):102723. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2025.102723. Epub 2025 Nov 19.

    PubMed 41258851
  • Kaushal S, Hare JM, Shah AM, Pietris NP, Bettencourt JL, Piller LB, Khan A, Snyder A, Boyd RM, Abdullah M, Mishra R, Sharma S, Slesnick TC, Si MS, Chai PJ, Davis BR, Lai D, Davis ME, Mahle WT. Autologous Cardiac Stem Cell Injection in Patients with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (CHILD Study). Pediatr Cardiol. 2022 Oct;43(7):1481-1493. doi: 10.1007/s00246-022-02872-6. Epub 2022 Apr 8.

    PubMed 35394149
  • Ali MK, Ichimura K, Spiekerkoetter E. Promising therapeutic approaches in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2021 Aug;59:127-139. doi: 10.1016/j.coph.2021.05.003. Epub 2021 Jun 30.

    PubMed 34217109

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1 study testing c-kit+ cells in people with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, run by Joshua M Hare at 4 sites 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 2 inclusion and 6 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 23 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 4 sites 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.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 23 Jan 2026). 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?

Number of Incidence of Treatment Related Major Adverse Cardiac Events (time frame: 30 days). The study lists 7 primary outcomes in all. 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 NCT03406884, 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 23 Jan 2026.

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