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Prostate CancerPhase 2NCT04346225

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) With Hyperpolarized Pyruvate (13C) as Diagnostic Tool in Advanced Prostate Cancer

A Phase 2 study testing Hyperpolarized C13 and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in people with Prostate Cancer and Advanced Prostate Carcinoma, run by Ivan de Kouchkovsky, MD at 1 site in United States.

Suspended

Paused. Enrolment is on hold for now and may resume.

Official record
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Trial summary

This is a prospective imaging study evaluating the utility of baseline metabolic MR imaging as a diagnostic and response monitoring tool in patients with advanced prostate cancer. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older, men only
Conditions the study is for
Prostate Cancer, Advanced Prostate Carcinoma
What is being tested?
Hyperpolarized C13 and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
75 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
16 Jul 2020to 30 Nov 2027
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

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 18 years and older
  • Men only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Histologically-confirmed locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer. Patients with unequivocal clinical evidence supporting diagnosis of prostate cancer who have not had prior biopsy may be considered eligible per judgment of Principal Investigator.
  • Presence of at least one target lesion detected by standard staging scans that, in the judgment of Study Investigators, would be amenable to hyperpolarized C-13 pyruvate/metabolic MR imaging:
  • Soft tissue/visceral organ target lesions must measure at 1 cm in long axis diameter on CT or MRI.
  • Target lesions in the bone must be visualized by CT or MRI (lesions present only on bone scan do not qualify).
  • For patients with target lesion in prostate/prostatic bed:
  • No contra-indications to endorectal coil insertion (e.g., patients with a prior abdominoperineal resection of the rectum or latex allergy).
Show all 12Show fewer
  • No prior local treatment to the selected lesion, or evidence of radiographic progression following prior local therapy to selected lesion.
  • Able and willing to comply with study procedures and provide signed and dated informed consent.
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status of 0 or 1
  • For patients undergoing optional tumor biopsy:
  • No history of bleeding diathesis.
  • Patients on anti-coagulation they must be able to safely stop treatment for purposes of tumor biopsy.

Who cannot join

  • Patients who because of age, general medical or psychiatric condition, or physiologic status cannot give valid informed consent.
  • Patients unwilling or unable to undergo MR imaging, including patients with contra- indications to MRI, such as cardiac pacemakers or non-compatible intracranial vascular clips.
  • Metallic hip implant or any other metallic implant or device that distorts local magnetic field and compromises the quality of MRI.
  • Any condition that, in the opinion of the Principal Investigator, would impair the patient's ability to comply with study procedures

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of California, San Francisco

    San Francisco, California, 94143

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Magnetic Resonance (MR) Imaging With Hyperpolarized Pyruvate (13C) as a Diagnostic and Response Monitoring Imaging Tool in Advanced Prostate Cancer

This is a prospective imaging study evaluating the utility of baseline metabolic MR imaging as a diagnostic and response monitoring tool in patients with advanced prostate cancer. Preliminary pre-clinical and clinical data demonstrates the ability of HP C-13 pyruvate/metabolic MR imaging to detect high-grade prostate cancer, including cancer with neuroendocrine differentiation, as well as provide early evidence of metabolic response and resistance following application of systemic therapies for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer patients. In the proposed study, the investigators aim is to extend the initial clinical results and further develop HP C-13 MRI as an imaging modality in advanced prostate cancer.

Read the detailed description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

  1. To determine the kPL (metabolic flux from hyperpolarized [HP] [1-13C]pyruvate to [1-13C]lactate) and kPG (metabolic flux from HP [2-13C]pyruvate to [5-13C]glutamate) within target lesion. (Cohort A) II. To determine the mean percent change from baseline in intra-tumoral kPL and kPG within target lesion. (Cohort B)

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:

  1. To descriptively report on the intra-tumor heterogeneity in kPL and kPG measurement within target lesion. (Cohorts A and B)

EXPLORATORY (CORRELATIVE) OBJECTIVES:

  1. To determine if the change from baseline in kPL and kPG is associated with subsequent clinical outcomes on treatment including prostate specific antigen (PSA) response rate and radiographic progression-survival by Prostate Cancer Working Group 3 (PCWG3) criteria. (Cohort B) II. In target lesions that are measurable by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 criteria, to determine whether baseline and/or change from baseline in intratumoral kPL and kPG is associated with subsequent objective response by RECIST criteria. (Cohort B) III. To determine the mean percent change from baseline in peak intra- tumoral HP lactate (lac)/pyruvate (pyr) and glutamate (glu)/pyr ratios on repeat metabolic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained at the time of radiographic disease progression by PCWG3 criteria. (Cohort B) IV. To investigate for association between HP kPL and kPG as well as area under the curve (AUC) lac/pyr and glu/pyr ratios with tissue- based markers of elevated lactate and glutamate metabolism including MYC and Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) and Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) protein expression. (In participants who undergo optional tumor biopsy [Cohort A or B]) V. To investigate for an association between HP kPL and kPG as well as area under the curve (AUC) lac/pyr and glu/pyr ratios with histologic evidence of small cell/neuroendocrine differentiation. (In participants who undergo optional tumor biopsy (Cohort A or B))

OUTLINE: Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 cohorts.

COHORT A (SINGLE TIME-POINT): Patients receive C-1 labeled hyperpolarized carbon C 13 pyruvate intravenously (IV) over less than 1 minute then undergo magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) over less than 5 minutes. Patients may also receive an optional C-2 labeled hyperpolarized carbon C 13 pyruvate IV and undergo MRSI within 15-60 minutes following completion of the first scan.

COHORT B (MULTIPLE TIME-POINT): Patients receive C-1 labeled hyperpolarized carbon C 13 pyruvate IV over less than 1 minute then undergo MRSI over less than 5 minutes. Patients may also receive an optional C-2 labeled hyperpolarized carbon C 13 pyruvate IV and undergo MRSI within 15-60 minutes following completion of the first scan at baseline and 12 weeks.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up periodically.

Being tested
Hyperpolarized C13, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Keywords
Prostate Cancer, Hyperpolarized Pyruvate (13C)
Medical subject headings
Prostatic Neoplasms

What participants receive

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

  • Hyperpolarized C13Drug

    Also called HP [1-13C]pyruvate

    Given by intravenous injection. When receiving two HP 13C pyruvate injections, the injections will be separated by a period of 15-60 minutes

  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)Procedure or surgery

    Also called Magnetic Resonance

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique that uses a magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to create detailed images of the organs and tissues in your body

Study groups in NCT04346225
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Cohort A: Hyperpolarized C13 MRI at a single time pointExperimentalParticipants will undergo MR imaging with hyperpolarized 13C pyruvate of a pre-selected target lesion at a single time point and will receive up to two 13C pyruvate (C-1 and C-2 labeled 13C pyruvate) investigational medicinal product (IMP) injections on the day of imaging (2nd injection is optional), as well as optional MR- or CT- guided tumor biopsies at baseline and at the time of disease progression following completion of HP C-13 MRI at the corresponding time point
Cohort B: Hyperpolarized C13 MRI at multiple time pointsExperimentalParticipants will undergo hyperpolarized (HP) C13 MRI at baseline and 12 weeks (+/- 8 weeks). Participants in Cohort B may undergo additional optional MR imaging at the time of disease progression. the same sequence of injections (C-1 labeled pyruvate first, C-2 labeled pyruvate second) will be used for subsequent scan time points as well.

What is being measured

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

  1. Pyruvate to lactate (kPL) metabolic flux within target lesion (Cohort A)

    The metabolic flux of kPL within the target lesion will be determined for each participant enrolled in Cohort A. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize the kPL measurements with the mean, standard deviation, and 95% confidence interval

    Measured: 1 day

  2. Pyruvate to glutamate (kPG) metabolic flux within target lesion (Cohort A).

    The metabolic flux of kPG within the target lesion will be determined for each participant enrolled in Cohort A. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize the kPG measurements with the mean, standard deviation, and 95% confidence interval

    Measured: 1 day

  3. Mean percent change from baseline in intra-tumoral kPL within target lesion after treatment. (Cohort B)

    The mean percent change from baseline in intra-tumoral kPL to repeat metabolic MRI obtained at the time of radiographic disease progression by PCWG3 criteria will be descriptively reported for the entire study cohort and for the subgroups of participants with treatment- refractory and treatment-responsive prostate cancer. A paired t-test or signed rank Wilcoxon test will be used to compare follow up versus baseline kPL in target lesion in participants enrolled in Cohort B.

    Measured: Up to 8 weeks

  4. Mean percent change from baseline in intra-tumoral kPG within target lesion after treatment.

    The mean percent change from baseline in intra-tumoral kPG to repeat metabolic MRI obtained at the time of radiographic disease progression by PCWG3 criteria will be descriptively reported for the entire study cohort and for the subgroups of participants with treatment- refractory and treatment-responsive prostate cancer. A paired t-test or signed rank Wilcoxon test will be used to compare follow up versus baseline kPG in target lesion in participants enrolled in Cohort B.

    Measured: Up to 8 weeks

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Intra-tumoral range of kPL measurement within target lesion

    The mean, standard deviation, and range for intra-tumoral kPG within metastatic lesions will be descriptively reported, to asses for intra-tumoral heterogeneity.

    Measured: Up to 1 year

  2. Intra-tumoral range of kPG measurement within target lesion

    The mean, standard deviation, and range for intra-tumoral kPG within metastatic lesions will be descriptively reported, to asses for intra-tumoral heterogeneity.

    Measured: Up to 1 year

Timeline

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

  1. First posted15 Apr 2020
  2. Study start16 Jul 2020
  3. Primary completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completion30 Nov 2027 (estimated)

Why it stopped: Due to funding

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 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Non-randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
75 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04346225
Sponsor's protocol ID
20922
Other IDs
R01CA215694, U01EB026412
Status last verified
Jun 2026
First submitted
10 Apr 2020
Last updated
23 Jun 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing Hyperpolarized C13 and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in people with Prostate Cancer and Advanced Prostate Carcinoma, run by Ivan de Kouchkovsky, MD 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 12 inclusion and 4 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: paused, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Jun 2026. 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.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

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

Are results available for this study?

Results are not available in the source record.

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?

Pyruvate to lactate (kPL) metabolic flux within target lesion (Cohort A) (time frame: 1 day). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
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 Jun 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 6 Nov 2026.

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