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Interferon-beta1a (AVONEX) Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis

NCT00048347 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 18

Last updated 2010-09-08

Study results available
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Summary

This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the drug interferon-beta1a (AVONEX) in treating ulcerative colitis and examine the drug's effect on the immune system. People with ulcerative colitis have increased amounts of inflammatory chemicals (cytokines) made by immune cells in the lining of the colon. Studies have shown that interferon-beta may block the activity of these cytokines. Interferon-beta1a (AVONEX) is currently FDA-approved to treat multiple sclerosis, a disease involving inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.

Patients 18 years of age and older who have had ulcerative colitis for at least 4 months may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a review of their medical records, a medical history and physical examination, electrocardiogram (EKG), blood, urine, and stool tests, and a pregnancy test for women of childbearing potential. A colonoscopy will also be done to determine disease activity and extent. This test uses a lighted tube to examine the amount of inflammation in the colon and take tissue samples (biopsies) for testing. Before the test, the patient is given a medicine to allay anxiety and the discomfort of inserting the endoscope into the rectum. This flexible tube allows the doctor to see the intestinal mucosa and project an image of the inner lining of the intestine onto a TV monitor. At various places in the intestine, small pieces of tissue are plucked out by a special device at the tip of the endoscope. The procedure generally lasts 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Participants will come to the NIH Clinical Center once a week for 4 weeks to receive an injection of interferon-beta, fill out questionnaires, and have a symptoms check, physical examination, and blood tests. Patients whose colitis has not worsened at the end of the 4 weeks and who have not had significant drug side effects will continue to receive weekly injections for an additional 8 weeks. Some patients may receive some of the last eight injections outside of NIH, but all patients will visit the Clinical Center visits every 3 to 4 weeks for a physical exam, symptoms check and blood tests.

After the 12 injections are completed, patients will have another colonoscopy to evaluate the response to treatment and will return to the Clinical Center every 6 weeks for a total of four visits, for a physical examination, symptoms check and blood tests.

Conditions

Interventions

DRUG

AVONEX

30µg IM every week for 12 weeks

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

    lead NIH

Principal Investigators

  • Peter J Mannon, MD · National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Study Design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2002-10-31
Primary Completion
2008-06-30
Completion
2010-05-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00048347 on ClinicalTrials.gov