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Influence of NEP Inhibition on Vascular Leak and Inflammation (NEPi-INFLAMMATION)

NCT05600062 · Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 48

Last updated 2026-05-06

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a severe type of lung injury that affects 10% of patients admitted to Intensive Care Units worldwide, with an unacceptably high mortality of up to 48% in those with the most severe form of the condition. It is a complex and poorly understood syndrome that results in progressive failure of the lungs. Crucially, the inflamed lungs allow fluid to leak from the circulation into the airspace, so that patients' lungs fill with fluid - "drowning from the inside". As this condition progresses, the patient typically requires increasing amounts of oxygen and eventually, support from a ventilator. To date, there are no effective treatments for ARDS that can limit, stop or repair this process.

This research study is aiming to look at a naturally occurring substance produced by blood vessels, C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP). The investigators have evidence suggesting that CNP plays a role in maintaining the barrier provided by blood vessels that stops fluid leaking out into tissues. This is based on various studies done on CNP by the investigators research group that have established its widespread role in maintaining cells that line blood vessels and play a vital role in lungs' barrier function: the endothelium.

CNP is broken down in part by an enzyme called Neutral endopeptidase and therefore, drugs that inhibit this enzyme would result in increased CNP concentration and activity. If CNP does in fact strengthen the lungs' endothelial barrier, then this class of drug may benefit patients with ARDS. The aim of this experimental medicine study is to assess the effect of using the licensed NEP inhibitor Racecadotril, in a well-established, safe model of inflammation-induced skin blisters in healthy human volunteers to determine primarily whether the fluid accumulation i.e. leak, in these blisters is reduced by treatment with this drug.

Conditions

  • Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Interventions

DRUG

Racecadotril 100 milligram (MG) Oral Capsule

Licensed NEP inhibitor

DRUG

Placebo

Placebo capsule

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Adrian Hobbs · Queen Mary University London

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
45 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2023-03-21
Primary Completion
2026-02-01
Completion
2026-06-15

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Study Locations

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Entities

Drugs
Companies

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 NCT05600062 on ClinicalTrials.gov