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Emend for Multiple-day Emetogenic Chemotherapy

An Open Label Phase II Study of Aprepitant for Multi-day Moderately-high to Highly Emetogenic Chemotherapy Regimens

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00711555
Enrollment
22
Registered
2008-07-09
Start date
2005-11-30
Completion date
2009-01-31
Last updated
2021-08-04

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Nausea, Vomiting

Keywords

nausea, vomiting, multiple days, chemotherapy, serotonin receptor antagonist, corticosteroids, aprepitant, rescue therapy

Brief summary

The purpose of the study is to assess the effect of Emend (aprepitant) on nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy commonly causes nausea and vomiting and this affects patients' quality of life and attitudes toward treatment. Although nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy has been decreasing due to improved therapy, some patients will still experience this side effect. Therefore, new medications are needed to decrease the amount of nausea and vomiting patients have with chemotherapy. Emend (aprepitant) is a new medication used to treat nausea and vomiting with chemotherapy, but it has only been studied in patients receiving only one dose of chemotherapy that makes most people sick. However, there is little experience with this medication in patients receiving multiple days of chemotherapy that causes nausea and vomiting.

Detailed description

In the studies leading to aprepitant's approval, subjects received only one dose of highly emetogenic chemotherapy. Campos et al studied subjects who received their first course of cisplatin containing chemotherapy that included a cisplatin dose 70mg/m2 and reported that aprepitant in addition to granisetron and dexamethasone increased the number of subjects without acute or delayed emesis (p\<0.01). A similar study done by Poli-Bigelli et al indicated that adding aprepitant to a standard antiemetic regimen increased the percentage of subjects without emesis and using rescue therapy during the acute phase (83% to 69%; p \< 0.001). Adding aprepitant also increased the percentage of subjects with no emesis or use of rescue medications in the delayed phase (68% vs. 47%, p\<0.001). Although these studies demonstrate the benefits of aprepitant for a one day chemotherapy regimen, the benefits of adding aprepitant to current standard antiemetic therapy (dexamethasone plus a serotonin receptor antagonist) in subjects receiving multiple days of moderately-high to highly emetogenic chemotherapy have not been examined within a clinical study. We hypothesize that aprepitant with dexamethasone and a serotonin receptor antagonist from days one to two days after finishing chemotherapy will decrease nausea for subjects receiving chemotherapy regimens that include multiple days of treatment with moderately-high to highly emetogenic chemotherapy.

Interventions

DRUGaprepitant, ondansetron, dexamethasone

On day 1, the subject will receive a total daily dose of oral dexamethasone 12mg, oral ondansetron 24mg, and oral aprepitant 125mg. On days 2 to THE LAST DAY OF THE MODERATELY-HIGH TO HIGHLY EMETOGENIC CHEMOTHERAPY, subjects will receive a total daily dose of oral dexamethasone 12mg, oral ondansetron 24mg, and oral aprepitant 80mg. All anti-emetics should be give one hour before starting chemotherapy administration. FOR TWO DAYS AFTER RECEIVING CHEMOTHERAPY, the subject will be prescribed oral dexamethasone 4mg every 12 hours and oral aprepitant 80 mg every day. FOR RESCUE, the subject will be prescribed prochlorperazine 10 mg oral every 4 hours as needed for nausea and prochlorperazine 10 mg intravenous every 4 hours as needed for vomiting.

Sponsors

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Illinois at Chicago
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Subjects with a life expectancy \> 3 months * Subjects with an ECOG performance score \< 3 * Subjects with access to a telephone for follow-up * Subjects able to swallow tablets and capsules

Exclusion criteria

* Subjects who previously received aprepitant as prophylaxis for chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting. * Subjects with an allergy, hypersensitivity, or contraindication to aprepitant, dexamethasone, prochlorperazine or a serotonin receptor antagonist. * Subject with uncontrolled diabetes or a concurrent illness/condition requiring chronic systemic steroids or pre-existing gastrointestinal pathology. * Subjects with a history of excessive alcohol consumption. * Women who are pregnant or lactating. * Subjects with nausea at baseline or chronically using other antiemetic agent(s). * Subjects currently receiving another investigational agent. * Subjects taking a medication that can interact with aprepitant, including the following medications: * warfarin * oral contraceptives * tolbutamide * phenytoin * midazolam * ketoconazole * rifampin * paroxetine * diltiazem * Subjects with poor hepatic or renal function defined as AST \> 3 x ULN, ALT \> 3 x ULN, total bilirubin \> 3 x ULN, alkaline phosphatase \> 3 x ULN or serum creatinine \>2 mg/dl measured within three months before starting chemotherapy. Subjects with hepatic metastases with AST \> 5 x ULN, ALT \> 5 x ULN, total bilirubin \> 5 x ULN, alkaline phosphatase \> 5 x ULN.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Complete Response (Percentage of Patients)cycle 1, day 1defined as a no emetic episodes and no use of rescue therapy

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Complete Protectioncycle 1, day 1defined as no emesis, no use of rescue medications, and a maximum nausea severity \< 25 mm (100 mm visual analog scale, 0 = no nausea, 100 = worst nausea)
no Emesiscycle 1, day 1
no Nauseacycle 1, day 1defined as maximum nausea severity \< 5 mm (100 mm visual analog scale, 0 = no nausea, 100 = worst nausea)
no Significant Nauseacycle 1, day 1defined as a maximum nausea severity \< 25 mm (100 mm visual analog scale, 0 = no nausea, 100 = worst nausea)

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Aprepitant, Dexamethasone, Ondansetron, Multiple Days22
Total22

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000
Overall StudyAdverse Event3

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicAprepitant, Dexamethasone, Ondansetron, Multiple Days
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
1 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
21 Participants
Age, Continuous42 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 15
Region of Enrollment
United States
22 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
10 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
12 Participants

Outcome results

Primary

Complete Response (Percentage of Patients)

defined as a no emetic episodes and no use of rescue therapy

Time frame: cycle 1, day 1

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Aprepitant, Dexamethasone, Ondansetron, Multiple DaysComplete Response (Percentage of Patients)84 percentage of participants
Secondary

Complete Protection

defined as no emesis, no use of rescue medications, and a maximum nausea severity \< 25 mm (100 mm visual analog scale, 0 = no nausea, 100 = worst nausea)

Time frame: cycle 1, day 1

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Aprepitant, Dexamethasone, Ondansetron, Multiple DaysComplete Protection74 percentage of participants
Secondary

no Emesis

Time frame: cycle 1, day 1

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Aprepitant, Dexamethasone, Ondansetron, Multiple Daysno Emesis100 percentage of participants
Secondary

no Nausea

defined as maximum nausea severity \< 5 mm (100 mm visual analog scale, 0 = no nausea, 100 = worst nausea)

Time frame: cycle 1, day 1

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Aprepitant, Dexamethasone, Ondansetron, Multiple Daysno Nausea74 percentage of participants
Secondary

no Significant Nausea

defined as a maximum nausea severity \< 25 mm (100 mm visual analog scale, 0 = no nausea, 100 = worst nausea)

Time frame: cycle 1, day 1

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Aprepitant, Dexamethasone, Ondansetron, Multiple Daysno Significant Nausea79 percentage of participants

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026