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Short-Term Outcome of N-Carbamylglutamate in the Treatment of Acute Hyperammonemia

Short-Term Outcome of N-Carbamylglutamate in the Treatment of Acute Hyperammonemia

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01599286
Acronym
STO
Enrollment
35
Registered
2012-05-16
Start date
2012-09-01
Completion date
2020-04-30
Last updated
2021-02-15

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

Conditions

Carbamoyl-Phosphate Synthase I Deficiency Disease, Methylmalonic Acidemia, Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase Deficiency, Propionic Acidemia, Type I and/or Type II

Keywords

Hyperammonemia, Propionic Acidemia (PA), Methylmalonic Acidemia (MMA), Late-Onset CPS1 Deficiency (CPSD), Late-Onset Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency (OTCD), Carbaglu

Brief summary

The overall objective of this drug trial is to determine whether the treatment of acute hyperammonemia with N-carbamyl-L-glutamate (NCG, Carglumic acid) in propionic acidemia (PA), methylmalonic acidemia (MMA), late-onset CPS1 deficiency (CPSD) and late-onset Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD) accelerates the resolution of hyperammonemia efficiently and safely. The primary goal is to determine if the study drug (NCG) efficiently reduces ammonia levels following a hyperammonemia episode(s). Secondly, the investigators want to know if treatment with this study drug (NCG) efficiently improves neurologic function, reduces plasma glutamine levels and lessens the duration of hospitalization after each episode of hyperammonemia.

Detailed description

This is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical drug trial to evaluate the efficacy of NCG in the treatment of two organic acidemias (severe PA and MMA), and two urea-cycle disorders (late-onset CPSD and OTCD). Primarily, the investigators want to determine whether NCG treatment of acute hyperammonemia in severe, neonatal-onset PA, MMA, CPSD, and OTCD is efficacious and whether it is safe. The investigators will approach this task in two ways. 1. Assess Whether NCG Treatment is Effective The objective of this study is to assess whether NCG is efficacious in treating hyperammonemia and improving outcome: The investigators will realize this goal by randomizing each hyperammonemic episode from every subject to NCG (NCG)+standard treatment (NCG-STD) versus placebo+standard treatment (PLBO-STD) and subsequently gauging response with the primary outcome of plasma ammonia levels, in addition to the plasma glutamine, the Functional Status Scale, and the length of hospitalization. 2. Safety The primary safety outcome of the study will be the assessed via the rate of Serious Adverse Events (SAEs), defined in this study as death or substantial prolongation of hospitalization, as patients are hospitalized as part of the entry to the study. Safety tests consisting of complete blood count (CBC), liver and kidney function tests, and coagulation profile (PTT/INR) will be performed before treatment, between days 3-5 of treatment, and just prior to discontinuation of NCG. An electrocardiogram will be performed before treatment and on the third day of treatment or before discharge if earlier.

Interventions

DRUGCarbaglu

Carbaglu Chemical Composition: N-carbamoyl-L-glutamic acid (NCG) The daily dose will be 150 mg/kg/ day or 3.3 g/m2/day for patients \>15 kg and will be administered for 7 days or until discharge, whichever is sooner. The doses are to be divided into 2 equal doses and administered orally or enterally by nasogastric or gastrostomy tube. Standard of care will prevail when choosing the mode of drug administration. The tablets must be dispersed in a minimum of 2.5-10 ml of water and ingested immediately or administered by fast-push through a syringe via a nasogastric or gastrostomy tube. The suspension has a slightly acidic taste.

DRUGPlacebo

Placebo that looks/tastes the same as NCG and is administered on the same schedule as the NCG intervention

Sponsors

Children's National Research Institute
CollaboratorOTHER
Boston Children's Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
CollaboratorOTHER
University of California, Los Angeles
CollaboratorOTHER
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
CollaboratorOTHER
Stanford University
CollaboratorOTHER
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Pittsburgh
CollaboratorOTHER
Children's Hospital Colorado
CollaboratorOTHER
Mendel Tuchman
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
1 Weeks to 99 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

o Aged older than 1 week with an established diagnosis of CPSD or OTCD (as follows): * Diagnosed with late-onset CPSD confirmed by detection of pathogenic mutation(s), and/or decreased (\<20% of control) CPS enzyme activity in liver OR * Diagnosed with late-onset OTCD by detection of pathogenic OTC mutation, OR decreased (\<20% of control) OTC enzyme activity in liver OR elevated urinary orotate (greater than 20 µM/mM) following allopurinol loading with the absence of argininosuccinic acid AND: Subject or subject's first-degree relative had plasma ammonia level ≥100 μmol/L \>1 week of age OR o An established diagnosis of PA or MMA (as follows): \- Diagnosed with PA by semi-quantitative urine organic acid analysis, defined as the presence of elevated Methylcitric acid and normal methylmalonic acid levels and no evidence of biotin related disorders in the organic acid analysis OR \- Diagnosed with MMA by semi-quantitative urine organic acid analysis, defined as an elevation of methylmalonic acid and no evidence of vitamin B12 dependent disorder on plasma amino acid analysis (B12 dependency is defined by documented B12 responsiveness) AND: Subject or subject's first-degree relative had plasma ammonia level at any time ≥100 μmol/L * Able to receive medications orally, by nasogastric (NG)-tube or by gastric (G)-tube * No concomitant illness which would preclude safe participation as judged by the investigator * If post-menarcheal must have a negative pregnancy test prior to administration of study drug at each episode * Signed informed consent by the subject or the subject's legally acceptable representative

Exclusion criteria

* Administration of NCG within 7 days of participation in the study * Use of any other investigational drug, biologic, or therapy * Planned participation in any other clinical trial * Diagnosis of any medical condition causing hyperammonemia which is not PA/MMA, CPSD or OTCD. Other urea cycle disorders will be excluded from this study * Any clinical or laboratory abnormality or medical condition that, at the discretion of the investigator, may put the subject at additional risk by participating in this study * Has had a liver transplant * Is not expected to be compliant with this study in terms of returning to the site for subsequent episodes of hyperammonemia crises * Is pregnant

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Time to the Primary Outcome (Earlier of Ammonia <50 µmol/L or Hospital Discharge)Average of all measurements of hyperammonemia, for up to 7 daysThe composite primary intention to treat (ITT) outcome of the earlier of time to reach an ammonia level of ≤50 µmol/L or hospital discharge. Data presented as a hazard ratio based on the time to reach an ammonia level of ≤50 µmol/L. The outcome measure was a survival analysis based on time to reach the earlier of an ammonia level of ≤50 µmol/L or time to discharge, which was considered to be a point where the patient was no longer at risk of neurological injury from ammonia. The outcome of survival analysis was a hazard ratio reflecting the ratio of probabilities in each group (drug vs placebo) of reaching the earlier of an ammonia level of ≤50 µmol/L or discharge. We measured multiple post-treatment ammonia levels at uncontrolled times during an episode, so it is difficult to compute a meaningful average that would not be biased by the frequency and timing of ammonia testing during episodes.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Pre-assignment details

There were 65 eligible patients, 35 were enrolled with a randomization of hyperammonemia. Eligible patients were randomized at each episode of hyperammonemia. To be enrolled, a patient had to have an eligible episode of hyperammonemia and was then randomized to either placebo or NCG at each randomization. 13 patients had multiple randomizations, 22 only had one.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Episodes of N-carbamylglutamate (NCG)
Total number of episodes of hyperammonemia where a patient was randomized to the NCG arm A daily dose of 150 mg/kg/ day or 3.3 g/m2/day for patients \>15 kg administered for 7 days or until discharge, whichever is sooner.
24
Episodes of N-carbamylglutamate (NCG)
Total number of episodes of hyperammonemia where a patient was randomized to the NCG arm A daily dose of 150 mg/kg/ day or 3.3 g/m2/day for patients \>15 kg administered for 7 days or until discharge, whichever is sooner.
52
Episodes of Placebo
Total number of episodes of hyperammonemia where a patient was randomized to the placebo arm Placebo that looks/tastes the same as NCG and is administered on the same schedule as the NCG intervention
23
Episodes of Placebo
Total number of episodes of hyperammonemia where a patient was randomized to the placebo arm Placebo that looks/tastes the same as NCG and is administered on the same schedule as the NCG intervention
54
Total153

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicEpisodes of N-carbamylglutamate (NCG)Episodes of PlaceboTotal
Age, Customized
0 - <5 years
10 Episodes16 Episodes26 Episodes
Age, Customized
12 - <18 years
1 Episodes4 Episodes5 Episodes
Age, Customized
18+ years
14 Episodes12 Episodes26 Episodes
Age, Customized
5 - <12 years
27 Episodes22 Episodes49 Episodes
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
13 Episodes17 Episodes30 Episodes
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
39 Episodes36 Episodes75 Episodes
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Episodes1 Episodes1 Episodes
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Episodes0 Episodes0 Episodes
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
21 Episodes19 Episodes40 Episodes
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
11 Episodes11 Episodes22 Episodes
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
2 Episodes3 Episodes5 Episodes
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Episodes1 Episodes1 Episodes
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Episodes1 Episodes2 Episodes
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
17 Episodes19 Episodes36 Episodes
Sex: Female, Male
Female
33 Episodes34 Episodes67 Episodes
Sex: Female, Male
Male
19 Episodes20 Episodes39 Episodes

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
10 / 2414 / 25
other
Total, other adverse events
9 / 2411 / 25
serious
Total, serious adverse events
6 / 248 / 25

Outcome results

Primary

Time to the Primary Outcome (Earlier of Ammonia <50 µmol/L or Hospital Discharge)

The composite primary intention to treat (ITT) outcome of the earlier of time to reach an ammonia level of ≤50 µmol/L or hospital discharge. Data presented as a hazard ratio based on the time to reach an ammonia level of ≤50 µmol/L. The outcome measure was a survival analysis based on time to reach the earlier of an ammonia level of ≤50 µmol/L or time to discharge, which was considered to be a point where the patient was no longer at risk of neurological injury from ammonia. The outcome of survival analysis was a hazard ratio reflecting the ratio of probabilities in each group (drug vs placebo) of reaching the earlier of an ammonia level of ≤50 µmol/L or discharge. We measured multiple post-treatment ammonia levels at uncontrolled times during an episode, so it is difficult to compute a meaningful average that would not be biased by the frequency and timing of ammonia testing during episodes.

Time frame: Average of all measurements of hyperammonemia, for up to 7 days

Population: Patients were randomized to either study drug or placebo at each episode of hyperammonemia analysed by diagnosis. Data presented as a hazard ratio based on the time to reach an ammonia level of ≤50 µmol/L. Higher ratios reflect an NCG advantage.

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
PA/MMA EpisodesTime to the Primary Outcome (Earlier of Ammonia <50 µmol/L or Hospital Discharge)1.37 Hazard Ratio
CPS1D/OTCD EpisodesTime to the Primary Outcome (Earlier of Ammonia <50 µmol/L or Hospital Discharge)0.79 Hazard Ratio

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