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Fenofibrate for Prevention of DR Worsening

A Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating Fenofibrate for Prevention of Diabetic Retinopathy Worsening

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04661358
Acronym
Protocol AF
Enrollment
563
Registered
2020-12-10
Start date
2021-03-05
Completion date
2029-12-01
Last updated
2026-06-29

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

Conditions

Diabetic Retinopathy

Keywords

Fenofibrate, non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Brief summary

This randomized trial will evaluate the effect of fenofibrate compared with placebo for prevention of diabetic retinopathy (DR) worsening through 6 years of follow-up in eyes with mild to moderately severe non-proliferative DR (NPDR) and no CI-DME at baseline. In addition to evaluating efficacy, this study aims to evaluate the feasibility of a model for ophthalmologists to prescribe or collaborate with a primary care provider such as an internist/endocrinologist to prescribe and monitor the drug safely. If this study demonstrates that fenofibrate is effective for reducing the onset of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) or and the results are adopted by the community of retina specialists, a new strategy to prevent vision threatening complications of diabetes could be widely adopted. Widespread use of an oral agent effective at reducing worsening of DR would decrease the numbers of patients who undergo more invasive and much more expensive treatment for DR and who are consequently at risk for side effects that adversely affect visual function. This study will also assess the relationship of glycemic variability, as measured by continuous glucose monitoring with DR outcomes. Ancillary studies will characterize functional and structural outcomes in this cohort.

Interventions

DRUGFenofibrate

Participants begin with a dose of either 160mg or 54mg fenofibrate, based on eGFR value at screening, taken once daily with food. The dose may be adjusted during follow-up based on protocol guidelines.

OTHERPlacebo

Participants begin with a dose of either 160mg or 54mg placebo, based on eGFR value at screening, taken once daily with food. The dose may be adjusted during follow-up based on protocol guidelines.

Sponsors

Jaeb Center for Health Research
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
CollaboratorNIH
National Eye Institute (NEI)
CollaboratorNIH
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
CollaboratorOTHER
Roche Pharma AG
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
CollaboratorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator)

Intervention model description

Randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

Key Inclusion Criteria * Age ≥18 years and \< 80 years. * Type 1 or type 2 diabetes. * At least one eye with the following: * Mild to moderately severe NPDR (defined by ETDRS DR severity level 35 to 47), confirmed by central Reading Center grading of fundus photographs. * Best-corrected E-ETDRS visual acuity letter score of ≥74 (approximate Snellen equivalent 20/32 or better). If best corrected letter score is 74-78, investigator must verify that vision loss is not due to the presence of CI-DME, cataract, or other condition that may affect visual acuity during the course of the study. * If only one eye is eligible, the non-study eye must have at least microaneurysms only (DR severity level 20) Key

Exclusion criteria

Eye-level

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Worsening of diabetic retinopathy6- yearsDefined as * 2 or more step worsening on Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) diabetic retinopathy severity on fundus photographs. * Development of neovascularization within the 7-modified ETDRS fields on fluorescein angiography. * Intraocular procedure undertaken to treat diabetic retinopathy including panretinal photocoagulation, intraocular anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, corticosteroid, or vitrectomy.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Intraocular procedure undertaken to treat diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema including PRP, intraocular anti-VEGF, corticosteroid, focal/grid laser or vitrectomy6 years
Development of CI-DME6 yearsDefined as, either 1) at least a 10% increase in OCT central subfield thickness from baseline, OCT central subfield thickness greater than sex and machine-specific threshold values (Zeiss Cirrus: CST ≥290 µm in women or ≥ 305 µm in men; Heidelberg Spectralis: CST ≥305 µm in women or ≥320 µm in men), and Investigator determination that thickening cannot be attributed to any cause other than CI-DME, or 2)Intraocular DME treatment including focal/grid laser, intraocular anti-VEGF, intraocular corticosteroid, or vitrectomy
Development of center-involved diabetic macular edema with vision loss6 yearsDefined as either 1) an increase in OCT central subfield thickness of 10% or more from baseline, OCT central subfield thickness greater than sex and machine-specific threshold values (Zeiss Cirrus: CST ≥290 µm in women or ≥ 305 µm in men; Heidelberg Spectralis: CST ≥305 µm in women or ≥320 µm in men), investigator determination that thickening cannot be attributed to any cause other than DME, and a decrease in visual acuity from baseline of 10 or more letters at a single visit or 5 to 9 letters at 2 consecutive visits at least 21 days apart with vision loss presumed to be from DME, intraocular DME or 2) treatment including focal/grid laser, anti-VEGF, corticosteroid injection, or vitrectomy
Visual acuity loss from any cause6 yearsDefined as a decrease in visual acuity from baseline of 10 or more letters at a single visit or a 5 to 9-letter decrease at 2 consecutive visits at least 21 days apart regardless of whether vision loss is presumed to be from DME or any other cause

Countries

United States

Contacts

STUDY_CHAIREmily Y Chew, MD

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jun 30, 2026