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A Trial of Bardoxolone Methyl in Patients With CKD at Risk of Rapid Progression (MERLIN)

A Phase 2 Trial to Evaluate Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Bardoxolone Methyl in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease at Risk of Rapid Progression

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04702997
Acronym
MERLIN
Enrollment
81
Registered
2021-01-11
Start date
2021-02-09
Completion date
2021-11-23
Last updated
2025-06-03

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

Conditions

Chronic Kidney Diseases

Keywords

Advanced CKD, Chronic Kidney Disease, Bardoxolone methyl, RTA 402, eGFR, Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease

Brief summary

This multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 2 trial will study the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of bardoxolone methyl in qualified patients with CKD due to multiple etiologies at risk of rapid disease progression. Approximately 70 patients will be enrolled and randomized 1:1 to either bardoxolone methyl or placebo. Patients with CKD secondary to varying etiologies will be enrolled from age 18-70 years with eGFR ≥ 20 to \< 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, and other risk factors for rapid progression of kidney disease. The maximum target dose will be determined by baseline proteinuria status. Patients with baseline urine albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) ≤ 300 mg/g will be titrated to a maximum dose of 20 mg, and patients with baseline UACR \> 300 mg/g will be titrated to a maximum dose of 30 mg. Qualified patients will be randomized 1:1 to receive either bardoxolone methyl or placebo once daily (preferably in the morning) throughout a 12-week dosing period. Patients in the study will follow the same visit and assessment schedule. Patients will be assessed during treatment at Day 1, Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 and by telephone contact on Days 3, 10, 21, 31, 35, and 45. Date of last dose and the end-of-treatment assessments mark the end of the treatment period. Patients will not receive study drug during a 5-week off-treatment period between Weeks 12 and 17. The off-treatment (OT) period includes 5 visits requiring various assessments to characterize eGFR from the time of study drug discontinuation through Day 35 off-treatment.

Interventions

Bardoxolone methyl capsules dose escalated from 5 mg to a maximum of 20 or 30 mg, depending on baseline proteinuria status

DRUGPlacebo oral capsule

Capsule containing an inert placebo

Sponsors

Biogen
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

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

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Diagnosis of CKD with screening eGFR (average of Screen A and Screen B eGFR values) ≥ 20 to \< 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 * Patient must meet at least one of the following criteria: 1. UACR ≥ 300 mg/g; OR 2. eGFR decline at a rate of ≥ 4 mL/min/1.73 m2 in prior year; OR 3. Hematuria defined as \> 5-10 red blood cells (RBCs) per high power field (HPF, manual method), or documented history of positive urinary dipstick for blood in prior year, or macroscopic hematuria in prior 3 years; * Systolic blood pressure ≤ 150 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure ≤ 90 mmHg at Screen A visit after a period of rest (≥ 5 minutes); * Treatment with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) and/or an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) at the maximally tolerated labeled daily dose for at least 6 weeks prior to the Screen A visit and with no anticipated changes to dose(s) during study participation. * Able to swallow capsules -

Exclusion criteria

* Prior exposure to bardoxolone methyl; * CKD secondary to or associated with any of the following: 1. History of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) 2. Glomerulonephritis requiring immunosuppression in the last 6 months prior to Screen A; * Concomitant use of tolvaptan. * Systemic immunosuppression for more than 2 weeks, cumulatively, within the 12 weeks prior to Day 1 or anticipated need for immunosuppression during the study; * Patients currently taking a sodium/glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i), requiring dose adjustments within 12 weeks prior to Day 1 or if dose is anticipated to change during study participation; * B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level \> 200 pg/mL at Screen A visit; * Uncontrolled diabetes (HbA1c \> 11.0%) at Screen A visit; * Serum albumin \< 3 g/dL at Screen A visit; * Kidney or any other solid organ transplant recipient or a planned transplant during the study; * Acute dialysis or acute kidney injury within 12 weeks prior to Screen A visit or during Screening; * History of clinically significant cardiac disease; * Systolic blood pressure \< 90 mmHg at Screen A visit after a period of rest; * Body mass index \< 18.5 kg/m2 at the Screen A visit; * History of malignancy within 5 years prior to Screen A visit, with the exception of localized skin or cervical carcinomas; * Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis within 3 months prior to Screen A or have ever required COVID-19 related hospitalization; * Participation in other interventional clinical studies within 3 months (or if relevant 5 half-lives of that study medication, whichever is the longer) prior to Screen B; * Unwilling to practice acceptable methods of birth control; * Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change From Baseline in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) at Week 12Baseline through 12 weeks after participant receives the first doseTo assess the change in eGFR from baseline to week 12. eGFR is a measure of kidney function assessed through blood/serum. Higher eGFRs represent better/improved kidney function. Lower eGFRs represent poorer/decreased kidney function.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Bardoxolone Methyl
Bardoxolone methyl capsules administered orally once daily for 12 weeks at a starting dose of 5 mg and titrated up to a maximal dose of 20 mg (participants with UACR less than or equal to 300 mg/g) or 30 mg (participants with UACR greater than 300 mg/g)
39
Placebo
Placebo capsules administered orally once daily for 12 weeks, with sham titration to maintain the blind
42
Total81

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject11

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicBardoxolone MethylPlaceboTotal
Age, Continuous56.4 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.5
59.8 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.66
58.2 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.11
Baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)36.563 mL/min/1.73 m^2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.8465
34.883 mL/min/1.73 m^2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.1765
35.692 mL/min/1.73 m^2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.9921
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
17 Participants10 Participants27 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
22 Participants31 Participants53 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants1 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
2 Participants0 Participants2 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
4 Participants3 Participants7 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
1 Participants0 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
32 Participants39 Participants71 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
39 participants42 participants81 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
16 Participants16 Participants32 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
23 Participants26 Participants49 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 390 / 42
other
Total, other adverse events
31 / 3930 / 42
serious
Total, serious adverse events
3 / 391 / 42

Outcome results

Primary

Change From Baseline in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) at Week 12

To assess the change in eGFR from baseline to week 12. eGFR is a measure of kidney function assessed through blood/serum. Higher eGFRs represent better/improved kidney function. Lower eGFRs represent poorer/decreased kidney function.

Time frame: Baseline through 12 weeks after participant receives the first dose

Population: Intent-to-treat population (all enrolled patients whether or not they received the study drug)

ArmMeasureValue (LEAST_SQUARES_MEAN)Dispersion
Bardoxolone MethylChange From Baseline in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) at Week 126.79 mL/min/1.73 m^2Standard Error 0.925
PlaceboChange From Baseline in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) at Week 12-0.92 mL/min/1.73 m^2Standard Error 0.868
p-value: <0.000195% CI: [5.18, 10.24]Mixed Models Analysis

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