Efficacy and Safety of Oltipraz in the Patients With Liver Fibrosis and Cirrhosis

HK inno.N

Status and phase

Completed

Phase 2

Conditions

Liver Cirrhosis

Liver Fibrosis

Treatments

Drug: placebo

Drug: oltipraz

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Industry

Identifiers

NCT00956098

CJ-OPZ-201 study

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study investigated the effectiveness and safety of oltipraz therapy in treating patients with cirrhosis induced by chronic hepatitis type B or C.

Full description

Oltipraz [5-(2-pyrazinyl)-4-methyl-1,2-dithiol-3-thione] has been extensively studied as a cancer chemopreventive agent. Comprehensive mechanistic and phase IIa studies supported the notion that oltipraz exerts chemopreventive effects, as supported by Phase IIa human clinical studies of oltipraz on cancer chemoprevention, conducted in Qidong, China. Hepatic stellate cells cause synthesis of large quantities of extracellular matrix. Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1), as a key fibrogenic mediator for fibrogenesis after injuries through deposition of extracellular matrix and inhibition of collagenase activity in the liver, is associated with the regulation of cell growth and differentiation and causes synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins and cellular receptors for matrix proteins. Previously, we reported the effectiveness of oltipraz in regeneration of cirrhotic liver, which includes reduction of the intensities of liver fibrotic and cirrhotic nodules, elimination of accumulated extracellular matrix, and regeneration of cirrhotic liver in animal models. Oltipraz completely resolves fibrosis in the cirrhotic liver, thereby improving viability. TGF-beta1 signaling plays an important role in liver fibrogenesis and cirrhosis as evidenced by receptor knockout experiments. No therapeutic agent that is active in interrupting TGF-beta1 signaling is available, proposing that C/EBP serve as a molecular target for the treatment of liver cirrhosis.

Sex

All

Ages

25 to 65 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

patients with fibrosis and cirrhosis induced by chronic hepatitis type B or C
patients with HbsAg, Anti-HCV or HCV RNA positive

Exclusion criteria

treatment with antiviral agents, immunosuppressants, glucocorticoids, within the 6 months or with biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate one month
treatment with any investigational drug (except CJ11555PK or CJ-OPZ-201PK) within one month
Child-Pugh class C, Use of a mean daily dose of 80 g alcohol with the one month, of enzyme inducers or inhibitors, or of drug abuse that might affect this study
a known hypersensitivity to oltipraz or its structurally related compounds
ascites, hemorrhage from varicoses, uncompensated LC with the history of hepatic encephalopathy within the 6 months
hepatocellular carcinoma (a rising serum level of α-fetoprotein or a suspicious foci on hepatic ultrasonography at screening or), liver transplantation
pregnancy or lactation, unwillingness of contraception during the study period
other serious concurrent illness (e.g., severe hemorrhagic GI, renal, pulmonary, neurological, cardiovascular (CHF of class III or above; a history of MI within the past 6 months) diseases, or cancer, autoimmunity or psychological diseases)
any patients who is inappropriate or has unwillingness of clinical study as judged by participating clinicians
bilirubin content greater than 2.0 mg/dL, prothrombin time longer than 4 sec, and serum albumin below 2.5 g/dL