Study of Nitazoxanide, Peginterferon Alfa-2a and Ribavirin in Treatment-Naive Hepatitis C Patients (STEALTHC-3)

Romark Laboratories

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Chronic Hepatitis C

Treatments: Biological: Peginterferon alfa-2a; Drug: Nitazoxanide; Drug: Placebo; Drug: Ribavirin

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Industry

Identifiers

NCT00637923

RM01-2026

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine if nitazoxanide in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin is safe and effective in treating chronic hepatitis C in treatment-naive patients.

Enrollment: 112 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Chronic hepatitis C genotype 1.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients that have previously received treatment with any interferon or interferon-based treatment for chronic hepatitis C.
• Females of child-bearing age who are either pregnant, breast-feeding or not using birth control and are sexually active.
• Males whose female partners are either pregnant or of child-bearing potential or not using birth control and are sexually active.
• Other causes of liver disease including autoimmune hepatitis.
• Transplant recipients receiving immune suppression therapy.
• Screening tests positive for Anti-Hepatitis A Virus Immunoglobulin M Antibody (anti-HAV IgM Ab), Hepatitis B's antigen (HBsAg), Anti-Hepatitis B core Immunoglobulin M Antibody (anti-HBc IgM Ab) or Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Antibody (anti-HIV Ab).
• Decompensated cirrhosis, history of variceal bleeding, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score >6 or Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score >8.
• Alcohol consumption of >40 grams per day or an alcohol use pattern that will interfere with the study.
• Absolute neutrophil count <1500 cells/mm3; platelet count <135,000 cells/mm3; hemoglobin <12 g/dL for women and <13 g/dL for men; or serum creatinine concentration ≥1.5 times Upper Limit of Normal (ULN).
• Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism not effectively treated with medication.
• Hemoglobin A1C (HgbA1c) >7.5 or history of diabetes mellitus.
• Body Mass Index (BMI) >34.
• History or other clinical evidence of significant or unstable cardiac disease.
• History or other clinical evidence of chronic pulmonary disease associated with functional impairment.
• Serious or severe bacterial infection(s).
• Ulcerative or hemorrhagic/ischemic colitis.
• Pancreatitis.
• History of severe or uncontrolled psychiatric disease, including severe depression, history of suicidal ideation, suicidal attempts or psychosis requiring medication and/or hospitalization.
• History of uncontrolled severe seizure disorder.
• Requires concomitant theophylline or methadone.
• History of immunologically mediated disease requiring more than intermittent anti-inflammatory medications for management or that requires frequent or prolonged use of corticosteroids.
• History or other evidence of severe retinopathy or clinically relevant ophthalmological disorder due to diabetes mellitus or hypertension.
• Hemoglobinopathies.
• History of hypersensitivity or intolerance to nitazoxanide or any of the excipients comprising the nitazoxanide tablets, peginterferon alfa-2a injectable solution or ribavirin tablets.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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112 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

1

Experimental group

Description:

One nitazoxanide 500 mg tablet orally with food twice daily (b.i.d.) for 4 weeks followed by 500 mg nitazoxanide b.i.d. plus one weekly injection of 180µg of peginterferon α-2a plus weight-based ribavirin for 48 weeks.

Treatment:

Drug: Ribavirin

Drug: Nitazoxanide

Biological: Peginterferon alfa-2a

2

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

One placebo tablet orally with food twice daily (b.i.d.) for 4 weeks followed by placebo b.i.d. plus one weekly injection of 180µg of peginterferon α-2a plus weight-based ribavirin for 48 weeks.

Treatment:

Drug: Ribavirin

Drug: Placebo

Biological: Peginterferon alfa-2a