Absorbable oxandrolone implant to help recovery after ACL reconstruction

Randomized, Multicenter, Double-blind, Parallel, Placebo-controlled Study to Investigate the Safety and Exploratory Efficacy of the Absorbable Oxandrolone Implant as an Adjuvant Treatment in Rehabilitation Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Surgical Reconstruction (IMOX Study)

This test will see if a bioabsorbable oxandrolone pellet placed under the skin helps men and women recover muscle mass, strength, and knee function after ACL reconstruction.

Quick facts

• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 96 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 60 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Science Valley Research Institute (Academic / other)
• Locations: 6 sites (Fortaleza, Ceará and 5 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT06974526 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a phase II, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial testing an absorbable subdermal oxandrolone implant as an add-on to standard rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction. The primary focus is safety and tolerability, measuring serious adverse events related to the implant over 24 weeks, with exploratory outcomes on muscle mass, muscle strength, and functional recovery. The implant is intended to release oxandrolone directly into the bloodstream to improve anabolic support and avoid issues with oral dosing. Adults aged 18–60 who underwent arthroscopic ACL reconstruction with an autologous hamstring graft and who have begun post‑operative physiotherapy are eligible.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults aged 18–60 who had ACL reconstruction with an autologous hamstring tendon graft, meet the trial weight/BMI and activity criteria, and have started postoperative physiotherapy are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People with contraindications to anabolic steroids, body size outside the specified ranges, or concurrent injuries that prevent following the rehabilitation protocol are unlikely to benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the implant could speed recovery of muscle mass and strength and improve functional knee recovery, potentially shortening rehabilitation time.

How similar studies have performed: Oral oxandrolone has been used to promote weight and muscle gain after trauma or surgery, but absorbable subdermal oxandrolone implants for ACL rehabilitation are a novel application with limited prior clinical data.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

For male and female participants:

* Ability to confirm voluntary participation and approve the Informed Consent Form;
* Men and women aged 18 to 60 years (inclusive);
* Body weight between 50-120 kg for men and 40-90 kg for women;
* BMI ≤34.9 kg/m²;
* Complete ACL rupture visualized by pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
* Having undergone arthroscopic knee surgery for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) coverage using an autologous hamstring tendon graft;
* Presenting with an isolated ACL injury or combined with ligamentous, meniscal, or cartilage lesions visualized by MRI, provided they do not interfere with the rehabilitation protocol.
* Classification as very active, active, or irregularly active type A according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), based on pre-ACL injury physical activity;
* Adherence to the rehabilitation protocol, having initiated postoperative physiotherapy treatment;
* Functional range of motion from 0 to 120º and ability to ambulate without crutches;
* Blood pressure in the seated position in the doctor's office \<180/95 mmHg;
* Hematocrit ≤ 50%;
* ALT less than three times the upper limit of normal;
* Serum creatinine \<2 mg/dL;
* Total bilirubin \< 3.0 mg/dL;
* Albumin ≥ 3.5 g/dL;

For male participants only:

\- Total PSA ≤ 4.1 ng/mL.

Exclusion criteria:

For female participants only:

* Confirmed or suspected pregnancy;
* History of childbirth, abortion, or lactation in the last 3 months;
* Refusal to use permitted contraceptive methods during the study and for 90 days after the end of participation in the study, unless surgically sterile or expressly declaring themselves exempt from the risk of pregnancy due to not engaging in sexual activity or engaging in non-reproductive activity;
* Clinical signs of hyperandrogenization characterized by: hirsutism defined by a Ferriman-Gallwey score ≥ 8; or alopecia defined by hair loss of at least 50% of the participant's normal hair, which is not obvious from a distance but is only noticeable upon closer inspection; a different haircut may be necessary to cover the hair loss, but does not necessarily require a wig or hairpiece to camouflage it; or Grade 5 acne defined by a predominance of inflammatory acne lesions in the facial area;
* Polycystic Ovary Syndrome;
* Known or suspected breast carcinoma;

For male participants only:

\- Known or suspected carcinoma of the prostate or male breast;

For male and female participants:

* Previous serious injury or history of surgery on the lower limbs;
* Knee injury more than 36 months ago;
* Unstable longitudinal meniscal tear requiring repair where subsequent postoperative treatment (e.g., immobilization and range of motion limitation) interferes with the rehabilitation protocol;
* Meniscus suture during ACL reconstruction;
* Use of patellar, quadriceps, or other hamstring tendon grafts during ACL reconstruction;
* Known contraindication to hormone use;
* Any condition that worsens under hormone treatment;
* Personal history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT);
* Known coagulopathy;
* Known chromosomal disorders;
* Hypersensitivity to anabolic androgenic steroids;
* Previous treatment failure with Oxandrolone;
* Use of testosterone (or analogues) and other anabolic androgenic steroids in any pharmaceutical form in the last 3 months;
* Pituitary tumor;
* Creatinine levels \>2 mg/dL or history of chronic kidney disease;
* Myocardial infarction in the last 6 months;
* Uncontrolled dyslipidemia;
* Uncontrolled diabetes;
* Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) unresponsive to bronchodilators;
* Any contraindication to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
* Claustrophobia;
* Irregularly active type B or sedentary classification on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), based on pre-ACL injury physical activity;
* Athlete engaged in paid physical activity;
* Known psychiatric diagnosis, including disorder Major or persistent depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety, social phobia, specific phobias or obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychotic disorder, personality disorder, eating disorder, neurocognitive disorders, and developmental or somatoform disorders (somatization or hypochondria);
* Presence of voiding disorder;
* Known diagnosis of fibromyalgia;
* Current smoking;
* History of drug abuse;
* Participation in other clinical trial protocols in the last 30 days;
* Participant who, in the investigator's opinion, presents other conditions or clinical or laboratory alterations that make them ineligible to participate in the study;
* The participant came to meet any exclusion criterion verified at the Selection Visit (SV/V1);
* Presenting postoperative complications such as stiffness and/or healing in the knee requiring additional procedures.

Where this trial is running

Fortaleza, Ceará and 5 other locations

• Unimed Fortaleza — Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil (Recruiting)
• Faculdade Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais (CMMG) — Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil (Recruiting)
• Centro de Oncologia do Paraná — Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil (Recruiting)
• Unimed Brusque — Brusque, Santa Catarina, Brazil (Recruiting)
• Hospital e Maternidade Christóvão da Gama — Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil (Recruiting)
• Santa Casa de Santos — Santos, São Paulo, Brazil (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Roberto Tauchmann, MD — Hospital do Rocio
• Study coordinator: Leandro B Agati, PhD

Conditions Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction; Anterior cruciate ligament; Oxandrolone; Absorbable subdermal implant; Adverse effects; Sarcopenia