Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Phase 2 Interventional Ages 3 to 99

Early treatment for severe aplastic anemia using cyclosporine and eltrombopag

Official title: Early Initiation of Oral Therapy With Cyclosporine and Eltrombopag for Treatment Naive Severe Aplastic Anemia (SAA)

Run by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) · NCT04304820 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing if starting treatment for severe aplastic anemia with a mix of lower doses of cyclosporine and eltrombopag can help patients recover their blood counts faster.

More Severe Aplastic Anemia trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages3 Years to 99 Years
SexAll
Enrollment80 (estimated)
SponsorNational Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
NIH
Drugs / interventionsalemtuzumab, cyclophosphamide
Locations1 site (Bethesda, Maryland)
StatusRecruiting · results posted
StartedMay 7, 2020
Main results expectedDecember 18, 2024
Study endsDecember 18, 2033
Registry record updatedMarch 9, 2026
Trial IDNCT04304820 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates for this study are individuals aged 3 years and older who have been diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia and have not previously received immunosuppressive therapy.

Probably not a fit

Patients with known constitutional marrow failure syndromes or those who have previously undergone immunosuppressive therapy will not benefit from this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This clinical trial investigates the safety and effectiveness of initiating treatment for severe aplastic anemia (SAA) with a combination of lower doses of cyclosporine and eltrombopag before administering horse anti-thymocyte globulin. Participants aged 3 and older will undergo screening that includes medical history, physical exams, and blood tests. The goal is to determine if this early intervention can improve blood count recovery rates in treatment-naive patients with SAA. The study will take place at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to improved treatment outcomes and higher recovery rates for patients with severe aplastic anemia.

How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promising results with similar approaches, particularly the combination of eltrombopag and immunosuppressive therapy in treating severe aplastic anemia.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
* INCLUSION CRITERIA:

  1. Age \>= 3 years old
  2. Weight \>12Kg
  3. Severe aplastic anemia:
* Bone marrow cellularity \<30% (excluding lymphocytes) AND At least two of the following:

  * Absolute neutrophil count \<500/microliter
  * Platelet count \<20,000/microliter
  * Absolute reticulocyte count \<60,000/microliter

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

1. Known diagnosis or high suspicion of Fanconi anemia or other constitutional marrow failure syndrome
2. Evidence of a clonal disorder on cytogenetics performed within 12 weeks of study entry involving chromosome 7 or complex karyotype. Patient will not be excluded if cytogenetics are not done or are pending
3. A course of prior immunosuppressive therapy (ATG, cyclosporine, alemtuzumab, and high dose cyclophosphamide), or eltrombopag
4. SGOT or SGPT \>2.5 times the upper limit of normal or total bilirubin \>1.5 x upper limit of normal
5. Subjects with liver cirrhosis (as determined by the investigator).
6. Subjects with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who are not receiving antiretroviral therapy, have detectable HIV RNA viral load and have CD4 cell count \<200/microliter, or are on anti-retroviral therapy that interacts with the study drugs. subjects will not be excluded if HIV testing is pending or unavailable.
7. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) \<40 mL/min/1.73m\^2
8. Hypersensitivity to EPAG or its components
9. Infection not adequately responding to appropriate therapy
10. Moribund status or concurrent hepatic, renal, cardiac, neurologic, pulmonary, infectious, or metabolic disease of such severity that it would preclude the patient's ability to tolerate protocol therapy, or that death within 7-10 days is likely
11. Potential subjects with cancer who are on active chemotherapeutic treatment or who take drugs with hematological effects will not be eligible
12. Inability to understand the investigational nature of the study or to give informed consent or does not have a legally authorized representative or surrogate that can provide informed consent.
13. Inability to swallow
14. Unable to participate in audio/video telecommunication
15. Inability to ship the study drug to participant
16. History or current diagnosis of cardiac disease indicating significant risk of safety for patients participating in the study such as uncontrolled or significant cardiac disease, including any of the following: Recent myocardial infarction (within last 6 months), uncontrolled congestive heart failure, unstable angina (within last 6 months), clinically significant (symptomatic) cardiac arrhythmias (e.g., sustained ventricular tachycardia, and clinically significant second or third degree AV block without a pacemaker.), long QT syndrome, family history of idiopathic sudden death, congenital long QT syndrome or additional risk factors for cardiac repolarization abnormality, as determined by the investigator.
17. Impaired cardiac function, such as: Corrected QTc \>450 msec using Fridericia correction (QTcF) on the screening ECG (using triplicate ECGs), other clinically significant cardiovascular disease (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, history of labile hypertension), history of known structural abnormalities (e.g. cardiomyopathy).
18. Concurrent participation in an investigational study within 30 days prior to enrollment or within 5-half-lives of the investigational product, whichever is longer. Note: parallel enrollment in a disease registry is permitted.
19. Known thrombophilic risk factors. Exception: Subjects for whom the potential benefits of participating in the study outweigh the potential risks of thromboembolic events, as determined by the investigator.
20. Women of child-bearing potential, defined as all women physiologically capable of becoming pregnant, unless they are using basic methods of contraception during dosing of study treatment. Basic contraception methods include:

    * Total abstinence (when this is in line with the preferred and usual lifestyle of the subject. Periodic abstinence (e.g., calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, post-ovulation methods) and withdrawal are not acceptable methods of contraception
    * Female sterilization (have had surgical bilateral oophorectomy with or without hysterectomy), total hysterectomy, or tubal ligation at least six weeks before taking study treatment. In case of oophorectomy alone, only when the reproductive status of the woman has been confirmed by follow up hormone level assessment
    * Male sterilization (at least 6 months prior to screening). The vasectomized male partner should be the sole partner for that subject
    * Barrier methods of contraception: Condom or Occlusive cap. For the UK: with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/ vaginal suppository
    * Use of oral, injected or implanted hormonal methods of contraception or placement of an intrauterine device (IUD) or intrauterine system (IUS), or other forms of hormonal contraception that have comparable efficacy (failure rate \<1%), for example hormone vaginal ring or transdermal hormone contraception.

      * In case of use of oral contraception women should have been stable on the same pill for a minimum of 3 months before taking study treatment.
21. Female subjects who are nursing or pregnant (positive serum or urine B-human chorionic gonadotrophin (B-hCG) pregnancy test) at screening or pre-dose on Day 1
22. Sexually active males unless they use a condom during intercourse while taking the drug during treatment, and for 7 days after stopping treatment (and for an additional 12 weeks \[for genotoxic compounds\]) and should not father a child in this period. A condom is required to be used also by vasectomized men as well as during intercourse with a male partner in order to prevent delivery of the drug via semen.

INCLUSION OF PREGNANT WOMEN, FETUSES OR NEONATES:

The protocol does not intentionally enroll pregnant women due to unknown fetal risk with eltrombopag. However, if a patient gets pregnant during the trial participation period, she may remain on study for non-invasive safety and outcomes follow-up.

Where it's running

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
    Bethesda, Maryland, United States
    Recruiting

Study contacts

  • Principal investigator: Bhavisha A Patel, M.D. — National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
  • Study coordinator: Olga J Rios, R.N.
  • Email: olga.rios@nih.gov
  • Phone: (301) 496-4462

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

  • BFCA conditioning for Haplo-HSCT in older adults with severe aplastic anemia

    This study tests the BFCA conditioning regimen in adults aged 40–60 with severe aplastic anemia undergoing haploidentical stem cell transplant to see if it’s safe and effective.

    Recruiting Peking University People's Hospital · Beijing, Beijing Municipality · NCT07586735

  • Bone marrow transplant for severe aplastic anemia

    This study is testing if bone marrow transplants from partially matched or unrelated donors can help people aged 3 to 75 with severe aplastic anemia who haven't had treatment before.

    Recruiting at 25 sites Phase 2 Medical College of Wisconsin · Birmingham, Alabama and 24 other locations · NCT06517641

  • Hematopoietic cell transplant for severe blood disorders

    This study is testing a new way to prepare patients with severe blood disorders for a stem cell transplant to see if it can improve their recovery and reduce complications.

    Recruiting Phase 2 Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota · Minneapolis, Minnesota · NCT06412497

  • Modified stem cell transplantation for severe aplastic anemia

    This study is testing a new way of doing stem cell transplants for people with severe aplastic anemia to see if it can help them live longer and reduce complications.

    Recruiting Phase 2 Hematology department of the 920th hospital · Kunming, Yunnan · NCT06378060

  • Using Rituximab to treat severe aplastic anemia with platelet transfusion issues

    This study is testing if rituximab can help people with severe aplastic anemia who have trouble getting enough platelets from transfusions.

    Recruiting Phase 2 Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, China · Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality · NCT06254560

  • Understanding long-term effects of bone marrow failure syndromes

    This study is looking at how bone marrow failure syndromes affect people over time to see how the disease and treatments change, focusing on individuals aged 2 and older.

    Recruiting National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) · Bethesda, Maryland · NCT05012111

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.