Oral medication to treat lung complications after stem cell transplant
Official title: A Phase 1b/2 Study of Alvelestat (MPH966), an Oral Neutrophil Elastase Inhibitor, in Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Run by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) · NCT02669251 · Data updated 2026-05-14
This study is no longer in our active list. It may have stopped recruiting or finished. The details below are as of 2026-05-14 and are kept for reference. Check ClinicalTrials.gov for its current status, or see similar studies below.
This study is testing an oral medication to see if it can help improve lung function in patients with lung problems after a stem cell transplant.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase1; Phase2 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 34 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) NIH |
| Locations | 1 site (Bethesda, Maryland) |
| Trial ID | NCT02669251 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older who have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and are diagnosed with moderate to severe chronic graft-versus-host disease and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who do not have bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome or chronic graft-versus-host disease may 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 evaluates the safety and efficacy of alvelestat (MPH966), an oral neutrophil elastase inhibitor, in patients suffering from bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The study is divided into two phases: the first phase aims to determine the optimal biologic dose that effectively inhibits neutrophil elastase, while the second phase assesses the drug's impact on lung function, specifically measuring forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). Participants will undergo thorough screening, including medical history, physical exams, and various tests to monitor lung and heart function.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could significantly improve lung function and quality of life for patients with BOS after stem cell transplantation.
How similar studies have gone: While neutrophil elastase inhibitors have shown promise in treating inflammatory lung diseases, this specific application in bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome is novel and has not been extensively tested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
* INCLUSION CRITERIA:
* Patients must have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and have moderate to severe chronic GVHD as defined by the NIH consensus criteria.
* Patients must have BOS as defined by either of the two following criteria (A or B):
(A) BOS per NIH consensus criteria (2014 updated criteria). To meet the criteria for BOS, all of the following must be present, in addition to at least one distinctive manifestation of cGVHD:
* FEV1/vital capacity \<0.7 or the fifth percentile of predicted
* FEV1 \<75% of predicted with greater than or equal to 10% decline over less than 2 years. FEV1 should not correct to \>75% with albuterol
* Absence of infection in the respiratory tract
* One of the 2 supporting features of BOS:
1. Evidence of air trapping by expiratory CT or small airway thickening or bronchiectasis by high-resolution CT, or
2. Evidence of air trapping by PFTs: residual volume \>120% predicted or residual volume/total lung capacity elevated outside the 90% confidence interval.
If a patient carries the diagnosis of cGVHD by virtue of organ involvement elsewhere, then only the first 3 criteria above are necessary.
(B) BOS, expanded NIH criteria
* FEV1/vital capacity \>0.7
* FEV1 \<75% of predicted with greater than or equal to 10% decline over less than 2 years. FEV1 should not correct to \>75% with albuterol
* Absence of infection in the respiratory tract
* One of the supporting features of BOS:
1. Evidence of air trapping by expiratory CT
2. Small airway thickening or bronchiectasis by high-resolution CT
3. Evidence of air trapping by PFTs: residual volume \>120% predicted or residual volume/total lung capacity elevated outside the 90% confidence interval.
* For the Phase 1b study, patients may have had the diagnosis of BOS for any period of time. For the Phase 2 study, patients must be within 5 years from the time of diagnosis. Patients may be at any time interval after SCT as long as the criteria for chronic GVHD and BOS are met.
* If patients are taking systemic therapy for cGVHD at the time of enrollment, they must be receiving stable or tapering doses within the previous 4 weeks. Patients are not required to have completed a course of steroids prior to enrollment.
* Age greater than or equal to18 years.
* Karnofsky greater than or equal to 60%
* Patients must have adequate organ and marrow function as defined below:
* Leukocytes greater than or equal to 3,000/mcL
* Absolute neutrophil count greater than or equal to 1,000/mcL
* Platelets greater than or equal to 50,000/mcL
* Total bilirubin less than or equal to 3 x institutional upper limit of normal, unless there is a known history of Gilbert s disease
* AST(SGOT)/ALT(SGPT) less than or equal to 2 x institutional upper limit of normal
* Serum creatinine less than or equal to 1.5 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance greater than or equal to 60 mL/min as estimated by GFR per DLM standards
* Patients will be required to have received prior treatment with a regimen consisting of inhaled steroids and montelukast plus or minus azithromycin for at least 3 months prior to enrollment, unless there is evidence of progression or unsatisfactory response while on this regimen prior to 3 months of treatment, as deemed by the treating or referring physician. Patients who are on azithromycin will need to discontinue for at least 2 weeks prior to enrollment.
* Agree to adhere to methods of contraception and other fertility control measures:
The effects of alvelestat (MPH966)on the developing human fetus are unknown. For this reason, women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study therapy. Contraception should be used up until 1 week of discontinuing study medication.
-Ability of subject to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
* FEV1 \<30% (based on absolute percent predicted using USA-ITS-NIH equation) on pulmonary function testing
* Patients with clinically relevant abnormal ECG findings, including abnormal QTc\>500 ms on screening ECG (Note: If a patient has a QTc interval \>500 ms on screening ECG, the screening ECG may be repeated twice \[at least 24 hours apart\] for a total of 3 ECGs).
* Patients who are receiving any other investigational agents
* Recurrent or progressive malignancy requiring anticancer treatment
* Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, acute kidney injury, or psychiatric illness/social situations within the previous 4 weeks that would limit compliance with study requirements.
* Pregnant women are excluded from this study because the teratogenic effects of alvelestat (MPH966) are unknown. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with alvelestat (MPH966), nursing should be discontinued if the mother is treated with this agent.
* Prior use of neutrophil elastase inhibitors
* Patients with a history of cirrhosis, esophageal varices, ascites and hepatic encephalopathy
* Patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or use of drugs associated with NAFLD for more than 2 weeks in the year prior to screening
* Patients with a history of significant alcohol consumption for a period of more than 3 consecutive months within 1 year prior to screening. NOTE: Patients must also be willing to refrain from drinking alcohol during study participation, until end of study drug administration
Where it's running
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National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Najla El Jurdi, M.D. — National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Study coordinator: Najla El Jurdi, M.D.
- Email: najla.eljurdi@nih.gov
- Phone: (240) 992-4033
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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Using belumosudil to prevent or treat bronchiolitis obliterans in stem cell transplant patients
This study is testing if a new medication called belumosudil can help prevent or treat bronchiolitis obliterans in patients who have recently had a stem cell transplant.
-
Belumosudil vs Best Available Therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease
In people aged 12 and up with chronic graft-versus-host disease, the study tests belumosudil to see if it works better than the doctor’s choice of best available therapy after prior treatments have failed.
-
Mindfulness program to help with symptoms in chronic graft-versus-host disease
A mindfulness-based program is being tested to see if it can reduce patient-reported symptoms for adults with chronic graft-versus-host disease after a stem cell transplant.
-
Madecassoside tablets plus standard therapy for sclered scl-cGVHD after allo-HSCT
This study tests whether adding madecassoside tablets to standard therapy can help people with scleral chronic graft-versus-host disease after stem cell transplant.
-
Post-transplant dental cleaning to prevent chronic graft-versus-host disease
This will try a dental cleaning about 28 days after an allogeneic stem cell transplant to see if it lowers the chance of chronic graft-versus-host disease in adult transplant recipients.
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Adrixetinib (Q702) for adults with active chronic graft-versus-host disease.
This trial will test whether the oral drug Adrixetinib (Q702) is safe and helps adults with moderate or severe active chronic graft-versus-host disease who have not responded to standard treatments.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.