Safe use of metformin and naproxen to help prevent cancer in people with Fanconi anemia
Official title: A Randomized Crossover Open-Label Trial of Naproxen and Metformin Safety and Tolerability in the Setting of Prevention of Oral Cancer in Fanconi Anemia
Run by Rockefeller University · NCT07901959 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether metformin and naproxen can lower the chance of cancer developing in adults with Fanconi anemia.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 1 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 80 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Rockefeller University Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation |
| Locations | 2 sites (Minneapolis, Minnesota and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 14, 2026 |
| Main results expected | October 14, 2030 |
| Study ends | October 14, 2031 |
| Registry record updated | October 28, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07901959 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults (18+) with confirmed Fanconi anemia, adequate organ function, and a decent performance status (Karnofsky ≥70%).
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with advanced organ dysfunction, uncontrolled infections, or very low blood counts may not benefit and could be excluded due to safety concerns.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a Phase 1 interventional study evaluating two repurposed drugs, metformin and naproxen, for cancer prevention in adults with Fanconi anemia. Participants must be 18 or older with FA and meet health criteria to safely participate while researchers monitor safety and tolerability. The trial aims to see if these drugs can be given together to reduce the risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, a common cancer in FA patients. The study is conducted through Rockefeller University, with collaboration from the University of Minnesota and other institutions, at the Minnesota and New York sites. Outcomes will focus on safety signals and tolerability to inform potential future studies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants could experience a safer preventive option that may lower cancer risk in Fanconi anemia.
How similar studies have gone: Prior cancer-prevention studies with metformin show promise in related settings, while naproxen has shown preventative potential; this combination in FA is exploratory and building on related signals.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria, Participants must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible: Confirmed Diagnosis: * Fanconi anemia confirmed by review of past molecular testing (including chromosomal breakage testing results) Age * Age ≥18 years. Functional Status * Karnofsky performance scale ≥70%. Adequate Organ and Marrow Function, defined as: * Leukocytes ≥3,000/µL * Absolute neutrophil count ≥1,000/µL * Platelets ≥40,000/µL * Total bilirubin ≤1.5 × institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) unless with Gilberts syndrome * AST (SGOT) / ALT (SGPT) ≤3 × institutional ULN * eGFR \>45 mL/min (using CKD-EPI equation: https://www.mdcalc.com/ckd-epi-equations-glomerular-filtration-rate-gfr) Viral Infection Status * HIV-infected patients are eligible if on effective antiretroviral therapy with undetectable viral load within 6 months. * Chronic HBV infection is permitted if viral load is undetectable on suppressive therapy. * History of HCV infection is allowed if patient has been treated and cured, or if currently being treated and has undetectable viral load. * Patients on chronic suppressive antiviral therapy for HSV are eligible. Medication and Intervention Requirements * Ability to take oral medication. Contraception Agreement * Willing to use adequate contraception during the study, including: Barrier method, abstinence, vasectomized partner, effective birth control, or postmenopausal status. * Women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use contraception prior to study entry and throughout participation. * Female participants who become pregnant or suspect pregnancy must inform the study physician immediately. Consent - Ability to understand and willingness to sign a written informed consent form in English or an approved translated version. Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana abstinence \- Standard of care for oral leukoplakia is to recommend abstinence from smoking and alcohol consumption. As part of the consent, we will ask participants to agree to abstain from alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. Inclusion of Women and Minorities: \- This study is open to all individuals regardless of sex, race, or ethnicity. Both men and women and individuals of all racial and ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to participate. Exclusion Criteria, Participants will be excluded if any of the following conditions are present: Diabetes-Related Conditions * Diagnosed diabetes treated with insulin or other anti-diabetic medication * History of diabetic ketoacidosis * HbA1c greater than or equal to 6.5% * Prior use of metformin within the past year Recent Investigational Drug Use * Receipt of any investigational agents within the past 3 months Drug Hypersensitivity * History of allergic reaction to metformin, naproxen or chemically similar compounds Medical Comorbidities * Uncontrolled intercurrent illness (e.g., active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina, cardiac arrhythmia, psychiatric/social issues limiting compliance) * Oral carcinoma in situ on baseline exam or biopsy Pregnancy and Nursing * Pregnant or breastfeeding women are excluded due to unknown risks of metformin and potential risk of naproxen on the fetus and nursing infant Liver Disease * Acute or chronic liver disease including elevated liver enzymes \>3x ULN as described above, or diagnosis of infectious or autoimmune hepatitis, cirrhosis, portal hypertension, or hepatocellular carcinoma Active Cancer Treatment * Current course of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation for any malignancy (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer or surgically cured organ-confined cancers) * Prior curatively treated cancers are allowed if treatment is completed within 6 months of study start. * Ongoing adjuvant hormonal therapy (e.g., for breast cancer) is allowed * Chronic Medical Conditions do not exclude participants from the trial unless they meet one of the other listed exclusion criteria. Participants with HIV infection may be included provided that they are able to provide medical records demonstrating that: * HIV infection is documented and the participant has been on a stable antiretroviral regimen for at least 6 months. * HIV RNA is below the limit of quantification (e.g., \<50 copies/mL) on the most recent measurement and there is no history of virologic failure within the past 12 months. * CD4+ T-cell count is ≥200 cells/µL within 6 months prior to enrollment. * There has been no AIDS-defining illness or active opportunistic infection within the past 12 months. * The participant's current antiretroviral regimen has no known clinically significant drug-drug interactions with the study intervention. * The participant is otherwise clinically stable in the judgment of the investigator. Prohibited Medications \- Current use of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (e.g., topiramate, zonisamide, acetazolamide, dichlorphenamide) or ranolazine Contraindications Medical contraindication to NSAIDs or metformin, including: * NSAID hypersensitivity * NSAID-induced asthma * Previous NSAID-induced peptic ulcer * Other active peptic ulcers * Renal impairment (eGFR \<45 mL/min) * Bleeding/clotting disorders (e.g. hemophilia, thrombophilia) * Current use of systemic (not topical) NSAID or Steroid * Taking NSAIDs or steroids regularly at time of screening Note: Participants requiring NSAIDs during the trial will be encouraged to use acetaminophen, and can continue in the study as long as the acetaminophen use is temporary and intermittent. Participants who take additional NSAIDs (2 doses or more in a one week period) will be temporarily withdrawn from both intervention arms until they are no longer regularly taking NSAIDs.
Where it's running
-
University of MInnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Recruiting -
The Rockefeller University
New York, New York, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Agata Smogorzewska, MD, PhD — The Rockefeller University
- Study coordinator: Francis J May, MD
- Email: fmay@rockefeller.edu
- Phone: 212-327-7850
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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.