A Multi-part, Double Blind Study to Assess Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of Tropifexor (LJN452) in PBC Patients
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02516605 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : August 6, 2015
Results First Posted : November 13, 2019
Last Update Posted : January 5, 2021
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Primary Biliary Cholangitis | Drug: Part 1: LJN452 Drug: Part 1: Placebo Drug: Part 2: LJN452 Dose level 1 Drug: Part 2: Placebo Drug: Part 2: LJN452 Dose level 2 | Phase 2 |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 61 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | A Multi-part, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Assess the Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of Tropifexor (LJN452) in Patients With Primary Biliary Cholangitis |
Actual Study Start Date : | September 9, 2015 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | August 2, 2018 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | August 2, 2018 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: LJN452 |
Drug: Part 1: LJN452
LJN452 capsules administered once daily for 28 days
Other Name: tropifexor Drug: Part 2: LJN452 Dose level 1 LJN452 capsules administered once a day for 12 weeks
Other Name: tropifexor Drug: Part 2: LJN452 Dose level 2 LJN452
Other Name: tropifexor |
Placebo Comparator: Placebo |
Drug: Part 1: Placebo
Matching placebo capsules administered once daily for 28 days Drug: Part 2: Placebo Matching placebo to LJN452 administered once a day for 12 weeks |
- Fold Change in Serum Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT) [ Time Frame: Baseline to Day 28 ]Fold change in serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) from baseline to Day 28
- Blood Pressure [ Time Frame: Screening, Baseline, day 1, day 7, day 14, day 21, day 28, day 56, day 84 ]Vital signs - Systolic Blood pressure
- Pulse Rate [ Time Frame: Screening, Baseline, day 1, day 7, day 14, day 21, day 28, day 56, day 84 ]Vital signs
- Body Temperature [ Time Frame: Screening, Baseline, day 1, day 7, day 14, day 21, day 28, day 56, day 84 ]Vital signs
- ECG - Heart Rate [ Time Frame: Screening, Baseline, day 1, day 28 ]Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- ECG Intervals - PR Interval [ Time Frame: Screening, Baseline, day 1, day 28 ]Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Haemoglobin [ Time Frame: Screening, Baseline, day 1, day 7, day 14, day 21, day 28, day 56, day 84 ]Hematology panel for safety laboratory assessments.
- Plasma PK Parameter - AUC 0-8h [ Time Frame: Day 1, Day 28 ]Tropifexor levels were determined in plasma using a validated LC-MS/MS method. AUC0-t=The area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to time 't' where t is a defined time point after administration [mass x time / volume]
- Plasma PK Parameter - Cmax [ Time Frame: Day 1, Day 28 ]Tropifexor levels were determined in plasma using a validated LC-MS/MS method. Cmax=The observed maximum plasma concentration following drug administration [mass /volume]
- Plasma PK Parameter - Tmax [ Time Frame: Day 1, Day 28 ]Tropifexor levels were determined in plasma using a validated LC-MS/MS method. Tmax = The time to reach the maximum concentration after drug administration [time]
- Changes From Baseline in Total PBC-40 Score [ Time Frame: Baseline, Day 28, Day 56, Day 84 ]Baseline is defined as the latest available predose value. The PBC-40 is a paper-based, patient-derived, disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) patient reported outcome (PRO) measure which was developed and validated for use in PBC patients (Jacoby et al 2005). It consists of 40 questions arranged in 6 domains with between 3 and 11 questions in each domain. Each question is scored from 1 to 5 in increasing order of severity. All questions within a domain are summed and all domain totals are summed to obtain a total score. The total score range is between a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 200. Higher scores represent a poorer quality of life. The median difference from baseline in total sum score for each treatment group is presented.
- Change From Baseline in Itch Subdomain of PBC-40 Score [ Time Frame: Baseline, Day 28, Day 56, Day 84 ]Baseline is defined as the latest available predose value. The PBC-40 is a paper-based, patient-derived, disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) patient reported outcome (PRO) measure which was developed and validated for use in PBC patients (Jacoby et al 2005). It consists of 40 questions arranged in 6 domains with between 3 and 11 questions in each domain. Each question is scored from 1 to 5 in increasing order of severity. This dataset focuses on the itch subdomain which consists of 3 questions. These 3 questions within the itch subdomain are summed to obtain a total score for the itch subdomain. The total score range is between a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 15. Higher scores represent a poorer quality of life. The median change from baseline in total itch subdomain score in each treatment group is presented.
- Change From Baseline in Global Itch Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) [ Time Frame: Day 7, Day 14, Day 21, Day 28, Day 56, and Day 84 ]Baseline is defined as the latest available predose value. The Global Itch Visual Analogue Scale, a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS), was used to assess the severity of patients itch (ranging from 0 = none at all to 100 = the worst imaginable itch). The score range is between a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 100. The score (distance in mm from left) on the VAS was recorded by the patient marking with a line and used to test for an effect of tropifexor over placebo. The mean change from baseline in itch VAS score in each treatment group is presented.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age ≥ 18 years
-
Diagnosis of PBC as demonstrated by the presence of at least 2 of the following 3 diagnostic criteria:
- History of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) elevated above upper limit of normal (ULN) for at least 6 months
- Positive antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) titer or if AMA negative or in low titer (<1:80) PBC specific antibodies (anti-GP210 and/or anti-SP100 and/or antibodies against the major M2 components (PDC-E2, 2-oxo-glutaric acid dehydrogenase complex))
- Previous liver biopsy findings consistent with PBC
-
At least 1 of the following markers of disease severity:
- ALP ≥ 1.67 × ULN
- Total bilirubin > ULN but < 1.5 × ULN
-
In addition, patients must meet the following biochemical criteria at enrollment:
- Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 5 × ULN
- Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × ULN
- INR ≤ ULN
- Taking UDCA for at least 12 months, or for at least 6 months and has reached maximal response to UDCA with a plateau in alkaline phosphatase, with no changes in dose for ≥ 3 months prior to Day 1.
- Patients must weigh at least 40 kg to participate in the study, and must have a body mass index (BMI) within the range of 18 - 40 kg/m2. BMI = Body weight (kg) / [Height (m)]2
Exclusion Criteria:
- Women of child-bearing potential, defined as all women physiologically capable of becoming pregnant, unless they are using highly effective methods of contraception for 30 days before randomization, during dosing and for 30 days following the end of treatment.
-
Presence of other concomitant liver diseases.
- Cirrhosis with complications, including history or presence of:
- Variceal bleed
- Uncontrolled ascites
- Encephalopathy
- Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
- Significant hepatic impairment as defined by Child-Pugh classification of B or C, history of liver transplantation, current placement on a liver transplant list or current Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score ≥15.
- History of conditions that may cause increases in ALP (e.g., Paget's disease).
- Use of investigational drugs, or immunosuppressive drugs at the time of enrollment, or within 5 half-lives, or 30 days of randomization, whichever is longer; or longer if required by local regulations. Use of high dose oral steroids to treat co-morbid conditions (e.g., airways disease) will be allowed but must be properly documented as such in concomitant medications.
- Currently taking obeticholic acid or have taken obeticholic acid within 30 days of randomization
- Previous participation in CLJN452X2201 and received study medication within three months of randomization (or longer if required by local regulations).

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT02516605
United States, California | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Rialto, California, United States, 92377 | |
United States, Florida | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Miami, Florida, United States, 33136 | |
United States, Georgia | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30308 | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Marietta, Georgia, United States, 30060 | |
United States, Illinois | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60612 | |
United States, New York | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Manhasset, New York, United States, 11030 | |
United States, Texas | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Dallas, Texas, United States, 75390 | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
San Antonio, Texas, United States, 78215 | |
United States, Washington | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Seattle, Washington, United States, 98104 | |
Canada, Alberta | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 4N1 | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2B7 | |
Germany | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Hamburg, Germany, 20246 | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Hannover, Germany, 30625 | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Heidelberg, Germany, 69120 | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Muenchen, Germany, 81377 | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Wuerzburg, Germany, 97080 | |
Poland | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Lodz, Poland, 91-347 | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Myslowice, Poland, 41-400 | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Warsaw, Poland, 02-097 | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Wroclaw, Poland, 50-449 | |
Russian Federation | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Moscow, Russian Federation, 117198 | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation, 194044 | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Samara, Russian Federation, 443011 | |
United Kingdom | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom, B15 2TH | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Cambridge, United Kingdom, CB2 2QQ | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Hull, United Kingdom, HU3 2JZ | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
London, United Kingdom, NW3 2PF | |
Novartis Investigative Site | |
Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, NE1 4LP |
Documents provided by Novartis ( Novartis Pharmaceuticals ):
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | Novartis Pharmaceuticals |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT02516605 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
CLJN452X2201 2015-001590-41 ( EudraCT Number ) |
First Posted: | August 6, 2015 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | November 13, 2019 |
Last Update Posted: | January 5, 2021 |
Last Verified: | October 2019 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | Yes |
Plan Description: | Novartis is committed to sharing with qualified external researchers, access to patient-level data and supporting clinical documents from eligible studies. These requests are reviewed and approved by an independent review panel on the basis of scientific merit. All data provided is anonymized to respect the privacy of patients who have participated in the trial in line with applicable laws and regulations. This trial data availability is according to the criteria and process described on www.clinicalstudydatarequest.com |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | Yes |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, PBC Primary Biliary Cholangitis |
Cholangitis Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary Bile Duct Diseases Biliary Tract Diseases Digestive System Diseases Cholestasis, Intrahepatic |
Cholestasis Liver Diseases Liver Cirrhosis Fibrosis Pathologic Processes |