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Disulfiram in Recurrent Glioblastoma

Study Purpose

Disulfiram (Antabuse®) is a well-tolerated, cheap, generic drug that has been in use since the 1950s to treat alcoholism. There is now an increasing amount of independent preclinical data to support disulfiram as an anticancer agent. The potency of disulfiram as an anticancer agent seems strengthened by copper. The investigators aim is to investigate disulfiram and copper-supplement as add-on treatment in glioblastoma patients with recurrence receiving alkylating chemotherapy.

Recruitment Criteria

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Healthy volunteers are participants who do not have a disease or condition, or related conditions or symptoms

No
Study Type

An interventional clinical study is where participants are assigned to receive one or more interventions (or no intervention) so that researchers can evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or health-related outcomes.


An observational clinical study is where participants identified as belonging to study groups are assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.


Searching Both is inclusive of interventional and observational studies.

Interventional
Eligible Ages 18 Years and Over
Gender All
More Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. A previous diagnosis of glioblastoma (histologically verified) and presenting with a first progression/recurrence documented by MRI. 2. Indication for treatment with chemotherapeutic alkylating agents (i.e. temozolomide OR lomustine including PCV treatment). 3. Age 18 years or older. 4. Karnofsky performance status of 60
  • - 100 .
5. Not receiving another experimental treatment for glioblastoma at the moment of inclusion or during active treatment within the assigned group (i.e. control or disulfiram group). 6. Able to take oral medications. 7. No known allergy to disulfiram or copper. 8. Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mcL and platelets ≥ 100,000/mcL. 9. Serum/plasma copper and serum ceruloplasmin within institutional limits. a. However increased levels are seen together with ongoing acute phase reaction as determined by elevated C-reactive protein (ceruloplasmin is elevated as part of the same process) it is possible to retest after normalization of C-reactive protein. 10. Willing to refrain from ingestion of alcoholic beverages while on the study is a criteria to be randomized. However, once randomized alcohol abstinence only affects the group treated with disulfiram, and in this group it includes the entire period and one month after last dosage of disulfiram.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Earlier treatment for progression (e.g. "rescue therapy") 2. History of idiopathic seizure disorder, psychosis or schizophrenia. 3. History of uncontrolled hypertension (i.e. systolic BP > 180 mmHg) and a diagnosis of congestive heart failure. 4. Received radiotherapy within the 3 months before the diagnosis of progression . 5. Addiction to alcohol or drugs. 6. Pregnant and/or breastfeeding. 7. Women of childbearing potential who do not have negative pregnancy test not older than 14 days before enrollment. 8. History of active liver disease, including chronic active hepatitis, viral hepatitis (hepatitis B, C and CMV), cholestatic jaundice of any etiology or toxic hepatitis or inadequate hepatic function, defined as baseline ASAT and ALAT > 2.5 X upper institutional limit and/or bilirubin > 2.0 X upper institutional limit. 9. History of Wilson's disease or family member with Wilson's disease (unless excluded as a carrier by genetic test). 10. History of hemochromatosis or family member with hemochromatosis (unless excluded as a carrier by genetic test). 11. Nickel hypersensitivity (disulfiram mobilize nickel causing a brief increase in nickel concentrations before excretion. The initial increase may lead to hepatitis and predisposed patients). 12. Need for metronidazole, warfarin and/or theophylline medication (the metabolism may be influenced by disulfiram). 13. Patients who are taking medications metabolized by cytochrome P450 2E1, including chlorzoxazone or halothane and its derivatives (phenytoin, phenobarbital, chlordiazepoxide, imipramine, diazepam, isoniazid, metronidazole, warfarin, amitriptyline within 14 days prior to the first dose of disulfiram. Of note, lorazepam and oxazepam are not affected by the P450 system and are not contraindicated with disulfiram). 14. Unfit for participation for any other reason judged by the including physician.

Trial Details

Trial ID:

This trial id was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, providing information on publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants with locations in all 50 States and in 196 countries.

NCT02678975
Phase

Phase 1: Studies that emphasize safety and how the drug is metabolized and excreted in humans.

Phase 2: Studies that gather preliminary data on effectiveness (whether the drug works in people who have a certain disease or condition) and additional safety data.

Phase 3: Studies that gather more information about safety and effectiveness by studying different populations and different dosages and by using the drug in combination with other drugs.

Phase 4: Studies occurring after FDA has approved a drug for marketing, efficacy, or optimal use.

Phase 2/Phase 3
Lead Sponsor

The sponsor is the organization or person who oversees the clinical study and is responsible for analyzing the study data.

Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Principal Investigator

The person who is responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the entire clinical study.

Asgeir S Jakola, MD, PhD
Principal Investigator Affiliation Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Agency Class

Category of organization(s) involved as sponsor (and collaborator) supporting the trial.

Other
Overall Status Completed
Countries Norway, Sweden
Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied.

Glioma, Glioblastoma
Additional Details

Disulfiram (Antabuse®) is a well-tolerated, cheap, generic drug that has been in use since the 1950s to treat alcoholism. There is now an increasing amount of independent preclinical data to support disulfiram as an anticancer agent. The potency of disulfiram as an anticancer agent seems strengthened by copper. There is now anecdotal clinical evidence of disulfiram as an anticancer agent. So far no clinical studies have been published in glioma patients, but two small, uncontrolled studies are planned according to clinicaltrials.gov. with search 1st November 2015. The investigators aim to investigate disulfiram and copper-supplement as add-on treatment in glioblastoma patients with recurrence receiving alkylating chemotherapy. The study will be performed as a multicenter RCT including patients in Norway and Sweden. This will serve as a proof-of concept study. The primary end-point is survival at 6 months

Arms & Interventions

Arms

Active Comparator: Control

Alkylating chemotherapy

Experimental: Experimental

Alkylating chemotherapy + disulfiram + copper

Interventions

Drug: - Disulfiram

Disulfiram 400 mg daily

Dietary Supplement: - Copper

nutritional supplement with copper, 2 mg daily

Drug: - Alkylating Agents

Alkylating antineoplastic agent

Contact a Trial Team

If you are interested in learning more about this trial, find the trial site nearest to your location and contact the site coordinator via email or phone. We also strongly recommend that you consult with your healthcare provider about the trials that may interest you and refer to our terms of service below.

International Sites

Trondheim, Norway

Status

Address

Cancer Clinic, St.Olavs University Hospital

Trondheim, ,

Gothenburg, Sweden

Status

Address

Dept. of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Gothenburg, ,

Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden

Status

Address

Ryhov County Hospital

Jönköping, ,

Linköping University Hospital, Linkoping, Sweden

Status

Address

Linköping University Hospital

Linkoping, ,

Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden

Status

Address

Lund University Hospital

Lund, ,

Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

Status

Address

Karolinska University Hospital

Stockholm, ,

Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden

Status

Address

Uppsala University Hospital

Uppsala, ,

Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden

Status

Address

Örebro University Hospital

Örebro, ,