Children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency tend to have elevated circulating levels of androgens, which can accelerate skeletal maturation and adversely impact adult height. Additionally, these children require supraphysiologic doses of hydrocortisone to suppress secretion of adrenal androgen precursors, and this treatment can retard linear growth. This study seeks to use oral abiraterone acetate (Zytiga)as an adjunct to approved CAH therapy (oral hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone) for pre-pubescent children with classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency in order to reduce daily requirement of hydrocortisone. In this Phase 1 study, the investigators will determine the minimum effective dose of abiraterone acetate that normalizes androstenedione levels during the 7-day Treatment Period.
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is an inherited inability to synthesize cortisol in the adrenal gland. More than 90% of cases are cause by deficiency of steroid 21-hydroxylase (CYP21, also termed CYP21A2, P450c21), which is a cytochrome P450 enzyme located in the endoplasmic reticulum. It catalyzes conversion of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) to 11-deoxycortisol, a precursor for cortisol, and progesterone to deoxycorticosterone, a precursor for aldosterone. Aldosterone deficiency may lead to salt wasting with consequent failure to thrive, hypovolemia, shock and if untreated, death in the first few weeks of life. Because patients cannot synthesize cortisol efficiently, the adrenal cortex is stimulated by corticotropin (ACTH) and overproduces cortisol precursors. Some of these precursors are diverted to sex hormone biosynthesis, which may cause signs of androgen excess including ambiguous genitalia in newborn females, rapid postnatal growth in both sexes, and accelerated skeletal maturation and decreased adult height. Patients require supraphysiologic replacement doses of glucocorticoids to suppress the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-driven adrenal androgen synthesis. Excessive glucocorticoids are associated with excessive weight gain and slowing of linear growth. It would be desirable in pre-pubertal children to decrease the exposure to excess glucocorticoids while avoiding the adverse effects of inappropriate exposure to androgens. Abiraterone acetate is a prodrug of abiraterone, an irreversible inhibitor of 17α hydroxylase/C17, 20-lyase (cytochrome P450c17 \[CYP17\]), a key enzyme required for testosterone synthesis. This agent indeed suppresses adrenal androgen secretion in adult women. In this Phase 1 study, the investigators will determine the minimum effective dose of abiraterone acetate that normalizes androstenedione levels during the 7-day Treatment Period.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
4
This is a dose escalation study. Up to 3 successive cohorts of 8 subjects each will receive 7 days of 1, 2 or 4 mg/kg/d of abiraterone acetate, until 7/8 subjects have met the desired endpoint.
Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, United States
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland, United States
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Children's Medical Center
Dallas, Texas, United States
Normalization of Serum Androstenedione Level
The original primary endpoint was the dose of abiraterone acetate that normalized androstenedione to age-appropriate levels in 7/8 subjects after 7 days of treatment. However, an insufficient number of participants was enrolled to evaluate the primary endpoint. Therefore, we have instead presented the number of participants at each dose level who did normalize androstenedione to age-appropriate levels.
Time frame: 7 days
17-hydroxyprogestoerone Levels
Final lab results at Screening and V6. This outcome is not pre-specified in the protocol and was inadvertently added at the time of registration.
Time frame: 7 days
Area Under the Plasma Concentration Versus Time Curve (AUC) of Abiraterone
Sparse pharmacokinetic (PK) will be derived from peak and trough abiraterone levels.
Time frame: 7 days
Peak Plasma Concentration (Cmax)
Sparse pharmacokinetic (PK) will be derived from peak and trough abiraterone levels.
Time frame: 7 days
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