A Phase I, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Study of Safety, Tolerability, and Bioeffects of Alirocumab in Non-treatment Seeking Heavy Drinkers
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Summary
Background: Drinking alcohol can lead to swelling and injury in the liver. Long-term heavy drinking may lead to liver disease. Researchers want to study the relationship between a drug called alirocumab, alcohol use, and liver functioning/swelling. Objective: To study the effects of alirocumab in people who drink alcohol. Eligibility: Healthy adults ages 21 to 65 who regularly consume an average of 20 or more drinks per week. Design: Participants will be screened under protocol 14-AA-0181. Participants will get alirocumab or a placebo as an injection under the skin. Participants will give blood and urine samples. They will have physical exams. Participants will have FibroScans . It measures liver and spleen stiffness. Participants will lie on a table. They will expose the lower right and left side of their chest. The machine will send a small vibration to the liver. Participants may have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the liver. The MRI scanner is shaped like a cylinder. Participants will lie on a table that slides in and out of the scanner. A device called a coil will be placed over their liver. Participants will have a Doppler scan and ultrasound. These tests measure blood flow in the body. Participants will have an electrocardiogram. It measures heart function. Participants will fill out surveys about how they are feeling, their alcohol consumption, and other behaviors. They will complete cognitive tasks on a computer. Participants will meet with a clinician. They will discuss the participant s assessment results, patterns of drinking, and possibly stopping or cutting down on drinking. Participation will last for 8 weeks. Participants will have 9 study visits.
Description
Study Description: The PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab has been recently shown to attenuate alcohol-induced hepatic triglyceride accumulation, hepatocellular injury and hepatic inflammation in a rat model of chronic alcohol exposure. Given the unmet clinical need for novel treatment options for alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), we are proposing to conduct a safety and tolerability study of alirocumab in this new target population. We hypothesize that alirocumab will be well tolerated and safe in this new target population and alirocumab will attenuate alcohol-induced liver damage and inflam…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 21–65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
* INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Male or female between the age of 21 and 65 years. 2. Ability to provide written informed consent. 3. Females: Negative urine pregnancy test, not currently breastfeeding, agree to abstain or use accepted form of contraception including use of oral contraceptives; use of barrier method of contraceptive, such as condoms; use of an approved IUD or other long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC); have a male sexual partner who is surgically sterilized; or have exclusively female sexual partner(s). Males: Agree to abstain or use accepted form of contraception…
Interventions
- DrugAlirocumab
Alirocumab is a human monoclonal antibody (IgG1) that binds to and inhibits PCSK9 and was approved by the FDA in July of 2015. PCSK9 binds to and promotes degradation of low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLR) on hepatocyte membranes.
- OtherPlacebo
Heavy drinking healthy volunteers
Location
- National Institutes of Health Clinical CenterBethesda, Maryland