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NCT Number: NCT05051657

Evaluation of the Express Plus Range

A prospective, open label, acceptability study to evaluate PKU, MSUD, HCU, TYR and GA express plus in the dietary management of 40 patients with IEM. The following parameters will be assessed: adherence to prescribed dietary intakes, palatability, usability, gastrointestinal tolerance, clinically relevant routine biochemical parameters, timeframe to transition and contribution of the express plus range to overall protein substitute intake over a 28 day period.

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Key information

Conditions

Phenylketonurias Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors Brain Diseases Brain Diseases, Metabolic Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn Central Nervous System Diseases Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities Connective Tissue Diseases Genetic Diseases, Inborn Glutaric Acidemia I Hereditary Tyrosinemia Homocystinuria Hyperhomocysteinemia Maple Syrup Urine Disease Metabolic Diseases Metabolism, Inborn Errors Nervous System Diseases Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases PKU Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases Tyrosinemias

Age range

3 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, Belfast, United Kingdom

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About this study

This is a prospective acceptability study of the express plus range in 40 participants aged at least three years of age for the dietary management of IEM (PKU, MSUD, HCU, TYR and GA ).

The study will involve a Transition Period where patients will build-up to at least one sachet of express plus per day. During the Transition Period, daily intake of express plus and the patient's other PS will be recorded, including the time taken to consume.

The Transition Period will last a maximum of 6 weeks, after which the patient will enter a 28-day Evaluation Period. During the Evaluation Period, patients will continue to record intakes, as well as GI tolerance and a final evaluation of the product's palatability and usability. Some patients, likely adults, will not require a transition from their original protein substitute to at least one sachet of express plus. These patients can enter the Evaluation Period directly.

The end of the 4-week Evaluation Period is defined as the participant's End of Study. Following this, participants will be followed up as per standard of care. Some of this standard of care data may be relayed to the sponsor for a maximum of 26 weeks. This will last for a maximum of 26 weeks and will involve the collection of routine phe and tyrosine levels, as well as amount of PS prescribed and taken. Information will also be collected from patients regarding the reasons for the success or indeed failure of transition to PKU express plus. This data will come from routine clinical contact and will be recorded by the HCP, rather than by the patient.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of PKU or associated disorder for example, Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) deficiency, requiring a low protein diet and Phe-free L-amino acid supplements (protein substitute).
  • Established on PKU express or an equivalent protein substitute
  • In the opinion of the study investigator, the participant is able to take the study product and meets at least one of the following criteria:
  • taking an age inappropriate protein substitute
  • struggling with adherence to current protein substitute
  • delayed in transitioning
  • Aged 3 years and above
  • Willingly given, written, informed consent from patient or parent/guardian.
  • Willingly given, written assent (if appropriate).

Exclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of persistent hyperphenylalaninaemia, or mild PKU not requiring dietary intervention with a low protein diet and protein substitute.
  • Patients who are tube-fed.
  • Individuals, who in the opinion of the investigator, are unable to comply with the requirements of the protocol.
  • Any co-morbidity/condition which in the opinion of the Investigator, would preclude participation in the study.
  • Patients who are currently participating in, plan to participate in, or have participated in an interventional investigational drug, food or medical device trial within 30 days prior to screening.
  • Use of additional macro/micronutrient supplements during the study period, unless clinically indicated and prescribed by the investigator (must be recorded in patient case record file).
  • Women who are pregnant / breastfeeding at the start of the study or planning to become pregnant during the study period. (N.B.: Women who become pregnant unexpectedly during this study may, in consultation with their doctor, continue on the study's dietary product if they wish but will not have any investigations that would not normally be carried out during pregnancy.)
  • Those with allergies to fish, milk or soya.

Treatment and study plan

PKU express plus

Dietary Supplement

PKU express plus is a powdered protein substitute for the dietary management of PKU. It is formulated in a variety of flavours to provide a convenient, low volume, lower calorie, pre-measured protein substitute, containing a full micronutrient profile.

Primary outcomes

  1. Questionnaire of self-reported adherence to the prescribed amount of study product

    Time frame: Days 1-28

    Participants will record the amount of PKU express taken each day compared to the amount recommended by their dietitian

  2. Transition time

    Time frame: Transition period Weeks 1-6 (maximum)

    Time taken for participants to transition from their current diet to the inclusion of one sachet of PKU express plus per day

  3. Change in gastrointestinal tolerance from week 1 to week 4

    Time frame: Days 1-7 and days 21-28

    Participants will self-report any gastrointestinal symptoms experience over the course of the study in daily study diaries

  4. Product acceptability rated on a Likert scale by the patient after 28-day intake

    Time frame: Visit 2 (end of 28 day evaluation period)

    Participants will answer questions relating to PKU express plus' palatability and ease of use following the end of study

  5. Change in general neophobia

    Time frame: Visit 1 (Day 1) and Visit 2 (end of 28 day evaluation period)

    Participants to complete general neophobia questionnaire at baseline and end of study to compare results

  6. Change in food neophobia

    Time frame: Visit 1 (Day 1) and Visit 2 (end of 28 day evaluation period)

    Participants to complete food neophobia questionnaire at baseline and end of study to compare results

  7. Nutritional suitability: change Phenylalanine levels

    Time frame: Visit 1 until visit 2 (day 28)

    PKU express plus' nutritional suitability will be assessed by evaluating Phenylalanine levels recorded as part of routine care

  8. Nutritional suitability: change Tyrosine levels

    Time frame: Visit 1 until visit 2 (day 28)

    PKU express plus' nutritional suitability will be assessed by evaluating Tyrosine levels recorded as part of routine care

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Vitaflo International, Ltd

Industry

Registry information

Official study title

A Study To Evaluate The Acceptability Of the Express Plus Range, Foods For Special Medical Purposes (FSMP), In Children And Adults With Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEM)

Acronym: express plus

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2026
First posted
Sep 21, 2021
Registry last updated
May 18, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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