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NCT Number: NCT04661358

Fenofibrate for Prevention of DR Worsening

This randomized trial will evaluate the effect of fenofibrate compared with placebo for prevention of diabetic retinopathy (DR) worsening through 6 years of follow-up in eyes with mild to moderately severe non-proliferative DR (NPDR) and no CI-DME at baseline.

In addition to evaluating efficacy, this study aims to evaluate the feasibility of a model for ophthalmologists to prescribe or collaborate with a primary care provider such as an internist/endocrinologist to prescribe and monitor the drug safely. If this study demonstrates that fenofibrate is effective for reducing the onset of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) or and the results are adopted by the community of retina specialists, a new strategy to prevent vision threatening complications of diabetes could be widely adopted. Widespread use of an oral agent effective at reducing worsening of DR would decrease the numbers of patients who undergo more invasive and much more expensive treatment for DR and who are consequently at risk for side effects that adversely affect visual function. This study will also assess the relationship of glycemic variability, as measured by continuous glucose monitoring with DR outcomes. Ancillary studies will characterize functional and structural outcomes in this cohort.

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This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

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Key information

Conditions

Diabetic Retinopathy Cardiovascular Diseases Diabetes Complications Diabetes Mellitus Diabetic Angiopathies Endocrine System Diseases Eye Diseases Retinal Diseases Vascular Diseases

Age range

18 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 3

Primary location

Kent W. Small, MD, AMC, Glendale, California, United States

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Key Inclusion Criteria

  • Age ≥18 years and < 80 years.
  • Type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
  • At least one eye with the following:
  • Mild to moderately severe NPDR (defined by ETDRS DR severity level 35 to 47), confirmed by central Reading Center grading of fundus photographs.
  • Best-corrected E-ETDRS visual acuity letter score of ≥74 (approximate Snellen equivalent 20/32 or better). If best corrected letter score is 74-78, investigator must verify that vision loss is not due to the presence of CI-DME, cataract, or other condition that may affect visual acuity during the course of the study.
  • If only one eye is eligible, the non-study eye must have at least microaneurysms only (DR severity level 20)

Key Exclusion Criteria

Eye-level exclusion criteria (the eye is ineligible if any of the following is met):

  • Current CI-DME based on clinical exam or OCT central subfield thickness (CST)
  • Zeiss Cirrus: CST ≥290 µm in women or ≥ 305 µm in men
  • Heidelberg Spectralis: CST ≥305 µm in women or ≥320 µm in men
  • Any prior treatment for DME or DR, other than focal/grid laser. If the eye has a history of focal/grid laser, it must be at least 12 months prior.
  • History of intraocular anti-VEGF or corticosteroid treatment within the prior year for any indication

Participant-level exclusion criterion (the participant is ineligible if the following criterion is met):

  • Decreased renal function, defined as requiring dialysis or central laboratory eGFR value < 45 mL/min/1.73 m2

Treatment and study plan

fenofibrate

Drug

Participants begin with a dose of either 160mg or 54mg fenofibrate, based on eGFR value at screening, taken once daily with food. The dose may be adjusted during follow-up based on protocol guidelines.

Placebo

Other

Participants begin with a dose of either 160mg or 54mg placebo, based on eGFR value at screening, taken once daily with food. The dose may be adjusted during follow-up based on protocol guidelines.

Primary outcomes

  1. Worsening of diabetic retinopathy

    Time frame: 6- years

    Defined as

    • 2 or more step worsening on Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) diabetic retinopathy severity on fundus photographs.
    • Development of neovascularization within the 7-modified ETDRS fields on fluorescein angiography.
    • Intraocular procedure undertaken to treat diabetic retinopathy including panretinal photocoagulation, intraocular anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, corticosteroid, or vitrectomy.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Intraocular procedure undertaken to treat diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema including PRP, intraocular anti-VEGF, corticosteroid, focal/grid laser or vitrectomy

    Time frame: 6 years

  2. Development of CI-DME

    Time frame: 6 years

    Defined as, either 1) at least a 10% increase in OCT central subfield thickness from baseline, OCT central subfield thickness greater than sex and machine-specific threshold values (Zeiss Cirrus: CST ≥290 µm in women or ≥ 305 µm in men; Heidelberg Spectralis: CST ≥305 µm in women or ≥320 µm in men), and Investigator determination that thickening cannot be attributed to any cause other than CI-DME, or 2)Intraocular DME treatment including focal/grid laser, intraocular anti-VEGF, intraocular corticosteroid, or vitrectomy

  3. Development of center-involved diabetic macular edema with vision loss

    Time frame: 6 years

    Defined as either 1) an increase in OCT central subfield thickness of 10% or more from baseline, OCT central subfield thickness greater than sex and machine-specific threshold values (Zeiss Cirrus: CST ≥290 µm in women or ≥ 305 µm in men; Heidelberg Spectralis: CST ≥305 µm in women or ≥320 µm in men), investigator determination that thickening cannot be attributed to any cause other than DME, and a decrease in visual acuity from baseline of 10 or more letters at a single visit or 5 to 9 letters at 2 consecutive visits at least 21 days apart with vision loss presumed to be from DME, intraocular DME or 2) treatment including focal/grid laser, anti-VEGF, corticosteroid injection, or vitrectomy

  4. Visual acuity loss from any cause

    Time frame: 6 years

    Defined as a decrease in visual acuity from baseline of 10 or more letters at a single visit or a 5 to 9-letter decrease at 2 consecutive visits at least 21 days apart regardless of whether vision loss is presumed to be from DME or any other cause

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Jaeb Center for Health Research

Other

Collaborators

  • Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
  • National Eye Institute (NEI)
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Roche Pharma AG
  • The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust

Registry information

Official study title

A Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating Fenofibrate for Prevention of Diabetic Retinopathy Worsening

Acronym: Protocol AF

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2029
Study completion
2029
First posted
Dec 10, 2020
Registry last updated
Jun 29, 2026

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

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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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