Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT06350461

Impact of Discontinuing Hypertonic Saline in People With CF on Highly Effective CFTR Modulators- A SIMPLIFY Sub-Study

Despite the increasingly common use of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapies in treating cystic fibrosis (CF), it is still largely unknown whether or not other chronic therapies can be safely stopped. This SIMPLIFY sub-study is being done to test whether or not it is safe to stop taking inhaled hypertonic saline in those people that are also taking elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI).

ETI is a combination CFTR modulator therapy that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for people with CF who have at least one F508del mutation. The three drugs that make up ETI work together to allow many more chloride ions to move into and out of the cells, improving the balance of salt and water in the lungs. These changes result in better clearance of mucus from the lungs and improvements in lung function.

Inhaled hypertonic saline (HS) also improves clearance of mucus from the lungs to support lung function and has been available to people with CF for many years. HS is considered to be relatively burdensome and it is not known whether HS can improve or maintain lung function above what is already gained through ETI use.

The goal of this SIMPLIFY sub-study is to get information about whether or not it is safe to stop hypertonic saline by testing if there is a change in lung function in participants with cystic fibrosis (CF) who are assigned to stop taking HS as compared to those who are assigned to keep taking HS while continuing to take ETI.

This is a sub study of master protocol SIMPLIFY-IP-19, NCT04378153.

The sub study investigating the impact of discontinuing and continuing dornase alfa is registered under NCTXXXXXXX (will add once available).

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Cystic Fibrosis Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities Digestive System Diseases Genetic Diseases, Inborn Infant, Newborn, Diseases Lung Diseases Pancreatic Diseases Respiratory Tract Diseases

Age range

12 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Loading trial locations.

About this study

This SIMPLIFY sub-study (Hypertonic Saline (HS) Trial) is designed to evaluate the effects of discontinuing HS in people with cystic fibrosis (CF) age 12 and older currently taking the highly effective modulator elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI). This is an open label two-arm randomized non-inferiority trial consisting of a 2-week screening period, randomization to continue or discontinue hypertonic saline, followed by a 6-week study period. Participants at trial entry will be randomized 1:1 to either continue or discontinue their HS therapy.

Clinical outcomes (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1], antibiotic use, pulmonary exacerbations, and patient reported outcomes), safety (adverse events) and patient reported outcomes to evaluate respiratory symptoms and the participant's perception of how stopping HS would impact their daily life will be evaluated in all subjects. Additionally, a subset of participants at selected study sites will participate in Multiple Breath Washout (MBW) to evaluate changes in lung clearance index (LCI).

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of CF.
  • Age ≥ 12 years at the Screening Visit.
  • Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) ≥ 70 % predicted at the Screening Visit if < 18 years old, and ≥ 60 % predicted at Screening Visit if ≥ 18 years old.
  • Clinically stable with no significant changes in health status within the 7 days prior to and including the Screening Visit.
  • Current treatment with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) for at least the 90 days prior to and including the Screening Visit and willing to continue daily use for the duration of the study.
  • Currently taking hypertonic saline (at least 3%) for at least the 90 days prior to and including the Screening Visit and willing to continue daily use for the 2-week screening period.

Exclusion criteria

  • Active smoking or vaping.
  • Use of an investigational drug within 28 days prior to and including the Screening Visit.
  • Changes to chronic therapy (e.g., ibuprofen, azithromycin, inhaled tobramycin, aztreonam lysine) within 28 days prior to and including the Screening Visit. This includes new airway clearance routines.
  • Acute use of antibiotics (oral, inhaled or IV) or acute use of systemic corticosteroids for respiratory tract symptoms within 7 days prior to and including the Screening Visit.
  • Chronic use of systemic corticosteroids at a dose equivalent to ≥ 10mg per day of prednisone within 28 days prior to and including the Screening Visit.
  • Antibiotic treatment for nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) within 28 days prior to and including the Screening Visit.

Treatment and study plan

Discontinuation of hypertonic saline (HS)

Other

Discontinuation of current hypertonic saline (HS) therapy during 6-week study period.

Continuation of hypertonic saline (HS)

Other

Continuation of current hypertonic saline (HS) therapy during 6-week study period. Therapy is taken at least once daily according to each participant's pre-existing, clinically prescribed regimen (e.g., daily, twice daily). The concentration of HS is according to clinical prescription (e.g., 7% sodium chloride or 3.5% sodium chloride) and at least 3%.

Primary outcomes

  1. Absolute Change in FEV1 % Predicted From Week 0 to Week 6

    Time frame: Week 0 to Week 6

    Difference between study arms (discontinue - continue) in the absolute change in FEV1 % predicted from Week 0 to Week 6.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Absolute Change in LCI 2.5 From Baseline to Week 6

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0 or Week -2) to Week 6

    Difference between study arms (discontinue - continue) in the absolute change in LCI 2.5 (Lung Clearance Index) from Baseline (Week 0, if available, or else Week -2) to Week 6. LCI 2.5 is the number of times the volume in the lungs needs to turn over to expel an inert gas. A higher value of LCI 2.5 indicates poorer lung function.

  2. Absolute Change in Respiratory Symptoms, as Measured by the CF Respiratory Symptoms Diary-Chronic Respiratory Infection Symptom Severity Score (CRISS) From Week 0 to Week 6

    Time frame: Week 0 to Week 6

    Difference between study arms (discontinue - continue) in the absolute change in respiratory symptoms, as measured by the CF Respiratory Symptoms Diary-Chronic Respiratory Infection Symptom Severity Score (CRISS) from Week 0 to Week 6. The Cystic Fibrosis Respiratory Symptoms Daily Diary (CFRSD) asks a participant to state the extent of their 8 respiratory symptoms: difficulty breathing, feverishness, tiredness, chills or sweats, coughing, coughing up mucus, tightness in the chest and wheezing. Each respiratory symptom is assigned a score from 0-4 based on the response, with zero corresponding to the absence of the symptom and four corresponding to symptom being present 'a great deal' or 'extremely'. A summed score (range from 0-24) is calculated for each participant and converted to a final score with a range of 0 to 100, where the lowest scores indicate improvement of symptoms. Calculation of a score requires responses for at least 7 out of 8 symptoms.

  3. Absolute Change in Respiratory Symptoms, as Measured by CFQ-R Respiratory Domain From Week 0 to Week 6

    Time frame: Week 0 to Week 6

    Difference between study arms (discontinue - continue) in the absolute change in respiratory symptoms, as measured by the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised Respiratory Domain Score from Week 0 to Week 6. The Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire - Revised asks participants 6 questions related to respiratory symptoms which are each assigned a score 1-4. The Respiratory Domain Scaled Score is calculated as follows: 100*[{sum of responses}/{number of responses}-1]/3 only if number of responses ≥ 3; otherwise the score is set to missing. The scaled score ranges from 0 to 100 where higher scores indicate improvement of symptoms.

  4. Absolute Change in FEV1 % Predicted From Week -2 to Week 0

    Time frame: Week -2 to Week 0

    Difference between study arms (discontinue - continue) in the absolute change in FEV1 % predicted from Week -2 to Week 0.

  5. Absolute Change in FEV1 % Predicted From Week 0 to Week 2

    Time frame: Week 0 to Week 2

    Difference between study arms (discontinue - continue) in the absolute change in FEV1 % predicted from Week 0 to Week 2.

  6. Number and Percent of Participants Initiating Acute Antibiotics From Week 0 to Week 6

    Time frame: Week 0 to Week 6

    Difference between study arms (discontinue - continue) in the percent of subjects initiating acute oral, inhaled or intravenous antibiotics from Week 0 to Week 6. Includes antibiotics initiated for respiratory indications; excludes those taken as part of a chronic cycled regimen or for a UTI, skin infection, etc.

  7. Number and Percent of Participants Hospitalized From Week 0 to Week 6

    Time frame: Week 0 to Week 6

    Difference between study arms (discontinue - continue) in the percent of subjects hospitalized from Week 0 to Week 6.

  8. Number and Percent of Participants Experiencing Pulmonary Exacerbations From Week 0 to Week 6

    Time frame: Week 0 to Week 6

    Difference between study arms (discontinue - continue) in the percent of subjects experiencing a pulmonary exacerbation from Week 0 to Week 6. Pulmonary exacerbations defined using Fuchs criteria.

  9. Number and Percent of Participants Experiencing Adverse Events (AEs) From Week 0 to Week 6

    Time frame: Week 0 to Week 6

    Difference between study arms (discontinue - continue) in the percent of participants with at least one AE from Week 0 to Week 6. Includes serious and non-serious AEs.

  10. Rate of Adverse Events (AEs) From Week 0 to Week 6 Therapy Arms

    Time frame: Week 0 to Week 6

    Comparison of study arms (discontinue/continue) in the rate of AE occurrence (number of events divided by total follow-up weeks in each arm) from Week 0 to Week 6. Includes serious and non-serious AEs.

  11. Number and Percent of Participants With Temporary or Permanent Changes From Assigned Therapy Regimen Due to Adverse Event From Week 0 to Week 6

    Time frame: Week 0 to Week 6

    Difference between study arms (discontinue - continue) in the percent of subjects temporarily or permanently changing their assigned therapy regimen due to an adverse event Week 0 to Week 6

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Nicole Hamblett

Other

Collaborators

  • Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
  • Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
  • University of Washington

Registry information

Official study title

A Master Protocol to Test the Impact of Discontinuing Chronic Therapies in People With Cystic Fibrosis on Highly Effective CFTR Modulator Therapy - Hypertonic Saline

Acronym: SIMPLIFY-HS

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Apr 5, 2024
Registry last updated
Oct 1, 2024

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.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.