Use of the Synthetic Hormone CDB-2914 in Treating Symptoms of Menopause

Postmenopause Clinical Trial

Official title: Biologic Activity of a Selective Progesterone Receptor Modulator, CDB-2914, in Post-Menopausal Women

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

This study will examine the safety and effectiveness of a synthetic hormone, CDB-2914, for treating symptoms of menopause. It will compare the effects of estrogen and CDB-2914 with those of estrogen and progesterone in postmenopausal women. The study will also evaluate whether CDB-2914 affects adrenal gland function. CDB-2914 is chemically similar to cortisol, a hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands and regulates the body's response to stresses, such as infection or injury.

Healthy women volunteers between the ages of 45 and 70 who have not had a menstrual period for over a year, are not currently taking hormone replacement therapy, do not smoke and have not had a hysterectomy may be eligible for this study. Candidates will provide a medical history and have a physical examination, including a breast and pelvic exam. They will also provide a blood sample, have a mammogram and pap smear, and be instructed in dietary sources and/or supplements required to be sure they consume at least 1,000 mg. of calcium each day.

Participants will be randomly assigned to take: a) estrogen plus CDB-2914, b) estrogen plus progesterone, or c) estrogen plus a placebo (look-alike tablet with no active ingredient) daily by mouth for 6 weeks. During the study period, they will keep a record of any symptoms, vaginal bleeding, and other medicines they take. They will return to the NIH Clinical Center weekly for blood tests and to fill out a questionnaire on mood, appetite, sleep patterns, menopausal symptoms, and other quality of life issues. At the 6-week visit, participants will:

• Bring a 24-hour urine collection

• Have a vaginal ultrasound to evaluate the effects of the medication on the thickness of the endometrium (lining of the uterus)

• Bring all bottles of study medication for a pill count

• Discuss any unusual or troubling symptoms with the study nurse or physician

A final visit will be scheduled 1 to 3 weeks after the 6-week visit, when participants will turn in their calendar of daily symptoms and return unused progesterone pills.

Clinical Trial Description

Doctors recommend hormone replacement therapy to postmenopausal women as treatment for symptoms of estrogen-deficiency. However, many women do not take hormone replacement therapy because of side effects. In women with an intact uterus, estrogen must be given with progesterone to prevent overgrowth of the lining of the uterus. Side effects from progesterone may cause women to discontinue hormone replacement therapy.

Compounds that are similar to naturally occurring hormones have been synthesized and studied for their ability to block or simulate the action of sex steroids such as estrogen and progesterone. The development of this class of compounds, called selective hormone receptor modulators, may provide new treatments that are targeted to specific organs or tissues. One example is the selective estrogen receptor modulator raloxifene, which blocks estrogen action at the uterus, and acts like estrogen at the bone. Raloxifene has been approved for use in post-menopausal women as a form of hormone replacement therapy and a treatment for osteoporosis. It provides many of estrogen's benefits without stimulating the uterine lining and thus may be taken without a progestin.

This study evaluates the selective progesterone receptor modulator CDB-2914, a man-made hormone. Other progesterone receptor modulators have been shown to block estrogen's stimulating effect on the uterus in monkeys. If CDB-2914 has this effect in menopausal women, it may provide a new approach to hormone replacement therapy. In women studied at the NIH, single doses of CDB-2914 slowed uterine development or induced menses, depending on when it was given during the menstrual cycle. Like raloxifene, CDB-2914 has the potential for use in hormone replacement therapy, but to date the effects of its chronic administration have not been studied. This study aims to evaluate the safety and the physiologic and endocrine effects of chronic oral administration of CDB-2914 in postmenopausal women. All study subjects will receive daily oral estrogen and either CDB-2914, progesterone or a placebo to evaluate whether CDB-2914 blocks or enhances the usual effects of hormone replacement therapy on the uterine lining, lipid levels, clotting factors, bone turnover, hot flashes and quality of life. Weekly blood measurements, quality of life questionnaires, pre- and post-treatment ultrasound examinations of the uterus and a single biopsy of the uterine lining will be performed on all study subjects to assess these endpoints. ;

Study Design

Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Postmenopause

• NCT number: NCT00009659
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: January 2001
• Completion date: December 2001