New drug may keep aplastic anemia from returning
NCT ID NCT02979873
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether the drug sirolimus can prevent severe aplastic anemia from coming back after patients stop taking cyclosporine. About 84 people aged 2 and older who have responded to initial treatment will be randomly assigned to either take sirolimus for 3 months or just stop cyclosporine without any new drug. Researchers will monitor blood counts and check for relapse over 5 years.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- sirolimus (Rapamune)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a way to prevent relapse in severe aplastic anemia patients after stopping standard therapy, reducing the need for retreatment.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small Phase 2 trial with only 84 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Sirolimus can cause side effects like infections or kidney issues, and it may not prevent relapse in all patients.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
-
84 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Dec 2016
- Expected to finish
-
Jun 2030
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
A government research agency
The lead sponsor is the US National Institutes of Health.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
2 to 99 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
* INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Age greater than or equal to 2 years old 2. Weight greater than 12 kg 3. Previous diagnosis of SAA by bone marrow biopsy and cytogenetics, treated with lymphodepleting therapy ATG, cyclophosphamide or alemtuzumab that included cyclosporine. The lymphodepleting therapy must have been administered at least 12 months prior. 4. Continuous treatment with cyclosporine for the previous 6 months (excluding minor dose delays not exceeding more than 30 days). 5. Evidence of a hematologic response to an lymphodepletion-based regimen as evidence of at least two of the following: * Absolute neutrophil count greater than or equal to 500/uL * Platelet count greater than or equal to 20,000/uL (without transfusion support) * Absolute reticulocyte count greater than or equal to 60,000/uL (or hemoglobin 10 gm/dL without transfusion support) EXCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Evidence of relapse of aplastic anemia due to cyclosporine withdrawal during the previous 6 months 2. Prior use of sirolimus or other mTOR inhibitor within 12 weeks of study entry 3. Myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia, according to WHO diagnostic criteria (if baseline BM consistent with MDS after enrollment, patients will be considered ineligible and immediately exit the study, and the subject can be replaced with another subject) 4. Patients that are on CYP3A4 inhibitors and cannot replace these medications with other equivalent medications for the period of study: protease inhibitors (ritonavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, saquinavir), some macrolide antibiotics (clarithromycin, telithromycin, erythromycin), azole anti-fungals (fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole), metroclopramide, felodipine, nifedipine, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, grapefruit juice and St. John s Wort. 5. Anaphylactic or hypersensitivity reaction to sirolimus 6. Patients with infections not adequately responding to appropriate therapy as evidenced by persistence of a clear source of infection that, in the view of the investigator, would preclude safe treatment with sirolimus. 7. Current pregnancy, or unwillingness to take oral contraceptives or use the barrier methods of birth control or practice abstinence to refrain from pregnancy if of childbearing potential during the course of the study 8. Lactating women, due to the potentially harmful effects on the nursing child. 9\. Patients who have received live vaccines within the past 30 days 10\. Patients with cancer who are actively receiving chemotherapeutic treatment or who take drugs with hematological effects such as thrombopoietin receptor agonists (such as eltrombopag), granulocyte-colony stimulating factor or erythroid stimulating agents. 11\. Moribund status such that death within 7 to 10 days is likely. Comorbidities of such severity that in the view of the Investigator it would likely preclude the patient's ability to tolerate sirolimus. 12\. Inability to understand the investigational nature of the study or to give informed consent or without a legally authorized representative or surrogate that can provide informed consent.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can a gentler chemo-radiation combo make stem cell transplants safer for blood cancers?
- Half-Matched stem cell transplant offers hope for children with blood disorders
- New transplant approach aims to tame bone marrow failure
- New hope for older adults with rare blood disorder: safer transplant regimen under study
- New drug combo shows promise for rare bone marrow failure