Phase IIa Study of Fomepizole for Acetaldehyde Toxicity After Ethanol Exposure in Subjects With Altered Ethanol Metabolism

Summary

This trial will evaluate if fomepizole (4-methylpyrazole) can treat symptoms associated with alcohol intolerance due to aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) deficiency, an inherited metabolic disorder. These symptoms include flushing, nausea, headache, shortness of breath and dizziness, resulting from exposure to acetaldehyde, the primary metabolite of ethanol. Long-term, serious health risks have been associated with repeated exposure to acetaldehyde, a carcinogen, among ALDH2-deficient individuals.

Timeline

Start

2008-04

Primary completion

2008-06

Completion

2008-06

Publications

• Background Inoue K, Fukunaga M, Kiriyama T, Komura S. Accumulation of acetaldehyde in alcohol-sensitive Japanese: relation to ethanol and acetaldehyde oxidizing capacity. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1984 May-Jun;8(3):319-22. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1984.tb05519.x.
• Background Inoue K, Kera Y, Kiriyama T, Komura S. Suppression of acetaldehyde accumulation by 4-methylpyrazole in alcohol-hypersensitive Japanese. Jpn J Pharmacol. 1985 May;38(1):43-8. doi: 10.1254/jjp.38.43.
• Background Tardif R, Liu L, Raizenne M. Exhaled ethanol and acetaldehyde in human subjects exposed to low levels of ethanol. Inhal Toxicol. 2004 Apr;16(4):203-7. doi: 10.1080/08958370490277272.
• Background Yokoyama T, Yokoyama A, Kato H, Tsujinaka T, Muto M, Omori T, Haneda T, Kumagai Y, Igaki H, Yokoyama M, Watanabe H, Yoshimizu H. Alcohol flushing, alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase genotypes, and risk for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Japanese men. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2003 Nov;12(11 Pt 1):1227-33.

Drugs

Indications

No indication recorded.