Safety and Effectiveness of 11b-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 Inhibitor (AZD4017) to Treat Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension.

Summary

Assessing the safety and effectiveness of a 11-βhydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 inhibitor (AZD4017), in a placebo controlled trial, in acute idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) IIH is a condition of young, overweight women with characteristic raised intracranial pressure (pressure around the brain) leading to papilloedema (swelling of the nerve supplying the eye), visual loss and headaches. Medical literature (Cochrane review) demonstrates there is little evidence for the treatments used for IIH. Weight control appears the most effective method of improving symptoms but weight loss is difficult to maintain. 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) is an enzyme which regulates local steroid levels and our previous research suggests it may influence the production of brain fluid(cerebrospinal fluid or CSF). 11β-HSD1 levels fall with weight loss and this is associated with with decreased intracranial pressure. Our primary outcome is to determine whether AZD4017, an inhibitor of 11β-HSD1, will reduce the pressure in the brain and as a consequence improve IIH. Patients are eligible to enter the study if they are between 18-55 years old with acute (\<6 months) IIH, signs of active disease (papilloedema and raised CSF pressure (\>25 cmH20)), no other major illnesses and have no plans for pregnancy during the study period. This is an MRC funded single centre, phase II, double-blinded, randomised control drug trial. It will be conducted at the University Hospital Birmingham and the University of Birmingham will act as Sponsor. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to AZD4017 or a placebo ('dummy' with no active drug) for 3 months with a follow up a month later. Investigations during the study will include bloods, urine samples, pregnancy tests, lumbar punctures, DXA scans and small fat/skin biopsies. Participants will benefit from increased monitoring and a potential improvement in their condition. We hypothesise that specific inhibition of 11β-HSD1 will decrease intracranial pressure and consequently treat patients with IIH, thus opening a new and entirely novel therapeutic avenue.

Timeline

Start

2014-04-25

Primary completion

2016-12-19

Completion

2016-12-19

Publications

• Gomez C, Alimajstorovic Z, Othonos N, Winter DV, White S, Lavery GG, Tomlinson JW, Sinclair AJ, Odermatt A. Identification of a human blood biomarker of pharmacological 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 inhibition. Br J Pharmacol. 2024 Mar;181(5):698-711. doi: 10.1111/bph.16251. Epub 2023 Oct 19.
• Grech O, Seneviratne SY, Alimajstorovic Z, Yiangou A, Mitchell JL, Smith TB, Mollan SP, Lavery GG, Ludwig C, Sinclair AJ. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Metabolomics in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension to Identify Markers of Disease and Headache. Neurology. 2022 Oct 17;99(16):e1702-e1714. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000201007.
• Hardy RS, Botfield H, Markey K, Mitchell JL, Alimajstorovic Z, Westgate CSJ, Sagmeister M, Fairclough RJ, Ottridge RS, Yiangou A, Storbeck KH, Taylor AE, Gilligan LC, Arlt W, Stewart PM, Tomlinson JW, Mollan SP, Lavery GG, Sinclair AJ. 11betaHSD1 Inhibition with AZD4017 Improves Lipid Profiles and Lean Muscle Mass in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2021 Jan 1;106(1):174-187. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgaa766.
• Markey KA, Ottridge R, Mitchell JL, Rick C, Woolley R, Ives N, Nightingale P, Sinclair AJ. Assessing the Efficacy and Safety of an 11beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 Inhibitor (AZD4017) in the Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Drug Trial, IIH:DT: Clinical Methods and Design for a Phase II Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2017 Sep 18;6(9):e181. doi: 10.2196/resprot.7806.

Drugs

Indications