Rec-LH PD and Safety Profile in Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism Men

Summary

Objectives: The overall clinical question is whether LH supplementation to men in indication for FSH according to the AIFA note 74, or with HH, will improve spermatogenesis and pregnancy rate (spontaneous or after ART) over FSH alone or FSH+hCG. However, since LH has never been used in men so far, the first, specific object of this study is the assessment of pharmacodynamics and safety profile of LH in HH men. To this end, this study will evaluate the pharmacodynamics and safety profile of recombinant LH (Luveris) and compare the response to Luveris and urinary hCG (Gonasi HP) in HH men. The pharmacodynamics will be assessed primarily for testosterone levels in response to increasing doses of LH and the comparison of the response to a fix dose of hCG, and later for more extend steroid profile. Methods: Multicentre longitudinal, interventional, randomized, open-label, phase II, clinical trial, assessing pharmacodynamics of LH in acquired HH men. The statistical hypothesis is non-inferiority of the highest LH dose employed compared to a fix hCG dose. Primary endpoint: serum testosterone levels evaluated by liquid-chromatography, tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Secondary endpoints: Safety and tolerability as determined by AE reporting, vital signs, and ECG, stereognosis (inhibin B, free testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), estradiol, whole steroid profile provided by LC-MS/MS) and testicular volume. Patients: 32 men with acquired HH, including HH after neurosurgery for tumours or HH due to pituitary adenoma-related mass effect. Patients will be randomized (1:1) according to a permuted- blocks randomization list, to the study group, treated with Luveris (increasing doses at two weekly intervals), or to the control group treated with Gonasi HP (2000 IU twice/week). In the study group, increasing LH dosages will be administered to obtain a testosterone dose-response curve, starting with the minimum expected efficient dose (75 IU/d, sc) for two weeks followed by 150, 225 and 300 IU at two-weekly interval, respectively. The control group will be treated by the standard approach, i.e. hCG 2000 IU IM twice-weekly for 8 weeks. Patients will be further followed up for 4 weeks after treatment withdrawal. During the study, the patients will be evaluated two times per week during the treatment phase and every two weeks in the follow-up phase.

Timeline

Start

2022-01-19

Primary completion

2025-01-18

Completion

2026-01-18

Publications

• Background Althunian TA, de Boer A, Groenwold RHH, Klungel OH. Defining the noninferiority margin and analysing noninferiority: An overview. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2017 Aug;83(8):1636-1642. doi: 10.1111/bcp.13280. Epub 2017 Apr 6.
• Background Casarini L, Lispi M, Longobardi S, Milosa F, La Marca A, Tagliasacchi D, Pignatti E, Simoni M. LH and hCG action on the same receptor results in quantitatively and qualitatively different intracellular signalling. PLoS One. 2012;7(10):e46682. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046682. Epub 2012 Oct 5.
• Background Casarini L, Riccetti L, De Pascali F, Gilioli L, Marino M, Vecchi E, Morini D, Nicoli A, La Sala GB, Simoni M. Estrogen Modulates Specific Life and Death Signals Induced by LH and hCG in Human Primary Granulosa Cells In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Apr 28;18(5):926. doi: 10.3390/ijms18050926.
• Background Nardelli AA, Stafinski T, Motan T, Klein K, Menon D. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs): evaluation of evidence to support public policy development. Reprod Health. 2014 Nov 7;11(1):76. doi: 10.1186/1742-4755-11-76.
• Background Nwabuobi C, Arlier S, Schatz F, Guzeloglu-Kayisli O, Lockwood CJ, Kayisli UA. hCG: Biological Functions and Clinical Applications. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Sep 22;18(10):2037. doi: 10.3390/ijms18102037.
• Background Riccetti L, Yvinec R, Klett D, Gallay N, Combarnous Y, Reiter E, Simoni M, Casarini L, Ayoub MA. Human Luteinizing Hormone and Chorionic Gonadotropin Display Biased Agonism at the LH and LH/CG Receptors. Sci Rep. 2017 Apr 19;7(1):940. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-01078-8.
• Background Santi D, Casarini L, Alviggi C, Simoni M. Efficacy of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Alone, FSH + Luteinizing Hormone, Human Menopausal Gonadotropin or FSH + Human Chorionic Gonadotropin on Assisted Reproductive Technology Outcomes in the "Personalized" Medicine Era: A Meta-analysis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2017 Jun 1;8:114. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00114. eCollection 2017.
• Background Santi D, Spaggiari G, Casarini L, Fanelli F, Mezzullo M, Pagotto U, Granata ARM, Carani C, Simoni M. Central hypogonadism due to a giant, "silent" FSH-secreting, atypical pituitary adenoma: effects of adenoma dissection and short-term Leydig cell stimulation by luteinizing hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Aging Male. 2017 Jun;20(2):96-101. doi: 10.1080/13685538.2016.1276161. Epub 2017 Jan 9.

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