Exploratory Evaluation of AR-42 Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor in the Treatment of Vestibular Schwannoma and Meningioma

December 1, 2025 updated by: D. Bradley Welling, MD, PhD, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
This will be a multi-center, proof of concept phase 0 study to assess the suppression of p-AKT in Vestibular Schwannoma (VS) and meningiomas by AR-42 in adult patients undergoing tumor resection. AR-42 is a small molecule which crosses the blood brain barrier (BBB) in rodents, but the investigators are not certain yet if it will penetrate human VS. Meningiomas are outside the BBB, but seem to be unusually resistant to all current medical treatments. The primary endpoint of the bioactivity of suppression of p-AKT by AR-42 was selected as drug activity seems more informative than bioavailability. Our preclinical data and others have shown dose dependent suppression of p-AKT by AR-42 in both VS and meningiomas.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Terminated

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This is a multi-center, proof of concept phase 0 study to assess the suppression of p-AKT in VS and meningiomas by AR-42 in adult patients undergoing NF2-tumor resection. AR-42 will be administered three times per week beginning 3 weeks prior to surgery. A total of ten doses, +/- 1 dose at 40 mg/dose, will be self-administered orally by study participants at approximately the same time every day (+/- 1 hour, preferably in the evening) 3 times per week for 3 weeks pre-operatively, with the last dose taken the night before surgery. Patients will be evaluated within the context of their standard post-operative follow up which includes within 2 days of surgery and again at 2 weeks (+/- 10 days) after surgery. Samples will be shipped to the participating laboratories (OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Pharmacoanalytical Shared Resource (PhASR) and Nationwide Children's Research Institute) for assessment of intratumoral drug concentration and assessment of intratumoral disease markers. During surgery, four blood samples will also be obtained and sent to the cooperating laboratory (PhASR) for determination of drug concentration and molecular analysis.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
7

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Early Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Stanford, California, United States, 94305
        • Stanford University
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21287
        • Johns Hopkins University
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02214
        • Massachusetts Eye and Ear
    • Minnesota
      • Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905
        • Mayo Clinic

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with vestibular schwannoma and/or meningioma diagnosed by MRI where surgical resection has been selected as treatment.
  • Patients diagnosed with NF2 must meet Manchester Criteria.
  • Age > 18 years of age
  • Prior biologic therapy, chemotherapy, surgery or radiation is permitted.
  • At the time of screening, the patient must have normal organ and marrow function.
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group/World Health Organization (ECOG/WHO) performance status of 0-1.
  • Patients must be able to swallow capsules.
  • Patients or their legal representatives must be able to read, understand and provide informed consent to participate in the trial.
  • Tumor type will be confirmed by a neuropathologist.
  • Females of childbearing potential (FCBP) must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test with a sensitivity of at least 50 mIU/mL prior to starting AR-42.
  • The patient must be willing to comply with fertility requirements

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant women are excluded from this study because the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects of AR-42 are not known. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for AEs in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with AR-42, breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with AR-42.
  • Pediatric patients are excluded from the phase 0 study as the effects of AR-42 are not known on children and there is no potential direct benefit to them.
  • Patients with malabsorption or any other condition that in the opinion of the principal investigator could cause difficulty in absorption of drug.
  • Patients requiring chronic corticosteroids (dose equivalent > 20mg prednisolone).
  • Concurrent use of complementary or alternative medicines that in the opinion of the principal investigator would confound the interpretation of toxicities and/or antitumor activity of the study drug.
  • Patients with a "currently active" second malignancy that, in the opinion of the principal investigator, will interfere with patient participation, increase patient risk, or confound data interpretation.
  • Patients with a mean QTcB > 450 msec in males and > 470 msec in females.
  • Patients with long QT syndrome.
  • Patients who are being treated for an active infection.

  • Patients receiving the following concomitant medications:

    • Any other anti-neoplastic chemotherapy or biologic therapy during the study
    • Concomitant radiotherapy
    • Concomitant HDAC inhibitors (e.g. valproic acid) as class-specific adverse reactions may be additive
    • Use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors including G-CSF, pegylated G-CSF or GM-CSF should follow ASCO guidelines for patients receiving anti-cancer therapy.
    • Drugs associated with QT/QTc prolongation (see Appendix A)
  • Patients who are receiving concurrent anti-neoplastic therapy.
  • Any other medical condition, including mental illness or substance abuse, deemed by the principal investigator to likely interfere with a patient's ability to sign informed consent, cooperate and participate in the study, or interfere with the interpretation of the results.
  • Patients with significant cardiovascular disease, including a myocardial infarction or unstable angina within 6 months or unstable cardiac arrhythmias are not eligible for the study.
  • Known HIV infection, as their immunosuppressive conditions may complicate potential pancytopenias seen with HDAC inhibitors and complicate evaluation of drug effect.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: AR-42 Administration
AR-42 will be administered three times per week beginning 3 weeks prior to surgery.
Drug: AR-42
AR-42 will be administered in a total of ten oral doses, +/- 1 dose, at 40 mg/dose, will be self-administered by study participants at approximately 8:00pm (+/- 1 hour) for 3 weeks pre-operatively, with the last dose being administered the night before surgery. The treating surgeon will perform the clinically indicated surgical procedure 3 weeks post-initial dose of medication as well as the specimen collection.
Other Names:
  • OSU-HDAC42

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Ratio of Phospho-AKT (p-AKT) to AKT After 3 Weeks of Oral AR-42
Time Frame: 3 weeks
The phospho-AKT/AKT ratio was used to estimate the activity of AKT, a kinase, at the core of resected tumors. Quantitation of the normalized p-AKT/AKT ratio is depicted as a percentage relative to the untreated VS2 set as 100%. For example, a value under 100% indicates a lower level of AKT activity relative to untreated VS2 tumors. Phosphorylated AKT, or phospho-AKT, is the activated form of AKT. These measurements were derived from the core of the resected tumors.
3 weeks
Peripheral Phospho-AKT (p-AKT) to AKT Ratio After 3 Weeks of Oral AR-42
Time Frame: 3 weeks
The phospho-AKT/AKT ratio was used to estimate the activity of AKT, a kinase, at the core of resected tumors. Quantitation of the normalized p-AKT/AKT ratio is depicted as a percentage relative to the untreated VS2 set as 100%. For example, a value under 100% indicates a lower level of AKT activity relative to untreated patients. Phosphorylated AKT, or phospho-AKT, is the activated form of AKT. These measurements were derived from the periphery of the resected tumors.
3 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
AR-42 Plasma Concentration
Time Frame: 1 week
Steady-state plasma concentrations of AR-42 at the time of tumor resection are provided.
1 week
AR-42 Tumor Concentration (Capsule)
Time Frame: 1 week
Concentrations of AR-42 at the tumor capsule are provided.
1 week
AR-42 Tumor Concentration (Center)
Time Frame: 1 week
Intra-tumor concentrations of AR-42 at the tumor center are reported.
1 week
AR-42 Tumor Concentration (Capsule/Plasma)
Time Frame: 1 week
Capsule/plasma intra-tumor AR-42 concentrations are provided as a ratio.
1 week
AR-42 Tumor Concentration (Center/Plasma)
Time Frame: 1 week
Center/plasma intra-tumoral AR-42 concentrations are provided as a ratio.
1 week

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of Doses of AR-42 Received
Time Frame: 3 weeks
We report the average total number of doses of AR-42 taken per participant during this study.
3 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Johns Hopkins University
Mayo Clinic
Stanford University
Ohio State University
Nationwide Children's Hospital

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Brad Welling, MD, PhD, Massachusetts Eye and Ear

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 1, 2015

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 30, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 4, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 31, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 4, 2014

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 5, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 5, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 1, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 14-078H

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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