Androgen Reduction in Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, Phase 1

October 13, 2025 updated by: Perrin C White, MD, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

A Phase 1 Multi-Center Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Abiraterone Acetate as Adjunctive Therapy in Pre-Pubescent Children With Classic 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency

Children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency tend to have elevated circulating levels of androgens, which can accelerate skeletal maturation and adversely impact adult height. Additionally, these children require supraphysiologic doses of hydrocortisone to suppress secretion of adrenal androgen precursors, and this treatment can retard linear growth. This study seeks to use oral abiraterone acetate (Zytiga)as an adjunct to approved CAH therapy (oral hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone) for pre-pubescent children with classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency in order to reduce daily requirement of hydrocortisone. In this Phase 1 study, the investigators will determine the minimum effective dose of abiraterone acetate that normalizes androstenedione levels during the 7-day Treatment Period.

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

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is an inherited inability to synthesize cortisol in the adrenal gland. More than 90% of cases are cause by deficiency of steroid 21-hydroxylase (CYP21, also termed CYP21A2, P450c21), which is a cytochrome P450 enzyme located in the endoplasmic reticulum. It catalyzes conversion of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) to 11-deoxycortisol, a precursor for cortisol, and progesterone to deoxycorticosterone, a precursor for aldosterone. Aldosterone deficiency may lead to salt wasting with consequent failure to thrive, hypovolemia, shock and if untreated, death in the first few weeks of life. Because patients cannot synthesize cortisol efficiently, the adrenal cortex is stimulated by corticotropin (ACTH) and overproduces cortisol precursors. Some of these precursors are diverted to sex hormone biosynthesis, which may cause signs of androgen excess including ambiguous genitalia in newborn females, rapid postnatal growth in both sexes, and accelerated skeletal maturation and decreased adult height. Patients require supraphysiologic replacement doses of glucocorticoids to suppress the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-driven adrenal androgen synthesis. Excessive glucocorticoids are associated with excessive weight gain and slowing of linear growth. It would be desirable in pre-pubertal children to decrease the exposure to excess glucocorticoids while avoiding the adverse effects of inappropriate exposure to androgens. Abiraterone acetate is a prodrug of abiraterone, an irreversible inhibitor of 17α hydroxylase/C17, 20-lyase (cytochrome P450c17 [CYP17]), a key enzyme required for testosterone synthesis. This agent indeed suppresses adrenal androgen secretion in adult women. In this Phase 1 study, the investigators will determine the minimum effective dose of abiraterone acetate that normalizes androstenedione levels during the 7-day Treatment Period.

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.
4

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.
  • 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 Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90027
        • Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
    • Maryland
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892-1932
        • National Institutes of Health
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109
        • University of Michigan
    • Texas
      • Dallas, Texas, United States, 75235
        • Children's Medical Center

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

2 years to 9 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Pre-pubescent girls (age 2 years [12 kg minimum] to 8 years inclusive; skeletal age <10 years) or boys (age 2 years [12 kg] to 9 years inclusive; skeletal age <11 years).
  2. Confirmed classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency evident by genotype groups A, A1 or B or clinical course (e.g., adrenal crisis with documented hyperkalemia and hyponatremia, at diagnosis or during a later evaluation; ambiguous genitalia in females). Documentation of one or both parents' genotypes may be required to confirm the subject's genotype.
  3. Requirement for standard of care fludrocortisone (any dose) and ≥10 mg/m2/day of hydrocortisone for at least 1 month prior to the study consent.
  4. Morning serum androstenedione concentrations >1.5 x Upper limit normal (ULN) after 7 days of dosing with doses of hydrocortisone required for physiologic replacement.
  5. At least one parent (or other legally acceptable representative) must sign the informed consent form before the performance of any study procedures, but both parents must sign if both have parental rights. Children who are capable of providing assent (typically 10 years of age and older) must sign an assent form before the performance of any study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Evidence of central puberty: Tanner Stage >2 for breast development in girls or testicular volume >4 mL in boys, or random luteinizing hormone (LH) >0.3 milli-international units (mIU)/mL. Subjects with pubic and/or axillary hair as the only sign of puberty onset will be allowed.
  2. Current or history of hepatitis from any etiology, including history of active viral hepatitis A, B, or C.

  3. Patients with baseline hepatic impairment are excluded from this trial. To be eligible for this protocol, patients must meet all of the following criteria:

    AST, ALT and Total bilirubin < ULN Albumin > lower limits of normal (LLN) No evidence of ascites No evidence of encephalopathy

  4. Abnormalities of liver function developing during the study
  5. Abnormal renal function tests, defined as blood urea nitrogen (BUN) or creatinine >1.5 ULN for age.
  6. Significant anemia (hemoglobin < 12 g/dl). If documented to be due to iron deficiency, subjects may be rescreened 3 months after this has been treated.
  7. Clinically significant abnormality in the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG)
  8. A history of a malabsorption syndrome.
  9. Evidence of active malignancy.
  10. Serious or uncontrolled co-existent disease, including active or uncontrolled infection. Subjects may be rescreened after resolution of any such condition.
  11. Concurrent medical condition or disease other than 21-hydroxylase deficiency that may interfere with linear growth or that requires concomitant therapy that is likely to interfere with study procedures or results.
  12. Asthma or other condition requiring treatment with systemic corticosteroids within the past 3 months. Asthma treatment with inhaled corticosteroids is permitted.
  13. Treatment with potentially hepatotoxic medications (statins); strong inhibitors of CYP3A4 (ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, atazanavir, nefazodone, saquinavir, telithromycin, ritonavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, voriconazole), or CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine, rifampin, rifabutin, rifapentine, phenobarbital). CYP2C8 substrates (rosiglitazone, pioglitazone, rapaglinide) and CYP2D6 substrates (dextromethorphan, thioridazine) should be avoided
  14. Treatment with medications to affect puberty or synthesis of sex steroids, including gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists, aromatase inhibitors, or androgen receptor blockers (e.g., flutamide, spironolactone). However, a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist may be started during the study for treatment-emergent central puberty without disqualifying the subject
  15. Treatment with growth hormone at enrollment or during the course of the study.
  16. Known allergies, hypersensitivity, or intolerance to abiraterone acetate or its excipients (refer to United States Prescribing Information).
  17. Has received an investigational drug within 4 weeks of the planned first dose of study drug or is currently enrolled in an investigational interventional study.
  18. Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would make participation not be in the best interest (eg, compromise the well-being) of the subject or that could prevent, limit, or confound the protocol-specified assessments.
  19. Presence or history of cataracts.

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: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Sequential 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: Abiraterone acetate 1 mg/kg/d
Abiraterone acetate will be administered orally at a daily dose of 1 mg/kg for 7 days in addition to the standard of care treatment of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone.
Drug: Abiraterone acetate
This is a dose escalation study. Up to 3 successive cohorts of 8 subjects each will receive 7 days of 1, 2 or 4 mg/kg/d of abiraterone acetate, until 7/8 subjects have met the desired endpoint.
Other Names:
  • Zytiga
Experimental: Abiraterone acetate 2 mg/kg/d
If the 1 mg/kg/d dosing does not result in androstenedione level normalization, abiraterone acetate will be administered orally at a daily dose of 2 mg/kg for 7 days in addition to the standard of care treatment of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone.
Drug: Abiraterone acetate
This is a dose escalation study. Up to 3 successive cohorts of 8 subjects each will receive 7 days of 1, 2 or 4 mg/kg/d of abiraterone acetate, until 7/8 subjects have met the desired endpoint.
Other Names:
  • Zytiga
Experimental: Abiraterone acetate 4 mg/kg/d
If the 2 mg/kg/d dosing does not result in androstenedione level normalization, abiraterone acetate will be administered orally at a daily dose of 4 mg/kg for 7 days in addition to the standard of care treatment of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone.
Drug: Abiraterone acetate
This is a dose escalation study. Up to 3 successive cohorts of 8 subjects each will receive 7 days of 1, 2 or 4 mg/kg/d of abiraterone acetate, until 7/8 subjects have met the desired endpoint.
Other Names:
  • Zytiga

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
Normalization of Serum Androstenedione Level
Time Frame: 7 days
The original primary endpoint was the dose of abiraterone acetate that normalized androstenedione to age-appropriate levels in 7/8 subjects after 7 days of treatment. However, an insufficient number of participants was enrolled to evaluate the primary endpoint. Therefore, we have instead presented the number of participants at each dose level who did normalize androstenedione to age-appropriate levels.
7 days

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
Peak Plasma Concentration (Cmax)
Time Frame: 7 days
Sparse pharmacokinetic (PK) will be derived from peak and trough abiraterone levels.
7 days
17-hydroxyprogestoerone Levels
Time Frame: 7 days
Final lab results at Screening and V6. This outcome is not pre-specified in the protocol and was inadvertently added at the time of registration.
7 days
Area Under the Plasma Concentration Versus Time Curve (AUC) of Abiraterone
Time Frame: 7 days
Sparse pharmacokinetic (PK) will be derived from peak and trough abiraterone levels.
7 days

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
Dihydrotestosterone Levels
Time Frame: 7 days
Final lab results at Screening and V6. This was erroneously listed as a secondary outcome in PRS. We have changed the outcome measure type to "Other pre-specified." .
7 days
Number of Adverse Events
Time Frame: 7 days
Safety monitoring in Phase 1 will include liver function tests (AST, Alanine Aminotransferease (ALT), bilirubin) and possible mineralocorticoid effects (blood pressure, plasma renin).
7 days

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.
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

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.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
University of Michigan
Children's Hospital Los Angeles

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: Perrin C White, MD, UT Southwestern Medical Center

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.
August 1, 2017

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.
June 3, 2023

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.
June 3, 2023

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).
April 24, 2015

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.
October 9, 2015

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.
October 14, 2015

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.
November 4, 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.
October 13, 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.
October 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • STU 112014-087
  • 1U01HD083493-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Data Safety Monitoring Board plan

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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