Safety and Brain Protection Effects of the Green Tea Extract Theaphenon 95% (95% Pure EGCG) in Multiple Sclerosis

Safety and Neuroprotective Effects of Theaphenon 95% (95% Pure EGCG) in Multiple Sclerosis

The hypothesis is that 95% pure EGCG can protect brain cells in patients with Multiple Sclerosis. To test this hypothesis we are going to compare the changes in n-Acetyl-Aspartate (a chemical that reflects the number of neurons and their metabolism) over one six between people with MS treated with EGCG at a dose of 400mg twice a day and people with MS treated with a matching sugar pill.

Study Overview

• Status: Withdrawn
• Conditions: Multiple Sclerosis
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: 95% Pure ECGC capsules 200mg; Drug: Placebo Comparator:

Detailed Description

This will be a double blind placebo controlled trial of Theaphenon 95% (95% pure Epigallo-catechin-galleate [EGCG]) as a treatment for MS.

The primary outcome will be the changes in N-Acety-Aspartate (NAA) levels over six months. Secondary outcomes will be changes in brain atrophy over over six months. As an exploratory outcome we will correlate changes in NAA levels with free Plasma levels of EGCG 8 hours after the morning dose.

Exploratory outcomes include disability progression by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), multiple sclerosis functional composite components and a cognitive test battery.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Louisiana
    • New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, 70112
      • LSU Health Sciences Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of MS by McDonald criteria
• Relapsing-remitting MS or secondary progressive MS
• Stable therapy with Copaxone, Rebif, Betaseron or Avonex 30 mcg for at least six months
• EDSS Score less than or equal to 7.0
• Ages 18-60.

• Participants must have normal organ and marrow function as defined below:

  • Leukocytes ≥3,000/µL
  • Absolute neutrophil count ≥1,500/µL
  • Platelets ≥100,000/µL
  • Total bilirubin ≤local upper limit of normal
  • AST (SGOT) ≤local upper limit of normal
  • ALT (SGPT) ≤local upper limit of normal
  • Creatinine ≤local upper limit of normal

Exclusion Criteria:

• MS relapse within the 30 days prior to enrollment
• A primary progressive form of MS.
• Previous treatment prior to study entry as follows: complete radiation ablation of the bone marrow or anti-CD4 antibody treatment (Campath) at any time; mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, Natalizumab or other immunomodulatory or immunosuppressant therapies except the DMT's included in the inclusion criteria and methylprednisone for relapses within prior nine months.
• History of renal or liver disease.
• Consumption of green tea or supplements containing green tea or tea extract within 30 days prior to enrollment.
• Participants may not participate in any other clinical trial involving investigational agents during the study, or within six months prior to enrolling in the study.
• History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to Polyphenon E, tea, or any of the inactive ingredients present in the active or placebo capsules, including gelatin.
• History of allergic reactions to gadolinium or any other condition contraindicated for MRI.
• Uncontrolled, clinically-relevant active illness (aside from MS) including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.
• Any condition which would make the subject, in the opinion of the investigator, unsuitable for the study
• Inability to complete the baseline MRI scan
• Pregnant women
• Any underlying predisposition to gastrointestinal bleeding (peptic ulcer disease, gastritis, diverticulitis, colitis, hemorrhoids)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: 95% Pure ECGC capsules 200mg; 95% Pure ECGC capsules 200mg three times a day with food for 6 months	Drug: 95% Pure ECGC capsules 200mg; Theaphenon 95% 95% Pure EGCG; Other Names: Theaphenon 95%
Placebo Comparator: Sugar pill; Matched placebo capsules	Drug: Placebo Comparator: Other Names: "Sugar pill"

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Rate of change in NAA levels adjusted for water content.	The rate of change will be calculated using all the time points available (baseline,3 and 6 months) using a mixed model analysis with the Log NAA as the dependent variable and water content, %grey matter, %white matter, %cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and % lesion volume as covariates. All the voxels available for each subject where estimates have a standard deviation(SD) <30 will be used. A spatial anisotropic exponential covariance structure will be used.	6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Brain Atrophy	Difference between the two groups in brain atrophy as measured by SIENA	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans
• Collaborators: National Multiple Sclerosis Society

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: December 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): March 1, 2017
• Study Completion (Anticipated): December 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 10, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 12, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): December 13, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): September 26, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 23, 2016
• Last Verified: September 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Multiple Sclerosis; Spectroscopy; Green Tea; ECGC; Theaphenon; Randomized placebo controlled trial; NAA; Brain Atrophy; SIENA
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Nervous System Diseases; Immune System Diseases; Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS; Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System; Demyelinating Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Multiple Sclerosis; Sclerosis
• Other Study ID Numbers: 4818-A-1; 4816-A-1 (Other Grant/Funding Number: National MS Society)