An Oral GnRH Antagonist to Treat Mild Autonomous Cortisol Excess (MACE) Due to Adrenal Adenomas in Postmenopausal Women

The purpose of this research study is to determine if treatment with Elagolix will improve body weight, waist circumference, muscle strength, cortisol secretion, blood glucose, cholesterol, and bone quality as well as mood and quality of life in a female patient with mild hypercortisolism from adrenal overproduction of cortisol. Many people with adrenal nodules, or non-cancerous growths in the adrenal glands, have mildly elevated cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone normally made by the adrenal glands. It is increasingly being recognized that even mild elevations in cortisol levels can negatively impact blood glucose levels, serum cholesterol levels, weight and other metabolic parameters. This can lead to an increase in risk for cardiovascular disease. The study team is trying to determine if the medication Elagolix might be an effective treatment for post-menopausal females with mild hypercortisolism. Elagolix is a medication used to treat a medical condition called endometriosis by decreasing the body's production of sex hormones. Growth of adrenal adenomas is thought to be driven by such sex hormones. Therefore, by decreasing production of these hormones, the study team hopes to treat hypercortisolism caused by adrenal adenomas.

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Mild Autonomous Cortisol Excess
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Elagolix

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 4
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New York
    • New York, New York, United States, 10029
      • ICAHN School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Post-menopausal women that have incidentally found adrenal adenomas with benign appearing characteristics on imaging (<4 cm, non-contrast CT <10 HU and/or lipid rich and benign appearing on MRI)

• Absence of anti-anabolic clinical features of overt Cushing's signs (proximal muscle weakness, >three ecchymoses, hyperpigmented striae) and 2 of 3 of the following:

  • Elevated 24 hr urine free cortisol (UFC) above the upper limit of normal (>50 mcg/24 hours) in at least two complete 24-hour tests and/or
  • Late night salivary cortisol more than upper limit of normal in at least two tests and/or
  • an abnormal dexamethasone suppression defined as post 1mg dexamethasone suppression test serum cortisol concentration of >1.8 mcg/ml
• Clinic status of cessation of menses for 12 mo in a previously cycling woman and reflecting complete or nearly complete permanent cessation of ovarian function and fertility (26).
• Patients with osteoporosis that are not receiving treatment with either antiresorptive medications (bisphosphonates, denosumab) or anabolic agents (teriparitide, abaloparatide or romosozumab)

Exclusion Criteria:

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: GnRH antagonist (Elagolix); Post-menopausal women with benign appearing adrenal adenomas, absence of clinical features of overt Cushing's signs or symptoms and MACE confirmed on either 24 hr urine free cortisol (UFC), late night salivary cortisol and/or abnormal dexamethasone suppression	Drug: Elagolix; Patients will be given Elagolix 200 mg orally twice daily for a total of 6 months

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants With Change in Cortisol Level	Cortisol level after dexamethasone suppression test which measures whether adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) secretion by the pituitary can be suppressed. Number of participants with interval improvement and normalization of late-night salivary results after 6 months of treatment.	baseline and 6 months
Change in Cortisol Level	Cortisol level after dexamethasone suppression test which measures whether adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) secretion by the pituitary can be suppressed. Cortisol secretion as reported below by assessment of pre-treatment and post-treatment of late-night salivary cortisol levels (normal midnight values: <0.010 - 0.090)	baseline and 6 months
Number of Participants With Change in 24 Hour Urine Free Cortisol Level	24 hour urine free cortisol measurements. The cortisol urine test measures the level of cortisol in the urine. Cortisol is a glucocorticoid (steroid) hormone produced by the adrenal gland. Number of participants with improvement in 24-hour urinary free cortisol after treatment (normal 24-hr urinary cortisol is between 6 - 42 ug/24 hr).	Baseline and 6 months
24 Hour Urine Free Cortisol Level	24 hour urine free cortisol measurements. The cortisol urine test measures the level of cortisol in the urine. Cortisol is a glucocorticoid (steroid) hormone produced by the adrenal gland. Cortisol secretion as reported below by assessment of pre-treatment and post-treatment of 24-hour urinary cortisol levels (normal 24-hr urinary cortisol is between 6 - 42 ug/24 hr).	Baseline and 6 months
Number of Participants With Change in Adenoma Size as Compared to Baseline	All patients will have baseline imaging (CT or MRI) within 6 months to start of treatment and then will have repeat imaging with CT abdomen without contrast at 6 months to determine the effect of elagolix treatment on adrenal adenoma size and imaging characteristics. The images will be reviewed by a dedicated adrenal radiologist for consistency.	Baseline and 6 months
Change in Adenoma Size as Compared to Baseline	All patients will have baseline imaging (CT or MRI) within 6 months to start of treatment and then will have repeat imaging with CT abdomen without contrast at 6 months to determine the effect of elagolix treatment on adrenal adenoma size and imaging characteristics. The images will be reviewed by a dedicated adrenal radiologist for consistency.	Baseline and 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The Cushing's Quality of Life Questionnaire	The Cushing's Quality of Life Questionnaire is converted to a 0-100 scale in which 0 indicates the worse and 100 the best possible quality of life.	baseline and 6 months
State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)	The State Trait Anxiety Inventory gives a score range from 6-24 with the higher score indicating a higher level of anxiety.	baseline and 6 months
Change in Body Weight as Compared to Baseline	Mean percent change in body weight is measured in kilograms at 6 months compared to baseline	baseline and 6 months
Change in Body Weight for Those Participants Who Lost Weight	Mean percent change in body weight is measured in kilograms at 6 months compared to baseline	baseline and 6 months
Trunk Fat	Trunk Fat composition assessed by DEXA scans at baseline and at 6 months.	baseline and 6 months
Preserved Glucose	fasting blood sugar	baseline and 6 months
Number of Participants With Vertebral Fractures	Number of participants with vertebral fractures to measure rates will be assessed by lateral X-rays of thoracic and lumbar spine.	baseline and 6 months
Beck's Depression Scale	Beck's Depression Scale is scored on a scale of 1 to 40, where the higher score indicates severe or extreme depression.	baseline and 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Collaborators: AbbVie
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Alice C Levine, ICAHN School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 6, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 24, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): June 24, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 17, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 8, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): September 9, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 11, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: postmenopausal women; GnRH antagonist; mild autonomous cortisol excess (MACE); adrenal adenomas
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Endocrine System Diseases; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Endocrine Gland Neoplasms; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial; Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms; Adrenal Cortex Diseases; Adrenal Gland Diseases; Adrenocortical Hyperfunction; Adenoma; Cushing Syndrome; Adrenocortical Adenoma
• Other Study ID Numbers: GCO 19-1595

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Privacy

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No