Initial Safety Study of the TRUE AVC in Hemodialysis Access (TRUE AVC I Study)

Prospective, nonrandomized, single-arm, single-center, open-label, initial safety study in subjects requiring hemodialysis. Subjects will be followed with physical evaluation and ultrasound vessel imaging at days 15, 29, 57 and weeks 12, 26. Extended follow up on patent conduits only at weeks 52 and 104.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: End Stage Renal Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Biological: Arteriovenous conduit implant

Detailed Description

Twenty (20) patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), who are poor candidates for an autogenous fistula creation and either on hemodialysis or expected to start hemodialysis within 12 weeks of study conduit implantation will be implanted with a TRUE AVC as an arteriovenous conduit in the upper extremity. Study subjects will be evaluated for implant safety and patency at 26 weeks. Subjects will be followed with physical evaluation and ultrasound vessel imaging at days 15, 29, 57 and weeks 12, 26. Extended follow up on patent conduits only at weeks 52 and 104.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 11
• Phase: Phase 2; Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Panama
  • Coclé
    • Río Hato, Coclé, Panama
      • Centro de Asistencia Renal

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 22 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) who are poor candidates for creation of a simple autogenous AV fistula (without requiring transposition) and therefore need placement of an AV access in the upper extremity to start or maintain hemodialysis therapy.
2. Either on hemodialysis or expected to start hemodialysis within 12 weeks of study conduit implantation.
3. Patients between 18 and 75 years old, inclusive.
4. Verify adequate arterial flow and venous runoff using duplex ultrasound and venogram. Ensure outflow vein is at least 5 mm in diameter with good compliance.
5. Hemoglobin ≥8g/dL and platelet count ≥100,000/mm3 prior to implant.
6. Other hematological and biochemical parameters within a range consistent with ESKD and acceptable for the administration of regional or general anesthesia prior to implant.
7. Adequate liver function, defined as serum bilirubin ≤1.5 mg/dL; GGT, AST, ALT, and alkaline phosphatase ≤2x upper limit of normal or INR ≤ 1.5 prior to implant.
8. Life expectancy of at least 1 year.
9. Negative COVID-19 test within 3 days prior and negative for symptoms within 14 days prior to implant.

10. Female subjects must be either:

    1. Of non-childbearing potential, which is defined as post-menopausal (at least 1 year without menses prior to Screening) or documented surgically sterile or post hysterectomy (at least 1 month prior to Screening)
    2. Or, of childbearing potential, in which case:

    i. Must have a negative urine blood pregnancy test at Screening, and ii. Must agree to use at least one form of the following birth control methods for the duration of the study:

1. Established use of oral, injectable or implanted hormonal methods of contraception 2. Placement of an intrauterine device or intrauterine system 3. Barrier methods of contraception: condom or occlusive cap (diaphragm or cervical/vault caps) with spermicidal foam/ gel/ film/ cream/ suppository 11. Able to communicate meaningfully with investigative staff and able to comply with entire study procedures.

12. Willing and competent to give written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. History or evidence of severe cardiac disease (NYHA Functional Class III or IV); myocardial infarction within six months prior to study entry; ventricular tachyarrhythmias requiring continuing treatment; unstable angina; or ejection fraction < 50%.
2. Uncontrolled or poorly controlled diabetes defined as A1C > 8; hospitalization for poor glucose control within the previous 6 months.
3. History or evidence of severe peripheral vascular disease in the upper limbs
4. Known or suspected central vein obstruction on the side of planned study conduit implantation. Avoid patients with current subclavian catheters or leads on the side of the study conduit implant. If the patient had previous subclavian catheters or leads on the implant side, verify adequate runoff with a venogram.
5. Documented hypercoagulable state or history of thromboembolic events or history of repeated venous catheter clotting.
6. Known Positive COVID 19 test result or known exposure to COVID 19 in past 3 months.
7. Known active infection including dental infection, osteomyelitis and other conditions which could present a local or systemic risk of infection.
8. Bleeding diathesis.
9. Contraindication to or known serious allergy to anticoagulant, aspirin, or planned antiplatelet therapy. History of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.
10. Immunodeficiency including AIDS / HIV or active autoimmune disease, or on immunosuppressant therapy.
11. Autoimmune nephropathy
12. Previous PTFE graft in the operative limb unless the TRUE AVC can be placed more proximally than the previous failed graft.
13. More than 1 failed PTFE graft in the operative limb.
14. Patients receiving an AV access which crosses the elbow.
15. Patients receiving a lower extremity AV access.
16. Treatment with any investigational drug or device within 60 days prior to study entry or ongoing participation in a clinical trial of an investigational product.

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: Investigational; Study subjects implanted with a TRUE AVC as an arteriovenous conduit for hemodialysis	Biological: Arteriovenous conduit implant; Study subjects will be implanted with an arteriovenous shunt for hemodialysis access in the upper extremity

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Adverse Event Incidence	incidence of clinically significant aneurysm, anastomotic bleeding, study conduit or anastomotic rupture, study conduit infection, and implant site irritation, inflammation, or infection	through 26 weeks post implant
Patency	Kaplan-Meier freedom from loss of primary patency, primary assisted patency, and secondary patency.	through 26 weeks post implant

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in antigen sensitivity	Assess changes in anti-HLA sensitivity in each implant recipient, from baseline through four weeks, using panel reactive antibody (PRA) test	baseline through 4 weeks
Rate of Interventions	Rate of interventions needed to maintain patency	26 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Vascudyne, Inc.
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ernesto Alvarado, MD, Centro de Asistencia Renal, Río Hato, Coclé, Panamá

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 4, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 30, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): March 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 27, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 30, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): October 5, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 3, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 29, 2025
• Last Verified: June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: hemodialysis; arteriovenous access
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urogenital Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Male Urogenital Diseases; Kidney Diseases; Urologic Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Chronic Disease; Disease Attributes; Renal Insufficiency; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic; Kidney Failure, Chronic
• Other Study ID Numbers: CIP-002

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.: Yes