A Study to Investigate Treatment of HU and VPA, or 6-MP and VPA in Unfit AML/HR-MDS Patients (HUVAMER)

June 25, 2025 updated by: Haukeland University Hospital

A Phase 1/2 Multicenter Open-label Study to Investigate Treatment of Hydroxyurea in Combination With Valproic Acid (VPA), or 6- Mercaptopurine in Combination With VPA in Patients With AML or HR-MDS Unfit for Standard Therapy

The purpose of this study is to investigate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of the combination treatment of hydroxyurea capsules and valproic acid capsules, or the combination treatment of 6-mercaptopurine tablets and valproic acid capsules in male and female patients aged 18 years or older with acute myeloid leukemia or high- risk myelodysplastic syndrome.

The population to be studied is newly diagnosed AML patients who are considered unfit for standard induction chemotherapy, HR-MDS unfit/ineligible for standard treatment, and relapsed/refractory AML/HR-MDS patients who are considered unfit for standard therapy ,or are, for some reason, ineligible for another type of therapy. Clinically, hydroxyurea, valproic acid and 6-mercaptopurine are historically very well-known therapeutic agents with low toxicity profiles. The rationale for this study is that the combination of these drugs with low toxicity will be well tolerated in elderly AML patients with comorbidities, or lower performance status. This combination could have a beneficial therapeutic effect on overall survival and contribute to a better quality of life.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This a two-part, open-label phase 1/2 study that will include clinical sites in Norway and other Nordic countries.

The study consists of part A and part B. Part A will run in Norway only. Part B will run in Norway and the Nordic countries.

Both part A and part B have two different treatment combinations (T), combination 1 and combination 2. Part B is a cohort expansion of part A (if part A proves to be positive).

Treatment combination 1 (T1): hydroxyurea + valproic acid. Treatment combination 2 (T2): 6-mercaptopurine + valproic acid.

Each patient enrolled in the trial will start and will receive at least one cycle with T1:

hydroxyurea and valproic acid. The first cycle in the study always constitutes of hydroxyurea (1000 mg twice a day) plus valproic acid (300 mg + 600 mg) for 14 days; this will be followed by a 14-day period with no medication. Each cycle duration is 28 days.

Patients who do not experience clinical benefit after the first cycle will not be eligible to continue on this regimen and they will be allocated to treatment combination 2. On the other hand, patients who do experience clinical benefit after cycle 1 with combination 1 (HU + VPA) will be further eligible to continue on this regimen/combination. However, patients on T1 will be withdrawn after consequent cycles, as soon as they do not meet the criteria for clinical benefit as defined by this protocol. Each patient who does not meet the criteria of clinical benefit after the first cycle with treatment combination 1 will switch to treatment combination 2 (T2). T2 constitutes of 6-mercaptopurine (50 mg once a day) plus valproic acid (300 mg + 600 mg) for 14 days; this will be followed by a 14-day period with no medication. Each cycle duration is 28 days. Patients will be further eligible to continue this regimen/combination for as long as they experience clinical benefit, otherwise they will be withdrawn from the study as soon as they do not meet the criteria for clinical benefit as defined by this protocol.

There will be 8 patients allocated for the treatment combination 1 with HU + VPA and up to 8 patients allocated for the treatment combination 2 with 6MP + VPA. For each of the two treatment combinations, if one or more patients, of 8, experience clinical benefit* the group will be expanded with 16 more patients in Part B. Part B consists of two cohort expansions where the setup is identical to part A, one for HU + VPA and one for 6MP + VPA, 16 patients in each, in total up to 32 new patients.

In part B, the same principles will apply for response, withdrawal and allocation from HU+ VPA to 6MP + VPA. Patients treated with combination 1, who do not experience clinical benefit or experience unacceptable, unmanageable toxicity after cycle 1, will not be eligible to continue on this regimen, and they will be allocated to combination 2. It is expected that cohort expansion of combination 2 will proceed slower than cohort expansion for combination 1.

If 5 or more patients of the total of 24 (part A (n=8) + part B (n=16)) experience clinical benefit, there will be considered a phase II/III expansion cohort for further effect assessment.

The treatment duration in all groups can last to up 6 cycles in total, each cycle lasts for 28 days. The rationale for the flow in the study aims to ensure that the patients do not undergo prolonged periods with excessive and ineffective treatment. Assessment of treatment response consecutively after each cycle will guide the treating physician to swiftly change the treatment combination or withdraw the patient from the study accordingly.

The switch to a second treatment combination as a part of the study ensures that more therapy options are available for, potentially, all patients who enroll in the trial.

The enrollment is stopped when 8+16 patients with HU +VPA are treated, or if 8+16 patients are treated with 6MP + VPA. Patients will switch over to 6MP +VPA, if lack of clinical benefit. Some dose modifications are allowed when indicated according to the protocol. At screening and during the study treatment, tumor debulking with HU + 6MP is required for 5 to 7 days to reduce WBC to less than 25×10*9/L (<20% blasts in the peripheral blood), before each cycle, HU + VPA, or 6MP + VPA. Tumor debulking with HU + 6MP may be repeated ahead of every cycle (for both treatment combinations), and in the treating physician's discretion, if the patient tolerates this.

The objectives of this study include:

  • To determine the safety and tolerability of the treatment combinations of hydroxyurea + valproic acid, and 6-mercaptopurine + valproic acid administered at established clinical doses
  • To establish the preliminary efficacy of the treatment combination of hydroxyurea and valproic acid administered at established clinical doses
  • To establish the preliminary efficacy of the treatment combination of 6-mercaptopurine and valproic acid administered at established clinical doses
  • To evaluate changes in patients performance status for baseline and during the study period

The adaptive study design is based on a Simon two-stage model of expanding cohorts. This model, tested in the TAPUR, DRUP and Impress-Norway studies, has been designed to effectively test a set of drugs using a minimum of number of patients (see also Chapter 9 on Statistics).

Each arm (A1, A2, B1 and B2) will be monitored using a Simon-like two-stage 'admissible' monitoring plan to identify patients with evidence of clinical benefit. Both arms in part A will enroll 8 participants, and will be considered positive if ≥1 patient show clinical benefit after at least 28 days on treatment (for each arm). In case of a positive part A (arm A1 and A2, separately), part B (arm B1 and B2, separately) will be initiated enrolling 16 additional participants in each arm into the cohort.

If there are 0 patients with "clinical benefit" (as defined by this protocol) among the first 8 participants in an arm, then the respective arm will not proceed to expansion. Otherwise, an additional 16 participants will be included in each cohort expansion (B1 and B2, respectively). Four or fewer responses out of 24 will suggest a lack of activity, while 5 or more responses will suggest that further investigation of the drug in a phase 3 clinical trial is warranted.

  • Study duration: 5 years
  • Treatment duration: up to 6 months for each treatment combination
  • Visit frequency: every 7 days (if applicable, during the first cycle), thereafter every 28 days

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

48

Phase

  • Phase 2
  • 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 Backup

Study Locations

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Participants are eligible for the study only if all of the following criteria apply:

o Female or male, age 18 years or older

  • Written informed consent

  • Patients with Newly diagnosed AML, as defined by ELN 2022 criteria, or relapsed/refractory AML who: - are unfit, defined as HCT-CI ≥ 3, or - in the opinion of the investigator are not candidates for standard therapy or unlikely to tolerate or derive significant clinical benefit from standard therapy, or

    • the patient has declined standard therapy

Newly diagnosed HR-MDS, or relapsed/refractory HR-MDS who:

  • are unfit, defined as HCT-CI ≥ 3, or
  • in the opinion of the investigator are not candidates for standard therapy or unlikely to tolerate or derive significant clinical benefit from standard therapy, or
  • has declined standard therapy

Secondary AML (MDS-related/ therapy- induced), or

Acute promyelocytic leukemia not eligible for standard therapy and/or specific therapy.

  • Adequate renal and hepatic functions unless clearly disease related as indicated by the following laboratory values:

    • Serum creatinine ≤1.5 x ULN;
    • Estimated creatinine clearance ≥ 40 mL/min (Cockcroft-Gault equation);

    • Hepatic function;

      i. Serum bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN); ii. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)

      1. ≤2.5 × ULN

      2. ≤5 × ULN for patients with liver metastases

        iii. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)

      1. ≤2.5 × ULN

      2. ≤5 × ULN for patients with liver metastases

        iv. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)

      1. ≤2.5 × ULN

  • European Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0, 1, 2 or 3

  • Female patients of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 3 days prior to taking their first dose of study medication. Male patients and female patients of reproductive potential must agree to practice highly effective methods of contraception (such as hormonal implants, combined oral contraceptives, injectable contraceptives, intrauterine device with hormone spirals, total sexual abstinence, vasectomy) throughout the study and for >3 months after the last dose of study medication. Female patients are considered NOT of childbearing potential if they have a history of surgical sterility or evidence of post-menopausal status defined as any of the following:

    1. Natural menopause with last menses >1 year ago
    2. Radiation induced oophorectomy with last menses >1 year ago
    3. Chemotherapy induced menopause with last menses >1 year ago

Exclusion Criteria:

Participants are excluded from the study if any of the following criteria apply:

  • Patients on treatment for AML (any anti-leukemic therapy including investigational agents) or treated less than 2 weeks before inclusion.

  • Concurrent history of active malignancy in the past six months prior to diagnosis except for

    • basal and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
    • in situ carcinoma of the cervix
  • Concurrent severe and/or uncontrolled medical condition (e.g. uncontrolled diabetes, infection, hypertension, pulmonary disease et cetera) at the investigators discretion.
  • Breastfeeding women

  • Cardiac dysfunction as defined by:

    • myocardial infarction within the last 3 months of study entry, or
    • congestive heart failure NYHA class IV or
    • unstable angina, or
    • unstable cardiac arrhythmias
  • SARS-CoV-2 infection < 7 days or Covid-19-vaccine < 7 days from study onset
  • Patients with a history of non-compliance to medical regimens or who are considered unreliable with respect to compliance.
  • Patients with any serious concomitant medical condition that could, in the opinion of the investigator, compromise participation in the study.
  • Patients with senile dementia, mental impairment or any other psychiatric disorder that prohibits the patient from understanding and giving informed consent.
  • Current concomitant chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy other than as specified in the protocol.
  • Known hypersensitivity to study medications or its excipients.
  • Any psychological, familial, sociological, and geographical condition potentially hampering compliance with the study protocol and follow-up schedule.

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
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Hydroxyurea (HU) + Valproic Acid (VPA) part 1

Combination treatment 1 (T1): hydroxyurea + valproic acid, combination treatment 2 (T2): 6-mercaptopurine + valproic acid.

Each patient enrolled will receive at least one cycle with T1: hydroxyurea and valproic acid. The 1st cycle in the study always constitutes of hydroxyurea (1000 mg twice a day) plus valproic acid (300 mg + 600 mg) for 14 days; then 14 days with no medication.

Each cycle duration is 28 days. Patients who do not experience clinical benefit after 1st cycle, or experience unacceptable and unmanageable toxicity after 1st cycle, will not be eligible to continue on this regimen and they will be allocated to treatment combination 2. T2 constitutes of 6-mercaptopurine ( 50 mg once a day) plus valproic acid 300 mg + 600 mg ) for 14 days; followed by 14 days with no medication. Each cycle duration is 28 days.
Drug: Hydroxyurea, Hydroxycarbamide
Hydroxyurea (HU/hydroxycarbamide) is a hydroxylated analogue of urea which prevents DNA synthesis by inhibiting the activity of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR). HU has been used to treat a variety of diseases. As an antineoplastic drug, HU has some advantages. It may be used by ambulatory patients and has relatively few side effects, which are relieved almost immediately after withdrawal of the drug. The drug is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract following oral administration. At present, HU has an important role as standard of care for treating hyperleukocytosis in chronic and acute myeloid leukemia.
Other Names:
  • Hydroxyurea Medac
Drug: Valproic acid
Valproic acid (VPA) has been used clinically as an anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug. During the last two decades, VPA has been described as a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor and gained increased interest for use in cancer therapy. VPA is administered orally with available routine measurements of serum levels and has a low toxicity profile.
Other Names:
  • Depakote
  • Epilim
  • Orfiril Long depot
  • Belvo
  • Dyzantil
  • Convulex
  • Syonell
Drug: 6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP)
In 1953, 6-MP was an approved antileukemic agent resulting in remissions in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). After adding 6-MP to methotrexate and prednisolone in the treatment regimen, the one-year mean survival of children with ALL was increased from 29% to 50%. 6-MP, even about 70 years after its discovery, remains the standard maintenance therapy once the children are in complete remission.
Other Names:
  • Puri-Nethol
Active Comparator: Hydroxyurea (HU) + Valproic Acid (VPA) part 2

Part B consists of two cohort expansions where the setup is identical to part A: one for HU + VPA and one for 6-MP + VPA, 16 patients in each, in total 32 new patients.

In part B the same principles will apply for response, withdrawal and allocation from HU+ VPA to 6-MP + VPA. The treatment duration in all arms can last to up 6 cycles in total. Each cycle duration is 28 days.
Drug: Hydroxyurea, Hydroxycarbamide
Hydroxyurea (HU/hydroxycarbamide) is a hydroxylated analogue of urea which prevents DNA synthesis by inhibiting the activity of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR). HU has been used to treat a variety of diseases. As an antineoplastic drug, HU has some advantages. It may be used by ambulatory patients and has relatively few side effects, which are relieved almost immediately after withdrawal of the drug. The drug is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract following oral administration. At present, HU has an important role as standard of care for treating hyperleukocytosis in chronic and acute myeloid leukemia.
Other Names:
  • Hydroxyurea Medac
Drug: Valproic acid
Valproic acid (VPA) has been used clinically as an anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug. During the last two decades, VPA has been described as a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor and gained increased interest for use in cancer therapy. VPA is administered orally with available routine measurements of serum levels and has a low toxicity profile.
Other Names:
  • Depakote
  • Epilim
  • Orfiril Long depot
  • Belvo
  • Dyzantil
  • Convulex
  • Syonell
Drug: 6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP)
In 1953, 6-MP was an approved antileukemic agent resulting in remissions in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). After adding 6-MP to methotrexate and prednisolone in the treatment regimen, the one-year mean survival of children with ALL was increased from 29% to 50%. 6-MP, even about 70 years after its discovery, remains the standard maintenance therapy once the children are in complete remission.
Other Names:
  • Puri-Nethol

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Safety and tolerability of the treatment combinations of hydroxyurea + valproic acid, and 6-mercaptopurine + valproic acid administered at established clinical doses.
Time Frame: Evaluation every 4th week, i.e. after each treatment cycle.

Safety and tolerability assessed by monitoring the incidence, frequency, and severity of AEs by using CTCAE v5.0, including evaluation of the following:

  • DLTs
  • Physical examinations
  • Clinical laboratory blood samples
Evaluation every 4th week, i.e. after each treatment cycle.
Preliminary efficacy of the treatment combination of hydroxyurea and valproic acid administered at established clinical doses.
Time Frame: Evaluation every 4th week, i.e. after each treatment cycle.

Clinical benefit in patients receiving hydroxyurea in combination with valproic acid.

Clinical benefit in patients receiving 6-mercaptopurine in combination with valproic acid.

Clinical benefit, in this protocol, is defined as stable disease, partial response (decrease of bone marrow blast percentage to between 5% to 25% and decrease of pre-treatment bone marrow blast percentage by at least 50%), or better response [European Leukemia Net (ELN) 2022 response criteria in AML], and/or stable or improved ECOG performance status.
Evaluation every 4th week, i.e. after each treatment cycle.
Changes in patients performance status from baseline and during the study period.
Time Frame: Evaluation at baseline, i.e. before onset treatment, after 4 weeks on treatment (i.e.after first cycle), and every 4th week to a total of 24 weeks. (i.e. after each treatment cycle, up to a total of 6 cycles).
Baseline and longitudinal ECOG performance status of the patient (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group). The ECOG performance status scale is best at 0 (fully active, able to carry on all pre-disease performance without restriction), and worst at 5 (dead).
Evaluation at baseline, i.e. before onset treatment, after 4 weeks on treatment (i.e.after first cycle), and every 4th week to a total of 24 weeks. (i.e. after each treatment cycle, up to a total of 6 cycles).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Clinical benefit.
Time Frame: After 3 and 6 cycles (i.e. after 3 and 6 months from the treatment onset).
The percentage of patients with clinical benefit (as described over) in each group (A1, A2, B1, B2).
After 3 and 6 cycles (i.e. after 3 and 6 months from the treatment onset).
Duration of clinical benefit.
Time Frame: During the treatment period of 6 months, and during follow-up, up to 6 months after end treatment.
The duration of clinical benefit (in days), in each group (A1, A2, B1, B2).
During the treatment period of 6 months, and during follow-up, up to 6 months after end treatment.
Time to progression.
Time Frame: From the treatment onset, during the treatment period of 6 months, and during follow-up, up to 6 months after end treatment.
The time to progression (days), in each group (A1, A2, B1, B2).
From the treatment onset, during the treatment period of 6 months, and during follow-up, up to 6 months after end treatment.
Changes in reported Quality of Life (QoL) compared to baseline.
Time Frame: At baseline, i.e. before onset treatment, after 4 weeks on treatment (i.e.after first cycle), and after each treatment cycle (every 4th week).

Use of health-related quality of life questionnaires:

  • EQ -5D-5L
  • QLQ-C30
  • NCI- PRO-CTCAE
At baseline, i.e. before onset treatment, after 4 weeks on treatment (i.e.after first cycle), and after each treatment cycle (every 4th week).
Survival analyses, ORR.
Time Frame: After 3 and 6 cycles (i.e. after 3 and 6 months from the treatment onset).
The overall response rate (ORR) defined as the percentage of patients with a response of complete remission (CR), complete remission with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi), morphologic leukemia-free state (MLFS), partial remission (PR), or no response, all as assessed by ELN response criteria 2022, in each group (A1, A2, B1, B2).
After 3 and 6 cycles (i.e. after 3 and 6 months from the treatment onset).
Survival analyses, OS.
Time Frame: From the treatment onset, during the treatment period of 6 months, and during follow-up, up to 6 months after end-treatment.
The overall survival (OS), in each group (A1, A2, B1, B2).
From the treatment onset, during the treatment period of 6 months, and during follow-up, up to 6 months after end-treatment.
Hospitalization rate per month per patient.
Time Frame: Before the treatment onset, during the treatment period of 6 months, and during follow-up, up to 6 months after end treatment.
The number of hospital admissions per month before, during, and after study investigation.
Before the treatment onset, during the treatment period of 6 months, and during follow-up, up to 6 months after end treatment.
Transfusion rate per month per patient.
Time Frame: Before the treatment onset, during the treatment period of 6 months, and during follow-up, up to 6 months after end treatment.
The number of blood-/platelet transfusions per month, during and after study investigation.
Before the treatment onset, during the treatment period of 6 months, and during follow-up, up to 6 months after end treatment.

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Biomarkers (exploratory).
Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 5 years, or prolonged if necessary.
Detecting changes in the expression level of intracellular or extracellular signaling markers, may predict positive pharmacological activity of the investigational combinations, and therefore treatment response. These parameters are exploratory and will be measured by mass cytometry on baseline patient samples before treatment onset, and longitudinally with the treatment, sampled every 4th week.
Through study completion, an average of 5 years, or prolonged if necessary.
Relation of serum concentrations of VPA to treatment response (exploratory).
Time Frame: Exploratory outcome, during the study period, an average of 5 years.
Measure of VPA concentrations in serum (normal reference values: 300 - 700 µmol/L).
Exploratory outcome, during the study period, an average of 5 years.

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Haukeland University Hospital

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Bjørn Tore Gjertsen, MD, PhD, Helse-Bergen HF

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

Helpful Links

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)

May 23, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 30, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

September 30, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 12, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 29, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

January 10, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 29, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 25, 2025

Last Verified

June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HUVPA_6MPVPA

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

The data are shared with the research group to which the PI and study staff belong to. If relevant, data can be shared with the network. All data that are to be shared will be fully anonymized and followed the relevant guidelines.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

During the study period.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Collaboration.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

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.

Clinical Trials on Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Adult

Clinical Trials on Hydroxyurea, Hydroxycarbamide

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Georgia

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe