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UNC Cashew Sublingual Immunotherapy

Study Purpose

The CASCADES study will investigate the safety and efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for the treatment of cashew allergy in children ages 1-11 years old. Primary efficacy will be assessed after 18 months of cashew SLIT. Lab studies and an oral food challenge after 6 months of cashew SLIT will help determine how quickly cashew SLIT begins to take effect.

Recruitment Criteria

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Healthy volunteers are participants who do not have a disease or condition, or related conditions or symptoms

No
Study Type

An interventional clinical study is where participants are assigned to receive one or more interventions (or no intervention) so that researchers can evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or health-related outcomes.


An observational clinical study is where participants identified as belonging to study groups are assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.


Searching Both is inclusive of interventional and observational studies.

Interventional
Eligible Ages 1 Year - 11 Years
Gender All
More Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • - Age 1-11 years at enrollment.
  • - Cashew allergy, with allergy defined as: - History of clinical reaction to cashew AND cashew-specific IgE >/=0.35 kUA/L AND cashew SPT >/=3 mm.
  • - OR if no prior reaction, cashew-specific IgE >/=5 kUA/L AND cashew SPT >/=3 mm.
  • - Positive Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Food Challenge (DBCPFC) to 443 mg cumulative cashew at enrollment.
  • - If female of child-bearing potential, must have a negative urine or serum pregnancy test.
  • - If female of childbearing potential (defined as females who have reached menarche or who are 12 years or older), must agree to remain abstinent (refrain from heterosexual intercourse) or use acceptable contraceptive methods (barrier methods or oral, injected, or implanted hormonal methods of contraception or other forms of hormonal contraception that have comparable efficacy) during the treatment period.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • - Inability or unwillingness of a participant and/or parent/legal guardian to give written informed consent and/or assent or comply with the study protocol.
  • - History of severe anaphylaxis to cashew defined as neurological compromise or requiring intubation/mechanical ventilation.
  • - Known oat, wheat, or glycerin allergy.
  • - Poorly controlled or severe asthma/wheezing at screening, defined by at least one of the following criteria: - Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) 2024 criteria for uncontrolled asthma.
  • - History of 2 or more systemic corticosteroid courses within 6 months of screening or one course of systemic corticosteroids within 3 months of screening to treat asthma/wheezing.
  • - Prior intubation/mechanical ventilation for asthma/wheezing.
  • - Hospitalization or overnight Emergency Department (ED) visit for asthma/wheezing within 6 months of screening.
  • - Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) <80% of predicted or FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) <75%, with or without controller medications (for participants >/= 6 years and older, able to perform spirometry) - Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) <80% of predicted for participants >6 and able to perform peak flow.
  • - Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) dosing of >500 mcg daily fluticasone (or equivalent ICS) - Eosinophilic or other inflammatory (e.g., celiac) gastrointestinal disease.
  • - Inability to discontinue antihistamines at least 5 half-lives before scheduled SPT and DBPCFC.
  • - Food immunotherapy such as Oral Immunotherapy (OIT), Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT), or Epicutaneous (EPIT) for cashew or pistachio within 6 months of enrollment.
  • - Monoclonal antibodies such as omalizumab (Xolair), dupilumab (Dupixent), benralizumab (Fasenra), mepolizumab (Nucala), or other immunomodulatory therapy within 6 months of enrollment.
  • - Currently on dose escalation of environmental allergen immunotherapy (SCIT or SLIT).
Individuals on maintenance allergen immunotherapy can be enrolled.
  • - Participation in any interventional study within the past 3 months.
  • - Pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Past or current medical condition or clinical significant laboratory abnormality that, in the opinion of the PI, would make the participant unsafe or otherwise unsuitable for participation in the clinical trial

Trial Details

Trial ID:

This trial id was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, providing information on publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants with locations in all 50 States and in 196 countries.

NCT07170540
Phase

Phase 1: Studies that emphasize safety and how the drug is metabolized and excreted in humans.

Phase 2: Studies that gather preliminary data on effectiveness (whether the drug works in people who have a certain disease or condition) and additional safety data.

Phase 3: Studies that gather more information about safety and effectiveness by studying different populations and different dosages and by using the drug in combination with other drugs.

Phase 4: Studies occurring after FDA has approved a drug for marketing, efficacy, or optimal use.

Phase 2
Lead Sponsor

The sponsor is the organization or person who oversees the clinical study and is responsible for analyzing the study data.

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Principal Investigator

The person who is responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the entire clinical study.

Edwin H Kim, MD
Principal Investigator Affiliation University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Agency Class

Category of organization(s) involved as sponsor (and collaborator) supporting the trial.

Other
Overall Status Not yet recruiting
Countries United States
Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied.

Cashew Nut Allergy, Tree Nut Allergies
Additional Details

The CASCADES study is an 18-month randomized, placebo-controlled trial of cashew sublingual immunotherapy (CASHEW SLIT) in children 1-11 years of age with cashew allergy . Children ages 1-11 years with double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) proven allergy to cashew randomized 2:1 to active cashew SLIT or placebo. Participants will undergo a 5-month dose buildup period followed by a DBPCFC at month 6. Participants will then complete an additional 12 months of maintenance cashew SLIT or placebo followed by a DBPCFC at month 18. Safety will be assessed throughout the study. Skin prick testing (SPT), blood sampling, and saliva collection will be performed at baseline and at months 1, 3, 6, 12, and 18 to evaluate for immune biomarker changes.

Arms & Interventions

Arms

Active Comparator: Cashew SLIT

Glycerinated cashew extract for sublingual immunotherapy

Placebo Comparator: Placebo control

Glycerinated for placebo sublingual immunotherapy

Interventions

Drug: - Cashew sublingual immunotherapy

Glycerinated cashew extract for use in sublingual immunotherapy

Drug: - Placebo sublingual immunotherapy

Glycerinated saline for placebo sublingual immunotherapy

Contact a Trial Team

If you are interested in learning more about this trial, find the trial site nearest to your location and contact the site coordinator via email or phone. We also strongly recommend that you consult with your healthcare provider about the trials that may interest you and refer to our terms of service below.

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 4460162, North Carolina 4482348

Status

Address

University of North Carolina

Chapel Hill 4460162, North Carolina 4482348, 27599

Site Contact

Edwin H Kim, MD

[email protected]

919-537-3193

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