Recruiting

Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy

Sponsor:

Ohio State University

Code:

NCT06477159

Conditions

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Pancrelipase Capsules

Study Details

Brief summary:

This study aims to evaluate if a 6-month course of pancrelipase (CREON) treatment improves symptoms of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) after an attack of acute pancreatitis. Diagnosis of EPI is measured by a fecal elastase value of <200, and patients must have a qualifying symptom burden based on the EPI symptom tracker survey. Blood and stool will be analyzed as part of this study, and other surveys of health status will be used to track improvement of symptoms.

Conditions

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Study ID

NCT06477159

Start date

Feb 1, 2024

Status verified date

Jun, 2026

Completion date

Dec 31, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Sep 30, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adult patients of age 18 or older, able to provide informed consent and follow all study procedures.
2. Stable outpatient up to 12 months following an acute pancreatitis episode and has EPI based on an FE-1 < 200 µg/g stool obtained within 3 months prior to baseline assessment (Visit 2).
3. Score of equal or greater 0.6 on the EPI symptom tracker at baseline Visit 2.
4. Must be off PERT (including prescription and non-prescription enzymes) for 7 days prior to baseline Visit 2.
5. Must have fully completed the terminal intervention for necrotizing pancreatitis (surgical or endoscopic necrosectomy or percutaneous drainage).
6. Have a Body Weight between 40 and 120 kg (amounts to 600-1800 LU/meal pancrelipase starting dose of pancrelipase).
7. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative urine pregnancy test at Study Day 1 and practicing at least one protocol specified method of birth control (Section 5.2.4), starting at Study Day 1 through 30 days after last dose of pancrelipase.
8. Females of non-childbearing potential (either postmenopausal or permanently surgically sterile as defined:

  • Age > 55 years with no menses for 12 or more months without an alternative medical cause.
  • Age ≤ 55 years with no menses for 12 or more months without an alternative medical cause AND an FSH level > 40 IU/L.

OR

  • Permanently surgical sterile (bilateral oophorectomy, bilateral salpingectomy or hysterectomy).

do not require pregnancy testing.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Acute pancreatitis episode due to a pancreatic cystic neoplasm, trauma, or surgery. Post-ERCP acute pancreatitis patients can be enrolled.
2. History of definite chronic pancreatitis defined by APA Chronic Pancreatitis Guideline.1
3. Pancreas malignancy or other active malignancies requiring systemic treatment; treated basal cell carcinoma, and treated in-situ cervical cancer can be included.
4. Enteropathies, and gastroenteritis that may affect FE-1 levels, e.g., Inflammatory bowel disease, Celiac Disease, viral-, bacterial-, fungal-, or parasitic gastroenteritis.
5. Gastroparesis.
6. Confirmed or suspected cystic tumor associated with main pancreatic duct dilation or believed to be the cause of AP (in the site-PI's judgment).
7. Prior pancreatic surgery or GI tract surgery affecting the upper GI tract including but not limited to gastric bypass surgery, total pancreatectomy.
8. Pregnancy or breast feeding.
9. Patients with life expectancy of less than 6 months due to advanced chronic conditions, such as congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or other conditions which preclude study participation by judgement of the investigator.
10. Incarcerated individuals

Study Design

Enrollment

30 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Pancrelipase

Pancrelipase (CREON) capsules taken orally with food, at a dose 36,000 units with snacks and 72,000 units with meals, for a total of 6 months (180 days)

Interventions

Pancrelipase Capsules

Treatment with Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy

Primary outcome measure

  • Patient-Reported EPI Symptoms - Short Term [ Time Frame: 30 days ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Locations

University of Southern California

Recruiting

Los Angeles, California, United States, 90033

Contacts

Principal Investigator:

James Buxbaum, MD

University of Illinois Chicago

Recruiting

Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60612

Contacts

Haya Alrashdan, MSN

312-413-0306halras2@uic.edu

Principal Investigator:

Cemal Yazici, MD

The Ohio State University

Recruiting

Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210

Contacts

Principal Investigator:

Georgios Papachristou, MD, PhD

University of Pittsburgh

Recruiting

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15213

Contacts

Principal Investigator:

Anna Phillips, MD

More Information

Sponsor

Ohio State University

Last update posted

Jun 10, 2026

Last verified

Jun, 2026

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-08. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Ohio State University on 2026-06-10.