RecruitingPhase 4NCT07356778

A Study of Sotatercept for Patients With Eisenmenger Syndrome or Unrepaired Shunt-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Resistant to Vasodilator Therapy

An Open-label, Randomized, Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of Sotatercept Add-on Therapy Compared to Standard PAH Therapy With Pulmonary Vasodilators for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Associated With Pulmonary Vasodilator-resistant, Unrepaired Congenital Shunts (ASD, VSD, PDA) Including Eisenmenger Syndrome:SuMILE Trial


Sponsor

Kazuya Hosokawa

Enrollment

36 participants

Start Date

Oct 7, 2025

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Summary

What is this study about? This study will test whether adding sotatercept to usual medicines for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) can help adults who have PAH due to unrepaired congenital heart defects (atrial or ventricular septal defect, or patent ductus arteriosus), including Eisenmenger syndrome. These conditions often cause long-standing changes in the lung blood vessels and low oxygen levels. Who can join? About 36 adults (age ≥18 years) in Japan whose PAH has not improved enough with pulmonary vasodilators may join. People with very severe symptoms (WHO class IV) or other serious illnesses will not be enrolled. What will happen if I join? Participants will be randomly assigned (like a coin flip, in a 2:1 ratio) to: Sotatercept + vasodilator-based PAH care, or vasodilator-based PAH care alone. The study lasts 24 weeks. Those who receive sotatercept will have injections every 3 weeks. All participants will have clinic visits and tests at the start, week 12, and week 24, including a 6-minute walk test (how far you can walk in 6 minutes), blood tests, questionnaires, and other heart-lung assessments used in routine PAH care. What are the possible benefits? Sotatercept improved exercise capacity and heart-lung measures in other PAH studies, but people with unrepaired heart defects were not included. This study may or may not help you directly, but it may help doctors learn how to use sotatercept safely in this group. What are the possible risks? Side effects seen with sotatercept include increase in haemoglobin, low platelets, nosebleeds, telangiectasia (small dilated blood vessels), bleeding, and blood clots. People with Eisenmenger syndrome can have both bleeding (for example, haemoptysis) and clotting risks. The study will check complete blood counts (CBC) regularly and adjust or pause dosing using label-based rules. Other risks are those of standard PAH care and blood tests. Time and location The study is conducted at multiple hospitals in Japan. Study participation lasts about 6 months. Costs and payments The study drug and study-specific tests will be provided at no cost. Usual medical care not required by the study will follow each hospital's standard billing. There is no required payment to join. Any travel reimbursement or stipends will follow site policy. Privacy Your information will be kept confidential. Results will be shared in journals and at meetings without using your name. Who to contact If you are interested or have questions, please contact the study team at the participating hospital.


Eligibility

Min Age: 18 Years

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This study is testing sotatercept — a drug that targets blood vessel proteins — in adults with a serious heart and lung condition called Eisenmenger syndrome or unrepaired shunt-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension. These conditions involve abnormal connections between heart chambers and high pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs, often causing low oxygen levels. Researchers want to see if sotatercept can improve exercise ability and quality of life. **You may be eligible if:** - You are 18 or older - You have an unrepaired hole in the heart (ASD, VSD, or PDA) - You have been on pulmonary vasodilator therapy (drugs to lower lung artery pressure) for at least 90 days - You have evidence of high lung artery pressure on a heart catheterization or echocardiogram, along with low resting blood oxygen levels - You can walk at least 100 meters in a 6-minute walk test - You are able to complete questionnaires **You may NOT be eligible if:** - You are in WHO functional class IV (most severe level of impairment) - You have other unrepaired holes in the heart not listed above - You have severe kidney, liver, or lung disease, or a weakened heart pump (ejection fraction below 40%) - You have previously used sotatercept - You have a contraindication to sotatercept Talk to your doctor to see if this trial is right for you.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

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Interventions

DRUGSotatercept

Sotatercept will be administered subcutaneously every 3 weeks for 24 weeks (total 8 injections): 0.3 mg/kg lead-in at Visit 1, then 0.7 mg/kg from Visit 2 if safety criteria are met. Dose holds/reductions follow label-concordant rules based on complete blood count (CBC) prior to each dose (e.g., hemoglobin rise \>4.0 g/dL from baseline; or \>2.0 g/dL from the previous dose and above ULN; or \>2.0 g/dL above ULN; and platelet count \<50,000/µL). Participants continue stable background PAH therapy (endothelin, nitric-oxide, prostacyclin pathways) per protocol; initiation or up-titration of PAH drugs during the 24-week treatment period is generally not permitted unless clinically mandated for safety and recorded as a protocol deviation.

DRUGvasodilator-based PAH therapy

Participants receive no sotatercept. They continue site-standard, stable PAH therapy for 24 weeks (endothelin receptor antagonist, PDE5 inhibitor/riociguat, and/or prostacyclin class as clinically indicated). Changes to background therapy are discouraged during the 24-week period unless required for safety; any changes are captured for analysis. The same visit schedule and assessments (e.g., 6-minute walk test, biomarkers, clinical events) apply as in the sotatercept arm.


Locations(10)

Kyushu University Hospital

Fukuoka, Not Required For This Country, Japan

The Second Department of Internal Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health

Fukuoka, Japan

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kobe University Hospital

Kobe, Japan

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine

Kyoto, Japan

Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Hospital

Nagoya, Japan

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University

Okayama, Japan

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine

Sendai, Japan

Department of Cardiology, Keio University School of Medicine

Tokyo, Japan

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyorin University School of Medicine

Tokyo, Japan

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Showa University Graduate School of Medicine

Tokyo, Japan

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