Oral mucositis associated with cancer therapy carries a significant morbidity. OM is a common complication in patients receiving CCRT used for treating HNSCC. Mucositis lesions can be painful, affect nutrition and quality of life (QoL), and have a significant economic impact. However, a definitive intervention regime has not been established. Therefore, it is essential to develop appropriate treatment.~MitoImmune Therapeutics Inc. (hereafter referred to as Sponsor) has developed MIT-001 which can scavenge abnormal levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), enabling the cells to retain mitochondrial membrane permeability and mitochondrial function. This eventually inhibits additional ROS production, indicating that MIT-001 can prevent excessive inflammation caused by ROS. In addition, MIT-001 may possibly 1) block inflammatory cytokine production via inhibiting nuclear factor kappa B (NF kB) or inflammasome dependent pathways, 2) inhibit necrosis/necroptosis via blocking high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) mediated cytokine production, and 3) balance regulation between T helper type 1/17 (Th1/17) and regulatory T cells.~Based on the pathophysiological progression of CCRT-associated OM, initiated by direct injury to basal epithelial cells which experience deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage and increased ROS levels, Sponsor expects the prevention of OM in patients receiving CCRT of locally advanced HNSCC with MIT 001 by effectively scavenging increased ROS induced by CCRT.
The proposed study in patients with previously untreated locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of three different doses of MIT-001 compared to the placebo in prevention of oral mucositis (OM) in patients with HNSCC who are undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).