A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Proof-of-Concept Study of Alanyl-Glutamine for Reduction of Post-Myomectomy Adhesions

The myriad medical and financial burdens of post-operative adhesions are well documented; however, treatment options are limited and controversial. Implantable physical barriers to prevent adhesions are commercially available, but most trials have failed to demonstrate compelling evidence to support widespread use. In recent years, advances have been made in our understanding of the cellular mechanisms underlying adhesiogenesis, raising the prospect of targeting these pathways to prevent post-surgical adhesions. However, to date, no drug has received regulatory approval for this purpose in any jurisdiction. Our study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a single intraoperative intraperitoneal dose of L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine (AG), an agent which has been shown to act upon key mediators in the adhesion formation pathway. Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (DBRCT) of 47 women who underwent myomectomies by laparoscopy (N=37; AG-18 vs Placebo-19) or laparotomy (N=10; AG-5 vs Placebo-5) with a scheduled clinically necessary second-look laparoscopy (SLL) 6 - 8 weeks later. Digital recordings were obtained for all procedures. The primary endpoint was reduction in the incidence, severity and extent of post-operative adhesions, as analyzed by intention-to-treat (ITT) approach. Three independent, blinded reviewers evaluated the operative video recordings to assess for presence of adhesions. Secondary endpoints assessed the safety and tolerability of AG. Post-hoc analysis assessed presence or absence of adhesions in the peritoneal cavity. Patients included those with previous history of surgery, endometriosis, and adhesiolysis was permitted at myomectomy.