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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Difluoromethylornithine and High Dose Testosterone With Enzalutamide in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Repeat Difluoromethylornithine and High Dose Testosterone With Enzalutamide in Asymptomatic Patients With Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: The APEX (Androgen and Polyamine Elimination Alternating With Xtandi) Trial

Difluoromethylornithine and High Dose Testosterone With Enzalutamide in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (NCT06059118) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Prostate Cancer, sponsored by Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

Asymptomatic patients with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) without pain due to prostate cancer will be treated on an open label study to evaluate effectiveness of sequential treatment with the combination of difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and high dose testosterone in sequence with enzalutamide to improve primary and secondary outcomes.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Prostate Cancer and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

Target enrollment of 50 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Prostate Cancer subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: 1. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance status ≤2. 2. Age ≥18 years. 3. Histologically-confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate. 4. Treated with continuous androgen ablative therapy (either surgical castration or LHRH agonist/antagonist). 5. Documented castrate level of serum testosterone (\<50 ng/dl). 6. Metastatic disease radiographically documented by CT or bone scan. 7. Must have had disease progression while on abiraterone acetate based on: - PSA progression defined as an increase in PSA, as determined by 2 separate measurements taken at least 1 week apart And/ Or - Radiographic disease progression, based on RECIST 1.1 in patients with measurable soft tissue lesions or Prostate Cancer Working Group 3 (PCWG3) for patients with bone disease 8. Screening PSA must be ≥ 1.0 ng/mL. 9. Patients with soft tissue lesion amenable to biopsy must agree to biopsy collection pre-treatment and at a defined point on treatment to perform tumor tissue analysis. 10. Prior treatment with Provenge vaccine, 223Radium (Xofigo), Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, taxane chemotherapy, Lutetium prostate-specific membrane antigen (LuPSMA), antiandrogens (including enzalutamide, darolutamide, and apalutamide), and radiation is allowed if \>4 weeks from last dose. 11. Prior treatment with bipolar androgen therapy (BAT) is allowed if the patient has progressed on an AR-axis inhibitor (i.e. abiraterone or antiandrogen) since BAT treatment. 12. Patients must be withdrawn from abiraterone for ≥ 2 weeks. 13. Attempts must be made to wean patients off prednisone prior to starting therapy. Patients who cannot be weaned due to symptoms may continue on lowest dose of prednisone achieved during weaning period. 14. Acceptable liver function: 1. Bilirubin \< 2.5 times institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) 2. Aspartate transaminase (AST) (SGOT) and alanine transaminase (AST) (SGPT) \< 2.5 times ULN 15. Acceptable renal function: ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance status ≤2. 2. Age ≥18 years. 3. Histologically-confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate. 4. Treated with continuous androgen ablative therapy (either surgical castration or LHRH agonist/antagonist). 5. Documented castrate level of serum testosterone (\<50 ng/dl). 6. Metastatic disease radiographically documented by CT or bone scan. 7. Must have had disease progression while on abiraterone acetate based on: * PSA progression defined as an increase in PSA, as determined by 2 separate measurements taken at least 1 week apart And/ Or * Radiographic disease progression, based on RECIST 1.1 in patients with measurable soft tissue lesions or Prostate Cancer Working Group 3 (PCWG3) for patients with bone disease 8. Screening PSA must be ≥ 1.0 ng/mL. 9. Patients with soft tissue lesion amenable to biopsy must agree to biopsy collection pre-treatment and at a defined point on treatment to perform tumor tissue analysis. 10. Prior treatment with Provenge vaccine, 223Radium (Xofigo), Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, taxane chemotherapy, Lutetium prostate-specific membrane antigen (LuPSMA), antiandrogens (including enzalutamide, darolutamide, and apalutamide), and radiation is allowed if \>4 weeks from last dose. 11. Prior treatment with bipolar androgen therapy (BAT) is allowed if the patient has progressed on an AR-axis inhibitor (i.e. abiraterone or antiandrogen) since BAT treatment. 12. Patients must be withdrawn from abiraterone for ≥ 2 weeks. 13. Attempts must be made to wean patients off prednisone prior to starting therapy. Patients who cannot be weaned due to symptoms may continue on lowest dose of prednisone achieved during weaning period. 14. Acceptable liver function: 1. Bilirubin \< 2.5 times institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) 2. Aspartate transaminase (AST) (SGOT) and alanine transaminase (AST) (SGPT) \< 2.5 times ULN 15. Acceptable renal function: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 50 mL/min/1.73 m2 or higher. GFR will be estimated by the 2021 chronic kidney disease epidemiology (CKD-EPI) creatinine equation (REF: Inker LA, Eneanya ND, Coresh J, et al. Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration. New Creatinine- and Cystatin C-Based Equations to Estimate GFR without Race. N Engl J Med 2021; 385:1737) using the online calculator found on UpToDate (https://www.uptodate.com/contents/calculator-glomerular-filtration-rate-gfr-by-ckd-epiequation-in-adults-conventional-and-si-units search=gfr\&topicRef=2359\&source=see\_link). 16. Acceptable hematologic status: 1. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1500 cells/mm3 (1.5 ×109/L) 2. Platelet count ≥ 100,000 platelet/mm3 (100 ×109/L) 3. Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL. 17. Ability to understand and willingness to sign a written informed consent document. 18. Sexually active participants with female partners of childbearing potential are eligible to participate if they agree to follow 1 of the following methods of contraception consistently, starting from screening, during the study and for at least 3 months after the last dose of DFMO and/or enzalutamide: * Are abstinent from penile-vaginal intercourse as their usual and preferred lifestyle (abstinent on a longterm and persistent basis) and agree to remain abstinent. * Are sterilized (with the appropriate post-vasectomy documentation of the absence of sperm in the ejaculate); * Agree to use a male condom and have their partner use a contraceptive method with a failure rate of \<1% per year as described below when having penile-vaginal intercourse with a woman of childbearing potential who is not currently pregnant, and who agrees to the use of a condom by her partner. In addition, participants must refrain from donating sperm starting from Screening, during the study and for at least 3 months after the last dose of DFMO and/or enzalutamide. 19. Sexually active participants with a pregnant or breastfeeding partner must agree to remain abstinent from penile-vaginal intercourse; or use a male condom during each episode of penile penetration during the study 20. Patients with soft-tissue disease amenable to biopsy as determined by Interventional Radiology must agree to serial biopsies as per the study schedule to be eligible. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Pain due to metastatic prostate cancer requiring treatment intervention with opioid pain medication. 2. ECOG Performance status ≥3 3. Requirement for urinary self-catheterization for voiding due to obstruction secondary to prostatic enlargement well documented to be due to prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Patients with indwelling Foley or suprapubic catheter for obstructive symptoms are eligible. 4. Evidence of disease in sites or extent that, in the opinion of the investigator, would put the patient at risk from therapy with testosterone (e.g. femoral metastases with concern over fracture risk, severe and extensive spinal metastases with concern for spinal cord compression, extensive liver metastases). 5. Active uncontrolled infection. Patients with a history of HIV/AIDS may be eligible if CD4+ T cell (a type of lymphocyte that helps coordinate the immune response against infection and disease) counts are ≥ 350 cell/ul, they have had no opportunistic infection within the past 12 months, they have been on established antiretroviral therapy (ART) for at least four weeks, the HIV viral load is less than 400 copies/ml prior to enrollment, and there is no significant drug-drug interaction with ART and the study drugs. Patients with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection with active disease who meet criteria for anti HBV therapy are eligible if they are on a suppressive antiviral therapy prior to enrollment and there is no drug-drug interaction with the study drugs. Patients with a history of hepatitis C (HCV) infection are eligible if they have completed curative antiviral treatment and the HCV viral load is below the limit of quantification. 6. Any condition or mental impairment that may compromise the ability to give informed consent, patient's safety or compliance with study requirements as determined by the investigator. 7. Patients receiving anticoagulation therapy with warfarin, rivaroxaban, or apixaban are not eligible for study. \[Patients on enoxaparin are eligible for study. Patients on warfarin, rivaroxaban, or apixaban, who can be transitioned to enoxaparin prior to starting study treatments will be eligible\]. 8. Patients are excluded with prior history of a thromboembolic event within the last 12 months that are not being treated with systemic anticoagulation. 9. Hematocrit \>51%, untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea, uncontrolled or poorly controlled heart failure \[per Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guidelines (34)\] 10. Patients allergic to sesame seed oil or cottonseed oil are excluded. 11. Major surgery (i.e., requiring general anesthesia) within 3 weeks before screening, or has not fully recovered from prior surgery (i.e., unhealed wound). Note: subjects with planned surgical procedures to be conducted under local anesthesia may participate. 12. Subjects with significant hearing loss defined as hearing loss that affects everyday life and/or for which a hearing aid is required. 13. Patients with history of seizure or any condition that may predispose to seizure (e.g., prior cortical stroke or significant brain trauma, brain arteriovenous malformation)

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

DFMO

Each 119 day cycle, Days 1-7 patient will take 1000 mg by mouth (PO) twice a day (bid), and then on Day 8 - 63 patient will take 1000 mg PO bid while receiving high dose testosterone IM on Day 8 and Day 36 of cycle.

DRUG

testosterone cypionate

On Day 8 and Day 36 of each 119 day cycle, patient will receive high dose testosterone at 400 mg through intramuscular (IM) injection.

DRUG

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analogue

Patients who have progressive disease after treatment with Abiraterone (Abi) will continue with androgen depravation therapy (ADT) with LHRH analogue (LHRH agonist drug (i.e. Zoladex, Trelstar, Eligard or Lupron) or LHRH antagonist drug (Degarelix or Relugolix)). Dosing instructions will vary between the different LHRH analogues. Patients should follow the dosing instructions as directed by their physician.

DRUG

Enzalutamide

Each 119 day cycle, Days 64-119 patient will take 160 mg by mouth (PO) once a day (qd).

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Johns Hopkins University: Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
Baltimore, Maryland, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06059118), the sponsor (Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT06059118 clinical trial studying?

Asymptomatic patients with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) without pain due to prostate cancer will be treated on an open label study to evaluate effectiveness of sequential treatment with the combination of difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and high dose testosterone in sequence with enzalutamide to improve primary and secondary outcomes. The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06059118?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT06059118?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT06059118. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06059118. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.