Trial of a Gastrin Receptor Antagonist in Barrett's Esophagus

The purpose of this study is to determine whether treatment with an experimental drug called YF476 in patients with Barrett's esophagus reduces the expression of tissue markers that are associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.

The association between gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and cancer of the esophagus is well-established. Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a condition in which the lining of the part of the esophagus changes to look like small intestine, and this change occurs in the setting of GERD. Patients with BE are at increased risk for developing esophageal cancer. It is recommended that all patients with BE take medicines called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which greatly reduce the acid produced by the stomach, in the hopes of reducing the risk of esophageal cancer. However, by reducing the acid level in the stomach, levels of a hormone called gastrin are increased. There is laboratory data to suggest that gastrin may have effects that actually promote the development of cancer, including esophageal cancer. The investigators previously showed that BE patients with very high gastrin levels are more likely to have either advanced precancerous changes (also called high grade dysplasia) or cancer of the esophagus. As such, the obvious question is raised: does gastrin promote the development of cancer in BE? YF476 is a new drug that blocks the effects of gastrin. Trials in healthy subjects have demonstrated that the drug is safe and well-tolerated. The investigators therefore propose to conduct a randomized placebo-controlled trial of YF476 in patients with Barrett's esophagus. The primary hypothesis is that treatment with YF476 will reduce the expression of tissue markers that are associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.