Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells are destroyed, resulting in poor blood sugar control. The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and effectiveness of islet transplantation using a steroid-free, calcineurin-inhibitor-free belatacept based immunosuppressive medication, for treating type 1 diabetes in individuals experiencing hypoglycemia unawareness and severe hypoglycemic episodes.
Type 1 diabetes is commonly treated with the administration of insulin, either by multiple insulin injections or by a continuous supply of insulin through a wearable pump. Insulin therapy allows long-term survival in individuals with type 1 diabetes; however, it does not guarantee constant normal blood sugar control. Because of this, long-term type 1 diabetic survivors often develop vascular complications, such as diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that can cause poor vision and blindness, and diabetic nephropathy, a kidney disease that can lead to kidney failure. Some individuals with type 1 diabetes develop hypoglycemia unawareness, a life-threatening condition that is not easily treatable with medication and is characterized by reduced or absent warning signals for hypoglycemia. For such individuals, transplantation of pancreatic islets is a possible treatment option. Unfortunately, insulin independence among islet transplant recipients tends to decline over time. New strategies aimed at promoting engraftment of transplanted islets are needed to improve the clinical outcomes associated with this procedure. The purpose of this study is determine the safety and efficacy of islet transplantation, when combined with an immunosuppressive medication regimen containing belatacept, for treating type 1 diabetes in individuals experiencing hypoglycemia unawareness and severe hypoglycemic episodes. This study will also seek to improve the understanding of determinants of success and failure of islet transplants for type 1 diabetes. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to this study or a site-specific Phase 3 islet transplantation study (CIT-07). Participants in this study will receive up to three separate islet transplants and a regimen of immunosuppressive medications consisting of belatacept, basiliximab (an IL-2 monoclonal antibody receptor blocker), and mycophenolate mofetil. Participants will begin receiving all three drugs on the day of the first islet transplant. Belatacept will also be administered again on Days 4, 14, 28, 56, and 84 post-transplant and then every 4 weeks for the duration of the study. If the participant receives daclizumab, it will also be given again on Days 14, 28, 42, and 56 post-transplant; if the participant receives basiliximab, it will also be given again on Day 4 post-transplant. Mycophenolate mofetil will also be given for the duration of the study. Transplantations will involve an inpatient hospital stay and intraportal infusion of islet cells. Participants who do not achieve or maintain insulin independence by Day 75 post-transplant will be considered for a second islet transplant. Participants who remain dependent on insulin for longer than 1 month after the second transplant and who show partial graft function will be considered for a third islet transplant. Participants who do not meet the criteria for a subsequent transplant and do not have a functioning graft will enter a reduced follow-up period. There will be up to 25 study visits following each transplant. A physical exam, review of adverse events, and blood collection will occur at most visits. A chest x-ray, abdominal ultrasound, electrocardiogram, quality of life questionnaires, urine collection, and more extensive blood testing will occur at some visits. Participants will also test their own blood glucose levels at least five times per day throughout the study. A 24-month follow-up period will take place after the participant's last transplant.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
10
Transplant of islet cells from a healthy pancreas. A dose of at least 5,000 Islet Equivalents (IEQ)/kg recipient body weight (BW) infused intraportally for the first transplant, and at least 4,000 IEQ/kg recipient BW infused intraportally for subsequent transplants.
Belatacept is an inhibitor of the 2 signals that stimulate T-cells. Subjects will receive NULOJIX® (belatacept)10mg/kg through a peripheral vein on Day 0 and post-operative days 4, 14, 28, 56, 84. After Day 84 subjects will receive belatacept at a maintenance dose of 5 mg/kg every 4 weeks for the duration of study follow-up (2 years after the final islet transplant). Infusion doses will be based upon the subject's actual body weight at study Day 0 and will not be modified during the course of the study unless there is a change in body weight plus or minus 10% of Day 0 body weight.
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Proportion of subjects with insulin independence
Time frame: 75 days after first islet transplant
Proportion of subjects with an HbA1c <7.0% AND free of severe hypoglycemic events
Time frame: from Day 28 to Day 365, inclusive, after the first islet transplant
Proportion of subjects with an HbA1c <7.0% AND free of severe hypoglycemic events
Time frame: from Day 28 to Day 365, inclusive, after the final islet transplant
Percent reduction in insulin requirements, HbA1c, Mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), Glycemic lability index (LI), Ryan hypoglycemia severity (HYPO) score
Time frame: 75 Days after first and final islet transplant
Basal (fasting) and 90-min glucose and C-peptide derived from the mixed-meal tolerance test (MMTT), beta-score, C-peptide: glucose-creatinine ration, acute insulin response to glucose
Time frame: 75 Days after first and final islet transplant
Insulin sensitivity and disposition index derived from the insulin-modified frequently-sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) test
Time frame: 75 days after first and final islet transplant
Glucose variability and hypoglycemia duration, derived from the continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS), quality of life (QOL) measures
Time frame: 75 days after first and final islet transplant
Percent reduction in insulin requirements, HbA1c, Mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), Glycemic lability index (LI), Clarke Score, Ryan hypoglycemia severity (HYPO) score
Time frame: 365 days after first and final islet transplant
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Immunosuppressive medication for prophylaxis of acute transplant rejection. Two Intravenous (IV) doses of basiliximab, a monoclonal antibody Interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor blocker, will be given with the first and second (if necessary) transplants. The first dose will be 20 mg and will be given within two hours prior to islet transplant on the day of islet transplantation. The second 20 mg dose will be given on Day 4 after the transplant.If a third islet transplant is deemed necessary and performed more than 70 days after the second transplant, both doses of basiliximab will be repeated. No additional doses of basiliximab will be given with a third transplant that is performed between 30 and 70 days after the second transplant.
Maintenance immunosuppressive therapy. Subjects will receive mycophenolate mofetil starting immediately pre-transplant on Day 0 at a dose of 1g orally twice a day for the duration of study follow-up (2 years after the final islet transplant).
Tacrolimus may be used only as a supplement to maintenance mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in those cases where the trough level is below the therapeutic range. Tacrolimus will be administered orally twice a day to maintain trough levels of 3-5 ng/mL. Generic equivalents of Prograf® will not be permitted.
The infusion of allogeneic pancreatic islet cells (islet transplant\[s\]) will occur intraportally.
Basal (fasting) and 90-min glucose and C-peptide derived from the mixed-meal tolerance test (MMTT), beta-score, C-peptide: glucose-creatinine ratio
Time frame: 365 days after first and final islet transplant
Insulin sensitivity and disposition index derived from the insulin-modified frequently-sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) test
Time frame: 365 days after first and final islet transplant
Glucose variability and hypoglycemia duration, derived from the continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS), quality of life (QOL) measures
Time frame: 365 days after first and final islet transplant
Proportion of participants receiving a second or third islet transplant
Time frame: 365 days after first and final islet transplant
Rate of favorable outcome at each center preparing islets (rate of subjects with an HbA1c < 7.0% and free of severe hypoglycemic events)
Time frame: 365 days after first and final islet transplant
Incidence and severity of adverse events related to the islet transplant procedure
Time frame: 75 days following each transplant and 365 days following the first and final islet transplant
Incidence and severity of adverse events related to immunosuppression therapy
Time frame: 75 days following each transplant and 365 days following the first and final islet transplant
Incidence of change in the immunosuppression drug regimen
Time frame: 75 days following each transplant and 365 days following the first and final islet transplant
Incidence of immune sensitization defined by presence of Histocompatibility Antigen (HLA) antibodies absent prior to transplantation
Time frame: 75 days following each transplant and 365 days following the first and final islet transplant
Incidence of worsening retinopathy
Time frame: 365 days following the first islet transplant
Percent reduction in insulin requirements, HbA1c, Mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), Glycemic lability index (LI), Clarke Score, Ryan hypoglycemia severity (HYPO) score
Time frame: From 75 days to 365 days after final islet transplant
Basal (fasting) and 90-min glucose and C-peptide derived from the mixed-meal tolerance test (MMTT), beta-score, C-peptide: glucose-creatinine ratio
Time frame: From 75 days to 365 days after final islet transplant
Insulin sensitivity and disposition index derived from the insulin-modified frequently-sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) test
Time frame: From 75 days to 365 days after final islet transplant
Glucose variability and hypoglycemia duration, derived from the continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS), quality of life (QOL) measures
Time frame: From 75 days to 365 days after final islet transplant
Proportion of participants receiving a second or third islet transplant
Time frame: From 75 days to 365 days after final islet transplant
Rate of favorable outcome at each center preparing islets (rate of subjects with an HbA1c < 7.0% and free of severe hypoglycemic events)
Time frame: From 75 days to 365 days after final islet transplant
Percent reduction in insulin requirements, number of severe hypoglycemic events from 28 days to 2 years, HbA1c, Clarke Score
Time frame: Two years after final islet transplant
Basal (fasting) and 90-min glucose and C-peptide derived from the mixed-meal tolerance test (MMTT), beta-score, C-peptide
Time frame: Two years after final islet transplant
Glucose variability and hypoglycemia duration, derived from the continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS), quality of life (QOL) measures
Time frame: Two years after final islet transplant
Safety associated with conventional immunosuppression
Time frame: Two years after final islet transplant
Renal function as measured by serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and other relevant laboratory parameters
Time frame: Two years after final islet transplant
Lipid profiles (triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol)
Time frame: Two years after final islet transplant