Clinical Study Comparing the New Immunosuppressive Drug Gusperimus With the Conventional Treatment in Wegener's Granulomatosis

Phase 3TerminatedNCT01446211

Nordic Pharma SAS4 enrolled

Overview

The aim of the study is to assess the efficacy (superiority testing) of gusperimus compared to conventional treatment in patients with a relapse of Wegener Granulomatosis with or without ongoing steroids, and/or immunosuppressive therapy. Further, to evaluate the safety and quality of life of gusperimus treatment compared to standard treatment in patients with relapse of Wegener Granulomatosis receiving glucocorticoids.

Wegener Granulomatosis without treatment is life-threatening. The standard treatment with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide is usually effective at controlling active disease. However, disease relapse is frequent and requires increased exposure to these toxic drugs. In other patients initiation or continuation of these standard drugs is contraindicated due to intolerable side effects. No well-established therapy is available for relapsing patients. They may suffer severe organ damage due to progressive disease, or may die. The proposed indication for gusperimus is the treatment of relapsing Wegener Granulomatosis. The aim of therapy with gusperimus is to induce and maintain remission thereby avoiding further cyclophosphamide and reducing corticosteroid exposure.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Wegeners Granulomatosis

Interventions

Gusperimus + glucocorticoidsDRUG

Both severity subgroups will be treated with gusperimus + glucocorticoids up to 12 months.

cyclophosphamide followed by methotrexate (azathioprine) + glucocorticoids or methotrexate (azathioprine) + glucocorticoidsDRUG

Severe subgroup: will receive intravenous cyclophosphamide pulses for at least 13 weeks and 22 weeks at maximum, followed by methotrexate + glucocorticoids after achieving a response with BVAS ≤ 2. Patients intolerant to methotrexate and patients with impaired renal function will receive azathioprine + glucocorticoids . Non-severe subgroup: will receive methotrexate + glucocorticoids (or azathioprine + glucocorticoids for those previously intolerant to methotrexate or with impaired renal function).

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 75 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Documented diagnosis of Wegener's Granulomatosis (WG) according to the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria. 2. Diagnosis of WG at least 6 months before entry and initial induction therapy with a combination of Glucocorticoids and an immunosuppressive (Cyclophosphamide or Methotrexate) or rituximab. 3. Relapse of WG with or without ongoing Glucocorticoids, and/or immunosuppressive therapy with Azathioprine/Mycophenolate Mofetil/Methotrexate or Leflunomide. The minimum disease activity is defined by the presence of one new/worse major or three new/worse minor BVAS (version 3) items. 4. Patients between 18 - 75 years. 5. Medically acceptable and reliable contraception method during the study course. (Women should not become pregnant for at least 6 months after Cyclophosphamide treatment). 6. Written informed consent for study participation given by the patient. 7. Patients able and prepared to self-administer the study medication or having a relative/third person able to do it. 8. Ability to read, understand and record information required by protocol Exclusion Criteria: 1. Other multi-system autoimmune disorders, including systemic lupus erythematosus and anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane disease. 2. Systemic vasculitis due to a viral infection. 3. Cyclophosphamide therapy intolerance, hypersensitivity or contraindication to Cyclophosphamide (active substance or any of the excipients) in patients with severe relapse of WG. 4. Hypersensitivity or contraindication to * Spanidin (active substance or any of the excipients) or * both Methotrexate (active substance or any of the excipients) and Azathioprine(active substance or any of the excipients) or * methylprednisolone, prednisolone or other corticosteroids (active substance or any of the excipients). 5. Underlying medical conditions, which in the opinion of the Investigator place the patient at an unacceptable risk level for participating in a study. 6. Previous randomisation in this study. 7. Cyclophosphamide , intravenous immunoglobulin, anti-cytokine biologic therapies, plasma exchange or Abatacept in the three months prior to entry to the trial. Rituximab, Alemtuzumab or stem cell transplantation is not permitted in the six months prior to entry to the trial. 8. Previous treatment with gusperimus. 9. Participation in another clinical trial with investigational drugs within the last 3 months before screening or during the present trial period. 10. Pregnant or breast-feeding females. 11. Active bacterial/viral infection (Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Tuberculosis). 12. Patients with Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) \< 15 mL/min/1.73m2. 13. Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin, and Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels above 2 x the upper normal limit. 14. Inadequate bone-marrow function: White Blood Cells (WBC) \< 4000/mm3, haemoglobin \< 8 g/dL, neutrophils \< 2500/mm3, platelets \< 100 000/mm3.

Locations (1)

Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice v Praze

Prague, Czechia

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Response rate

The primary efficacy variable is the rate of patients showing a response, with the level of disease activity Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) ≤ 2, within 24 weeks of trial entry, which is maintained without relapse until the end of the trial (Week 52). The primary efficacy endpoint includes: i) Remission - defined as the complete absence of active clinical disease, i.e. a BVAS score of 0, for at least two months on a stable prednisone dose of ≤ 10 mg/day. ii) Low activity Disease State - persistence of up to two minor BVAS items (BVAS ≤ 2).

Time frame: 52 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Time to response

Time to response (response is defined as the time from study entry to the first occasion that BVAS is ≤ 2, and there has been adherence to the steroid reduction protocol)

Time frame: From the date of study entry until the first occasion that BVAS is ≤ 2, assessed up to 52 weeks

Response duration

Response duration defined as time from response with BVAS≤2 to relapse (relapse is defined as the return or first occurrence of one major and/or three minor BVAS items)

Time frame: From the date of response with BVAS≤2 until relapse, assessed up to 48 weeks

Frequency of severe relapses

Frequency of severe relapses (defined as at least one major BVAS item)

Time frame: Up to 52 weeks

Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI) score change

VDI score change from baseline to month 12

Time frame: 12 months

Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) change

eGFR change from baseline to month 12 in all patients and in a subgroup defined as having a baseline eGFR ≤ 60mL/min (i.e. renal impairment at baseline)

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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