Trial to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Bortezomib in Patients With Severe Autoimmune Encephalitis — Generate-Boost  

Autoimmune Encephalitis Clinical Trial

Official title: A Multicenter Randomized, Controlled, Double-blinded Trial to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Bortezomib in Patients With Severe Autoimmune Encephalitis

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

Autoimmune Encephalitis is a disorder of the central nervous system caused by bodily substances, called antibodies. Antibodies normally help the body to prevent infections. However, in this disorder, the antibodies turn against the body itself and especially against cells in the brain and disturb the normal brain function. They are therefore called autoantibodies.

There is no specific therapy for patients with autoimmune encephalitis so far. At the moment, the symptoms are treated with approved medications such as cortisone and immunotherapies also used in oncology. These therapies are unspecified and aim to reduce the number of autoantibodies and to contain the autoimmune process. In this trial we aim to test a new therapy option: in this therapy the body cells producing autoantibodies will be specifically targeted by a substance called bortezomib.

The trial addresses patients with severe autoimmune encephalitis. The aim of the trial is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of bortezomib in patients with severe autoimmune encephalitis.

Clinical Trial Description

Autoimmune encephalitis is characterized by autoantibodies against neuronal surface antigens like the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor or LGI1 (Leucin-rich glioma inactivated protein 1). So far, no specific therapy exists for this disease. Actual treatment includes combination therapies aiming for a reduction of pathogenic antibodies and containing the autoimmune process. In first line, patients are treated with plasmapheresis and cortisone. In second line, Rituximab and/or cyclophosphamide are administered. The response to these treatments are, however, often delayed and insufficient.

Therefore, we need a specific therapy aiming at the antibody-producing plasma cells.

Bortezomib is a proteasome inhibitor which interferes with NF-kB (nuclear factor kB) and the ubiquitin proteasome signaling pathway. Bortezomib acts preferably on cells with high protein synthesis - like plasma cells - and induces cell death in these cells. Bortezomib is used since more than a decade in chemotherapy of the multiple myeloma. Additionally, it is reported for systemic autoimmune diseases like lupus erythematodes that bortezomib leads to a depletion of plasma cells and therefore reduces the number of pathogenic antibodies and improves clinical outcome. The therapeutic potential of bortezomib for NMDAR encephalitis is described in a first case series with 5 patients. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System
• Autoimmune Encephalitis
• Encephalitis
• Hashimoto Disease

• NCT number: NCT03993262
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Jena University Hospital
• Contact: Christian Geis, Prof.
• Phone: +49 (0) 3641
• Email: Christian.Geis@med.uni-jena.de
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: May 13, 2020
• Completion date: April 30, 2026