Pirfenidone for Restrictive Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction

Lung Transplant Rejection Clinical Trial

— PIRCLAD  

Official title:

Pirfenidone for Restrictive Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03359863
• Other study ID #: 16-20710
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: March 7, 2018
• Est. completion date: October 28, 2021

Study information

• Verified date: June 2023
• Source: University of California, San Francisco
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Despite advances in lung transplantation, the median survival remains only 55% at 5 years. The main limitation to long term survival is the development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction. In approximately 30% of cases, chronic lung allograft dysfunction has a restrictive phenotype (RCLAD) characterized by fibrosis with rapid progression to respiratory failure. Approximately 60% of patients with RCLAD die within one year, as currently there are no therapies available.

RCLAD, like Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), is characterized by fibroblast proliferation, extracellular matrix deposition, and architectural distortion leading to progressive lung scarring and death. Given their similarities, there is keen interest in the international transplant community to investigate whether the anti-fibrotic drug pirfenidone can slow the progression of RCLAD as it does of IPF. Pirfenidone has been proved to be safe and effective in patients with IPF, and is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

This protocol will evaluate the safety and tolerability of pirfenidone in lung transplant recipients with RCLAD. Transplant recipients take carefully adjusted immunosuppressive medications for life to prevent rejection of the allograft. Current literature suggests the dose of tacrolimus, the main anti-rejection drug, may need to be adjusted when taken in combination with pirfenidone. The investigators will assess the side effects of pirfenidone in combination with the immunosuppressive regimen and determine the magnitude of the adjustment in tacrolimus dose. The results of this pilot study will provide the foundation for a multicenter randomized control trial to evaluate the efficacy of pirfenidone in slowing the progression of RCLAD.

Description:

Despite advances in lung transplantation, median survival remains only 55% at 5 years. The primary cause of death is chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), occurring in 43% of recipients at 5 years. Recently, it has been recognized that CLAD can have an obstructive (BOS) or a restrictive (RCLAD) phenotype, also known as restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS), and that both may coexist. These phenotypes differ not only in their spirometric, radiographic and histologic features but also in their rates of progression and survival. Thus, there is a critical need to find therapies other than re-transplantation, which remains the only effective therapeutic option and explore the pathobiology driving RCLAD.

RCLAD shares features with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), including its progressive and lethal course, extracellular matrix deposition, architectural distortion, fibroblast proliferation, and short telomeres in lung epithelial cells. These common features suggest RCLAD and IPF may share molecular pathogenesis. As a result, some have explored using FDA approved anti-fibrotic medications for IPF in RCLAD in case reports.

This proposal aims to gather the preliminary data needed to design a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) of pirfenidone for RCLAD. To do so, the investigators first need evidence of tolerability, to understand drug interactions with the immunosuppressive regimen used to maintain allograft function and early evidence that pirfenidone may slow FVC decline and radiographic progression in RCLAD.

Evidence that pirfenidone is well tolerated in transplant recipients and that it slows the progression of RCLAD would be paradigm shifting. Further, identifying subjects at risk for RCLAD before the onset of spirometric changes would allow to start therapeutic interventions sooner, maximizing their benefit. Finding biomarkers that predict response to pirfenidone would identify patients most likely to benefit.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 10
• Est. completion date: October 28, 2021
• Est. primary completion date: October 28, 2021
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 80 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subject who underwent bilateral lung transplantation at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and have a diagnosis of RCLAD based on the International Heart and Lung Transplant (ISHLT) classification. The diagnosis of RCLAD is based on spirometry (Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1) = 80% and FVC = 80% of best post-transplant baseline) and CT scan (e.g. pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis) findings.

Exclusion Criteria:

• FVC decline related to non-RCLAD causes (e.g. pulmonary edema, pleural effusion, etc).

• Patients with any severe comorbidity complicating RCLAD which might determine their prognosis and functional level (e.g. active malignant disease) within the last 12 months

• Patients who have resumed smoking after transplantation

• Renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance < 30 ml/min calculated by the CKD-Epi formula)

• Total bilirubin above the upper limit of the normal range (ULN)

• Aspartate or alanine aminotransferase (AST or ALT) > 3 times the ULN.

• Known allergy of hypersensitivity to Pirfenidone

• Pregnancy

• Ongoing use or expected use of any of the following therapies:

• Strong inhibitors of CYP1A2 (e.g. fluvoxamine or enoxacin).

• Moderate inhibitors of CAYP1A2 (e. g. mexiletine, thiabendazole, or phenylpropanolamine). Ciprofloxacin will be allowed only at doses equal or less than 500 mg BID.

• Inability to provide informed consent.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Lung Transplant Rejection
• Restrictive Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction

Intervention

Drug:
• Pirfenidone
Subjects will receive pirfenidone for 52 weeks, titrated to 2403 mg/day (3 capsules, 3× daily) after a 4-week titration period (1 capsule, 3x daily for 2 weeks, 2 capsules, 3x daily for 2 weeks) for a total of 56 weeks of pirfenidone. Eligible participants will continue pirfenidone beyond 56 weeks.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of California, San Francisco	San Francisco	California

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of California, San Francisco	Genentech, Inc.

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (20)

Alder JK, Chen JJ, Lancaster L, Danoff S, Su SC, Cogan JD, Vulto I, Xie M, Qi X, Tuder RM, Phillips JA 3rd, Lansdorp PM, Loyd JE, Armanios MY. Short telomeres are a risk factor for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Sep 2;105(35):13051-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0804280105. Epub 2008 Aug 27. — View Citation

Fernandez IE, Heinzelmann K, Verleden S, Eickelberg O. Characteristic patterns in the fibrotic lung. Comparing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with chronic lung allograft dysfunction. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2015 Mar;12 Suppl 1:S34-41. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201410-476MG. — View Citation

Khanna D, Albera C, Fischer A, Khalidi N, Raghu G, Chung L, Chen D, Schiopu E, Tagliaferri M, Seibold JR, Gorina E. An Open-label, Phase II Study of the Safety and Tolerability of Pirfenidone in Patients with Scleroderma-associated Interstitial Lung Disease: the LOTUSS Trial. J Rheumatol. 2016 Sep;43(9):1672-9. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.151322. Epub 2016 Jul 1. — View Citation

King TE Jr, Bradford WZ, Castro-Bernardini S, Fagan EA, Glaspole I, Glassberg MK, Gorina E, Hopkins PM, Kardatzke D, Lancaster L, Lederer DJ, Nathan SD, Pereira CA, Sahn SA, Sussman R, Swigris JJ, Noble PW; ASCEND Study Group. A phase 3 trial of pirfenidone in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. N Engl J Med. 2014 May 29;370(22):2083-92. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1402582. Epub 2014 May 18. Erratum In: N Engl J Med. 2014 Sep 18;371(12):1172. — View Citation

Lancaster L, Albera C, Bradford WZ, Costabel U, du Bois RM, Fagan EA, Fishman RS, Glaspole I, Glassberg MK, King TE Jr, Lederer DJ, Lin Z, Nathan SD, Pereira CA, Swigris JJ, Valeyre D, Noble PW. Safety of pirfenidone in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: integrated analysis of cumulative data from 5 clinical trials. BMJ Open Respir Res. 2016 Jan 12;3(1):e000105. doi: 10.1136/bmjresp-2015-000105. eCollection 2016. — View Citation

Ofek E, Sato M, Saito T, Wagnetz U, Roberts HC, Chaparro C, Waddell TK, Singer LG, Hutcheon MA, Keshavjee S, Hwang DM. Restrictive allograft syndrome post lung transplantation is characterized by pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis. Mod Pathol. 2013 Mar;26(3):350-6. doi: 10.1038/modpathol.2012.171. Epub 2012 Sep 28. — View Citation

Pakhale SS, Hadjiliadis D, Howell DN, Palmer SM, Gutierrez C, Waddell TK, Chaparro C, Davis RD, Keshavjee S, Hutcheon MA, Singer LG. Upper lobe fibrosis: a novel manifestation of chronic allograft dysfunction in lung transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2005 Sep;24(9):1260-8. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2004.08.026. — View Citation

Saito T, Horie M, Sato M, Nakajima D, Shoushtarizadeh H, Binnie M, Azad S, Hwang DM, Machuca TN, Waddell TK, Singer LG, Cypel M, Liu M, Paul NS, Keshavjee S. Low-dose computed tomography volumetry for subtyping chronic lung allograft dysfunction. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2016 Jan;35(1):59-66. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2015.07.005. Epub 2015 Aug 13. — View Citation

Sato M, Hwang DM, Waddell TK, Singer LG, Keshavjee S. Progression pattern of restrictive allograft syndrome after lung transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2013 Jan;32(1):23-30. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2012.09.026. Erratum In: J Heart Lung Transplant. 2013 Jun;32(6):664-6. — View Citation

Sato M, Waddell TK, Wagnetz U, Roberts HC, Hwang DM, Haroon A, Wagnetz D, Chaparro C, Singer LG, Hutcheon MA, Keshavjee S. Restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS): a novel form of chronic lung allograft dysfunction. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2011 Jul;30(7):735-42. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2011.01.712. Epub 2011 Mar 17. — View Citation

Suhling H, Bollmann B, Gottlieb J. Nintedanib in restrictive chronic lung allograft dysfunction after lung transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2016 Jul;35(7):939-40. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2016.01.1220. Epub 2016 Feb 9. No abstract available. — View Citation

Todd JL, Jain R, Pavlisko EN, Finlen Copeland CA, Reynolds JM, Snyder LD, Palmer SM. Impact of forced vital capacity loss on survival after the onset of chronic lung allograft dysfunction. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2014 Jan 15;189(2):159-66. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201306-1155OC. — View Citation

Valapour M, Skeans MA, Smith JM, Edwards LB, Cherikh WS, Callahan ER, Israni AK, Snyder JJ, Kasiske BL. Lung. Am J Transplant. 2016 Jan;16 Suppl 2:141-68. doi: 10.1111/ajt.13671. — View Citation

Verleden GM, Raghu G, Meyer KC, Glanville AR, Corris P. A new classification system for chronic lung allograft dysfunction. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2014 Feb;33(2):127-33. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2013.10.022. Epub 2013 Oct 24. — View Citation

Verleden GM, Vos R, Verleden SE, De Wever W, De Vleeschauwer SI, Willems-Widyastuti A, Scheers H, Dupont LJ, Van Raemdonck DE, Vanaudenaerde BM. Survival determinants in lung transplant patients with chronic allograft dysfunction. Transplantation. 2011 Sep 27;92(6):703-8. doi: 10.1097/TP.0b013e31822bf790. — View Citation

Verleden SE, de Jong PA, Ruttens D, Vandermeulen E, van Raemdonck DE, Verschakelen J, Vanaudenaerde BM, Verleden GM, Vos R. Functional and computed tomographic evolution and survival of restrictive allograft syndrome after lung transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2014 Mar;33(3):270-7. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2013.12.011. Epub 2013 Dec 17. — View Citation

Verleden SE, Ruttens D, Vandermeulen E, Bellon H, Dubbeldam A, De Wever W, Dupont LJ, Van Raemdonck DE, Vanaudenaerde BM, Verleden GM, Benden C, Vos R. Predictors of survival in restrictive chronic lung allograft dysfunction after lung transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2016 Sep;35(9):1078-84. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2016.03.022. Epub 2016 Apr 16. — View Citation

Verleden SE, Todd JL, Sato M, Palmer SM, Martinu T, Pavlisko EN, Vos R, Neyrinck A, Van Raemdonck D, Saito T, Oishi H, Keshavjee S, Greer M, Warnecke G, Gottlieb J, Haverich A. Impact of CLAD Phenotype on Survival After Lung Retransplantation: A Multicenter Study. Am J Transplant. 2015 Aug;15(8):2223-30. doi: 10.1111/ajt.13281. Epub 2015 Apr 30. — View Citation

Vos R, Verleden SE, Ruttens D, Vandermeulen E, Yserbyt J, Dupont LJ, Van Raemdonck DE, De Raedt N, Gheysens O, De Jong PA, Verleden GM, Vanaudenaerde BM. Pirfenidone: a potential new therapy for restrictive allograft syndrome? Am J Transplant. 2013 Nov;13(11):3035-40. doi: 10.1111/ajt.12474. Epub 2013 Sep 18. — View Citation

Woodrow JP, Shlobin OA, Barnett SD, Burton N, Nathan SD. Comparison of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome to other forms of chronic lung allograft dysfunction after lung transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2010 Oct;29(10):1159-64. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2010.05.012. Epub 2010 Jun 26. — View Citation

* Note: There are 20 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Tolerability of Pirfenidone	The primary outcome will be the number of subjects that discontinue pirfenidone due to a treatment emergent adverse event (TEAE)	From initiation of pirfenidone until discontinuation or until 56 weeks, which ever comes first.
Primary	Conversion Ratio of Tacrolimus Dose	The outcome will be the ratio of tacrolimus-while-taking-pirfenidone to tacrolimus-before-pirfenidone corrected for the subject's specific steady-state tacrolimus concentration.	From initiation of pirfenidone until discontinuation or until 56 weeks, which ever comes first.
Secondary	Annual Change in Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)	The investigators will evaluate change in FVC from baseline to 1 year after pirfenidone start based on pulmonary function tests done as part of routine clinical care (usually obtained every 3 months) or death, whichever comes first.	FVC change from baseline (screening) to 1 year or death, whichever comes first.
Secondary	Annual Change in Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV1)	The investigators will evaluate change in FEV1 from baseline to 1 year based on pulmonary function tests done as part of routine clinical care (usually obtained every 3 months) or death, whichever comes first.	FEV1 change from baseline (screening) to 1 year or death, whichever comes first.
Secondary	Annual Change in Percent of Lung Affected by Reticulation on Chest CT Scan	The investigators will evaluate the annual change in percent of lung affected by reticulation comparing the chest CT scan at screening and a 1-year follow up CT scan performed as part of routine clinical care or death, whichever comes first.	Change between chest CT at screening and in 1-year follow up CT scan performed as part of routine clinical care or death, whichever comes first.
Secondary	Annual Change in Traction Bronchiectasis Score on Chest CT Scan	The investigators will evaluate the change in traction bronchiectasis score on chest CT scan at screening and in a 1-year follow up CT scan performed as part of routine clinical care or death, whichever comes first. The extent of traction bronchiectasis was first scored in each of the six lung lobes separately (right upper, middle, and lower lobes, and left upper, lingula, and lower lobes) as 0-absent, 1-mild, 2-moderate, or 3-severe, and then summed into a total traction bronchiectasis score [range 0-18 points], with higher values reflecting greater extent of traction bronchiectasis.	Change between Chest CT at screening and 1-year follow up CT scan performed as part of routine clinical care or death, whichever comes first.