Belatacept in De Novo Heart Transplantation

Heart Transplantation Clinical Trial

Official title:

Belatacept in De Novo Heart Transplantation - Pilot Study

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04477629
• Other study ID #: 22-01135
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: August 6, 2020
• Est. completion date: February 2025

Study information

• Verified date: February 2024
• Source: NYU Langone Health
• Contact: Andrea Kim
• Phone: 646-457-0987
• Email: Andrea.Kim[@]nyulangone.org
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if Belatacept is safe to give to adult heart transplant recipients. Belatacept (NULOJIX) is an anti-rejection medication that is available through a prescription from a doctor. In this research study, belatacept is being used in an investigational manner (not for the purpose that it is approved for).

Description:

Long-term outcomes after heart transplant remain suboptimal with renal failure and cardiac allograft vasculopathy contributing to morbidity and mortality. Belatacept is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for use in kidney transplant recipients on the basis of two randomized controlled trials, which demonstrated important renal sparing benefits, a reduction in de novo donor-specific antibodies (DSA), and improved long-term outcomes. In this study, ten (10) primary heart transplant recipients will receive belatacept in addition to mycophenolate mofetil, corticosteroids, and a tacrolimus tapering regimen.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 12
• Est. completion date: February 2025
• Est. primary completion date: February 2025
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 75 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male or non-pregnant female, age =18 to =75 years

2. Awaiting a primary heart transplant (listed for heart transplant only)

3. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) IgG seropositive

4. Able to take oral medication and willing to adhere to the belatacept infusion regimen

5. No desensitization therapy prior to transplant

6. Vaccinations should be up to date for hepatitis B, influenza pneumococcal, haemophilus, varicella zoster virus (VZV), measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) (for participants < 45 years of age) when available

7. Female subjects of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test (serum or urine) prior to randomization

8. Mechanical support or investigational drug trials where the intervention ends at the time of transplantation are permitted

9. Negative virtual crossmatch

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Candidates awaiting multiorgan transplant

2. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 45 ml/min/m2

3. Candidates with prior organ transplant

4. Candidates actively being treated with immunosuppressive therapies

5. Candidates who have a history of treatment with cytolytic therapy (e.g. anti-thymocyte globulin)

6. Candidates who are intended to be treated with cytolytic therapy in the post-transplant period as induction therapy

7. EBV (IgG) seronegative

8. Active or prior infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis C (HCV), Hepatitis B (HBV)

9. Untreated latent tuberculosis (TB)

10. All potential candidates will be screened prior to enrolment for a history of tuberculosis (chest radiograph and tuberculosis-Interferon Gamma Release Assay (TB-IGRA) or tuberculin skin tests (TST)). Potential candidates with latent TB must be treated prior to study enrolment

11. Prior history of active tuberculosis

12. Prior history of central nervous system infection

13. Known active current viral, fungal, mycobacterial, or other infections excluding driveline infections - potential participants from endemic areas will additionally be screened for histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis, and strongyloidiasis

14. Vaccination with a live vaccine within the past 30 days

15. Malignancy within the last 5 years

16. Any previous treatment with alkylating agents or total lymphoid irradiation

17. Sensitized heart transplant candidates with panel-reactive antibodies (PRA) >50% or those receiving desensitization treatment

18. Prior treatment with belatacept or abatacept

19. History of severe allergic anaphylactic reactions to humanized or murine monoclonal antibodies

20. Treatment with a disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) or other biologic agent (monoclonal antibody) within the past year

21. Treatment with another investigational drug or other intervention at the time of transplant (excluding device or intervention mechanical support or investigational drug trials where the intervention ends at the time of transplant)

22. Potential candidates for whom a calcineurin inhibitor other than tacrolimus (Prograf®) is anticipated after transplant. If during the course of the study, a participant is transitioned to another calcineurin inhibitor due to side effects or inability to achieve stable therapeutic trough levels, they may continue in the study at the discretion of the investigator

23. Any potential participant who remains on mechanical circulatory support for > 72 hours post-transplant will be excluded from the study

24. The need for ongoing high dose vasopressor support > 72 hours post-transplant

25. The need or anticipated need for post-transplant dialysis

26. Platelet count <75,000/mm (within 24 hours prior to transplant)

27. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of less than 2000/mm3 within 24 hours prior to transplant

28. Any past or current medical problems or findings on history, physical examination, or laboratory testing, not listed above, that in the opinion of the investigator, may pose additional risk to participation, may interfere with the participant's ability to comply with study requirements, or that may impact the quality or interpretation of study results

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Heart Transplantation

Intervention

Drug:
• Belatacept
Belatacept will be given in the following way - 10mg/kg IV day 1, 5, end of weeks 2, 4, 8, 12 then 5mg/kg every 4 weeks.
• Tacrolimus
Non-experimental: Tacrolimus will be given in the following way - trough level at month 1, 10-12ng/mL; month 2-3, 6-10ng/mL; month 4-6, 4-6ng/mL; months 7-9 taper off.
• Mycophenolate Mofetil
Non-experimental: MMF is part of standard of care after heart transplant and will follow dosing recommendations as per standard clinical practice at 500-1500mg twice a day (BID) (dosed to tolerance and effect).
• Corticosteroid
Non-experimental: CS is part of standard of care after heart transplant and will follow dosing recommendations as per standard clinical practice at a dose no less than 5mg/d.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Columbia University	New York	New York
United States	NYU Langone Health	New York	New York

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
NYU Langone Health	Bristol-Myers Squibb

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Number of Major Graft-Related Adverse Events	Adverse events that will be counted in the total number include: Episodes of acute cellular rejection = 2R/3A, antibody mediated rejection (AMR) = International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) AMR 1, hemodynamically compromised rejection, development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy, graft failure occurring = 14 days post-transplant, the need for re-transplant, serious infection requiring inpatient intravenous therapies, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), or death.	Up to 18 months after transplantation
Secondary	Change in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR)		Baseline and 18 months
Secondary	Percentage of Individuals with Development of De Novo Donor Specific Antibodies (DSA)		18 months