ACTHar in the Treatment of Lupus Nephritis

Lupus Nephritis Clinical Trial

— ACTHar  

Official title:

Open-label Prospective Randomized Study to Determine the Efficacy and Safety of Two Dosing Regimens of ACTHar in the Treatment of Proliferative Lupus Nephritis.

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02226341
• Other study ID #: AAAN4752
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 4
• First received: August 25, 2014
• Last updated: March 17, 2016
• Start date: October 2014
• Est. completion date: July 2024

Study information

• Verified date: March 2016
• Source: Columbia University
• Contact: Anca D Askanase, MD, MPH
• Phone: 212-305-0856
• Email: ada20[@]cumc.columbia.edu
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a disease in which the immune system attacks the healthy cells and tissues, causing inflammation that can damage organs in the body. About 50% of SLE patients experience inflammation in the kidneys. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness and safety of two dosing arms of ACTHar gel in treating proliferative Lupus Nephritis (LN). This study hypothesizes that both dosing arms of ACTHar are safe and effective in treating proliferative LN (Class III and IV).

Description:

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology that mainly affects females of childbearing age. The disease is characterized by immune activation and the development of autoantibodies.

About 50% of SLE patients experience inflammation of the kidneys. Lupus Nephritis (LN) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with SLE. Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF), accompanied by Prednisone, is considered the current standard of care for LN. However, long-term use of Prednisone has many serious side effects.

ACTHar Gel is an FDA approved drug comprised of an active substance called adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH belongs to an anti-inflammatory group called melanocortins and carries out its effects by binding to five different melanocortin receptors (MCRs). Specifically, ACTH binding to melanocortin 2 receptor subtype (MC2R) on the adrenal cortex stimulates the production of cortisol that reduces inflammation in the kidney. In addition to binding to melanocortin 1-5 receptor subtype (MC1-5R) and acting directly on kidney tissues, ACTH may bind to MCRs on various cell types, such as immune cells, and activate processes to protect the kidney.

This study will evaluate the most effective dose of ACTHar gel in proliferative LN (Class III and IV) when given with MMF, the standard of care LN therapy. The intent of this study is to determine the effectiveness and safety of ACTHar gel in an attempt to change the clinical care requirements regarding steroid use in treating LN.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 20
• Est. completion date: July 2024
• Est. primary completion date: January 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 16 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) by American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/SLICC criteria

2. Age = 16 years

3. Active lupus nephritis defined by:

a. Kidney biopsy documentation of International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS) Class III or Class IV proliferative nephritis (including Class V occurring in combination with Class III or IV) within 12 months and a urine protein/creatinine ratio >1 at time of entry to study

4. Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Moderately severe anemia (Hgb < 8 mg/dL)

2. Neutropenia (< 1,000/mm3)

3. Thrombocytopenia (platelets < 50,000/mm3)

4. Positive purified protein derivative (PPD) test confirmed by positive Quantiferon TB gold.

5. Pulmonary fibrotic changes on chest radiograph consistent with prior healed tuberculosis

6. Active infections that in the opinion of the investigator increase the risks to the subject.

7. Known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B or C

8. End-stage renal disease (estimated GFR clearance < 20 mL/min/1.73 m2)

9. History of cancer, except carcinoma in situ and treated basal and squamous cell carcinomas

10. Pregnancy

11. Lactation

12. Unwillingness to use a medically acceptable form of birth control (including but not limited to a diaphragm, an intrauterine device, progesterone implants or injections, oral contraceptives, the double-barrier method, or a condom)

13. Previous failure to respond to MMF

14. Use of rituximab within the past year

15. Use of experimental therapeutic agents within the past 60 days

16. Greater than or equal to 5 times the upper limit of normal of liver function tests (aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], or alkaline phosphatase)

17. Severe, progressive, or uncontrolled renal, hepatic, hematological, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, cardiac, or neurological disease (or, in the investigator's opinion, any other concomitant medical condition that places the participant at risk by participating in this study) with the exception of diseases or conditions related to active SLE

18. Current substance abuse

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Lupus Nephritis
• Nephritis

Intervention

Drug:
• CellCept
For both arms: CellCept 3 grams daily, oral, from Week 0-24 CellCept 2 grams daily, oral, from Week 25-144
• ACTHar gel
Arm 1: 80 U biw, subcutaneous, for 3 months. Optionally additional 3 months of 80 U biw if a patient has partial response.
• ACTHar gel
Arm 2: 80 U qod, subcutaneous, for 1 month, then 80 U biw, subcutaneous, for 2 months. Optionally additional 3 months of 80 U biw if a patient has partial response.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Columbia University - Herbert Irving Pavilion	New York	New York

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Columbia University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (8)

Austin HA 3rd, Muenz LR, Joyce KM, Antonovych TT, Balow JE. Diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis: identification of specific pathologic features affecting renal outcome. Kidney Int. 1984 Apr;25(4):689-95. — View Citation

Belmont HM, Levartovsky D, Goel A, Amin A, Giorno R, Rediske J, Skovron ML, Abramson SB. Increased nitric oxide production accompanied by the up-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase in vascular endothelium from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum. 1997 Oct;40(10):1810-6. — View Citation

Bomback AS, Canetta PA, Beck LH Jr, Ayalon R, Radhakrishnan J, Appel GB. Treatment of resistant glomerular diseases with adrenocorticotropic hormone gel: a prospective trial. Am J Nephrol. 2012;36(1):58-67. doi: 10.1159/000339287. Epub 2012 Jun 19. — View Citation

Dooley MA, Jayne D, Ginzler EM, Isenberg D, Olsen NJ, Wofsy D, Eitner F, Appel GB, Contreras G, Lisk L, Solomons N; ALMS Group. Mycophenolate versus azathioprine as maintenance therapy for lupus nephritis. N Engl J Med. 2011 Nov 17;365(20):1886-95. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1014460. — View Citation

Gladman DD, Ibañez D, Urowitz MB. Systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index 2000. J Rheumatol. 2002 Feb;29(2):288-91. — View Citation

Lam GK, Petri M. Assessment of systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2005 Sep-Oct;23(5 Suppl 39):S120-32. Review. — View Citation

Schweitzer EJ, Yoon S, Fink J, Wiland A, Anderson L, Kuo PC, Lim JW, Johnson LB, Farney AC, Weir MR, Bartlett ST. Mycophenolate mofetil reduces the risk of acute rejection less in African-American than in Caucasian kidney recipients. Transplantation. 1998 Jan 27;65(2):242-8. — View Citation

Weening JJ, D'Agati VD, Schwartz MM, Seshan SV, Alpers CE, Appel GB, Balow JE, Bruijn JA, Cook T, Ferrario F, Fogo AB, Ginzler EM, Hebert L, Hill G, Hill P, Jennette JC, Kong NC, Lesavre P, Lockshin M, Looi LM, Makino H, Moura LA, Nagata M; International Society of Nephrology Working Group on the Classification of Lupus Nephritis; Renal Pathology Society Working Group on the Classification of Lupus Nephritis. The classification of glomerulonephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus revisited. Kidney Int. 2004 Feb;65(2):521-30. Review. Erratum in: Kidney Int. 2004 Mar;65(3):1132. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Percent of patients with a complete response (CR)	Complete response (CR) is defined as all of the following criteria having been achieved: Stabilization of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (i.e., a 6-month eGFR level ± 10% of baseline) or improvement if the screening value is changed from patient's baseline; Inactive urinary sediment (red blood cells per high-power field [RBCs/HPF] < 5-10, not due to gyn bleeding); Urine protein/creatinine ratio < 0.5	6 Months	No
Secondary	Percent responders	Frequency of responders = CR + Partial Responders (PR). PR = improvement from baseline of at least = 50% in all abnormal renal parameters (proteinuria and serum creatinine) without deterioration of any measurements at 6 months	6 Months	No
Secondary	Percent of patients with extra-renal flares	Frequency of extra-renal flares as defined by the SELENA-SLEDAI Flare Index. Extra-renal disease activity measured by SELENA-SLEDAI and BILAG	6 Months	No
Secondary	Mean cortisol levels	Cortisol levels 8 hours after ACTHar dose in 2-3 patients per dosing arm	6 Months	No
Secondary	Percent of patients with steroid -like side effects	Steroid -like side effects: increase in blood pressure (BP) by 20 mmHg for both systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), increased blood sugar with a fasting plasma glucose level = 126 mg/dl, weight gain = 10% of the initial weight, infections	6 Months	Yes
Secondary	Mean urinary lymphocytes	Urinary markers of active inflammatory nephritis	6 Months	Yes
Secondary	Percent of patients with side effects	Side effects from taking ACTHar	6 Months	Yes

External Links

•   CUMC Rheumatology Research Website