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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00137969

A Study to Evaluate the Safety of Rituximab Retreatment in Subjects With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

This is a Phase II/III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab compared with placebo when combined with a single stable background immunosuppressive medication in subjects with moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The primary efficacy endpoint of the trial will be evaluated at 52 weeks.

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Key information

Conditions

Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic Autoimmune Diseases Connective Tissue Diseases Immune System Diseases Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Age range

16 year–75 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2 / Phase 3

Primary location

Univ of Manitoba, Health Scien; Arthritis Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  • Active disease at screening.
  • Stable use of one immunosuppressive drug.
  • Use of an antimalarial drug.
  • For subjects of reproductive potential (males and females), use of a reliable means of contraception throughout their study participation.

Exclusion criteria

  • Unstable patients with thrombocytopenia experiencing or at high risk for developing clinically significant bleeding or organ dysfunction requiring therapies such as plasmapheresis or acute blood or platelet transfusions.
  • Active moderate to severe glomerulonephritis.
  • Retinitis, poorly controlled seizure disorder, acute confusional state, myelitis, stroke or stroke syndrome, cerebellar ataxia, or dementia that is currently active and resulting from SLE.
  • Lack of peripheral venous access.
  • Pregnant women or nursing (breast feeding) mothers.
  • History of severe, allergic, or anaphylactic reactions to humanized or murine monoclonal antibodies.
  • Significant, uncontrolled medical disease in any organ system not related to SLE that in the investigator's opinion would preclude subject participation.
  • Concomitant conditions that require oral or systemic corticosteroid use.
  • Known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
  • Known active infection of any kind (excluding fungal infection of nail beds) or any major episode of infection requiring hospitalization or treatment with intravenous (IV) antibiotics.
  • History of deep space infection.
  • History of serious recurrent or chronic infection.
  • History of cancer, including solid tumors, hematological malignancies, and carcinoma in situ.
  • Active alcohol or drug abuse, or history of alcohol or drug abuse.
  • Major surgery.
  • Previous treatment with CAMPATH-1H antibody.
  • Previous treatment with any B cell-targeted therapy.
  • Treatment with any investigational agent within 28 days of screening (Day -7) or 5 half-lives of the investigational drug (whichever is longer).
  • Receipt of a live vaccine within 28 days prior to screening.
  • Intolerance or contraindication to oral or IV corticosteroids.
  • Use of a new immunosuppressive drug prior to screening or change in dose of ongoing immunosuppressive drug prior to screening.
  • Prednisone dose of ≥ 1 mg/kg/day prior to screening.
  • Treatment with cyclophosphamide or a calcineurin inhibitor.
  • Treatment with a second immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory drug.
  • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) > 2.5 x the upper limit of normal.

Treatment and study plan

Rituximab

Drug

Rituximab will be supplied as a sterile liquid for IV administration.

Other names: Rituxan, MabThera, Zytux

Placebo

Drug

Placebo will be supplied as a sterile liquid for IV administration.

Prednisone

Drug

Acetaminophen

Drug

diphenhydramine

Drug

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of Participants Who Achieved a Major Clinical Response (MCR), Partial Clinical Response (PCR), or Nonclinical Response (NCR) Defined by British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) Scores Over The 52-week Treatment Period

    Time frame: From baseline to 52 weeks

    The BILAG Index measures clinical disease activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). A single alphabetic score (A through E) is used to denote disease severity for each of the 8 domains. The global BILAG score is the sum of a converted numerical score (A=9, B=3, C=1, D=0, E=0) over 8 domains. MCR = participants who achieved BILAG C scores or better at 24 weeks, maintained this response without developing a flare to 52 weeks, and did not experience a severe flare from Day 1 to Week 24; PCR = participants who achieved BILAG C score or better at 24 wks and maintained response without a flare for 16 consecutive weeks, or maximum of one BILAG B score at 24 weeks and maintained response without a flare to 52 wks, or maximum of 2 BILAG B scores at 24 wks without development of BILAG scores of A or B until Week 52 if the baseline BILAG score was 1A+>=2Bs, or>=2 As, or>=4 Bs, or participants who enrolled with scores of severe disease and did not achieve a single BILAG B at Month 6.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Time-adjusted Area Under The Curve Minus Baseline (AUCMB) of BILAG Score Over The 52-week Treatment Period

    Time frame: From baseline to 52 weeks

    The BILAG Index measures clinical disease activity in SLE. A single alphabetic score (A through E) is used to denote disease severity for each of the 8 domains. The global BILAG score is the sum of a converted numerical score (A=9, B=3, C=1, D=0, E=0) over 8 domains. The AUCMB of BILAG Score Over 52 Weeks was calculated as: 1. Calculate the AUC of the BILAG global score versus time (in days) by 52 weeks. 2. Calculate the Time-Adjusted AUC by dividing the AUC by the number of days a patient was on the study. 3. Minus the Time-Adjusted AUC by the baseline BILAG global score

  2. Number of Participants Who Achieved an MCR (Excluding PCR)

    Time frame: From baseline to 52 weeks

    The BILAG Index measures clinical disease activity in SLE. A single alphabetic score (A through E) is used to denote disease severity for each of the 8 domains. The global BILAG score is the sum of a converted numerical score (A=9, B=3, C=1, D=0, E=0) over 8 domains. MCR = participants who achieved BILAG C scores or better at 24 weeks, maintained this response without developing a flare to 52 weeks, and did not experience a severe flare from Day 1 to Week 24. PCR = participants who achieved BILAG C score or better at 24 wks and maintained response without a flare for 16 consecutive weeks, or maximum of one BILAG B score at 24 weeks and maintained response without a flare to 52 wks, or maximum of 2 BILAG B scores at 24 wks without development of BILAG scores of A or B until Week 52 if the baseline BILAG score was 1A+>=2Bs, or>=2 As, or>=4 Bs, or participants who enrolled with scores of severe disease and did not achieve a single BILAG B at Month 6.

  3. Number of Participants Who Achieved a PCR (Including MCR)

    Time frame: From baseline to 52 Weeks

    The BILAG Index measures clinical disease activity in SLE. A single alphabetic score (A through E) is used to denote disease severity for each of the 8 domains. The global BILAG score is the sum of a converted numerical score (A=9, B=3, C=1, D=0, E=0) over 8 domains. PCR = participants who achieved BILAG C score or better at 24 wks and maintained response without a flare for 16 consecutive weeks, or maximum of one BILAG B score at 24 weeks and maintained response without a flare to 52 wks, or maximum of 2 BILAG B scores at 24 wks without development of BILAG scores of A or B until Week 52 if the baseline BILAG score was 1A+>=2Bs, or>=2 As, or>=4 Bs, or participants who enrolled with scores of severe disease and did not achieve a single BILAG B at Month 6. MCR = participants who achieved BILAG C or better at 24 weeks, maintained this response without developing a flare to 52 weeks, and did not experience a severe flare from Day 1 to Week 24.

  4. Number of Participants Who Achieved a BILAG C or Better in All Domains

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    The BILAG Index measures clinical disease activity in SLE. A single alphabetic score (A through E) is used to denote disease severity for each of the 8 domains. The global BILAG score is the sum of a converted numerical score (A=9, B=3, C=1, D=0, E=0) over 8 domains.

  5. Time to First Moderate or Severe Flare

    Time frame: 52 weeks

    The BILAG Index measures clinical disease activity in SLE. A single alphabetic score (A through E) is used to denote disease severity for each of the 8 domains. The global BILAG score is the sum of a converted numerical score (A=9, B=3, C=1, D=0, E=0) over 8 domains. A severe flare = participants had BILAG A score(s) present in one or more domains or BILAG B scores present in three or more domains at the same visit following a visit of inactive disease state defined above. A moderate flare = participants had only BILAG B scores present in two domains at the same visit following a visit of inactive disease state.

  6. Change in SLE Expanded Health Survey Physical Function Score From Baseline

    Time frame: From baseline to 52 weeks

    Short Form (36) with additional questions specific to lupus (scale = 0-100; with 100 representing the highest level of functioning possible) to measure the ability of rituximab to improve quality of life. A positive value for this outcome measure indicates that symptoms have improved.

  7. Number of Participants Who Achieved an MCR in The ITT Population

    Time frame: From Weeks 24 to 52

    The BILAG Index measures clinical disease activity in SLE. A single alphabetic score (A through E) is used to denote disease severity for each of the 8 domains. The global BILAG score is the sum of a converted numerical score (A=9, B=3, C=1, D=0, E=0) over 8 domains. MCR = participants who achieved BILAG C scores or better at 24 weeks, maintained this response without developing a flare to 52 weeks, and did not experience a severe flare from Day 1 to Week 24.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Genentech, Inc.

Industry

Registry information

Official study title

Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Multicenter, Phase II/III Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab in Subjects With Moderate to Severe Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Acronym: EXPLORER

Important dates

Study start
2005
Primary completion
2008
Study completion
2008
First posted
Aug 30, 2005
Registry last updated
Aug 20, 2019

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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