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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02959658

Dimethyl Fumarate Treatment of Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

This study aims to evaluate safety and efficacy of dimethyl fumarate treatment in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS).

Half of the patients will receive dimethyl fumarate and the other half will receive placebo.

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Key information

Conditions

Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Autoimmune Diseases Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System Chronic Disease Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS Demyelinating Diseases Disease Attributes Immune System Diseases Multiple Sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive Nervous System Diseases Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of neurology

Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark

About this study

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory disease of the central nervous system and is presumed to be caused by T cell-mediated autoimmune processes. PPMS has no registered treatment options only symptomatic treatment exists. Progressive forms of MS are characterized clinically by gradual symptom development with or without superimposed relapses.

Fumarates have long been known to have disease-attenuating effects in psoriasis. They have been in routine use in dermatology in Germany for several decades. Dimethyl fumarate has the interesting property of combining immunological effects, at least partly mediated by interference with nuclear factor kappa B and other transcription factors, and also anti-oxidative and neuroprotective effects mediated by activation of the transcription factor Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-Related Factor 2 (NRF2). Dimethyl fumarate is currently approved for treatment of relapsing-remitting MS by the European medicines Agency in a dose of 240 mg twice per day.

Neurofilament light chain (NFL) is a treatment responsive biomarker of neuronal and axonal death when appearing in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and it has been associated with long-term prognosis in MS. The concentration is often elevated in progressive MS patients. Treatment effect is measured by measuring changes in neurofilament light chain concentration over the course of 48 weeks of treatment with either active drug or placebo.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 18 to 65 years
  • PPMS according to the McDonald (2010) and Lublin (2014) criteria
  • Disease duration at least one year
  • EDSS ≤ 6.5
  • Written informed consent to study participation
  • No other signs of significant disease judged by the investigator
  • Eligible for randomization to active treatment or placebo as assessed by CSF NFL levels above 380ng/L
  • Not eligible for randomization as assessed by CSF biomarker studies but accepts follow-up and open-label treatment per protocol
  • Patients not eligible for randomization due to low NFL concentrations in CSF at screening can be followed up after 48 weeks, and are eligible for open-label treatment if they fulfil one of the following clinical criteria of disease progression:
  • 1 point increase in EDSS score from screening to week 48 if screening EDSS <6
  • 0.5 point increase in EDSS score from screening to week 48 if screening EDSS>5.5
  • 2 point increase in a physical functional system
  • Worsening in SDMT, 9HPT or T25FW >20% from screening to week 48

Exclusion criteria

  • Pregnancy or breast feeding
  • Lack of effective contraception for women of child-bearing potential
  • Relapse within 6 months of inclusion
  • Methylprednisolone treatment within 3 months of inclusion
  • Treatment with interferon-beta, glatiramer acetate, immunoglobulin G or other immunomodulatory treatment within 6 months of inclusion
  • Treatment with mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine or other immunosuppressive treatment within 6 months of inclusion
  • Findings on the screening MRI judged to preclude participation by the treating physician
  • Other diseases associated with immunodeficiency
  • Other diseases judged to be relevant by the treating physician
  • Anticoagulant therapy other than platelet inhibitors
  • Active malignant disease in the previous 5 years
  • Renal insufficiency or blood creatinine > 150 μmol/l
  • Present or chronic infection with hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, HIV (tested in the screening blood samples) or other infections found to be relevant by the treating physician.
  • Psychiatric disorders or other disorders impairing the patient's ability to participate in the trial
  • Contraindication to MRI
  • Known allergy or hypersensitivity to dimethyl fumarate

Treatment and study plan

dimethyl fumarate

Drug

Other names: Tecfidera, BG-12

Placebo

Drug

Manufactured to mimic Dimethyl Fumarate capsules

Primary outcomes

  1. Neurofilament light chain in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    CSF Neurofilament Light Chain (NFL) is measured twice over a course of 48 weeks. Patients will have a spinal tap performed at baseline and again at week 48.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in EDSS change from screening visit to week 48 between the treatment and placebo group. EDSS is performed by a certified physician, primarily the PI.

  2. Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW)

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in T25FW change from screening visit to week 48 between the treatment and placebo group. T25FW is evaluated by the principal investigator or a delegated member of the study team.

  3. Nine hole peg test (9HPT)

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in 9HPT change from screening visit to week 48 between the treatment and placebo group. 9HPT is evaluated by the principal investigator or a delegated member of the study team.

  4. Symbol digit modalities test (SDMT)

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in the SDMT change from screening visit to week 48 between the treatment and placebo group using a general linear model with treatment allocation as factor and the screening SDMT value as covariate. SDMT is evaluated by the principal investigator or a delegated member of the study team.

  5. CSF/Serum Immunoglobulin type G index

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    Is assessed from a sample of the cerebrospinal fluid at baseline and at week 48 and change is recorded. The analysis will be performed by the routine diagnostics department at the hospital where the spinal tap is performed.

  6. Cerebrospinal fluid-serum albumin quotient

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in change in CSF-serum albumin quotient from screening visit to week 48 between the treatment and placebo group. The analysis will be performed by the routine diagnostics department at the hospital where the spinal tap is performed.

  7. soluble CD14 (sCD14)

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in change in sCD14 concentration from screening visit to week 48 between the treatment and placebo group. The analysis is performed by a multiplex luminex assay (R&D systems).

  8. soluble CD27 (sCD27)

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in change in sCD27 concentration from screening visit to week 48 between the treatment and placebo group. The analysis is performed by a multiplex luminex assay (R&D systems).

  9. BCMA

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in change in BCMA concentration from screening visit to week 48 between the treatment and placebo group. The analysis is performed by a multiplex luminex assay (R&D systems).

  10. Chitinase 3-like-1

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in change in CHI3L1 concentration from screening visit to week 48 visit between the treatment and placebo group. The analysis is performed by a multiplex luminex assay (R&D systems).

  11. Myelin Basic protein (MBP)

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in change in MBP concentration from screening visit to week 48 between the treatment and placebo group. The analysis is performed by a enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (R&D DuoSet).

  12. Number of new or enlarged T2 lesions

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the number of new or enlarging T2 lesions from screening visit to W48 between the treatment and placebo group. This analysis will be performed by our collaborator at Hvidovre Hospital (Danish Research Center for Magentic Resonance)

  13. Fractional anisotropy (FA) in Normal Appearing White Matter (NAWM)

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in change from screening to W48 of FA in NAWM between the treatment and placebo group. This analysis will be performed by our collaborator at Hvidovre Hospital (Danish Research Center for Magentic Resonance)

  14. Change in lesion volume

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the change from screening to W48 in lesion volume. This analysis will be performed by our collaborator at Hvidovre Hospital (Danish Research Center for Magentic Resonance)

  15. Change from screening in in magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) of T2 lesions

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in change from screening to W48 in MTR of T2 lesions between the treatment and placebo group. This analysis will be performed by our collaborator at Hvidovre Hospital (Danish Research Center for Magentic Resonance).

  16. Thalamic volume

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in change from screening to W48 of thalamic volume between the treatment and placebo group. This analysis will be performed by our collaborator at Hvidovre Hospital (Danish Research Center for Magentic Resonance).

  17. Percent brain volume change (PBVC)

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks

    We will analyze the difference in percentage change in brain volume from screening visit to week 48 between the treatment and placebo group. This analysis will be performed by our collaborator at Hvidovre Hospital (Danish Research Center for Magentic Resonance).

Other outcomes

  1. BVMTR

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks & 48-96 weeks

    Change from screening for Brief Visuospatial Memory Test Revised (BVMTR) The test is performed by the principal investigator or a delegated member of the study team.

  2. California Verbal Learning Test 2 (CVLT-II)

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks & 48-96 weeks

    Change from screening for California Verbal Learning Test 2 (CVLT-II). The test is performed by the principal investigator or a delegated member of the study team.

  3. UDI

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks & 48-96 weeks

    The questionnaire is handed out at screening visit, week 48 and week 96.

  4. FSMC

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks & 48-96 weeks

    The questionnaire is handed out at screening visit, week 48 and week 96.

  5. MSIS-29

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks & 48-96 weeks

    The questionnaire is handed out at screening visit, week 48 and week 96.

  6. Number of Gadolinium (Gd) enhancing lesions on MRI

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks & 48-96 weeks

    Change from screening/W48 in number of Gd-enhancing lesions.

  7. Number of new T2 lesions

    Time frame: 48-96 weeks

    Change from screening in number of new T2 lesions

  8. Number of enlarged T2 lesions

    Time frame: 48-96 weeks

    Change from screening in number of enlarged T2 lesions

  9. Brain volume change

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks & 48-96 weeks

    Change from screening/W48 in volume of cortical grey matter (CGM), normal appearing white matter (NAWM), thalamus, putamen and lesion volume.

  10. Change in Magnetization Transfer Ratio (MTR).

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks & 48-96 weeks

    Change from screening/W48 in Magnetization Transfer Ratio (MTR) of CGM, NAWM, the putamen and thalamic nuclei

  11. Change in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures (FA and mean diffusivity).

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks & 48-96 weeks

    Change from screening/W48 in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures (FA and mean diffusivity) of CGM, NAWM (except FA in NAWM from screening to week 48), lesions, the putamen and thalamic nuclei.

  12. Cross sectional area at C2 level of the cervical spinal cord on MRI

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks & 48-96 weeks

    Change from screening/W48 in the cross sectional area at the C2 level of the cervical spinal cord on MRI.

  13. Circle drawing test at the time of the MRI

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks & 48-96 weeks

    At the time of MRI (screening, week 48 and week 96) a circle drawing test will be performed.

  14. Change in Serum Neurofilament Light Chain (serum NFL)

    Time frame: 0-48 weeks & 48-96 weeks

    Is assessed from a blood sample at screening visit, W48 visit, and W96 visit. The analysis is performed by the neuroimmunology laboratory with a commercially available SIMOA-assay (Quanterix).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Rigshospitalet, Denmark

Other

Collaborators

  • Biogen

Registry information

Acronym: FUMAPMS

Important dates

Study start
2016
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2020
First posted
Nov 9, 2016
Registry last updated
Dec 24, 2020

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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