Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Fingolimod 0.5 mg Orally Once Daily Versus Placebo in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy Patients.

This study was a double-blind, randomized, multicenter, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study in patients with a diagnosis of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy and treated with IVIg, corticosteroids, or both therapies prior to study entry. Patients meeting the eligibility criteria were randomly assigned in a ratio of 1:1 to receive oral fingolimod (0.5 mg/day) or matching placebo.

The study consisted of 3 periods: a Screening Period, a Double-blind Treatment Period and a Follow-up Period after discontinuation of study drug treatment. Patients who complete the study will have an option to enter an extension.

Inclusion criteria

• written informed consent must be obtained before any assessment is performed
• The diagnosis of CIDP will use the definition of the EFNS/PNS Task Force First Revision. Patients must either have a clinical diagnosis of CIDP fulfilling the clinical inclusion criteria for typical CIDP or one of the following atypical forms of CIDP: pure motor, or asymmetrical (MADSAM [Lewis-Sumner syndrome]), or IgA or IgG (not IgM) MGUS paraprotein associated.
• All patients must also fulfill the clinical exclusion criteria and the definite electrodiagnostic criteria of the EFNS/PNS Task Force First Revision.
• disability defined by an INCAT Disability Scale score of 1-9 or, if INCAT score is 0, a documented history of disability sufficient to require treatment within the past 2 years following reduction or interruption of CIDP treatment
• receiving IVIg treatment (minimal dose equivalent to 0.4 g/kg every 4 weeks for a minimum of 12 weeks) or corticosteroids (minimal dose equivalent to prednisone 10 mg/day) treatment prior to the screening visit
• history of documented clinically meaningful deterioration confirmed by clinical examination during therapy or upon interruption or reduction of therapy within 18 months prior to Screening
• stable CIDP symptoms for the 6 weeks before randomization

Exclusion criteria

• other chronic demyelinating neuropathies, including: Distal Acquired Demyelinating Symmetric Neuropathy (DADS) Multifocal Motor Neuropathy (MMN) pure sensory CIDP hematopoietic malignancy except for MGUS
• conditions in which the pathogenesis of the neuropathy may be different from CIDP such as: Lyme disease, POEMS syndrome, osteosclerotic myeloma, Castleman's disease
• treatment with plasma exchange within 2 months of randomization, immunosuppressive/chemotherapeutic medications: azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, mycophenolate, etanercept, methotrexate tacrolimus or other immunosuppressive drugs within 6 months of randomization or 5 half-lives (whichever is later), Rituximab in the 2 years prior to randomization (patients that have received rituximab between 1 and 2 years should have B-cell levels within normal range), other cytotoxic immunosuppressive medications with sustained effects (including mitoxantrone, alemtuzumab, cladribine) at any time, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at any time