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NCT Number: NCT07420296

Modified Zipper Therapy for AQP4-IgG Positive Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder

Study Title: A National, Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial of the Modified Zipper Therapy in AQP4 Antibody-Positive Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (ELITE Study)

Brief Summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel sequential immunomodulation strategy, termed "Modified Zipper Therapy," in patients with acute attacks of Aquaporin-4 antibody-positive Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD). The therapy aims to enhance neurological recovery by combining plasma exchange (PE) with immediate complement inhibition using eculizumab, following high-dose corticosteroid pulse therapy.

The main questions this trial aims to answer are:

Efficacy: Does the Modified Zipper Therapy (high-dose corticosteroids + plasma exchange + eculizumab) lead to a higher rate of neurological improvement at Week 12 compared to standard therapy (high-dose corticosteroids + plasma exchange alone)?

For patients with NMOSD-related optic neuritis (NMOSD-ON), improvement is defined as a gain of ≥10 letters on the ETDRS chart or a decrease of ≥0.2 LogMAR in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

For patients with NMOSD-related longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (NMOSD-LETM), improvement is defined as a reduction of ≥2 points on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).

Safety: What is the nature and frequency of adverse events experienced by participants receiving the Modified Zipper Therapy compared to those receiving standard therapy?

Researchers will compare the Modified Zipper Therapy group to the Standard Therapy group to see if the novel combination is more effective in improving visual and functional outcomes in acute AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD.

Participants will:

Be randomly assigned (like a coin toss) to receive either the Modified Zipper Therapy or the Standard Therapy.

Undergo a treatment period involving intravenous corticosteroids and a series of plasma exchange sessions. The Modified Zipper Therapy group will also receive intravenous eculizumab infusions timed around the plasma exchange procedures.

Be followed for 24 weeks after treatment completion.

Attend scheduled clinic visits for comprehensive assessments including:

Visual acuity testing (using ETDRS, Snellen, and low-contrast charts).

Neurological function evaluations (EDSS and OSIS scores).

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and visual evoked potential (VEP) tests.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the optic nerves.

Safety monitoring (physical exams, lab tests, ECGs).

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Key information

Conditions

Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders (NMOSD) Autoimmune Diseases Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System Cranial Nerve Diseases Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS Demyelinating Diseases Eye Diseases Immune System Diseases Myelitis, Transverse Nervous System Diseases Neuromyelitis Optica Optic Nerve Diseases Optic Neuritis

Age range

18 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 3

Primary location

Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Department of Neurology

Tianjin, China

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Chao Zhang

CONTACT

[email protected]

+8602260814587

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Participants ≥ 18 years of age
  • Definite diagnosis according to the 2015 IPND diagnostic criteria for AQP4-IgG-positive NMOSD
  • Seropositivity for anti-AQP4 antibody.
  • Time from onset to enrollment ≤ 30 days.
  • For patients with optic neuritis: visual acuity ≤ 20/200 at screening; for relapse cases, baseline visual acuity prior to this acute episode must have been ≥ 20/60.
  • For patients with longitudinal extensive transverse myelitis (LETM): EDSS score ≥ 5.5 at screening; for relapse cases, baseline EDSS score prior to this acute episode must have been ≤ 3.5.
  • Ability to understand and voluntarily provide written informed consent-

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients with concurrent neuromuscular disorders.
  • Patients with severe coagulation dysfunction.
  • Patients with known allergy to plasma or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).
  • Patients with active hepatitis B or C virus infection, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, or those deemed at high risk for the onset or reactivation of syphilis or tuberculosis at screening.
  • Patients with active systemic infection at screening, or a history of severe chronic or recurrent infections.
  • Pregnant or lactating patients.
  • Patients with chronic, severe medical conditions that may affect study compliance.
  • Patients with any clinically significant abnormal laboratory findings as determined by the investigator (e.g., severe anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, etc.).
  • Patients whom the investigator considers unlikely to complete the study or unlikely to comply with the study requirements (for administrative reasons or otherwise).

Treatment and study plan

Eculizumab administration

Biological

Complement Inhibitor Therapy (Eculizumab):

Initial Dose: Administer 900 mg of eculizumab intravenously immediately after the first PE session.

Supplemental Doses: Administer supplemental doses (300-600 mg) after the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th PE sessions. The exact dose will be adjusted in real-time based on drug clearance post-PE.

Maintenance Therapy: Administer three additional 900 mg intravenous infusions on the day of the last PE session, and at the 1st and 2nd weeks after its completion, to consolidate efficacy and maintain stable complement inhibition.

High-dose corticosteroid pulse therapy

Drug

High-Dose Corticosteroid Pulse: Intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) 1000 mg daily for 3 days, then 500 mg daily for 3 days, followed by 250 mg daily for 3 days, and finally 125 mg daily for 3 days. Subsequently, switch to oral prednisone at 1 mg/kg/day, tapered by 5 mg weekly until a maintenance dose of 10 mg/day is reached, which is continued for 6 months.

Plasma exchange (PE)

Procedure

Plasma Exchange (PE) Therapy: Initiated concurrently with corticosteroids. Perform at least 5 PE sessions every other day. Each session exchanges 1.0-1.5 times the plasma volume. Treatment intervals may be adjusted based on fibrinogen levels and bleeding risk.

Primary outcomes

  1. Best corrected visual acuity

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12

  2. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12

    The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) is an ordinal scale ranging from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating worse neurological impairment and disability in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Best corrected visual acuity

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 24,

  2. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 24,

    The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) is an ordinal scale ranging from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating worse neurological impairment and disability in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)

  3. Optic-Spinal Impairment Score(OSIS)

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 12, Week 24

    The Optic-Spinal Impairment Score (OSIS) is a composite scale specifically designed for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), assessing visual function (0-8), motor function (0-7), sensory function (0-5), and sphincter function (0-5). Higher scores reflect greater severity of optic and spinal cord dysfunction, indicating a worse outcome.

  4. Visual Evoked Potential P100 Wave Latency

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12, Week 24

    Mean change from baseline in P100 wave latency, measured by visual evoked potential (VEP), at Week 12, and Week 24. P100 latency is expressed in milliseconds (ms). Longer latency indicates delayed neural conduction and worse visual pathway function; a greater reduction from baseline reflects a better outcome.

  5. Visual Evoked Potential P100 Wave Amplitude

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12, Week 24

    Mean change from baseline in P100 wave amplitude, measured by visual evoked potential (VEP), at Week 12, and Week 24. P100 amplitude is expressed in microvolts (μV). Higher amplitude indicates better neural signal transmission and visual pathway integrity; a smaller decrease or greater increase from baseline reflects a better outcome.

  6. Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12, Week 24,

    Mean change from baseline in peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT), at Week 12 and Week 24. RNFL thickness is expressed in micrometers (μm). Higher values indicate greater structural preservation of the optic nerve; a smaller decrease or greater increase from baseline reflects a better outcome.

  7. Ganglion Cell-Inner Plexiform Layer (GCIPL) Thickness

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12, Week 24

    Mean change from baseline in macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness, measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT), at Week 12 and Week 24. GCIPL thickness is expressed in micrometers (μm). Higher values indicate greater structural integrity of the macular ganglion cells; a smaller decrease or greater increase from baseline reflects a better outcome.

  8. Cross-sectional area of the optic nerve

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12, Week 24

    Mean change from baseline in optic nerve cross-sectional area, measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), at Week 12 and Week 24.

  9. Length of Optic Nerve Lesion

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12, Week 24

    Mean change from baseline in optic nerve lesion length, measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), at Week 12 and Week 24.

  10. Concentration of serum sC5b-9

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 12, Week 24

Other outcomes

  1. Level of serum CH50

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 12, Week 24

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Chao Zhang

CONTACT

[email protected]

+8602260814587

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Tianjin Medical University General Hospital

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Modified Zipper Therapy for AQP4-IgG Positive Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial Study

Acronym: ELITE

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2027
First posted
Feb 19, 2026
Registry last updated
May 14, 2026

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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