Single Patient Study to Treat Relapsing Polychondritis With Tocilizumab

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare, immune-mediated disease associated with inflammation in cartilaginous structures and other tissues throughout the body. Prognosis can be poor, especially in cases where there is acute involvement of the laryngotracheal cartilages leading to airway destruction, which are resistant to treatments such as corticosteroids, immunosuppressive or cytotoxic drugs. The pathogenesis remains unclear although it is thought that autoimmune reactions to antigens present in cartilages, such as type II collagen and matrilin may evoke symptoms. There are no known clinical or laboratory measures that predict the expression of specific disease manifestations or the overall disease course. Two recently published case reports have shown an association with elevated serum IL-6 levels and relapsing polychondritis. In these case reports, both patients with refractory relapsing polychondritis were treated with tocilizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody to the Interleukin 6 receptor, and achieved sustained response to the drug. This single patient trial aims to evaluate the response to Tocilizumab in an eight year old boy with relapsing polychondritis who has been shown to have elevated serum IL-6 levels and who has responded poorly to conventional therapies. The study hypothesis is that Tocilizumab will be able to control the disease in this patient.