Maintenance of ANCA Vasculitis Remission by Intermittent Rituximab Dosing Based on B-cell Reconstitution vs a Serologic ANCA Flare
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Status
- Terminated
- Enrollment
- 115
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Number of Patients With Disease Relapse(s) as Defined by a Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score for Wegner's Granulomatosis (BVAS/WG) ≥ 2
Study Overview
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine the best management strategy to maintain remission in patients with ANCA vasculitis who have been treated with rituximab induced B cell depletion for at least two years. This study will compare intermittent B Cell depletion upon B cell return or intermittent B cell depletion upon serologic relapse.
Detailed Description
Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA) vasculitis is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by small vessel inflammation caused by pathogenic autoantibodies directed against proteinase 3 (PR3) or myeloperoxidase (MPO). Immunosuppressive therapy can result in remission; however, many patients relapse, which results in additional injury.
Rituximab, a humanized murine monoclonal antibody directed against CD20 located on the surface of B-lymphocytes (B cells), is effective in depleting B cells. The RAVE and RITUXVAS trials have shown efficacy of rituximab with steroids for induction of remission in ANCA vasculitis, similar to cyclophosphamide and steroids. Rituximab is now FDA-approved for induction of remission therapy in ANCA vasculitis. The utility of anti-B-cell therapy for early induction of remission in ANCA vasculitis is not surprising given that ANCA are pathogenic in vitro and in vivo. It is clear that remission in many patients is not sustained with a single induction course of rituximab, and relapses often occur after B cell re-population suggesting that scheduled, serial dosing of rituximab could result in sustained remissions.
Despite yielding promising outcomes, rituximab is also associated with a number of adverse events including infectious complications and late onset of neutropenia5, 15. Furthermore, the complications of continuous B cell depletion for extended durations are unknown. One of the major goals in the field is to utilize prolonged B cell depletion only in the subpopulation of patients where the risk of disease relapse outweighs the risk of treatment-related adverse events.
A rise in ANCA titers and reconstitution of B cells are promising biomarkers of impending disease relapse following treatment with rituximab4-6
A prospective and longitudinal clinical trial is needed to determine the ideal treatment strategy for long-term maintenance of remission. We propose to compare intermittent rituximab dosing based on B cell return and a serologic ANCA flare
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 82 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •All patients must be able and willing to give written informed consent and comply with the requirements of the study protocol.
- •Diagnosis: ANCA vasculitis as defined by a positive MPO- and/or PR3-ANCA test together with clinical features characteristic of ANCA-positive diseases as detailed in the 2012 Chapel Hill Consensus Conference Definitions(18).
- •eGFR ≥ 73 cc/min/1.73m2
- •Age: 18-82 years old
- •Treated with rituximab-induced continuous B cell depletion at regularly scheduled interval with a goal of undetectable B cells for at least 24 months
- •In sustained remission (defined by a modified BVAS-WG=0 AND a prednisone dose of ≤ 7.5 mg) for at least 12 months.
- •Undetectable (<10mm3) B cells (quantified by CD20+ number) on day 0
- •Urine Hcg negative for women of child bearing potential and not planning to become pregnant for at least 12 months from enrollment and at least 12 months after any study related rituximab dose
- •Judged to be otherwise healthy by the Investigator, based on medical history and physical examination (no known active disease process for which life expectancy is less than 36 months)
Exclusion Criteria
- •Secondary Disease: disease suspected to be induced by levamisole-adulterated cocaine
- •All transplanted patients
- •Treatment: additional immunosuppressive agents other than rituximab and/or total daily prednisone dose ≥ 7.5 milligrams
- •Hypogammaglobulinemia: IgG level < 300 mg/dL
- •Terminal cancer or other primary illness with life expectancy of less than 36 months
- •Active anti-GBM disease and other known autoimmune disease for which the need for additional immunosuppression is likely
- •Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Arms & Interventions
B cell reconstitution
Subjects will not receive their regularly-scheduled every-six-month dose of rituximab and will instead receive rituximab 1000 mg IV x 1 dose once peripheral B cells return ( ≥ 10 B cells/mm3). This cycle will then re-start. Subjects will be seen in clinic every three months. Patients will continue to be dosed with rituximab each time the B cell count rises to 10 cells/mm3. In the unique scenario that the B cells are detectable, but less than the threshold of 10 cells/mm3, subjects will be asked to return in 6 weeks for repeat B cell testing.
Intervention: Rituximab (Drug)
Serologic ANCA flare
Subjects will not receive regularly scheduled every six-month doses of rituximab (1000mg IV) and will instead be seen in clinic for ANCA titer monitoring every 3 months. Re-dosing will occur upon a significant ANCA titer increase. For MPO, a significant rise will be defined as a 5-fold rise in ANCA titer and a level greater than 4 times the cutoff value for the assay. For PR3, a significant rise will be defined as a 4-fold rise in ANCA titer to a level at least twofold above the cutoff for the assay. Subjects who sustain a significant increase in ANCA titer will receive rituximab 1000mg IV x 2 doses, spaced ~2-3 weeks apart. If the ANCA titer remains two-fold above baseline and above a specified threshold (the cutoff value of the assay for PR3 and 4 times the cutoff value for MPO) , subjects will continue to receive rituximab 1000mg IV every 6 months for a maximum of 2 doses, at which time a new baseline ANCA titer will be established and the cycle will re-start.
Intervention: Rituximab (Drug)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Number of Patients With Disease Relapse(s) as Defined by a Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score for Wegner's Granulomatosis (BVAS/WG) ≥ 2
Time Frame: Median follow-up period of 4.1 years (IQR, 2.5 - 5.0)
Relapses recording period was from 6/1/2016 to 12/31/2021. The outcome was reported as the number of participants with disease relapse who had either positive ANCA titers specific for myeloperoxidase (MPO-ANCA) or proteinase 3 (PR3-ANCA). The Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score for Wegener's Granulomatosis (BVAS/WG ) is a form with 34 predefined items grouped into 9 organ systems. The items are clinical features observed in patients with active ANCA vasculitis. Each item has a specified weight of either 3 or 1, depending on whether it reflects major or minor disease activity. The total BVAS/WG score is the weighted sum of individual manifestations that are present and believed to be due to active ANCA vasculitis. Higher scores reflect more active disease. BVAS/WG scores range from 0 to 64.
Secondary Outcomes
- Organ Damage as Assessed by the Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI).(3 years starting at inclusion)
- Number of Patients With Hypogammaglobulinemia(Median follow-up period of 4.1 years (IQR, 2.5 - 5.0))
- Patient Survival(5.5 years)
- Number of Patients Affected by Serious Adverse Events(Median follow-up period of 4.1 years (IQR, 2.5 - 5.0))
- Composite of Disease Relapse (Defined a BVAS/WG ≥ 2) and Serious Adverse Events(Median follow-up period of 4.1 years (IQR, 2.5 - 5.0))
- Mean Number of Rituximab Infusions Per Subject(Median follow-up period of 4.1 years (IQR, 2.5 - 5.0))
- Number of Major Relapses Defined as a BVAS/WG ≥ 3(Median follow-up period of 4.1 years (IQR, 2.5 - 5.0))
- Number of Infections(Median follow-up period of 4.1 years (IQR, 2.5 - 5.0))
- Health-related Quality of Life as Assessed by the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) Scores(Assessed throughout the study period, every 6 months unless such time point was not reached or was missed by the patient. Median follow-up period is of 4.1 years (IQR, 2.5 - 5.0))
Investigators
John L Niles
MD
Massachusetts General Hospital