Safety and Efficacy of Two Doses of Anifrolumab Compared to Placebo in Adult Subjects With Active Proliferative Lupus Nephritis

Phase 2

Completed

Conditions: Lupus Nephritis

Interventions: Biological: Anifrolumab
Drug: Placebo

Registration Number: NCT02547922

Lead Sponsor: AstraZeneca

Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an intravenous treatment regimen of two doses of anifrolumab versus placebo in adult subjects with active proliferative lupus nephritis (LN).

Detailed Description: This is a Phase 2, multicentre, multinational, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of two intravenous (IV) treatment regimens of anifrolumab versus placebo while taking standard of care (SOC) treatment with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and corticosteroids in adult subjects with active proliferative lupus nephritis (LN).

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 147

Inclusion Criteria

Age 18 through 70 years at the time of screening
Fulfils at least 4 of the 11 criteria of the revised 1982 ACR classification criteria for SLE, at least one of which must be:
1. Positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) test (1:40 or higher) or
2. Elevated anti-dsDNA antibodies at screening (reported as equivocal or positive results), as per the centrallaboratory; or
3. Anti-Smith antibody at screening elevated to above normal (ie, positive or equivocal results) as per the central laboratory
Class III (±Class V) or Class IV (±Class V) LN according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) or 2003 ISN/RPS classification based on a renal biopsy obtained within 12 weeks prior to signing the ICF or during the screening period:
Urine protein to creatinine ratio >1 gm/gm (113.17 mg/mmol), obtained on a 24-hour urine collection at screening
Estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥35 mL/min/1.73 m2
Must not have active or latent TB on either chest radiograph or by Quantiferon gold test
Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum beta-hCG test at screening and negative urine pregnancy test prior to the first dose of sponsor-provided MMF.

Main

Exclusion Criteria

Receipt of any investigational product (small molecule or biologic) or commercially available biologic agent within four weeks or 5 half lives prior to signing of the ICF, whichever is greater
Pure Class V membranous LN on a renal biopsy obtained within 12 weeks prior to signing ICF or during the screening period
Known intolerance to ≤1.0 gm/day of MMF
History of dialysis within 12 months prior to signing the ICF or expected need for renal replacement therapy (dialysis or renal transplant) within a 6 month period after enrolment
Subjects, who at the time of signing the ICF, received any of the following immunosuppressive therapies after their qualifying biopsy
1. Oral corticosteroids >0.5 mg/kg/day for more than 8 weeks or
2. Oral or IV pulse methylprednisolone >3.0 gm (cumulative dose) or
3. IV cyclophosphamide >2 pulses of high-dose (≥0.5 gm/m2) or >4 doses of low dose (500 mg every 2 weeks) or
4. Average MMF >2.5 gm/day (>1800 mg/day of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium) for more than 8 weeks or
5. Tacrolimus >4 mg/day for more than 8 weeks
Major surgery within 8 weeks before signing the ICF or major surgery planned during the study period
History of any non-SLE disease that has required treatment with oral or parenteral corticosteroids for more than a total of 2 weeks within the last 24 weeks prior to signing the ICF
Confirmed positive test for hepatitis B or hepatitis C
Any severe herpes infection at any time prior to randomization
Opportunistic infection requiring hospitalisation or parenteral antimicrobial treatment within 3 years prior to randomization (vaginal, oral and skin candidiasis is not an exclusionreason).
History of cancer, apart from:
1. Squamous or basal cell carcinoma of the skin that has been successfully treated
2. Cervical cancer in situ that has been successfully treated
Concurrent enrolment in another clinical study with an IP within 4 weeks prior to ICF signing or within 5 half-lives of the IP used in that clinical study, whichever is longer.
During screening (within 30 days before Day 1 [Week 0 visit]), any of the following:
1. Aspartate transaminase (AST) >2.5×upper limit of normal (ULN)
2. Alanine transaminase (ALT) >2.5×ULN
3. Total bilirubin >ULN (unless due to Gilbert's syndrome [based on Investigator's judgement])
4. Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) >8% (or >0.08) at screening (diabetic subjects only)
5. Neutrophil count <1x103/μL (or <1.0 GI/L)
6. Platelet count <25x103/μL (or <25 GI/L)
7. Haemoglobin <8 g/dL (or <80 g/L).

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Anifrolumab - Lower Dose	Anifrolumab	Anifrolumab - Lower Dose
Placebo	Placebo	Placebo IV Q4W plus SOC
Anifrolumab - Higher Dose	Anifrolumab	Anifrolumab - Higher Dose

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change From Baseline in 24-hour Urine Protein to Creatinine Ratio (UPCR)	From Week 1 (Baseline) up to Week 52	To evaluate the efficacy of anifrolumab plus SOC (combination of mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids) compared with placebo plus SOC in subjects with active proliferative lupus nephritis (LN). Geometric mean ratio of 24-hour UPCR at week 52 over baseline. Values \<1 indicate improvement from baseline.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Proportion of Subjects Achieving the Composite Endpoint Complete Renal Response (CRR)	Week 52	CRR was defined as meeting all of the following: * Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m\^2 or no confirmed decrease of eGFR from baseline of ≥20% * 24-hour UPCR ≤ 0.7 mg/mg * No discontinuation of investigational product (IP) or use of restricted medication beyond the protocol allowed threshold before assessment * eGFR was based on Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula. Subjects treated with restricted medication beyond the protocol allowed threshold, or discontinuing study treatment for other reasons, were regarded as non-responders.