A Phase I, Open-Labeled, Dose-Ascending Clinical Trial of Immunotherapy of MRA, A Humanized Anti-IL 6 Receptor Monoclonal Antibody, In Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels are elevated in both human and murine systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE). Blocking the action of IL-6 ameliorates disease activity in murine
models of SLE. MRA is a humanized monoclonal antibody against the human IL-6 receptor.
Data from clinical trials in patients with rheumatoid arthritis suggest that MRA may be a
safe agent to block the effect of IL-6 and therefore may be used to evaluate the effects of
IL-6 blockade in patients with SLE. In this open label, dose-escalating, Phase I study, up
to 27 subjects with moderately active SLE may be enrolled. Subjects will be treated with
bi-weekly infusions of one of three doses (2mg/kg, 4 mg/kg or 8 mg/kg) of MRA for 12 weeks
and followed for 8 weeks after the last dose. Patients with or without lupus nephritis may
be enrolled if they do not require immediate immunosuppressive therapy other than prednisone
at doses of less than or equal to 0.3 mg/kg/day. Safety will be evaluated using standard
clinical and laboratory parameters. To assess the potential effect of MRA on SLE, clinical
and laboratory evaluations and surrogate markers of inflammation and disease activity, such
as autoantibody production and lymphocyte subsets, will be compared before and after the
treatment. Patients who either do not tolerate the drug or those who have a clinically
significant increase in their disease activity that does not respond to moderate doses of
corticosteroids will be withdrawn from the protocol.
If this regimen is shown to be well tolerated, studies of efficacy will be planned. This
agent is expected to be devoid of the most common toxicities of therapies commonly used in
the treatment of SLE, such as myelosuppression, amenorrhea and osteoporosis.
This study will provide important preliminary information about the safety and possible
effect of IL-6 blockade in SLE patients, an intervention that has been successful in animal
models but has not yet been studied in humans.
Interventional
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Sarfaraz A Hasni, M.D.
Principal Investigator
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
United States: Federal Government
020272
NCT00046774
September 2002
July 2007
Name | Location |
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National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike | Bethesda, Maryland 20892 |