Rituximab in the Treatment of Patients With Bullous Pemphigoid

This study has been completed.
Sponsor:
Collaborator:
Genentech
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Duke University
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT00286325
First received: February 1, 2006
Last updated: April 9, 2013
Last verified: September 2012

February 1, 2006
April 9, 2013
March 2005
March 2010   (final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Primary Safety Endpoint [ Time Frame: 1 year ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
The primary safety endpoint is the occurrence of treatment emergent adverse events including infections, infusion reactions and disease progression. These were determined by clinical evaluation and laboratory questions. Disease progression is defined as development of new blisters despite therapy. These are reported as the number of participants with a study related SAE.
To determine the safety of rituximab for treatment of patients with bullous pemphigoid.
Complete list of historical versions of study NCT00286325 on ClinicalTrials.gov Archive Site
  • Number of Days to Cessation of New Blister [ Time Frame: 1 year ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    The first study visit in which patient reported and was confirmed to have no new blister or lesion formation .
  • Systemic Corticosteroid Dose of 25% of Starting Dose or 10 mg/Day by Week 24 [ Time Frame: 24 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Subject systemic corticosteroid dosage at week 24 was 25% of starting dose or 10 mg/day of prednisone or less
  • IgG Anti Bullous Pemphigoid (BP) 180 Measured in Units by ELISA at Week 24. [ Time Frame: Week 0 and at 24 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    IgG antibodies against BP 180 measured in units (by ELISA) for each participant at week 0 compared to value at week 24,
  • B Cell Number at Week 24 [ Time Frame: Week 0 and at 24 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Peripheral blood B cell number at week 24 compared to B cell number at week 0
Deterine # of days to cessation of new blister formation; reduce prednisone to 25% of initial dose by week 24; reduce bullous pemphigoid antibody
Not Provided
Not Provided
 
Rituximab in the Treatment of Patients With Bullous Pemphigoid
Rituximab in the Treatment of Patients With Bullous Pemphigoid

This study will determine the safety of treatment of bullous pemphigoid in patients resistant to therapy with systemic corticosteroids, with rituximab plus systemic corticosteroids.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering disease characterized clinically by the presence of severely itchy, tense blisters located over the trunk and extremities. BP is the most common of the autoimmune blistering diseases with an incidence of approximately 10 per 1,000,000 population(1;2). In addition, BP occurs more frequently in the elderly. Routine histopathology reveals a sub-epidermal blister most often with large numbers of eosinophils. Direct immunofluorescence of the skin of patients with BP reveals a linear band of C3 and IgG at the basement membrane zone. Examination of the sera of patients shows the presence of a circulating anti-basement membrane zone autoantibody. This antibody has been found to be directed against a 180 kd protein of the basement membrane zone type XVII collagen (BPAg2) and against a 230 kd protein (BPAg1) found in the epidermal hemi-desmosome(3;4).

BP is a severe disease most often requiring therapy with high dose systemic corticosteroids (0.75 - 1.0 mg/kg/day) often for months(5). In addition, relapses are common and the additional use of immunosuppressive drugs such as azathioprine, methotrexate, cyclosporine A and others are needed to minimize the dose of systemic corticosteroids. The 1-year mortality of BP has been estimated to range from 10 - 30%(1;6). Currently treatment of patients with BP consists of initial use of systemic corticosteroids (0.75 - 1.0 mg/kg/day). Control of symptoms and new blister formation is most often achieved within 1 month and systemic corticosteroids are then tapered. As many as 33 - 50% of patients may not be able to be tapered to clinically acceptable levels of systemic corticosteroids, requiring the addition of systemic immunosuppression often with azathioprine. Approximately 66% of patients require long term treatment with immunosuppressive medication to maintain control of their blistering.(5;7;8) The need for long term systemic corticosteroid therapy often with systemic immunosuppression in an elderly population results in a significant morbidity and mortality in patients with BP. New therapeutic interventions that would potentially allow for the more rapid discontinuation of prednisone, avoidance of systemic immuno- suppression and perhaps earlier clinical relapse would be of substantial benefit to patients with BP. The clinical and laboratory data has demonstrated that BP is an autoantibody mediated blistering disease. Taken together these observations suggest that the use of anti-CD20 antibody (Rituxan) may be useful in the treatment of patients with BP. We have previously treated a patient with BP and graft versus host disease with anti-CD20 and anti-CD25 and were able to achieve clinical and serological remission within 4 weeks of initiation of therapy(9). In addition, others and we have successfully utilized Rituxan for the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris, another autoantibody mediated, autoimmune blistering disease(10-15)

Interventional
Phase 1
Phase 2
Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Open Label
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Bullous Pemphigoid
Drug: Rituximab
Infusion of 1000 mg of rituximab on day 0 and day 14
Other Name: rituxan
Experimental: Treatment Rituximab
Open label study all subjects treated with rituximab
Intervention: Drug: Rituximab

*   Includes publications given by the data provider as well as publications identified by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number) in Medline.
 
Completed
8
March 2010
March 2010   (final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with autoimmune blistering skin diseases with clinical, histologic and immunological criteria confirming the diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid
  • Ongoing disease activity on 17.5 mg/day of prednisone or more

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current use of other immunosuppressive therapy such as azathioprine, cytoxan or mycophenolate mofetil within the last 4 weeks.
Both
18 Years and older
No
Contact information is only displayed when the study is recruiting subjects
United States
 
NCT00286325
Pro00013763
No
Duke University
Duke University
Genentech
Principal Investigator: Russell Hall, III, MD Duke University
Duke University
September 2012

ICMJE     Data element required by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and the World Health Organization ICTRP