Trial Outcomes & Findings for Abatacept and Cyclophosphamide Combination Therapy for Lupus Nephritis (NCT NCT00774852)

Participants ages 16 and older with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who met entry criteria were enrolled into the study between November 2008 and June 2012.

Abatacept and Cyclophosphamide Combination Therapy for Lupus Nephritis

Complete response definition: a serum creatinine \<= 1.2 mg/dL or \<=125% of the higher value at either screening or baseline visit, protein-to-creatinine ratio \<0.5, and prednisone dose tapered to \<=10 mg/day or prednisone dosing allowances in protocol. Participants had to meet all of the referenced criteria to be considered a complete responder (CR). Participants who discontinued treatment and/or terminated from the study in the first 24 weeks were defined as CR failures for all subsequent visits. CRs are those who successfully responded to treatment and have minimal activity of their lupus nephritis.

Outcome measure description: Partial response definition: a serum creatinine \<= 1.2 mg/dL or \<= to 125% of the higher value at either screening or baseline visit, and improvement (reduction) \>= to 50% in the urine protein to creatinine ratio at either screening or baseline visit, and prednisone dose has been tapered to 10 mg/day or according to protocol dosing allowances in protocol. Participants who discontinued treatment and/or terminated from the study in the first 24 weeks were defined as complete response failures for all subsequent visits. Partial responders are those who showed some response to treatment and low activity of their lupus nephritis.

Complete response: a serum creatinine \<= 1.2 mg/dL or \<=125% of the higher value at either screening or baseline visit, protein-to-creatinine ratio \<0.5, and prednisone dose tapered to \<=10 mg/day or prednisone dosing allowances in protocol. Participants had to meet all of the referenced criteria to be considered a complete responder. Partial response: a serum creatinine \<= 1.2 mg/dL or \<= to 125% of the higher value at either screening or baseline visit, and improvement \>= to 50% in the urine protein to creatinine ratio at either screening or baseline visit, and prednisone dose has been tapered to 10 mg/day or according to protocol dosing allowances in protocol. Participants who discontinued treatment and/or terminated from the study were defined as response failures for all subsequent visits. CRs successfully responded to treatment and have minimal activity of their lupus nephritis. Partial responders showed some response to treatment and low activity of their lupus nephritis.

Complete response definition: a serum creatinine \<= 1.2 mg/dL or \<=125% of the higher value at either screening or baseline visit, protein-to-creatinine ratio \<0.5, and prednisone dose tapered to \<=10 mg/day or prednisone dosing allowances in protocol. Participants had to meet all of the referenced criteria to be considered a complete responder (CR). Participants who discontinued treatment and/or terminated from the study were defined as response failures for all subsequent visits. CRs are those who successfully responded to treatment and had minimal activity of their lupus nephritis.

A complete proteinuria and prednisone response is defined as urine protein-to-creatinine ratio \<0.5 and prednisone dose tapered to \<= 10mg/day. Subjects who discontinued treatment or terminated from the study in the first 24 weeks are defined as response failures for all subsequent visits. Complete responders are those who successfully responded to treatment and have minimal activity of their lupus nephritis.

A partial proteinuria and prednisone response is defined as an improvement (reduction) of \>=50% in the urine protein-to-creatinine ratio at either visit -1 or 0, and prednisone dose has been tapered to 10 mg/day. Subjects who discontinued treatment or terminated from the study in the first 24 weeks are defined as response failures for all subsequent visits. Partial responders are those who showed some response to treatment and low activity of their lupus nephritis.

A participant who did not meet the criteria for either a complete response or a partial response at Week 24 was considered a non-responder. After Week 24, non-responders were terminated from the study and treated according to best clinical judgment unless the site investigator judged that the participant could benefit from continued participation. Non responders did not respond to treatment and lupus activity is moderate to severe.

A participant who did not meet the criteria for either a complete response (CR) or a partial response (PR) at Week 24 was considered a non-responder. After Week 24, non-responders were terminated from the study and treated according to best clinical judgment unless the investigator judged that the participant may benefit from continued participation. CR definition: a serum creatinine \<= 1.2 mg/dL or \<=125% of the higher value at either screening or baseline visit, protein-to-creatinine ratio \<0.5, and prednisone dose tapered to \<=10 mg/day or prednisone dosing allowances in protocol. Participants had to meet all of the referenced criteria to be considered a CR. PR definition: a serum creatinine \<= 1.2 mg/dL or \<= to 125% of the higher value at either screening or baseline, and improvement (reduction) \>= to 50% in the urine protein to creatinine ratio at either screening or baseline, and prednisone dose has been tapered to 10 mg/day.

Lupus disease activity was assessed by 7 different measures: reduction in anti-dsDNA, negative anti-dsDNA, resolution of hypocomplementemia (C3, C4), frequency of flares, patient global assessment, SF36 total scores, and BILAG-2004 scores. Participants with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may have autoantibodies (e.g., self against self) to double-stranded DNA. Double-stranded DNA is one of multiple diagnostic tests for SLE and levels may be associated with disease activity. One measure used to assess disease activity is the number of participants who were anti-dsDNA positive at baseline but negative at Week 104. Going from positive to negative is indicative of lowered lupus activity.

Lupus disease activity was assessed by 7 different measures: reduction in anti-dsDNA, negative anti-dsDNA, resolution of hypocomplementemia (C3, C4), frequency of flares, patient global assessment, SF36 total scores, and BILAG-2004 scores. Participants with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may have autoantibodies (e.g., self against self) to double-stranded DNA. Double-stranded DNA is one of multiple diagnostic tests for SLE and levels may be associated with disease activity. This measure was the number of participants who had negative anti-dsDNA at Week 104. Having a negative score is indicative of low lupus disease activity.

Lupus disease activity was assessed by 7 different measures: anti-dsDNA, negative anti-dsDNA, resolution of hypocomplementemia (C3, C4), frequency of flares, patient global assessment, SF36 total scores, and BILAG-2004 scores. Participants were categorized as having hypocomplementemia if their serum complement test results (C3, and C4) were below the normal range at the site. Below normal complement test results are indicative of active lupus erythematosus.

Lupus disease activity was assessed by 7 different measures: anti-dsDNA, negative anti-dsDNA, resolution of hypocomplementemia (C3, C4), frequency of flares, patient global assessment, SF36 total scores, and BILAG-2004 scores. Flares can be renal or non-renal. A renal flare is defined as two successive evaluations at least 1 week apart as proteinuria \>1 gm/24h for participants who attain a complete response at Week 12 and for all other participants either 1) Increasing serum creatinine and persistent proteinuria, or 2) Worsening proteinuria. A non-renal flare is defined as any new post-baseline BILAG A in a non-renal organ system using BILAG-2004. This outcome measures the number of participants with the presence of renal and non-renal flares from Week 24 through Week 52 by response status. Having flares is indicative of more lupus disease activity.

Lupus disease activity was assessed by 7 different measures: anti-dsDNA, negative anti-dsDNA, resolution of hypocomplementemia (C3, C4), frequency of flares, patient global assessment (PGA), SF36 total scores, and BILAG-2004 scores. PGA is measured on a 100mm scale and assessed at Weeks 0, 12, 24, 52, and 104. Higher values indicate greater burden of disease.

Lupus disease activity was assessed by 7 different measures: anti-dsDNA, negative anti-dsDNA, resolution of hypocomplementemia (C3, C4), frequency of flares, patient global assessment (PGA), SF36 total scores, and BILAG-2004 scores. PGA is measured on a 100mm scale and assessed at Weeks 0, 12, 24, 52, and 104. Higher values indicate greater burden of disease.

Lupus disease activity was assessed by 7 different measures: anti-dsDNA, negative anti-dsDNA, resolution of hypocomplementemia (C3, C4), frequency of flares, patient global assessment, SF36 total scores, and BILAG-2004 scores. The SF-36 is a quality of life assessment that was performed at Weeks 9, 24, 36, 52, and 104. Eight scale scores are derived from responses to the 36 items of the SF-36 questionnaire which were combined to produce the Physical Component Score and the Mental Component Score. The Physical Component Score is based on the Physical Functioning Scale (10 items), the Role-Physical Scale (4 items), the Bodily Pain Scale (2 items), and the General Health Scale (5 items). The Mental Component Score is based upon the Vitality Scale (4 items), the Social Functioning Scale (2 items), the Role-Emotional Scale (3 items) and the Mental Health Scale (5 items). Each component score is transformed into a 0-100 scale, with higher numbers indicating greater quality of life.

Lupus disease activity was assessed by 7 different measures: anti-dsDNA, negative anti-dsDNA, resolution of hypocomplementemia (C3, C4), frequency of flares, patient global assessment, SF36 total scores, and BILAG-2004 scores. The SF-36 is a quality of life assessment that was performed at Weeks 9, 24, 36, 52, and 104. Eight scale scores are derived from responses to the 36 items of the SF-36 questionnaire which were combined to produce the Physical Component Score and the Mental Component Score. The Physical Component Score is based on the Physical Functioning Scale (10 items), the Role-Physical Scale (4 items), the Bodily Pain Scale (2 items), and the General Health Scale (5 items). The Mental Component Score is based upon the Vitality Scale (4 items), the Social Functioning Scale (2 items), the Role-Emotional Scale (3 items) and the Mental Health Scale (5 items). Each component score is transformed into a 0-100 scale, with higher numbers indicating greater quality of life.

BILAG-2004 has 5 categories of scoring.Category A:defined by severe disease activity requiring any of the following treatments: 1) systemic high dose oral glucocorticoids, 2) IV pulse glucocorticoids, 3) systemic immunomodulators, or 4)therapeutic high dose anticoagulation in the presence of high dose steroids or immunomodulators. Category B:defined by moderate disease activity requiring any of the following treatments:1) systemic low dose oral glucocorticoids, 2) intramuscular or intra-articular or soft tissue glucocorticoids injection,3) topical glucocorticoids, 4) topical immunomodulators,5) antimalarials or thalidomide or prasterone or acitretin, or 6) symptomatic therapy.Category C:defined by mild disease.Category D is defined by inactive disease, previously affected.Category E is defined as the system never being involved.The categories are converted to a numeric score (A=9, B=3, C=1, D=0, E=0) and treated as a continuous variable. Higher score= more severe disease activity.

Among participants who are vaccinated, the number of who have a competent immune response at Week 52 as defined as having met both of the following criteria: 1. Pneumococcal vaccination response - absolute value \>= 0.35 ug/mL and, when measured 4-6 weeks after vaccination, a \>=2-fold increase from baseline in serotype-specific antibody titer for at least 50% of the serotypes tested. 2. Tetanus toxoid vaccination response - absolute value \>=0.015 IU/mL and, when measured 4-6 weeks after vaccination, a 2-fold increase from baseline in antigen-specific antibody titer Competent immune response is indicative of low disease activity.