A Phase 1 Trial of Intrathecal Rituximab for Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Patients

NCT02253264 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: PHASE1 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 8

Last updated 2017-08-30

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the central nervous system that is characterized pathologically by focal demyelinating lesions in the brain parenchyma. Meningeal inflammation in MS was first noted in 2004. Ectopic lymphoid follicles were described in the meninges of patients with secondary progressive MS (SPMS) and were thought to correlate with cortical lesions and atrophy (a surrogate marker for disability). Subsequently, inflammation in the meninges has been described in primary progressive MS (PPMS) as well as early relapsing MS.

The ectopic lymphoid follicles are composed of B-cells, T follicular helper cells and follicular dendritic cells. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody against CD-20 (a B-cell marker) that is FDA approved for the treatment of various lymphomas. Intrathecal (IT) rituximab administration has been used in central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma to achieve greater cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of rituximab. In MS, IT administration of rituximab could lead to higher CSF rituximab levels resulting in the disruption of meningeal ectopic lymphoid follicles, ultimately reducing cortical lesions and possibly disease progression.

The investigators hypothesize that IT rituximab therapy in patients with progressive forms of MS could disrupt ectopic lymphoid follicles in the meninges and thus slow progression of the disease, which is particularly important because there exist no FDA-approved therapies for progressive MS. The investigators hypothesize that using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify those with enhancing meningeal lesions will provide a biomarker to select patients who might be most likely to respond to IT rituximab and to use these lesions to monitor therapeutic response.

The primary aim of this study is to assess the safety of intrathecal administration of rituximab in patients with progressive MS. The secondary aims are to evaluate if IT rituximab leads to a decrease in the quantity of meningeal lesions on MRI or to changes in biomarkers of inflammatory activity or neuronal injury in the CSF.

Conditions

Interventions

DRUG

Rituximab

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Ellen M Mowry, MD, MCR · Johns Hopkins University

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2014-11-30
Primary Completion
2017-08-31
Completion
2017-08-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT02253264 on ClinicalTrials.gov