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Multicenter Study to Evaluate CRx-102 vs. Each of Its Components to Treat Active Rheumatoid Arthritis

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Center Study to Evaluate the Superiority of CRx-102 Over Each of Its Components When Given to Subjects With Active Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00551707
Acronym
MARS-1
Enrollment
51
Registered
2007-10-31
Start date
2007-10-31
Completion date
2009-01-31
Last updated
2014-04-29

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Keywords

CombinatoRx, CRx-102, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Prednisolone, Dipyridamole, ACR20

Brief summary

CRx-102 is a synergistic combination drug candidate containing the cardiovascular drug dipyridamole and a very low dose of the glucocorticoid prednisolone. CRx-102 is believed to work through a novel mechanism of action in which dipyridamole selectively amplifies the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities of the glucocorticoid without replicating the dose-dependent adverse effects. CRx-102 has been associated with clinical benefit in proof of concept studies in subjects with hand Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). In this trial, CRx-102 will be given to subjects with active RA as an add-on therapy to existing stable doses of Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) including methotrexate (MTX), sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine, leflunomide or azathioprine. MTX in combination with other DMARDs (e.g., sulfasalazine or hydroxychloroquine) will be permitted to reflect the current standard of care practices within rheumatology.

Detailed description

The study was discontinued before the enrollment objective was met. Preliminary review of the efficacy dataset revealed that the efficacy dataset was not robust enough to support an extensive formal efficacy analysis as described in the SAP. Therefore, only the CRP values over time and the percent change in C-reactive protein (CRP) values in the As-Treated population were calculated.

Interventions

prednisolone 2.7 mg plus dipyridamole 180 mg

DRUGprednisolone

prednisolone (2.7 mg)

DRUGdipyridamole

dipyridamole 360 mg

DRUGplacebo

placebo

Prednisolone 2.7 mg plus Dipyridamole 360 mg

Sponsors

Zalicus
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Subject must voluntarily give written informed consent * Subject must be ≥ 18 years of age * Subject must have RA (ACR criteria) * Subject must have at least 4 swollen joints and at least 6 tender joints at screening and baseline (28 joint count) * Subject must have a CRP \> Upper Limit of Normal at screening * Subject must have been on DMARD or DMARD combination (e.g. MTX + hydroxychloroquine) for at least 3 months and be on a stable dose of DMARD(s) for at least 6 weeks prior to screening. * For MTX subjects: MTX ≥ 7.5 mg weekly (po/sc/im) and willing to take folic acid or folinic acid supplementation * Subject willing to take concomitant multivitamin or the equivalent of 400 I.U. vitamin D and the equivalent of 1000 mg of elemental calcium daily

Exclusion criteria

* History of clinically significant (as determined by the Investigator) cardiac, endocrinologic, hematologic, hepatic, immunologic, metabolic, urologic, pulmonary, neurologic, dermatologic, psychiatric, renal, and/or other major disease * Wheelchair or bed bound * History of osteoporotic fracture * History of malignancy within the past 10 years. However, subjects with a history of treated or excised basal cell carcinoma or fewer than 3 squamous cell carcinomas are eligible to participate * History of lymphoma or chronic leukemia * Moles or lesions that are currently undiagnosed, but are suspicious for malignancy * Surgery within the previous 3 months (except for minor dental and cosmetic) * History of drug or alcohol abuse (as defined by the Investigator) * History of bleeding disorder * History of gastrointestinal bleeding within 5 years of screening * History of severe migraines or headaches * History of glaucoma * Active diabetic retinopathy * Visually compromising cataract * History of opportunistic infection within the previous 12 months * Active Tuberculosis (TB) * Serious local infection (e.g., cellulitis, abscess) or systemic infection (e.g., septicemia) within 3 months prior to screening * Fever or symptomatic viral or bacterial infection within 2 weeks prior to screening * Positive for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody * Positive for HBsAg * Known positive HIV antibody * Has a history of hypersensitivity to glucocorticoids and/or dipyridamole * Treatment with oral, intra-articular, intramuscular, or intravenous glucocorticoids within 6 weeks prior to screening; inhaled glucocorticoid is permitted * Treatment with any tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) biologic, anakinra or abatacept within 2 months prior to screening * Treatment with rituximab * Treatment with another investigational drug 3 months prior to screening * Treatment with anticoagulants including: dipyridamole, warfarin, clopidogrel, ticlopidine; Acetylsalicylic acid \> 150 mg per day * Treatment with any concomitant medications that have not been at a stable dose for at least 28 days prior to screening * Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) or Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) laboratory values that exceed 1.5 x ULN * HbA1C value of \> 7.0% * Current enrollment in any other study with investigational drug or device * Female subject who is pregnant or lactating or of child bearing potential and not using acceptable methods of contraception (birth control pills, barriers or abstinence) * Unwilling or unable to comply with the requirements of this protocol, including the presence of any condition (physical, mental, or social) that is likely to affect the subject's return for follow-up visits on schedule * Other unspecified reasons that, in the opinion of the Investigator or sponsor make the subject unsuitable for enrollment

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Absolute C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values at Day 98 - As Treated PopulationDay 98Preliminary review of the efficacy dataset revealed that the efficacy dataset was not robust enough to support an extensive formal efficacy analysis as described in the SAP. Therefore, only the CRP values over time and the percent change in CRP values in the As-Treated population were calculated.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percent Change From Baseline to Day 98 in C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values - As Treated Populationbaseline to day 98Preliminary review of the efficacy dataset revealed that the efficacy dataset was not robust enough to support an extensive formal efficacy analysis as described in the SAP. Therefore, only the CRP values over time and the percent change in CRP values in the As-Treated population were calculated.
To Assess the Superiority of CRx-102 Compared to Prednisolone and Dipyridamole Using American College of Rheumatology Rating Scale (20% or More Improvement; ACR20) Calculated From Baseline to Day 98 in Subjects With Active Rheumatoid Arthritisbaseline to day 98Preliminary review of the efficacy dataset revealed that the efficacy dataset was not robust enough to support an extensive formal efficacy analysis as described in the SAP. Therefore, only the CRP values over time and the percent change in CRP values in the As-Treated population were calculated.
To Assess the Efficacy of CRx-102 Compared to Placebo Using ACR 20 Calculated From Baseline to Day 98baseline to 98 DaysPreliminary review of the efficacy dataset revealed that the efficacy dataset was not robust enough to support an extensive formal efficacy analysis as described in the SAP. Therefore, only the CRP values over time and the percent change in CRP values in the As-Treated population were calculated.

Countries

Argentina, Canada, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
CRx-102 (2.7/180)
Crx-102 (Dose 1) 2.7 mg prednisolone plus 180 mg dipyridamole
4
CRx-102 (2.7/360)
Crx-102 (Dose 2) 2.7 mg prednisolone plus 360 mg dipyridamole
22
Prednisolone
prednisolone prednisolone: prednisolone (2.7 mg)
13
Dipyridamole
dipyridamole dipyridamole: dipyridamole (180 mg or 360 mg)
8
Placebo
placebo placebo: placebo
4
Total51

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicCRx-102 (2.7/180)CRx-102 (2.7/360)PrednisoloneDipyridamolePlaceboTotal
Age, Continuous51.8 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 5.5
56.2 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.96
55.8 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.32
56.5 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.76
58.8 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.54
56.0 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.09
Sex: Female, Male
Female
2 Participants18 Participants5 Participants7 Participants3 Participants35 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
2 Participants4 Participants8 Participants1 Participants1 Participants16 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
EG002
affected / at risk
EG003
affected / at risk
EG004
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —— / —— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 410 / 222 / 134 / 82 / 4
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 40 / 220 / 130 / 80 / 4

Outcome results

Primary

Absolute C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values at Day 98 - As Treated Population

Preliminary review of the efficacy dataset revealed that the efficacy dataset was not robust enough to support an extensive formal efficacy analysis as described in the SAP. Therefore, only the CRP values over time and the percent change in CRP values in the As-Treated population were calculated.

Time frame: Day 98

Population: As treated population

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)Dispersion
CRx-102 (2.7/180)Absolute C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values at Day 98 - As Treated Population12.85 mg/LFull Range 5.39
CRx-102 (2.7/360)Absolute C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values at Day 98 - As Treated Population14.25 mg/LFull Range 15.52
PrednisoloneAbsolute C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values at Day 98 - As Treated Population21.85 mg/LFull Range 27.1
DipyridamoleAbsolute C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values at Day 98 - As Treated Population16.60 mg/LFull Range 16.22
PlaceboAbsolute C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values at Day 98 - As Treated Population2.68 mg/LFull Range 4.88
Secondary

Percent Change From Baseline to Day 98 in C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values - As Treated Population

Preliminary review of the efficacy dataset revealed that the efficacy dataset was not robust enough to support an extensive formal efficacy analysis as described in the SAP. Therefore, only the CRP values over time and the percent change in CRP values in the As-Treated population were calculated.

Time frame: baseline to day 98

Population: As treated population

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)Dispersion
CRx-102 (2.7/180)Percent Change From Baseline to Day 98 in C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values - As Treated Population-29.90 percentage of change from baselineFull Range 18.45
CRx-102 (2.7/360)Percent Change From Baseline to Day 98 in C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values - As Treated Population-40.84 percentage of change from baselineFull Range 66.8
PrednisolonePercent Change From Baseline to Day 98 in C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values - As Treated Population15.92 percentage of change from baselineFull Range 1453.54
DipyridamolePercent Change From Baseline to Day 98 in C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values - As Treated Population-33.67 percentage of change from baselineFull Range 30.43
PlaceboPercent Change From Baseline to Day 98 in C-reactive Protein (CRP) Values - As Treated Population-27.64 percentage of change from baseline
Secondary

To Assess the Efficacy of CRx-102 Compared to Placebo Using ACR 20 Calculated From Baseline to Day 98

Preliminary review of the efficacy dataset revealed that the efficacy dataset was not robust enough to support an extensive formal efficacy analysis as described in the SAP. Therefore, only the CRP values over time and the percent change in CRP values in the As-Treated population were calculated.

Time frame: baseline to 98 Days

Secondary

To Assess the Superiority of CRx-102 Compared to Prednisolone and Dipyridamole Using American College of Rheumatology Rating Scale (20% or More Improvement; ACR20) Calculated From Baseline to Day 98 in Subjects With Active Rheumatoid Arthritis

Preliminary review of the efficacy dataset revealed that the efficacy dataset was not robust enough to support an extensive formal efficacy analysis as described in the SAP. Therefore, only the CRP values over time and the percent change in CRP values in the As-Treated population were calculated.

Time frame: baseline to day 98

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026