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Phase II Trial of Natalizumab + Prednisone for Initial Therapy of Acute GI GVHD

Phase II Trial of Natalizumab (Tysabri®) Plus Prednisone for Initial Therapy of Acute Graft Versus Host Disease (aGVHD) of the Gastrointestinal Tract

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02176031
Enrollment
21
Registered
2014-06-26
Start date
2015-01-31
Completion date
2019-02-28
Last updated
2020-04-17

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

Conditions

Graft Versus Host Disease

Keywords

Graft Versus Host Disease

Brief summary

This research study is a Phase II clinical trial, which tests the safety and effectiveness of an investigational drug Natalizumab in treating Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD) in the Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract.

Detailed description

Natalizumab is a drug that was initially discovered as a treatment for autoimmune conditions. Natalizumab has been approved for use in patients with Multiple Sclerosis and Crohn's disease. In these diseases, the drug works to inhibit dysfunctional immune cells that are responsible for the symptoms seen in these diseases. Acute graft versus host disease is caused by a similar dysfunction of immune cells; Natalizumab is thought to inhibit these immune cells, similarly to how it does in Multiple Sclerosis and Crohn's disease. In this research study,the investigators are looking to see whether Natalizumab provides additional benefit to patients receiving standard treatment for acute graft versus host disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Participants who fulfill eligibility criteria will be entered into the trial to receive Natalizumab. * Participant will receive a dose of the natalizumab through intravenous infusion. Participants may receive a second dose at Day 28 if they experience a partial response or very good partial response. * Scheduled Physical Examination at screening, during the week of first dose and at 28 days, 56 days, 100 days, 180 days and one year.

Interventions

DRUGNatalizumab
DRUGMethylprednisolone

Sponsors

Biogen
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* Participants must meet the following criteria on screening examination to be eligible to participate in the study: * Participants must have acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD) of the lower gastrointestinal tract as defined by the clinical impression of the treating physician, requiring systemic treatment. Minimum criteria for GI GVHD includes diarrhea of greater than 500 mL/day. Biopsy of the GI tract is required for study entry and must confirm the diagnosis of acute GVHD. Stool samples to rule out infectious causes of diarrhea, including norovirus, Clostridium difficile and other clinically indicated infections must also be negative. Eligibility includes: * Acute GVHD developing after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) using bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cells, or umbilical cord blood. Recipients of non-myeloablative, reduced intensity and myeloablative transplants are eligible. * Patients who develop acute GVHD after donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) are eligible. * There is no specified time window after day 0 of transplant as acute GVHD is only defined by clinical manifestations. * Patients must have experienced neutrophil engraftment after HSCT as defined by absolute neutrophil counts ≥ 500 / µL × 3 consecutive measurements. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) should be calculated using the standard formula (Neut + Bands)(WBC × 101). * The presence of hepatic, upper GI and/or cutaneous acute GVHD is permitted. * Steroids can be started up to 7 days prior to the administration of natalizumab. * Age ≥ 18 * Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Exclusion criteria

* Participants who exhibit any of the following conditions at screening will not be eligible for admission into the study: * Patients with the entity of Acute/Chronic GVHD overlap syndromes. * Requiring mechanical ventilation * Vasopressor requirement * Concurrent hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) based on clinical examination * Karnofsky performance status \< 30 * Participants may not be receiving any other study agents for at least 7 days prior to enrollment * Prior use of natalizumab for any reason is not allowed * Pregnant women are excluded from this study because of the potential teratogenic effects of natalizumab. Because natalizumab enters breast milk, and the effect is unknown in infants, breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with natalizumab.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
GVHD-free Survival RateDay 56Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) free survival is defined as achieving complete response without death or relapse or requiring secondary immunosuppressive therapy . Proportions are reported descriptively. GVHD-free survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Graft-verus-host Disease (GVHD) Response Rate28 Days, 56 Days* Complete Response (CR) is defined as resolution of all signs and symptoms of acute GVHD. * Very Good Partial Response (VGPR) is defined by no rash or residual erythematous rash involving less than 25% of the body surface, and total serum bilirubin concentration less than 2 mg/dL or less than 25% of baseline at enrollment and tolerating food or enteral feeding, predominantly formed stools, no overt gastrointestinal bleeding or abdominal cramping, and no more than occasional nausea and vomiting. * Partial Response (PR) is defined as an improvement of one stage in one or more organs without progression in any other organ. * Non-response (NR) is defined as no reduction in any GVHD organ staging. * Progression is defined as either new organ involvement on day +8 or thereafter, or increased organ specific symptoms sufficient to increase the organ stage by one or more or the initiation of an additional GVHD agent. * Overall Response Rate (ORR) is the sum of CR, VGPR, and PR.
GI aGVHD Response RateDay 28, Day 56Gastrointestinal (GI) acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) Response is defined by complete response, very good partial response, or partial response in signs and symptoms of GI aGVHD.
Overall Survival (OS) Rate2 yearsOverall survival (OS) is defined from the date of natalizumab infusion to death or censored at last clinical evaluation. OS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Rate of GVHD Flaresby Day 28Number of subjects who experienced graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) flares requiring therapy after initial complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) by day 28 after the first dose of Natalizumab.
Percentage Steroid Dose Was Reduced at Day 28, 56, and 100 in Comparison to Steroid Dose at First Administration of Natalizumab.Day 28, 56, and 100Median percentage steroid dose was reduced at Day 28, Day 56, and Day 100 in comparison to steroid dose at first administration of Natalizumab.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Recruitment details

This study enrolled subjects with newly diagnosed acute gastrointestinal (GI) graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) from 2 academic medical centers in the United States. The last patient completed the study in February 2019.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Natalizumab
Natalizumab- * (Day 0 and 28) Fixed dose Intravenous infusion over one hour. 2 hours observation completion of the infusion * At 4 weeks, if there has been less than a complete response participants can be treated with a second dose of natalizumab. * If participants have no response after one dose, they will be not be given a second dose. * Participants who receive a second dose of natalizumab will be evaluated for response at day 56 after first treatment dose administered. * Participants will be assessed for response to therapy with natalizumab at day +28, day +56, day +100, day + 180, and day +365. * Commercial supplies of Methylprednisolone (or equivalent steroid) will be utilized. The formulation, preparation and route of administration will be as per package insert
21
Total21

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicNatalizumab
Acute GVHD Grading (Adapted from Glucksberg, H. et al. Transplantation 1974; 18:295)
Overall Grade II
9 Participants
Acute GVHD Grading (Adapted from Glucksberg, H. et al. Transplantation 1974; 18:295)
Overall Grade III
12 Participants
Acute GVHD Staging (Adapted from Glucksberg, H. et al. Transplantation 1974; 18:295)
Gastrointestinal Stage 1
4 Participants
Acute GVHD Staging (Adapted from Glucksberg, H. et al. Transplantation 1974; 18:295)
Gastrointestinal Stage 2
5 Participants
Acute GVHD Staging (Adapted from Glucksberg, H. et al. Transplantation 1974; 18:295)
Gastrointestinal Stage 3
4 Participants
Acute GVHD Staging (Adapted from Glucksberg, H. et al. Transplantation 1974; 18:295)
Gastrointestinal Stage 4
8 Participants
Acute GVHD Staging (Adapted from Glucksberg, H. et al. Transplantation 1974; 18:295)
Liver Stage 2
1 Participants
Acute GVHD Staging (Adapted from Glucksberg, H. et al. Transplantation 1974; 18:295)
No liver involvement
20 Participants
Acute GVHD Staging (Adapted from Glucksberg, H. et al. Transplantation 1974; 18:295)
No skin involvement
17 Participants
Acute GVHD Staging (Adapted from Glucksberg, H. et al. Transplantation 1974; 18:295)
Skin Stage 2
4 Participants
Age, Continuous63 Years
Conditioning Regimen
Myeloablative
3 Participants
Conditioning Regimen
Non-myeloablative
18 Participants
Disease Status of Underlying Malignancy at time of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)
First Complete Remission
9 Participants
Disease Status of Underlying Malignancy at time of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)
Progressive Disease
2 Participants
Disease Status of Underlying Malignancy at time of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)
Relapsed Disease
2 Participants
Disease Status of Underlying Malignancy at time of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)
Second Complete Remission
5 Participants
Disease Status of Underlying Malignancy at time of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)
Treatment Failure
3 Participants
Donor source
Bone marrow and Peripheral Blood Stem Cells
1 Participants
Donor source
Peripheral Blood Stem Cells
20 Participants
Donor type
Matched Related
5 Participants
Donor type
Matched Unrelated
15 Participants
Donor type
Mismatch Unrelated
1 Participants
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status at HSCT
00 - Fully Active
2 Participants
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status at HSCT
01 - Restricted
9 Participants
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status at HSCT
02 - Self Care
7 Participants
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status at HSCT
03 - Capable of Limited Self Care
3 Participants
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected— Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
21 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
6 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
15 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
12 / 21
other
Total, other adverse events
19 / 21
serious
Total, serious adverse events
8 / 21

Outcome results

Primary

GVHD-free Survival Rate

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) free survival is defined as achieving complete response without death or relapse or requiring secondary immunosuppressive therapy . Proportions are reported descriptively. GVHD-free survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Time frame: Day 56

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
NatalizumabGVHD-free Survival Rate33.3 percentage of patients
Secondary

GI aGVHD Response Rate

Gastrointestinal (GI) acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) Response is defined by complete response, very good partial response, or partial response in signs and symptoms of GI aGVHD.

Time frame: Day 28, Day 56

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
NatalizumabGI aGVHD Response RateOverall response rate for GI GVHD at Day 2857 percentage of patients
NatalizumabGI aGVHD Response RateOverall response rate for GI GVHD at Day 5652 percentage of patients
Secondary

Graft-verus-host Disease (GVHD) Response Rate

* Complete Response (CR) is defined as resolution of all signs and symptoms of acute GVHD. * Very Good Partial Response (VGPR) is defined by no rash or residual erythematous rash involving less than 25% of the body surface, and total serum bilirubin concentration less than 2 mg/dL or less than 25% of baseline at enrollment and tolerating food or enteral feeding, predominantly formed stools, no overt gastrointestinal bleeding or abdominal cramping, and no more than occasional nausea and vomiting. * Partial Response (PR) is defined as an improvement of one stage in one or more organs without progression in any other organ. * Non-response (NR) is defined as no reduction in any GVHD organ staging. * Progression is defined as either new organ involvement on day +8 or thereafter, or increased organ specific symptoms sufficient to increase the organ stage by one or more or the initiation of an additional GVHD agent. * Overall Response Rate (ORR) is the sum of CR, VGPR, and PR.

Time frame: 28 Days, 56 Days

ArmMeasureGroupValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
NatalizumabGraft-verus-host Disease (GVHD) Response RateOverall Response at Day 2812 Participants
NatalizumabGraft-verus-host Disease (GVHD) Response RateComplete Response at Day 287 Participants
NatalizumabGraft-verus-host Disease (GVHD) Response RateVery Good Partial Response at Day 282 Participants
NatalizumabGraft-verus-host Disease (GVHD) Response RatePartial Response at Day 283 Participants
NatalizumabGraft-verus-host Disease (GVHD) Response RateNon-response/Progression of GVHD at Day 287 Participants
NatalizumabGraft-verus-host Disease (GVHD) Response RateOverall Response at Day 5611 Participants
NatalizumabGraft-verus-host Disease (GVHD) Response RateComplete Response at Day 567 Participants
NatalizumabGraft-verus-host Disease (GVHD) Response RateVery Good Partial Response at Day 562 Participants
NatalizumabGraft-verus-host Disease (GVHD) Response RatePartial Response at Day 562 Participants
NatalizumabGraft-verus-host Disease (GVHD) Response RateNon-response/Progression of GVHD at Day 566 Participants
Secondary

Overall Survival (OS) Rate

Overall survival (OS) is defined from the date of natalizumab infusion to death or censored at last clinical evaluation. OS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Time frame: 2 years

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
NatalizumabOverall Survival (OS) Rate43 percentage of patients
Secondary

Percentage Steroid Dose Was Reduced at Day 28, 56, and 100 in Comparison to Steroid Dose at First Administration of Natalizumab.

Median percentage steroid dose was reduced at Day 28, Day 56, and Day 100 in comparison to steroid dose at first administration of Natalizumab.

Time frame: Day 28, 56, and 100

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEDIAN)
NatalizumabPercentage Steroid Dose Was Reduced at Day 28, 56, and 100 in Comparison to Steroid Dose at First Administration of Natalizumab.Median reduction in steroid dose at day 2842 percentage of steroid dose
NatalizumabPercentage Steroid Dose Was Reduced at Day 28, 56, and 100 in Comparison to Steroid Dose at First Administration of Natalizumab.Median reduction in steroid dose at day 5671 percentage of steroid dose
NatalizumabPercentage Steroid Dose Was Reduced at Day 28, 56, and 100 in Comparison to Steroid Dose at First Administration of Natalizumab.Median reduction in steroid dose at day 10085 percentage of steroid dose
Secondary

Rate of GVHD Flares

Number of subjects who experienced graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) flares requiring therapy after initial complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) by day 28 after the first dose of Natalizumab.

Time frame: by Day 28

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
NatalizumabRate of GVHD Flares0 Participants

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