Skip to content

A Study of Darvadstrocel in Adults With Crohn's Disease and Complex Perianal Fistula

Postauthorization Safety Study of the Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Repeat Administration of Darvadstrocel in Patients With Crohn's Disease and Complex Perianal Fistula

Status
Terminated
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04118088
Acronym
EMPIRE
Enrollment
53
Registered
2019-10-08
Start date
2020-12-22
Completion date
2025-02-14
Last updated
2026-01-22

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

Conditions

Complex Perianal Fistula, Crohn's Disease

Keywords

Drug therapy

Brief summary

The main aim is to check the long term side effects of a repeat treatment of darvadstrocel and to see if that treatment improves symptoms of Crohn's disease and complex perianal fistula. Participants will attend 8 clinic visits and will receive 1 treatment of darvadstrocel at the third visit. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be performed several times during the study.

Detailed description

The biological being tested in this study is called darvadstrocel (Alofisel). This study is examining the long-term safety and efficacy of a repeat dose of darvadstrocel in people who have Crohn's disease and complex perianal fistula. The study will enroll approximately 50 patients. Participants will be assigned to one treatment group to receive: • Darvadstrocel 120 million cells All participants would be allowed to receive one repeat dose of darvadstrocel in the whole study. This multi-center trial will be conducted worldwide. The overall time to participate in this study is approximately 3 years. Participants will make multiple visits to the clinic.

Interventions

BIOLOGICALDarvadstrocel

Darvadstrocel suspension of human expanded adipose stem cells.

Sponsors

Takeda
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY
Takeda Development Center Americas, Inc.
CollaboratorINDUSTRY

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

1. In the opinion of the investigator, the participant is capable of understanding and complying with protocol requirements. 2. The participant signs and dates a written, ICF and any required privacy authorization before the initiation of any study procedures. 3. The participant is male or female and aged 18 years or older. 4. The participant has complex perianal fistula(s) with a maximum of 2 internal openings and a maximum of 3 external openings based on clinical assessment and a reading of a locally-performed contrast enhanced (gadolinium) pelvic MRI. Fistula(s) must have been draining for at least 6 weeks prior to baseline visit. A complex perianal fistula is defined as a fistula that meets 1 or more of the following criteria: 1. High inter-sphincteric, high trans-sphincteric, extra-sphincteric or suprasphincteric. 2. Presence of ≥2 external openings. 3. Associated perianal abscess(es). Note: Abscesses that are larger than 2 cm in at least 2 dimensions on MRI must be confirmed to have been drained adequately by the surgeon during the preparation curettage in order to be eligible. 5. The participant has already received treatment with darvadstrocel for a complex perianal fistula at least 6 months prior to baseline visit for retreatment, and their physician has planned a repeat treatment administration for the original tract (full remission not obtained or relapse of fistula draining) or for a new complex perianal fistula tract. 6. The participant has controlled or mildly active Crohn's disease (CD) (defined as patient reported outcomes measure derived from CDAI patient reported outcome score-2 \[PRO-2\] score \<14). 7. A male participant who is nonsterilized and sexually active with a female partner of childbearing potential agrees to use barrier method of contraception (e.g. condom with or without spermicide) from signing of informed consent and until 1 year after repeat administration. 8. A female participant of childbearing potential who is sexually active with a nonsterilized male partner agrees to use a highly effective/effective method of contraception from signing of informed consent and until 1 year after repeat administration.

Exclusion criteria

1. The participant has lack of clinical response to prior treatment with darvadstrocel, where clinical response is defined as closure of at least 50% of all treated external fistula openings that were draining at baseline despite gentle finger compression or in the case of a unique fistula, a partial closure of the fistula. 2. The participant has a history of hypersensitivity or allergies to darvadstrocel or related compounds. 3. The participant has a history of hypersensitivity or allergies to penicillin or to aminoglycosides; Dulbecco modified eagle medium; bovine serum; local anesthetics or gadolinium. 4. The participant is currently participating in a double-blind clinical study with darvadstrocel. Participants participating in the ongoing INSPIRE registry (Alofisel-5003) study would need to withdraw from that study in order to enroll in this study. 5. The participant is currently receiving or has received any other investigational medicinal product (IMP) within the last 3 months or at least 5 times the respective elimination half-life time, whichever is longer, before signing the ICF. 6. The participant has known or suspected COVID-19 by the investigator within the past 2 months (additional testing may be performed at the discretion of the investigator). Positive antibody testing for COVID without other evidence of current or recent active infection does not exclude participation. a) Participants who were in screening at the time that COVID 19-related factors resulted in discontinuation may also be rescreened with approval of the sponsor or designee. 7. The participant has major alterations in any of the following laboratory tests: 1. Serum creatinine levels \>1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN). 2. Total bilirubin \>1.5 × ULN. 3. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) \>3.0 × ULN. 4. Hemoglobin \<10.0 grams per deciliter (g/dL). 5. Platelets \<75.0 × 10\^9 per liter (/L). 6. Albumin \<3.0 g/dL. 8. The participant has an increased risk for a surgical procedure. 9. The participant has a known chronically active hepatopathy of any origin, including cirrhosis and participants with persistent positive hepatitis B surface antigen and quantitative hepatitis B virus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or positive serology for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and quantitative HCV PCR within 6 months before the baseline visit. 10. If female, the participant is pregnant or breastfeeding, or intending to become pregnant before participating in this study, during the study, or intending to donate ova during such time period. 11. If male, the participant intends to donate sperm during this study. 12. The participant has a contraindication to MRI scan (e.g., due to the presence of pacemaker, hip replacement, severe claustrophobia, or renal insufficiency as defined by local clinical guidelines). 13. The participant has a contraindication to the anesthetic procedure. 14. The participant has severe rectal and/or anal stenosis that would make it impossible to follow the surgery procedure. 15. The participant has severe proctitis (rectal ulcers \>0.5 cm) that would make it impossible to follow the surgery procedure. 16. The participant has any prior invasive malignancy diagnosed within the last 3 years before baseline visit. Participants with basal cell carcinoma of the skin completely resected outside the perineal region can be included. 17. The participant has a current or recent (within 6 months before the baseline visit) history of severe, progressive, and/or uncontrolled hepatic, hematologic, gastrointestinal (other than CD), renal, endocrine, pulmonary, cardiac, neurologic, or psychiatric disease that may result in participant's increased risk from study participation and/or lack of compliance with study procedures. 18. The participant has had major surgery of the gastrointestinal tract within 6 months before baseline or any minor surgery of the gastrointestinal tract 3 months before baseline. 19. The participant had local major perianal surgery, and/or treatment with darvadstrocel within 6 months before baseline. The abscess drainage, cleaning surgery, or seton placement are not considered as "local major surgery" in this protocol. 20. The participant does not wish to or cannot comply with study procedures.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percentage of Participants With at Least One Treatment-Emergent Adverse Event (TEAE)From signing of informed consent form (ICF) up to 156 weeks post-repeat administration (the only administration in this study), up to approximately 164 weeksAn adverse event (AE) is any untoward medical occurrence in a participant administered a medicinal product and which does not necessarily have to have a causal relationship with this treatment. A TEAE is defined as an AE with an onset that occurs after receiving study drug.
Percentage of Participants With at Least One Treatment Emergent Serious Adverse Event (TESAE)From signing of ICF up to 156 weeks post-repeat administration (the only administration in this study), up to approximately 164 weeksA serious adverse event (SAE) is defined as an untoward medical occurrence, significant hazard, contraindication, side effect or precaution that at any dose: results in death, is life-threatening, requires in-patient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization, results in persistent or significant disability/incapacity, is a congenital anomaly/birth defect or is medically significant. A treatment-emergent SAE is an SAE which occurs after exposure to study treatment. Percentages were rounded off to the nearest single decimal place.
Number of Reported Pregnancies During StudyFrom administration of repeat dose up to 156 weeks post-repeat administrationFemale participants and/or female partners of male participants who become pregnant following treatment with the study product and reported the pregnancy on a paper pregnancy report form immediately or within 24 hours of awareness were reported.
Percentage of Participants With Treatment Emergent Adverse Event of Special Interest (TEAESI)From signing of ICF up to 156 weeks post-repeat administration (the only administration in this study), up to approximately 164 weeksAdverse event of special interests (AESIs) include immunogenicity/alloimmune reactions, hypersensitivity reactions, ectopic tissue formation, medication errors, tumorigenicity, and transmission of infectious agents. A treatment-emergent AESI is an AESI which occurs after exposure to study treatment.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percentage of Participants Who Achieved Combined Remission of Perianal Fistula(s)At Weeks 24 and 156 post-repeat darvadstrocel administrationCombined remission was defined as the closure of all treated external openings that were draining at baseline, despite gentle finger compression and absence of collection(s) \>2 centimeters (cm) (in at least 2 dimensions) of the treated perianal fistula(s) confirmed by central magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment.
Percentage of Participants Who Achieved Clinical RemissionAt Weeks 6, 24, 52, 104, and 156 post-repeat darvadstrocel administrationClinical remission was defined as closure of all treated external fistula openings that were draining at baseline despite gentle finger compression.
Percentage of Participants Who Achieved Clinical ResponseAt Weeks 6, 24, 52, 104, and 156 post-repeat darvadstrocel administrationClinical response was defined as closure of at least 50% of all treated external fistula openings that were draining at baseline despite gentle finger compression.
Percentage of Participants With Relapse From Week 24 Combined RemissionFrom Week 24 to Week 156 post-repeat darvadstrocel administrationRelapse was defined as reopening of any of the treated fistula(s) external openings with active drainage as clinically assessed that were in the combined remission at Week 24 or the development of a collection \>2 cm (in at least 2 dimensions) of the treated perianal fistula(s) confirmed by centrally read MRI assessment.
Time to RelapseFrom Week 24 to the day of relapse post-repeat darvadstrocel administrationTime to Relapse was defined as the time in days to reopening of any of the treated fistula(s) external openings with active drainage as clinically assessed, relative to Week 24.
Percentage of Participants With New Perianal Abscess in Treated FistulaAt Weeks 6, 24, 52, 104, and 156 post-repeat darvadstrocel administration
Change From Baseline in Score of Discharge and Pain Items of Perianal Disease Activity Index (PDAI) ScoreBaseline to Weeks 6, 24, 52, 104, and 156 post-repeat darvadstrocel administrationThe PDAI is a scoring system to evaluate the severity of perianal lesion associated with Crohn's disease. It includes the following 5 items: (a) discharge; (b) pain; (c) restriction of sexual activity; (d) type of perianal disease; and (e) degree of induration. Each item is graded on a 5-point scale ranging from no symptoms (score of 0) to severe symptoms (score of 4). Higher score means more severe disease.

Countries

Austria, Czechia, France, Germany, Israel, Spain

Contacts

STUDY_DIRECTORMedical Director

Takeda

Participant flow

Recruitment details

Participants took part in the study at various investigative sites globally from 22 December 2020 to 14 February 2025.

Pre-assignment details

Participants with a diagnosis of Crohn's Disease (CD) and complex perianal fistula were enrolled in this study to receive a single repeated administration of darvadstrocel (Alofisel). The study was terminated early based on the sponsor's decision.

Baseline characteristics

Characteristic
Age, Continuous41.7 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
4 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
46 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
3 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
52 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
30 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
23 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 53
other
Total, other adverse events
20 / 53
serious
Total, serious adverse events
3 / 53

Outcome results

None listed

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