MS Trial Alert: Investigators Nationwide Recruiting People with MS for Phase I Study to Determine Safety of Experimental Antibody in Treating Relapse

Summary: Investigators nationwide are recruiting 30 people with MS for a phase I study to determine the safety and tolerability of rHIgM22, an experimental antibody. Participants may remain on their current therapy throughout the study. The study is enrolling participants experiencing a clinical acute relapse (new or worsening neurological symptoms attributable to MS preceded by a stable or improving neurological state of at least 30 days) and with at least one new, active lesion (damaged area) on MRI scans. The study is funded by Acorda Therapeutics, Inc.
Rationale: Although the body repairs some damage to nerve-insulating myelin that occurs in MS, this repair is insufficient. One strategy under study is to stimulate the body’s own internal repair capabilities. With funding from the Hilton Foundation, NIH, the National MS Society and others, Moses Rodriguez, MD, and colleagues (Mayo Clinic Foundation) identified a human antibody – rHIgM22 – that targets and attaches to myelin-making cells. When given to mice with an experimental MS-like disease, rHIgM22 promotes myelin repair. This antibody was well tolerated in another phase I study (trial NCT01803867, as listed on clinicaltrials.gov) in 55 people with all types of MS. (Abstract #P4.339, Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology 2015)
Eligibility and Details: Men and women between the ages of 18 and 70 with a diagnosis of MS are eligible. The study is enrolling participants with a clinical acute relapse; an MRI will be performed to confirm that there is an active lesion (damaged area). There are detailed exclusion criteria related to laboratory, cardiac, immune and other factors. For more information on these criteria, please use the contact information below.
Participants will remain on their current therapy throughout the study. Upon entering the study with an acute relapse, subjects will receive high-dose oral steroids for five days, a standard treatment for an acute relapse. Following completion of the oral steroids for the acute relapse the subjects will receive either a single dose of rHIgM22 or placebo.
Investigators are testing 2 dose levels. For each dose, 10 participants are being randomly assigned to receive active treatment (rHIgM22) and 5 are being randomly assigned to receive inactive placebo, both via a single intravenous infusion. Blood samples will be collected from participants before and at specified times for up to 48 hours after dosing, so participants must agree to remain in the hospital for that time. Participants are being followed for 180 days after dosing, which includes return visits to the clinic and MRI scans.
The primary outcome of the study is to determine the safety and tolerability of rHIgM22 in people with MS. Adverse events are being monitored throughout the study. The investigators will also evaluate how this experimental treatment is absorbed in the body, and how the immune and nervous systems react to it. Phase I studies are the first of three stages of clinical trials that determine whether an exploratory treatment is safe and beneficial.
Contact: To learn more about the enrollment criteria for this study, and to find out if you are eligible to participate, please contact Kevin Cronin, Manager Corporate Communications, kcronin@acorda.com, 914-326-5279, or visit the trial’s listing on clinicaltrials.gov to find the site nearest you.
Sites are recruiting in the following cities:
Aurora, CO
Centennial, CO (Denver metro-area)
Dallas, TX
Indianapolis, IN
Long Beach, CA
Rochester, NY
Sacramento, CA
Saint Louis, MO
San Francisco, CA
Seattle, WA
Stanford, CA
Teaneck, NJ (NY metro area)
Download a brochure that discusses issues to think about when considering enrolling in an MS clinical trial (PDF).
 

Case of PML Reported in Person Taking Tecfidera®

In December 2014, important label changes were made to the prescribing information for Tecfidera® (dimethyl fumarate, Biogen Idec) including information regarding an individual who developed PML. Most recently, Biogen has confirmed report of a second case of PML (progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, a viral infection of the brain that often leads to death or severe disability) that occurred in a person taking Tecfidera. According to the company, the 64-year-old patient has primary progressive MS and experienced severe and prolonged lymphopenia (decreased white blood cells) during treatment with Tecfidera. Severe and prolonged lymphopenia is a known risk factor for PML and Consideration should be given to interrupting treatment if lymphocyte counts are low for more than six months.  The patient is stable and is not hospitalized. Biogen has reported the case to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

PML is caused by the re-activation of a virus called the JC (John Cunningham) virus, a common virus to which many people have been exposed. PML has emerged in people using other medications, including the MS treatment Tysabri® (natalizumab, Biogen), and the MS treatment Gilenya® (fingolimod, Novartis AG).

It is not possible at this point to determine a person’s risk for developing PML because there have been so few cases in people taking Tecfidera. There have been two reported cases of PML in people with MS among the more than 155,000 individuals who have been treated with Tecfidera to date.

The symptoms of PML are diverse and can be similar to MS symptoms. For this reason, individuals should be alert to any new or worsening symptoms and report them promptly to their MS healthcare provider.  Learn more about the risk factors and symptoms of PML from the web site of The PML Consortium. Individuals who have concerns about this report should discuss it with their MS healthcare providers.

If and when the FDA or Biogen provide additional information or recommendations for people taking Tecfidera or other MS medications, the National MS Society will share it as soon as possible.