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HomeResearch   Participate in Research Studies   Participate in a Clinical Trial

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Participate in a Clinical Trial

Without the participation of people with MS, it would be impossible to develop new and better therapies and other interventions.

Clinical Trial Finder

Search Results

Randomized Autologous heMatopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Versus Alemtuzumab, Cladribine or Ocrelizumab for RRMS (RAM-MS)

Study Purpose

This study is a randomized multicentre, multinational, treatment interventional study of RRMS patients with breakthrough inflammatory disease activity in spite of ongoing standard immunomodulatory medication. The study has two treatment arms; arm A: HSCT (hematopoietic stem cell transplantation) and arm B: alemtuzumab, cladribine or ocrelizumab. A pre-planned 3-year follow-up extension period will be performed depending on future funding. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness and side effects of a new treatment intervention in RRMS; HSCT, and, thereby, the value of HSCT in clinical practice. Data from recently published patient series indicate that HSCT may have a significantly higher treatment effect than currently registered RRMS immunomodulatory treatments. This study will determine the relative role of HSCT versus alemtuzumab, cladribine or ocrelizumab.

Recruitment Criteria

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Healthy volunteers are participants who do not have a disease or condition, or related conditions or symptoms

No
Study Type

An interventional clinical study is where participants are assigned to receive one or more interventions (or no intervention) so that researchers can evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or health-related outcomes.


An observational clinical study is where participants identified as belonging to study groups are assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.


Searching Both is inclusive of interventional and observational studies.

Interventional
Eligible Ages 18 Years - 50 Years
Gender All
More Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age between ≥18 to ≤50, both genders. 2. Women of childbearing potential* (WOCBP) and men in a sexual relation with WOCBP must be ready and able to use highly effective methods of birth control per ICH M3 (R2) that result in a low failure rate of less than 1% per year when used consistently and correctly. 3. Diagnosis of RRMS using revised McDonald criteria of clinically definite MS1. 4. An EDSS score of 0 to 5.5. 5. Significant inflammatory disease activity in the last year despite treatment with standard disease modifying therapy (interferon beta, glatiramer acetate, dimethyl fumarate, teriflunomide, fingolimod, natalizumab) a. Significant inflammatory disease activity is defined by: i. One or more clinically reported multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse(s), ii. AND 1 or more T1 Gd-enhanced lesion(s), iii. OR three or more new or enlarging T2 lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) The relapse(s) must have been treated with iv or oral high dose corticosteroids prescribed by a neurologist, and must have occurred 3 or more months after the onset of an immunomodulatory treatment, as MS immunomodulatory treatment may reach full effect after 3 months or more2. 6. The patient is a RRMS-patient referred from neurological departments in Norway, Denmark, Sweden or possibly other European countries to an assigned study site. 7. Signed informed consent and expected patient cooperation regarding the treatment schemes and procedures planned in the treatment and follow-up periods must be obtained and documented according to ICH GCP and national/local regulations.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Known hypersensitivity or other known serious side effects for any of the study medications, including co-medications such as high-dose glucocorticosteroids. 2. Any illness or prior treatment that in the opinion of the investigators would jeopardize the ability of the patient to tolerate aggressive chemotherapy or high-dose glucocorticosteroids. 3. Any ongoing infection, including Tbc, CMV, EBV, HSV, VZV, hepatitis virus, toxoplasmosis, HIV or syphilis infections, as well as heaptitis B surface antigen positivity and/or hepatitis C PCR positivity verified at Visit 1. 4. Patients without a history of chickenpox or without vaccination against varicella zoster virus (VZV), unless tested for antibodies to VZV. VZV negative patients can only be included if they receive vaccination against VZV at least 6 weeks prior to inclusion. 5. Current or previous treatments with long-term effects that may influence the treatment effects or potential toxicities/side effects of the treatment arms. This includes, but is not restricted to previous treatment with rituximab, mitoxantrone, alemtuzumab, cladribin and ocrelizumab. 6. Immunocompromised patients, or patients currently reveiving immunosuppressive or myelosuppressive therapy. 7. Treatment with glucocorticoids or ACTH within one month prior to start of study treatment. 8. Having experienced an MS relapse within one month prior to study inclusion. 9. Prior or current major depression. 10. Prior or current psychiatric illness, mental deficiency or cognitive dysfunction influencing the patient ability to make an informed consent or comply with the treatment and follow-up phases of this protocol. 11. Prior or current alcohol or drug dependencies. 12. Cardiac insufficiency, cardiomyopathy, significant cardiac dysrhytmia, unstable or advanced ischemic heart disease (NYHA III or IV) 13. Significant hypertension: BP > 180/110. 14. Active malignancy, or prior history of malignancy except localized basal cell, squamous skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix. 15. Known untreated or unregulated thyroid disease. 16. Failure to willingly accept or comprehend risk of irreversible sterility as a side effect of therapy. 17. WBC < 1,5 x 109/L if not caused by a reversible effect of documented ongoing medication. If WBC < 1,5 x 109/L is caused by a reversible effect of documented ongoing medication the WBC count must be > 1,5 x 109/L before start of study treatment. 18. Platelet (thrombocyte) count < 100 x 109/L. 19. ALAT and/or ASAT more than 2 times the upper normal reference limit (UNL) 20. Serum creatinine > 200 µmol/L. 21. Serum bilirubin > ULN. 22. Moderate or severely impaired kidney function (creatinine-clearance below 60 ml/min) 23. Presence of metallic objects implanted in the body that would preclude the ability of the patient to safely have MRI exams. 24. Diagnosis of primary progressive MS. 25. Diagnosis of secondary progressive MS. 26. Treatment with natalizumab and fingolimod within the last 2 months, and treatment with dimetylfumurat within the last month (washout must be performed as specified in section 5.1) prior to start of study medication. 27. Use of teriflunomide (Aubagio®) within the previous 2 years unless cleared from the body (plasma concentration < 0.02 mcg/ml following elimination from the body with cholestyramine or activated powdered charcoal) as specified in section 5.1 prior to start of study medication. 28. Any hereditary neurological disease such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease or Spinocerebellar ataxia. 29. Any disease that can influence the patient safety and compliance, or the evaluation of disability. 30. History of hypersensitivity reaction to rabbit. 31. Women who are pregnant, breast-feeding, or who plan to become pregnant within the timeframe of this study. 32. Currently enrolled in another investigational device or drug study, or less than 30 days since ending another investigational device or drug study(s), or receiving other investigational treatment(s). Patients participating in a purely observational trial will not be excluded.

Trial Details

Trial ID:

This trial id was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, providing information on publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants with locations in all 50 States and in 196 countries.

NCT03477500
Phase

Phase 1: Studies that emphasize safety and how the drug is metabolized and excreted in humans.

Phase 2: Studies that gather preliminary data on effectiveness (whether the drug works in people who have a certain disease or condition) and additional safety data.

Phase 3: Studies that gather more information about safety and effectiveness by studying different populations and different dosages and by using the drug in combination with other drugs.

Phase 4: Studies occurring after FDA has approved a drug for marketing, efficacy, or optimal use.

Phase 3
Lead Sponsor

The sponsor is the organization or person who oversees the clinical study and is responsible for analyzing the study data.

Haukeland University Hospital
Principal Investigator

The person who is responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the entire clinical study.

Lars Bø, MD, PhdAnne Kristine Lehmann, MD, PhDAstrid Kittang, MD, PhDEinar Kristoffersen, MD, PhDØivind Torkildsen, MD, PhDTrygve Holmøy, MD, PhDMargitta Kampman, MD, PhDKathrine K Liane, MDJoachim Burman, MD, PhDMorten Blinkenberg, MD, PhDJan Lycke, MD, PhD
Principal Investigator Affiliation Haukeland University HospitalHaukeland University HospitalHaukeland University HospitalHaukeland University HospitalHaukeland University HospitalUniversity Hospital, AkershusTromsø University HospitalSt. Olavs HospitalAkademiska sjukhuset, UppsalaRigshospitalet, DenmarkSahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden
Agency Class

Category of organization(s) involved as sponsor (and collaborator) supporting the trial.

Other
Overall Status Recruiting
Countries Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden
Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied.

Multiple Sclerosis
Study Website: View Trial Website
Additional Details

This is a randomized study of autologous HSCT using a low intensity, non-ablative conditioning regimen with cyclophosphamide and ATG versus treatment with the currently presumed best available immunomodulatory medication (alemtuzumab, cladribine or ocrelizumab) in RRMS patients with significant inflammatory disease activity in spite of ongoing immunomodulatory MS treatment. Significant disease activity is defined as having one or more clinically reported multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse(s), AND 1 or more T1 Gd-enhanced lesion(s), OR three or more new or enlarging T2 lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over the last year while being treated on immunomodulatory medication by standard national guidelines. The relapse(s) must have occurred 3 or more months after the onset of an immunomodulatory treatment, as immunomodulatory treatment in MS may reach full effect after 3 months or more. Both the knowledge of the treatment effect of registered immunomodulatory therapies for RRMS, and the number of treatments approved for RRMS by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are rapidly increasing. During the study period, there may thus appear new supplementing information on other MS immunomodulatory treatments that favour the use of a new comparator (replacing or supplementing the comparators). This will be evaluated by the PMC if applicable during the study period and the planned extension period. If the treatment efficacy obtained by HSCT is better than the currently most efficacious standard, immunomodulatory treatment in randomized treatment trials, HSCT will likely be approved as a part of the standard treatment recommendations for a significant proportion of RRMS patients. A randomized study regarding with statistical power to evaluate the clinical outcome of autologous HSCT compared to a standard immunomodulatory treatment in MS has not yet been published. Except for Sweden, HSCT is currently not registered as a part of standard MS treatment in the public health services of Europe. The HSCT regimen for the study will be identical to the regimen used in similar patient populations in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Alemtuzumab, cladribine or ocrelizumab have been chosen as the primary comparators, because they are the immunomodulatory medication currently authorised by the EMA for treatment of RRMS with the most favourable therapeutic effects. In a meta-analysis of immunomodulatory treatment effects in RRMS, thse medications had the most eminent reduction of annualized relapse rate and 3 month confirmed disability progression. In this study, a health economic evaluation will be included. Accordingly, the proposed study should provide a robust basis for future official decisions regarding the role of HSCT in RRMS treatment.

Arms & Interventions

Arms

Experimental: HSCT (Cyclophosphamide and ATG)

Day 1: Cyclophosphamide 2.0 g/m2 body surface area Days 5-10: Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (filgrastim) 5 mcg/kg body weight/day sc. Day 11 and until apheresis is discontinued: Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (filgrastim) 5 mcg/kg body weight x 2 sc/day. HSCT days -5 to -2: Cyclophosphamide 50 mg/kg/day. HSCT days -5 to -1: Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG-rabbit, Thymoglobuline®) 0.5 mg/kg body weight iv on day -5, 1.0 mg ATG-rabbit/kg will be given iv on day -4, and 1.5 mg ATG-rabbit /kg will be given iv on days -3,-2 and -1 over 10 hours. HSCT day 0: Reinfusion of a minimum of 3,0 x 106 CD 34+ cells/kg body weight.

Active Comparator: Alemtuzumab, Cladribine or Ocrelizumab

Alemtuzumab, Cladribine or Ocrelizumab administered after the label of the study drug.

Interventions

Drug: - Cyclophosphamide and ATG

Hematopoetic stem cell transplantation

Drug: - Alemtuzumab

Alemtuzumab (Lemtrada)

Drug: - Cladribine Pill

Cladribine (Mavenclad)

Drug: - Ocrelizumab

Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus)

Contact a Trial Team

If you are interested in learning more about this trial, find the trial site nearest to your location and contact the site coordinator via email or phone. We also strongly recommend that you consult with your healthcare provider about the trials that may interest you and refer to our terms of service below.

International Sites

Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

Status

Recruiting

Address

Rigshospitalet

Copenhagen, ,

Site Contact

Morten Blinkenberg, MD, PhD

[email protected]

+4755976032

VUmc, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Status

Recruiting

Address

VUmc

Amsterdam, ,

Site Contact

Joep Killestein, PhD

[email protected]

+4755976032

Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

Status

Recruiting

Address

Haukeland University Hospital

Bergen, ,

Site Contact

Øivind Torkildsen, MD, PhD

[email protected]

4755976032

Akershus University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

Status

Recruiting

Address

Akershus University Hospital

Oslo, ,

Site Contact

Trygve Holmøy, MD, PhD

[email protected]

+4755976032

University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway

Status

Recruiting

Address

University Hospital of North Norway

Tromsø, ,

Site Contact

Margitta Kampman, MD, PhD

[email protected]

+4755976032

St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway

Status

Recruiting

Address

St. Olav's University Hospital

Trondheim, ,

Site Contact

Kathrine Lian, MD

[email protected]

+4755976032

Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden

Status

Recruiting

Address

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Gothenburg, ,

Site Contact

Jan Lycke, MD, PhD

[email protected]

+4755976032

Akademiska sjukhuset, Uppsala, Sweden

Status

Recruiting

Address

Akademiska sjukhuset

Uppsala, ,

Site Contact

Joachim Burman, MD, PhD

[email protected]

+4755976032

Resources

Clinical Trials in MS


The latest clinical research in MS, including trials funded by the Society and trials in progressive MS.

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The content provided on clinical trials is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical consultation with your healthcare provider. We do not recommend or endorse any specific study and you are advised to discuss the information shown with your healthcare provider. While we believe the information presented on this website to be accurate at the time of writing, we do not guarantee that its contents are correct, complete, or applicable to any particular individual situation. We strongly encourage individuals to seek out appropriate medical advice and treatment from their physicians. We cannot guarantee the availability of any clinical trial listed and will not be responsible if you are considered ineligible to participate in a given clinical trial. We are also not liable for any injury arising as a result of participation.

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