Leflunomide for the Treatment of High-Risk Smoldering Multiple Myeloma in African-American and European-American Patients

April 24, 2026 updated by: City of Hope Medical Center

Phase 2 Trial of Leflunomide in African-American and European-American Patients With High-Risk Smoldering Multiple Myeloma

This phase II trial studies the effects of leflunomide in treating African-American and European-American patients with high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma. Leflunomide is used to decrease the body's immune response and may delay the symptoms of multiple myeloma in patients of African-American and European decent.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate the anti-myeloma activity of leflunomide, when given as a single agent, as assessed by freedom from progression at 2-years.

II. To evaluate the safety and tolerability of single agent leflunomide.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To summarize and assess toxicities by type, frequency, severity, attribution, time course and duration.

II. To estimate overall and progression-free survival probabilities. III. To estimate response rate and duration of response. IV. To describe the impact of treatment on quality of life, as assessed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) Score version (v)3.0.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:

I. To characterize the molecular evolution of the tumor cells. II. To evaluate whether specific genetic subtypes respond differently to leflunomide.

III. To evaluate the role of immune cells in the progression of smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM).

IV. To evaluate the role of leflunomide in modulating the immune system. V. To examine the relationship between immunological changes and disease progression.

OUTLINE:

Patients receive leflunomide orally (PO) once daily (QD) on days 1-28. Cycles repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up yearly.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
27

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Duarte, California, United States, 91010
        • City of Hope Medical Center
    • Michigan
      • Detroit, Michigan, United States, 48201
        • Wayne State University/Karmanos Cancer Institute
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10065
        • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
    • North Carolina
      • Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, 28204
        • Atrium Health University City/LCI-University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • All subjects must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent
  • Patients must be age >= 18 years
  • Patients must have a life expectancy of > 24 months
  • Patients must exhibit an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-2
  • Patients must identify as African-American OR European-American

  • Patients must have a diagnosis of high risk smoldering multiple myeloma, as defined below:

    • The presence of >= 2 of the following risk factors:

      • Bone marrow plasma cell percentage (BMPC%) > 20%
      • Serum M-protein > 2 g/dL
      • Free light chain ratio (FLCr) > 20
  • A diagnosis of high-risk SMM must have been made within the last 3 years
  • At least 2 weeks from prior therapy to time of start of treatment. Prior therapy includes steroids (except prednisone or equivalent - up to 10 mg per day is allowed)
  • Platelet count >= 50,000/uL. Platelet transfusions are not allowed within 14 days of platelet assessment
  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1000/mm^3
  • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) < 2.0 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
  • Total bilirubin < 1.5 x ULN
  • Calculated creatinine clearance (CrCl) >= 30 mL/min per 24-hour urine collection or the Cockcroft-Gault formula
  • Negative serum or urine beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) test (female patient of childbearing potential only), to be performed locally within the screening period
  • Negative for tuberculosis antigen (e.g. T-Spot test)
  • Negative for hepatitis A, B, or C infection
  • Adequate pulmonary function as defined by forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) >= 50% of predicted by pulmonary function testing

  • Agreement by females of childbearing potential and sexually active males to use an effective method of contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control or abstinence) prior to study entry and for three months following duration of study participation. The effects of study treatment on a developing fetus have the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect that she is pregnant while participating on the trial, she should inform her treating physician immediately

    • A female of childbearing potential is defined as a sexually mature woman who: 1) has not undergone a hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy; or 2) has not been naturally postmenopausal for at least 24 consecutive months

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Prior treatment with leflunomide
  • Prior treatment for smoldering multiple myeloma
  • Current or planned use of other investigational agents, or concurrent biological, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy during the study treatment period. Current or planned growth factor or transfusion support until after initiation of treatment. If growth factor or transfusion support is provided between screening and start of treatment, the participant will no longer be eligible

  • Evidence of end organ damage that can be attributed to the underlying plasma cell proliferative disorder, specifically:

    • Hypercalcemia: serum calcium > 0.25 mmol/L (> 1 mg/dL) higher than the upper limit of normal or > 2.75 mmol/L (> 11 mg/dL)
    • Renal insufficiency: creatinine clearance < 30 mL per min or serum creatinine > 177 umol/L (> 2 mg/dL)
    • Anemia: hemoglobin value of > 20 g/L below the lower limit of normal, or a hemoglobin value < 10 g/dL
    • Bone lesions: one or more osteolytic lesions on skeletal radiography, computed tomography (CT), or positron emission tomography (PET)-CT

  • Any one or more of the following biomarkers of malignancy:

    • Clonal bone marrow plasma cell percentage >= 60%
    • Involved:uninvolved serum free light chain ratio >= 100 (Involved free light chain must be >= 100 mg/L)
    • >= 1 focal lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies (>= 5 mm in size each)
    • Participants with CRAB criteria that are attributable to conditions other than the disease under study may be eligible
  • Prior diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis
  • Prior allogeneic transplant
  • Acute active infection requiring systemic therapy within 2 weeks prior to enrollment
  • Pre-existing liver disease
  • Known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
  • History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to leflunomide and cholestyramine

  • Non-hematologic malignancy within the past 3 years aside from the following exceptions:

    • Adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
    • Carcinoma in situ of the cervix
    • Prostate cancer < Gleason grade 6 with a stable prostate specific antigen (PSA)
    • Successfully treated in situ carcinoma of the breast
  • Clinically significant medical disease or condition that, in the investigator's opinion, may interfere with protocol adherence or the patient's ability to give informed consent
  • Pregnant women and women who are lactating. Leflunomide has potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Because there is a potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with these agents, breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is enrolled on this study
  • Any other condition that would, in the Investigator's judgment, contraindicate the patient's participation in the clinical study due to safety concerns or compliance with clinical study procedures, e.g., infection/inflammation, intestinal obstruction, unable to swallow medication, social/ psychological issues, etc.
  • Prospective participants who, in the opinion of the investigator, may not be able to comply with all study procedures (including compliance issues related to feasibility/logistics)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Treatment (leflunomide)
Patients receive leflunomide PO QD on days 1-28. Cycles repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Drug: Leflunomide
Given PO
Other Names:
  • Arava
  • SU101
Drug: Cholestyramine
Given PO
Other Names:
  • Questran
  • Cholybar
  • Colestyramine
  • Duolite AP143 Resin
  • Questran Light

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Progression to multiple myeloma
Time Frame: At 2 years
At 2 years
Incidence of adverse events
Time Frame: Up to 30 days after last dose
Measured by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version (v)5. Will be summarized in terms of type (organ affected or laboratory determination), severity, time of onset, duration, serum concentration of the active leflunomide metabolite, probable association with the study treatment and reversibility or outcome.
Up to 30 days after last dose

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Overall survival
Time Frame: From start of treatment to death, or last follow-up, whichever comes first, assessed up to 2 years
From start of treatment to death, or last follow-up, whichever comes first, assessed up to 2 years
Progression-free survival
Time Frame: From randomization to progression or death or loss to follow up, whichever comes first, assessed up to 2 years
From randomization to progression or death or loss to follow up, whichever comes first, assessed up to 2 years
Freedom-from progression
Time Frame: From start of treatment to the first assessment showing symptomatic disease, assessed up to 2 years
From start of treatment to the first assessment showing symptomatic disease, assessed up to 2 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
City of Hope Medical Center

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Michael A Rosenzweig, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 7, 2022

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 16, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 16, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 16, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 16, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 20, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 30, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 24, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 21049 (Other Identifier: City of Hope Medical Center)
  • P30CA033572 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • NCI-2021-07263 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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