Evaluation of Lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) to Treat Subjects With Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE)

Evaluation of Lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) in Cutaneous LE: A Prospective, Non Controlled, Open Label Pilot Study to Evaluate the Off-Label Use of the FDA-approved Drug Lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) in Patients With Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus

This study is being conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of lenalidomide (Revlimid®) in subjects with Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE). The study drug will be used in an off-label indication to treat 6 subjects for 12 months each. Men and women over the age of 18, who have a biopsy proven diagnosis of CLE and who have failed standard treatment, will be included in the study.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE)
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Lenalidomide

Detailed Description

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a chronic and often disabling disease which affects the skin. Many patients experience scarring and inflammation of the skin, which often occur on the face. Moderate to severe CLE is most frequently treated with antimalarial drugs such as hydroxychloroquine, quinacrine or chloroquine. Up to 70% of CLE patients treated with antimalarials experience a beneficial clinical response, while the remainder of patients show no response or continue to experience progression of the disease. Thalidomide has been used successfully in such patients, with up to 75% clinical response rate in refractory CLE patients. However, thalidomide is a known teratogen and can cause severe birth defects, including short, malformed limbs and damage to peripheral nerves in the extremities, requiring patients to be monitored for pregnancy. In addition, up to 25% of patients on thalidomide develop peripheral neuropathy. A new drug, lenalidomide (REVLIMID®), an analogue of thalidomide, has been developed to treat neoplastic and inflammatory conditions, including various oncologic conditions such as multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndrome and solid tumors. Unlike thalidomide, lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) is not known to cause the extent of serious side effects caused by thalidomide; however, it must also be monitored for side effects and be distributed under the RevAssist program authorized by the drug manufacturer, Celgene Corporation.

The primary goal of this investigator-initiated, small pilot study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) in CLE subjects using measurements such as the CLASI (Cutaneous Lupus Activity and Severity Index). The study drug will be used in an off-label indication to treat 6 subjects, for whom lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) will be provided at no cost by the drug manufacturer. Men and women over the age of 18, who have a biopsy proven diagnosis of refractory CLE and who have failed standard treatment with hydroxychloroquine for up to three months, will be included in the study. Secondarily, the study will evaluate the biologic effects of lenalidomide on pathogenic and immunologic mechanisms of the CLE disease process during the treatment period by collecting skin specimens (biopsies) and blood samples.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 5
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
      • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Department of Dermatology

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 100 years (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subjects must understand and voluntarily sign Informed Consent and HIPAA forms.
• Males and females over the age of 18 at the time of signing informed consent form.
• Able to adhere to the study visit schedule and other protocol requirements
• Subjects must have biopsy proven Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE) either in the form of Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) or Subacute Lupus Erythematosus (SCLE), with or without systemic involvement.
• Subjects must have grade II erythema in at least three skin locations as defined by the Cutaneous Lupus Activity and Severity Index (CLASI).
• Subjects must have failed standard treatment with hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) for up to three months.
• Female subjects who are not pregnant.
• Females of childbearing potential (FCBP) must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test with a sensitivity of at least 50 mIU/mL within 10 - 14 days prior to and again within 24 hours of starting lenalidomide and must either commit to continued abstinence from heterosexual intercourse or begin TWO acceptable methods of birth control, one highly effective method and one additional method AT THE SAME TIME, at least 28 days before starting to take lenalidomide (Revlimid®). FCBP must also agree to ongoing pregnancy testing. Males must agree to use a latex condom during sexual contact with a FCBP even if they have had a successful vasectomy. All subjects must be counseled at a minimum of every 28 days about pregnancy precautions and risks of fetal exposure.
• If pregnancy or a positive pregnancy test is noted in a study subject or in the partner of a male study subject during study participation, the study drug must be discontinued immediately.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any serious medical condition, laboratory abnormality or psychiatric illness that would prevent the subject from signing the informed consent form.
• Female subjects who are pregnant, plan to be pregnant during the study, or who are breastfeeding.
• Any condition, including the presence of laboratory abnormalities, which places the subject at unacceptable risk for study participation, or confounds the ability to interpret data from the study.
• Use of any other experimental drug or therapy within 28 days of baseline.
• Known hypersensitivity to thalidomide.
• The development of erythema nodosum if characterized by a desquamating rash while taking thalidomide or similar drugs.
• Prior history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
• Prior history of pulmonary embolus (PE).
• Known positive for HIV viral DNA by qPCR.
• Positive hepatitis B surface antigen, or hepatitis C.
• Platelet count < 50,000/mcL.
• Absolute neutrophil count < 750/mcL
• Lymphopenia < 500/mcL.
• Have current signs or symptoms of severe progressive or uncontrolled renal disease (creatinine ≥1.5 x ULN).
• If female, unwillingness to use one highly effective method and one additional method of birth control.
• If male, unwillingness to use a latex condom during intercourse with females of childbearing potential.
• Continued therapy with thalidomide.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Masking: NONE

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Lenalidomide; Open label lenalidomide received.	Drug: Lenalidomide
EXPERIMENTAL: Lenalidomide 2; Open label lenalidomide received.	Drug: Lenalidomide

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Cutaneous Lupus Area and Severity Index (CLASI)	The Cutaneous Lupus Area and Severity Index (CLASI); range of disease activity is 0-70. Lower scores reflect less activity.	Weeks 0 through 52

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants With Change in IFN and CD4 Levels at 6 Weeks	CXCL10, an interferon-inducible chemokine, and immunophenotyping by immunostaining. Measurement of interferon-inducible genes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells before and after treatment.	6 weeks
Physician Global Assessment (PGA) for Skin	General skin scores were recorded on a 10 cm visual analogue scale at each visit. At each visit on scale 0-10, 0 corresponding to worst skin condition imaginable and 10 to perfect health.	Weeks 0 through 52
Patient General Assessment (PtGA) for Skin	General skin scores were recorded by the patient on a 10 cm visual analogue scale at each visit by the patient. At each visit on scale 0-10, 0 corresponding to worst skin condition imaginable and 10 to perfect health.	Weeks 0 through 52
Pain in Skin	Pain in skin was recorded on a 10 cm visual analogue scale at each visit by the patient. At each visit on scale 0-10, 0 corresponding to no pain and 10 to pain as bad as you can imagine.	Weeks 0 through 52
Itch in Skin	Itch scores were recorded on a 10 cm visual analogue scale at each visit by the patient. At each visit on scale 0-10, 0 corresponding to no itch and 10 to itch as bad as you can imagine.	Weeks 0 through 52
Fatigue	Fatigue scores were recorded on a 10 cm visual analogue scale at each visit by the patient. At each visit on scale 0-10, 0 corresponding to no fatigure and 10 to fatigue as bad as you can imagine.	Weeks 0 through 52
Skindex Symptoms	Skindex symptoms scores are scored 1-5 and then normalized to 100, with a higher score corresponding to a worse impression. The absence of symptom impact on QoL is scored as "20" (this is represented as a 1 on the 1-5 scale. The worst impact of symptoms on QoL is 100. This is represented as a 5 on the 1-5 scale.	Weeks 0 through 52
Skindex Function	Skindex function scores are scored 1-5 and then normalized to 100, with a higher score corresponding to a worse impression. The absence of function impact on QoL is scored as "20" (this is represented as a 1 on the 1-5 scale. The worst impact of function on QoL is 100. This is represented as a 5 on the 1-5 scale.	Weeks 0 through 52

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania
• Collaborators: Celgene Corporation

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Okon L, Rosenbach M, Krathen M, Rose M, Propert K, Okawa J, Werth V. Lenalidomide in treatment-refractory cutaneous lupus erythematosus: Efficacy and safety in a 52-week trial. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014 Mar;70(3):583-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2013.11.007. No abstract available.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: November 1, 2007
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): July 1, 2009
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): October 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 4, 2008
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 4, 2008
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): March 12, 2008

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE): February 9, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 7, 2023
• Last Verified: February 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: lenalidomide; drug; Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus; lupus; CLE; revlimid; thalidomide derivative
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Skin Diseases; Immune System Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Connective Tissue Diseases; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Antineoplastic Agents; Immunologic Factors; Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Angiogenesis Modulating Agents; Growth Substances; Growth Inhibitors; Lenalidomide
• Other Study ID Numbers: 806259