Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Study to Assess Efficacy of AIN457 in Moderate to Severe Ankylosing Spondylitis

Randomized, Placebo Controlled Double Blind, Multi-center Phase II Proof-of-concept Study to Assess the Efficacy of AIN457 in Patients With Moderate to Severe Ankylosing Spondylitis

Evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of AIN457 when administered as treatment of moderate to severe ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Intervention / Treatment: Biological: AIN457; Drug: Placebo

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Berlin, Germany, 12200
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Hamburg, Germany, 22081
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Herne, Germany, 44649
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Munchen, Germany, D-80639
    • Novartis Investigative Site
• Netherlands
  • Amstedam, Netherlands, 22700
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Maastricht, Netherlands, 5800
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • KR
    • Meerssen, KR, Netherlands, 6231
      • Novartis Investigative Site
• United Kingdom
  • Leeds, United Kingdom, LS7 4SA
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, NE2 4HH
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Oxford, United Kingdom, OX3 7LD
    • Novartis Investigative Site
• United States
  • Arizona
    • Paradise Valley, Arizona, United States, 85253
      • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Illinois
    • Springfield, Illinois, United States, 62704
      • Novartis Investigative Site
    • Springfield, Illinois, United States, 62703
      • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Oklahoma
    • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, 73112
      • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Pennsylvania
    • Duncansville, Pennsylvania, United States, 16635
      • Novartis Investigative Site
  • South Carolina
    • North Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 29406
      • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Tennessee
    • Jackson, Tennessee, United States, 38305
      • Novartis Investigative Site
    • Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, 37909
      • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Texas
    • Benbrook, Texas, United States, 76126
      • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Washington
    • Spokane, Washington, United States, 99204
      • Novartis Investigative Site

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with moderate to severe AS fulfilling the modified New York criteria for a diagnosis of AS and whose disease was not controlled on NSAIDS (on at least one NSAID over a period of at least 3 months at maximum dose). Minimum disease activity for inclusion of patients was assessed based on the ASAS core set domains: back pain & nocturnal pain score ≥ 4 despite concurrent NSAID use, PLUS a BASDAI score ≥ 4. Elevated CRP or ESR was not mandatory for study inclusion
• No evidence of liver disease or liver injury as indicated by abnormal liver function tests such as serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT/AST), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT/ALT), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase, or serum bilirubin. The investigator was guided by criteria as outlined under exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

• For patients who were previously treated with TNF blockers, the following washout periods were required for these patients to be eligible to participate in the trial:
• month washout period prior to baseline for alefacept
• month washout period prior to baseline for adalimumab and certolizumab
• month washout prior to baseline for etanercept or infliximab
• For patients who were previously treated with immunosuppressive agents other than MTX, SSZ, and systemic corticosteroids, a 1-month washout period prior to baseline was required. Immunosuppressive agents included but were not limited to cyclosporine, mycophenolate, tacrolimus, and 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA). Prednisone had to be kept at a stable dose 4 weeks before baseline and throughout the study and not to exceed 10 mg/day.
• MTX had to be kept at a stable dose 4 weeks before baseline and throughout the study and not to exceed 25 mg/week.
• SSZ had to be kept at a stable dose 4 weeks before baseline and throughout the study.
• In case of previous leflunomide treatment, a wash-out with oral cholestyramine could be considered as an alternative wash-out procedure to increase the elimination of leflunomide. Based on the notion that cholestyramine reduces plasma levels of the active leflunomide metabolite by approximately 40% in 24 hours and by 49% in 48 hours, cholestyramine was to be given orally at a dose of 8 g t.i.d. daily for 10 days. The patient could then be dosed with study drug not earlier than 2 weeks after the start of the cholestyramine wash-out procedure.
• Patients who were on NSAIDs had to be kept at a stable dose 4 weeks prior to baseline and throughout the study.
• Positive human immunodeficient virus (HIV: ELISA and Western blot) test result, Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or Hepatitis C test result. Any active systemic infection within the past 2 weeks including a positive chest X-ray.
• Current signs or symptoms of severe, progressive, or uncontrolled renal, hepatic, hematological, gastrointestinal, endocrine, pulmonary, cardiac, neurologic, cerebral, psychiatric, chronic inflammatory diseases with the exception of psoriatic arthritis or other disease which in the clinical judgment of the investigator would make the patient unsuitable for the trial

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

5

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Part 1 - AIN457A 10 mg/kg; AIN457A 10.0 mg/kg was administered intravenously as a single dose.	Biological: AIN457; AIN457A is a fully human recombinant IgG1 antibody that targets and neutralizes IL-17A.
Placebo Comparator: Part 1 - Placebo; Placebo to AIN457A was administered intravenously as a single dose	Drug: Placebo; Placebo to AIN457
Experimental: Parts 1 and 2 - AIN457A 1.0 mg/kg; AIN457A 1.0 mg/kg was administered intravenously as 2 doses 21 days apart, i.e. the first dose on day 1 and the second dose on day 22.	Biological: AIN457; AIN457A is a fully human recombinant IgG1 antibody that targets and neutralizes IL-17A.
Experimental: Part 1 and 2 - AIN457 0.1 mg/kg; AIN457A 0.1 mg/kg was administered intravenously as 2 doses 21 days apart, i.e. the first dose on day 1 and the second dose on day 22.	Biological: AIN457; AIN457A is a fully human recombinant IgG1 antibody that targets and neutralizes IL-17A.
Experimental: Part 1 and 2 - AIN457 10 mg/kg; AIN457A 10.0 mg/kg was administered intravenously as 2 doses 21 days apart, i.e. the first dose on day 1 and the second dose on day 22.	Biological: AIN457; AIN457A is a fully human recombinant IgG1 antibody that targets and neutralizes IL-17A.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Percentage of Participants Who Achieved ASAS20 Response	Clinical response to treatment was assessed according to ASAS20 criteria. ASAS20 responder had improvement of 20% or more and absolute improvement of at least 1 units (on a scale of 0 [least] to 10 [worst]) from Baseline in at least 3 of the following 4 domains, with absence of deterioration (worsening of at least 20% an absolute Worsening of at least 1 unit) in the potential remaining domain: Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity; Total Back Pain visual analog scale (VAS); Function (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI)); and Inflammation (mean of 2 morning stiffness-related Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index [BASDAI] scores	6 Weeks
Change in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) Score From Baseline to 6 Weeks After First Infusion in Part 2	ASAS20 as described in Primary Outcome. ASAS40 responder had improvement of 40% or more and absolute improvement of at least 2 units (on a scale of 0 [least] to 10 [worst]) from Baseline in at least 3 of the following 4 domains, with no deterioration in the potential remaining domain: Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity; Total Back Pain visual analog scale (VAS); Function (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI)); and Inflammation (mean of 2 morning stiffness-related Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index [BASDAI] scores). ASAS 5/6 responder had improvement of 20% or more) from Baseline in at least 5 of the following 6 domains: Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity; Total Back Pain visual analog scale (VAS); Function (BASFI); and Inflammation (mean of 2 morning stiffness-related Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index [BASDAI] scores); Spinal Mobility (BASFI); Acute phase reactant (CRP)	6 Weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants Who Achieved ASAS20, ASAS40, and ASAS 5/6 Over Time in Part 1	ASAS20 responder had improvement of 40% or more and absolute improvement of at least 2 units (scale of 0 [least] to 10 [worst]) from Baseline in at least 3 of the following 4 domains, with no deterioration in the potential remaining domain: Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity; Total Back Pain visual analog scale (VAS); Function (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI)); and Inflammation (mean of 2 morning stiffness-related Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index [BASDAI] scores). ASAS 5/6 responder had improvement of 20% or more) from Baseline in at least 5 of the following 6 domains: Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity; Total Back Pain visual analog scale (VAS); Function (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI)); and Inflammation (mean of 2 morning stiffness-related Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index [BASDAI] scores); Spinal Mobility (BASFI); Acute phase reactant (CRP)	Day8,15,29,week 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28
Number of Participants Who Achieved ASAS20, ASAS40, and ASAS 5/6 in Part 1 and 2 Combined	a Bayesian model was fitted to the ASAS20 , ASAS40 and ASAS 5/6 response rates on active and placebo treatments. A Bayesian analysis had been chosen to allow the direct incorporation into the analysis of information about placebo response rates from historical data	Day 8,15,29,week 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Inflammatory Scores at Baseline, Week 6 in Part 1	The study used MRI with fat-saturating techniques such as short tau inversion recovery (STIR) to look for the presence of bone marrow edema. The Berlin modification of ASspiMRI-a (ASspiMRI-a) scoring technique assesses inflammation in each of the 23 disc vertebral units (DVU), capturing edema and erosion. Scores for each DVU range from 0-3 (0=normal; 1=minor bone marrow edema (less than25% of DVU; 3=severe bone marrow edema (more that 50% of DVU). The composite score ranges from 0 to 69, with higher scores indicating more severe inflammation	Baseline, week 6, week 28
Pharmacokinetics (PK) of AIN457: Time to Reach the Maximum Concentration After Drug Administration (Tmax) in Part 1	Serum samples were collected pre-dose 2, 3, 4 and 24 hours after initiation of the infusions (Days 1 and 22), Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and end of study/Week 28.	Week 28
Pharmacokinetics (PK) of AIN457: Time to Reach the Maximum Concentration After Drug Administration (Tmax) in Part 1 and 2	Serum samples were collected pre-dose 2, 3, 4 and 24 hours after initiation of the infusions (Days 1 and 22), Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and end of study/Week 28.	Week 28
PK of AIN457: Observed Maximum Serum Concentration Following Drug Administration (Cmax) in Part 1	Serum samples were collected pre-dose 2, 3, 4 and 24 hours after initiation of the infusions (Days 1 and 22), Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and end of study/Week 28	Week 28
PK of AIN457: Observed Maximum Serum Concentration Following Drug Administration (Cmax) in Part 1 and 2	Serum samples were collected pre-dose 2, 3, 4 and 24 hours after initiation of the infusions (Days 1 and 22), Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and end of study/Week 28	Week 28
PK of AIN457: Area Under the Serum Concentration-time Cure From Time Zero to the Time of Last Quantifiable Concentration (AUClast), Area Under the Serum Concentration-time Curve From Time Zero to (AUCinf) in Part 1	Serum samples were collected pre-dose 2, 3, 4 and 24 hours after initiation of the infusions (Days 1 and 22), Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and end of study/Week 28	Week 28
PK of AIN457: Area Under the Serum Concentration-time Cure From Time Zero to the Time of Last Quantifiable Concentration (AUClast), Area Under the Serum Concentration-time Curve From Time Zero to (AUCinf) in Part 1 and 2	Serum samples were collected pre-dose 2, 3, 4 and 24 hours after initiation of the infusions (Days 1 and 22), Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and end of study/Week 28	Week 28
PK of AIN457: Systemic Clearance From Serum Following Intravenous Administration (CL) in Part 1	Serum samples were collected pre-dose 2, 3, 4 and 24 hours after initiation of the infusions (Days 1 and 22), Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and end of study/Week 28	Week 28
PK of AIN457: Systemic Clearance From Serum Following Intravenous Administration (CL) in Part 1 and 2	Serum samples were collected pre-dose 2, 3, 4 and 24 hours after initiation of the infusions (Days 1 and 22), Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and end of study/Week 28	Week 28
PK of AIN457: Volume of Distribution During the Terminal Phase Following Intravenous Elimination (Vz) in Part 1	Serum samples were collected pre-dose 2, 3, 4 and 24 hours after initiation of the infusions (Days 1 and 22), Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and end of study/Week 28	Week 28
PK of AIN457: Volume of Distribution During the Terminal Phase Following Intravenous Elimination (Vz) in Part 1 and 2	Serum samples were collected pre-dose 2, 3, 4 and 24 hours after initiation of the infusions (Days 1 and 22), Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and end of study/Week 28	Week 28
PK of AIN457: Terminal Elimination Half-life (T1/2) in Part 1	Serum samples were collected pre-dose 2, 3, 4 and 24 hours after initiation of the infusions (Days 1 and 22), Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and end of study/Week 28	Week 28
PK of AIN457: Terminal Elimination Half-life (T1/2) in Part 1 and 2	Serum samples were collected pre-dose 2, 3, 4 and 24 hours after initiation of the infusions (Days 1 and 22), Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and end of study/Week 28	Week 28
Mean Change Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI) Score in Part 1 and 2	BASMI measures the range of motion based on five clinical measurements: 1) cervical rotation, 2) tragus to wall distance, 3) lumbar side flexion, 4) lumbar flexion (modified Schober's) and 5) intermalleolar distance. BASMI 0 = indicates mild disease involvement, 1 = moderate disease, and 2 = severe disease involvement. The results for cervical rotation and lumbar side flexion are the means of the left and right measurements. Scoring range 0-10. The higher the BASMI score, the more severe was the subject's limitation of movement	Baseline, day 8,15,29, week 6,8,10,12,16,20,24,28
Change From Baseline in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) in Part 1 and 2	The BASDAI consists of a 1 through 10 scale (1 being no problem and 10 being the worst problem), which was used to answer 6 questions pertaining to the 5 major symptoms of AS: Fatigue, Spinal pain, Joint pain / swelling, areas of localized tenderness (called enthesitis, or inflammation of insertion sites of tendons and ligaments), morning stiffness duration, and morning stiffness severity. The physician will globally assess the subject's current disease state using a visual analog scale (VAS) scale with 0 being very good and 100 being very bad.	Baseline, day 8,15,29,week 6,8,10,12,16,20,24,28
Mean Change in Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score (MASES) in Part 1	MASES is measured by scoring of entheses of 0 (no tenderness) to 3 (severe tenderness) at 13 sites on the body. The score was derived as the sum of the 13 scores divided by 3 and the total range is 0 (no tenderness) to 13 (severe tenderness).	Baseline, day 8,15,29,week, 6, 8,10,12,16,20,24,28
Mean Change in Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score (MASES) in Part 1 and 2	MASES is measured by scoring of entheses of 0 (no tenderness) to 3 (severe tenderness) at 13 sites on the body. The score was derived as the sum of the 13 scores divided by 3 and the total range is 0 (no tenderness) to 13 (severe tenderness).	Day 8,15,29,week, 6, 10,12,16,20,24,28
Change From Baseline in the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) by Using the SF-36 Physical Component, and the ASQoL (Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life Instrument) in Part 1.	The Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) measures the impact of disease on overall quality of life and consists of eight subscales (physical function, pain, general and mental health, vitality, social function, physical and emotional health) which can be aggregated to derive a physical-component summary score and a mental-component summary score. Scores range for each subscale from 0 to 10, and the composite score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicative of better health. ASQoL determined subject's quality of life and is comprised of 18 questions (yes or no) to be completed by the subject. Each statement on the ASQoL is given a score of "1" or "0." All item scores were summed to give a total score or index. Total scores ranged from 0 (good quality of life) to 18 (poor quality of life) related to ability to cope, relationships, mood, sleep, motivation, activities of everyday living, independence, and social life. Decrease in ASQoL score represents improvement.	SF-36:Baseline, week 12, week 28; ASQoL: Baseline, Day 29, week 12, week 28
Change From Baseline in the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) by Using the SF-36 Physical Component, and the ASQoL (Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life Instrument) in Part 1 and 2.	The SF-36 measures the impact of disease on overall quality of life and consists of eight subscales (physical function, pain, general and mental health, vitality, social function, physical and emotional health) which can be aggregated to derive a physical-component summary score and a mental-component summary score. ASQoL determined subject's quality of life and is comprised of 18 questions (yes or no) to be completed by the subject. Each statement on the ASQoL is given a score of "1" or "0." All item scores were summed to give a total score or index. Total scores ranged from 0 (good quality of life) to 18 (poor quality of life) related to ability to cope, relationships, mood, sleep, motivation, activities of everyday living, independence, and social life. Decrease in ASQoL score represents improvement.	SF-36: Baseline, week 12, week 28; ASQoL: Baseline, day 29, week 12, week 8

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Baraliakos X, Borah B, Braun J, Baeten D, Laurent D, Sieper J, Emery P, McInnes IB, van Laar JM, Wordsworth P, Wollenhaupt J, Kellner H, Colin L, Vandenhende F, Radford K, Hueber W. Long-term effects of secukinumab on MRI findings in relation to clinical efficacy in subjects with active ankylosing spondylitis: an observational study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2016 Feb;75(2):408-12. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2015-207544. Epub 2015 Aug 6.
• Baeten D, Baraliakos X, Braun J, Sieper J, Emery P, van der Heijde D, McInnes I, van Laar JM, Landewe R, Wordsworth P, Wollenhaupt J, Kellner H, Paramarta J, Wei J, Brachat A, Bek S, Laurent D, Li Y, Wang YA, Bertolino AP, Gsteiger S, Wright AM, Hueber W. Anti-interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody secukinumab in treatment of ankylosing spondylitis: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2013 Nov 23;382(9906):1705-13. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61134-4. Epub 2013 Sep 13. Erratum In: Lancet. 2014 May 3;383(9928):1548.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: March 1, 2009
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2011
• Study Completion (Actual): May 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 16, 2008
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 16, 2008
• First Posted (Estimate): December 17, 2008

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): December 9, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 7, 2015
• Last Verified: August 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: ankylosing spondylitis
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Infections; Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Arthritis; Spinal Diseases; Bone Diseases; Spondylarthropathies; Bone Diseases, Infectious; Ankylosis; Spondylitis; Spondylarthritis; Spondylitis, Ankylosing
• Other Study ID Numbers: CAIN457A2209; 2008-002631-33