A Phase 2a, Efficacy and Safety Study of Ustekinumab in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Proof-of-Concept Study of Ustekinumab in Subjects With Active Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of ustekinumab as measured by a reduction in disease activity for subjects with active Active Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE - chronic disorder of connective tissue in which there can be skin rash, arthritis, kidney problems, and anemia, among other problems).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Ustekinumab IV; Drug: Ustekinumab SC; Other: Concomitant Medication; Drug: Placebo Infusion; Drug: Placebo SC

Detailed Description

A multicenter (more than one medical research center involved in study), randomized (study drug assigned by chance), double-blind (neither the Investigator nor the participant know about the study drug), placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept study of ustekinumab in participants with active systemic lupus erythematosus. Participants will be screened to achieve all inclusion criteria and none exclusion criteria and will then receive either ustekinumab or placebo along with concomitant background medicine. Participants will be primarily assessed for response using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Response Index 2000 (SRI-4). Participants' safety will be assessed throughout the study.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 102
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Argentina
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Ciudad De San Miguel De Tucuman, Argentina
  • San Juan, Argentina
• Australia
  • Adelaide, Australia
  • Camberwell, Australia
  • Heidelberg, Australia
  • Liverpool, Australia
  • Nedlands, Australia
• Germany
  • Berlin, Germany
  • Frankfurt, Germany
  • Koeln, Germany
• Hungary
  • Budapest, Hungary
  • Debrecen, Hungary
  • Szeged, Hungary
  • Zalaegerszeg, Hungary
• Mexico
  • Chihuahua, Mexico
  • Guadalajara, Mexico
  • Leon, Mexico
  • Mexico, Mexico
• Poland
  • Bydgoszcz, Poland
  • Poznan, Poland
  • Szczecin, Poland
  • Wroclaw, Poland
• Spain
  • Barcelona, Spain
  • Madrid, Spain
  • Málaga, Spain
  • Santiago de Compostela, Spain
  • Sevilla, Spain
• Taiwan
  • Kaohsiung, Taiwan
  • Taichung, Taiwan
  • Taichung City, Taiwan
  • Taoyuan, Taiwan
• United States
  • Alabama
    • Huntsville, Alabama, United States
  • California
    • Beverly Hills, California, United States
  • Florida
    • Tampa, Florida, United States
  • Michigan
    • Lansing, Michigan, United States
  • New York
    • Manhasset, New York, United States
    • New York, New York, United States
    • Syracuse, New York, United States
  • Oklahoma
    • Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • Duncansville, Pennsylvania, United States
    • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
  • South Carolina
    • Charleston, South Carolina, United States
  • Tennessee
    • Jackson, Tennessee, United States

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subjects must have documented medical history to meet SLICC classification criteria for SLE for a minimum of 3 months prior to first dose
• At least 1 well-documented (subject file, referring physician letter, or laboratory result), unequivocally positive, documented test for autoantibodies in medical history including either of the following: ANA, and/or anti-dsDNA antibodies, and/or anti-Smith antibodies
• At least 1 unequivocally positive autoantibody test including ANA and/or anti-dsDNA antibodies and/or anti-Smith antibodies detected during screening
• At least 1 BILAG A and/or 2 BILAG B domain scores observed during screening prior to first administration of study agent
• Demonstrate active disease based on SLEDAI-2K score greater than or equal to (>=) 6 observed during screening and assessed approximately 2 to 6 weeks prior to randomization. Must also have SLEDAI-2K score >= 4 for clinical features (ie, SLEDAI excluding laboratory results) at Week 0 prior to the first administration of study agent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Have other inflammatory diseases that might confound the evaluations of efficacy, including but not limited to rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), RA/lupus overlap, psoriasis or active Lyme disease
• Are pregnant, nursing, or planning a pregnancy or fathering a child while enrolled in the study or within 4 months after receiving the last administration of study agent
• Have received systemic or topical cream/ointment preparations of cyclosporine A or other systemic immunomodulatory agents other than those described in inclusion criteria within the past 3 months prior to first administration of study agent
• Have received a single B cell targeting agent within 3 months prior to first study agent administration; or received more than 1 previous B cell targeting therapy including belimumab or epratuzamab within 6 months prior to first administration of the study agent; or received B cell depleting therapy (eg, rituximab) within 12 months prior to first administration of the study agent or have evidence of continued B-cell depletion following such therapy
• Have ever received ustekinumab
• Participant has a history of malignancy within 5 years before screening (exceptions are squamous and basal cell carcinomas of the skin that has been treated with no evidence of recurrence for at least 3 months before the first study agent administration and carcinoma in situ of the cervix that has been surgically cured)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Ustekinumab plus Concomitant Medication; Participants will receive weight-range based dosing of approximately 6 mg/kg of ustekinumab intravenously at Week 0 followed by ustekinumab 90 mg subcutaneously (SC) every 8 weeks (q8w) up to Week 40. Participants who meet the study extension inclusion criteria will continue to receive ustekinumab 90 mg SC q8w starting at Week 48 or 56 through Week 104. Participants will continue stable concomitant treatment through Week 48, as well as through the study extension although tapering of corticosteroids is encouraged beyond Week 48. Participants who complete or discontinue study treatment will be evaluated for 16 additional Weeks of safety follow-up.	Drug: Ustekinumab IV; Weight-range based dosing of approximately 6 mg/kg of ustekinumab intravenously at Week 0.; Other Names: STELARA; Drug: Ustekinumab SC; Ustekinumab 90 mg subcutaneously every 8 weeks up to Week 40 and up to Week 104 in study extension (for eligible participants); Other: Concomitant Medication; Concomitant treatment (mycophenolate, azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine, methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine and/or chloroquine, oral corticosteroids, NSAIDs, antihypertensive medications, and topical medications) through Week 48, as well as through the study extension although tapering of corticosteroids is encouraged beyond Week 48.
Experimental: Placebo followed by Ustekinumab plus Concomitant Medication; Participants will receive placebo intravenously at Week 0 followed by placebo subcutaneously at Weeks 8 and 16. At week 24 participants will receive ustekinumab SC q8w up to Week 40. Participants who meet the study extension inclusion criteria will continue to receive ustekinumab 90 mg SC q8w starting at Week 48 or 56 through Week 104. Participants will continue stable concomitant treatment through Week 48, as well as through the study extension although tapering of corticosteroids is encouraged beyond Week 48. Participants who complete or discontinue study treatment will be evaluated for 16 additional Weeks of safety follow-up.	Drug: Ustekinumab SC; Ustekinumab 90 mg subcutaneously every 8 weeks up to Week 40 and up to Week 104 in study extension (for eligible participants); Other: Concomitant Medication; Concomitant treatment (mycophenolate, azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine, methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine and/or chloroquine, oral corticosteroids, NSAIDs, antihypertensive medications, and topical medications) through Week 48, as well as through the study extension although tapering of corticosteroids is encouraged beyond Week 48.; Drug: Placebo Infusion; Placebo intravenously at Week 0.; Drug: Placebo SC; Placebo subcutaneously at Weeks 8 and 16.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Percentage of Participants With a Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Responder Index (SRI-4) Composite Response (CR) at Week 24	SRI-4 response was defined as greater than or equal to 4-point reduction in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) total score, no new British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) A and no more than 1 new BILAG B domain score and no worsening (less than 10 percent increase) from baseline in Physician's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (PGA). Composite response is defined as SRI-4 response in participants who do not meet treatment failure criteria. SLEDAI-2K assessment consists of 24 items with total score of 0 to 105, with higher scores representing increased disease activity. BILAG Index: assessing clinical signs, symptoms, or laboratory parameters related to SLE, divided into 9 organ systems. For each organ system: A=severe disease, B=moderate disease, C=mild stable disease, D=inactive, but previously active, E=inactive and never affected. The PGA assess disease activity on a visual analogue scale = from very well (0)-very poor (10).	Week 24

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change From Baseline in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI 2K) Score at Week 24	The SLEDAI-2K is an established, validated SLE activity index. It is based on the presence of 24 features in 9 organ systems and measures disease activity in SLE patients in the previous 30 days. It is weighted according to the feature. Features are scored by the assessing physician if present within the last 30 days with more severe features having higher scores, and then simply added to determine the total SLEDAI 2K score, which ranges from 0 to 105, with higher scores representing increased disease activity.	Baseline, Week 24
Change From Baseline in Physician's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (PGA) Score at Week 24	PGA was recorded on a visual analogue scale (VAS; 0.0 to 10.0 centimeter [cm]). The scale for the physician's assessment ranges for 'no lupus activity' (0.0) to 'extremely active lupus' (10.0).	Baseline, Week 24
Number of Participants With BILAG-based Combined Lupus Assessment (BICLA) Response at Week 24	BICLA response defined as participants meeting following criteria: 1. BILAG improvement (all BILAG A scores at baseline improved to either B, C or D and all BILAG B scores at baseline improved to C or D and no worsening in disease activity defined as no new BILAG A scores and <= 1 new BILAG B score) and 2. no worsening of total SLEDAI-2K from baseline 3. < 1 cm increase in PGA and 4. no treatment failure criteria met. BILAG: assesses disease extent, severity (range: A [severe] to E [no disease]). SLEDAI-2K: assesses improvement in disease activity (range: 0 to 105; higher score = higher severity). PGA: assesses worsening in participant's general health status (0.0= 'no lupus activity' to 10.0 = 'extremely active lupus').	Week 24
Change From Baseline in Number of Joints With Pain and Signs of Inflammation at Week 24	Change from baseline in number of joints (active joint) with pain and signs of inflammation (tenderness, swelling or effusion) for participants with at least 2 affected joints at baseline were reported. An active joint is defined as a joint with pain and signs of inflammation (e.g., tenderness, swelling or effusion).	Baseline, Week 24

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Janssen Research & Development, LLC

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Hannon CW, McCourt C, Lima HC, Chen S, Bennett C. Interventions for cutaneous disease in systemic lupus erythematosus. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Mar 9;3(3):CD007478. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007478.pub2.
• van Vollenhoven RF, Hahn BH, Tsokos GC, Lipsky P, Gordon RM, Fei K, Lo KH, Chevrier M, Rose S, Berry P, Yao Z, Karyekar CS, Zuraw Q. Efficacy and Safety of Ustekinumab in Patients With Active Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Results of a Phase II Open-label Extension Study. J Rheumatol. 2022 Apr;49(4):380-387. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.210805. Epub 2021 Dec 1.
• Cesaroni M, Seridi L, Loza MJ, Schreiter J, Sweet K, Franks C, Ma K, Orillion A, Campbell K, M Gordon R, Branigan P, Lipsky P, van Vollenhoven R, Hahn BH, Tsokos GC, Chevrier M, Rose S, Baribaud F, Jordan J. Suppression of Serum Interferon-gamma Levels as a Potential Measure of Response to Ustekinumab Treatment in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021 Mar;73(3):472-477. doi: 10.1002/art.41547. Epub 2021 Feb 1.
• van Vollenhoven RF, Hahn BH, Tsokos GC, Lipsky P, Fei K, Gordon RM, Gregan I, Lo KH, Chevrier M, Rose S. Maintenance of Efficacy and Safety of Ustekinumab Through One Year in a Phase II Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial of Patients With Active Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2020 May;72(5):761-768. doi: 10.1002/art.41179. Epub 2020 Apr 1.
• van Vollenhoven RF, Hahn BH, Tsokos GC, Wagner CL, Lipsky P, Touma Z, Werth VP, Gordon RM, Zhou B, Hsu B, Chevrier M, Triebel M, Jordan JL, Rose S. Efficacy and safety of ustekinumab, an IL-12 and IL-23 inhibitor, in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus: results of a multicentre, double-blind, phase 2, randomised, controlled study. Lancet. 2018 Oct 13;392(10155):1330-1339. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32167-6. Epub 2018 Sep 21.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 15, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 15, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): March 13, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 23, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 23, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): January 28, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 24, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 11, 2020
• Last Verified: March 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus; Ustekinumab
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Immune System Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Connective Tissue Diseases; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Dermatologic Agents; Ustekinumab
• Other Study ID Numbers: CR106661; CNTO1275SLE2001 (Other Identifier: Janssen Research & Development, LLC); 2014-005000-19 (EudraCT Number)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No