Methoxsalen and Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP) for the Treatment of Pediatric Participants With Steroid Refractory Acute Graft Versus Host Disease

Single-Arm Study to Assess the Efficacy of UVADEX® (Methoxsalen) Sterile Solution in Conjunction With the THERAKOS® CELLEX® Photopheresis System in Pediatric Patients With Steroid-Refractory Acute Graft-vs-Host Disease (aGvHD)

This is a single-arm, open-label, multicenter study of the efficacy of UVADEX® (methoxsalen) Sterile Solution in conjunction with THERAKOS® CELLEX® Photopheresis Systems (ECP) in pediatric participants with steroid-refractory aGvHD. The study is composed of Screening, Treatment, and Follow-up Periods.

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Steroid Refractory Acute Graft Versus Host Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Methoxsalen; Procedure: Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP)

Detailed Description

Screening:

After the informed consent/assent form (ICF) is signed, the screening assessments will be performed in a single visit to establish the eligibility of the participant, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, as well as aGvHD grading. Scheduling of the first week of ECP treatments and the arrangements for availability of typed and cross-matched donor packed red blood cells (PRBCs) for transfusion, if required, will be made in advance of participants entering the Treatment Period.

Treatment Period:

Once eligibility is established, participants will enter the 12-week ECP Treatment Period. The availability of typed and cross-matched donor PRBCs for transfusion during treatment, if needed, should be established prior to the scheduling of ECP treatments.

Participants will be allowed to continue standard aGvHD prophylaxis regimens (e.g., cyclosporine, tacrolimus, methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil) without the addition of new therapies. Participants will be allowed to discontinue prophylaxis regimens for reasons of toxicity, and will also be allowed to switch to another prophylaxis medication within the same class (e.g., the calcineurin inhibitors cyclosporine and tacrolimus) for reasons of toxicity.

All participants enrolled in this trial will have received corticosteroids for the treatment of aGvHD. After entering the treatment period on study, tapering of steroids by total weekly decrements of 12.5% to 25% of the steroid dose at initiation of ECP therapy is permitted after a sustained response of aGvHD has been observed for at least 3 consecutive days, with the suggested goal to decrease the starting steroid dose by at least 50% 4 weeks after initiation of ECP.

Follow-Up Period:

After completion of the 12-week Treatment Period, participants may continue ECP treatment on commercial product at the Principal Investigator's discretion. Acute GvHD status will be assessed 4 weeks after completion of the Treatment Period. Participant survival will be assessed by passive follow-up (chart review) 26 weeks after initiation of ECP treatment.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 29
• Phase: Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Austria
  • Wien, Austria, 1090
    • St Anna Kinderspital
• France
  • Paris, France, 75015
    • Hopital Necker Enfants Malades
  • Paris, France, 75019
    • Hopital Universitaire Robert Debre
• Germany
  • Leipzig, Germany, 04103
    • Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Abteilung für Hämatologie und Internistische Onkologie
  • München, Germany, 80804
    • Klinikum rechts der Isar, TU München, Klinik- und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Kinderklinik München Schwabing
  • Tübingen, Germany, 72076
    • University Hospital Tuebingen
  • Ulm, Germany, 89075
    • Universitaetsklinikum Ulm, Kinder- und Jugendmedizin
• Hungary
  • Budapest, Hungary, 1097
    • United St Istvan and St Laszlo Hospital
• Italy
  • Padova, Italy, 35128
    • U.O.C. Clinica di Oncoematologia Pediatrica Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova
  • Rome, Italy, 00165
    • Pediatric Hospital Bambinu Gesu Rome
• Spain
  • Barcelona, Spain, 8035
    • Vall D'Hebron University Hospital
  • Madrid, Spain, 28009
    • Hospital Infantil Universitario "Nino Jesus"
  • Salamanca, Spain, 37007
    • University Hospital Salamanca
  • Valencia, Spain, 46026
    • Hospital La Fe
• United Kingdom
  • Newcastle, United Kingdom, NE1 4LP
    • Great North Children's Hospital (RVI)
• United States
  • Arizona
    • Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85016
      • Phoenix Children's Hospital
  • California
    • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90027
      • Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
  • Connecticut
    • New Haven, Connecticut, United States, 06520
      • Yale University
  • District of Columbia
    • Washington, District of Columbia, United States, 20010
      • Children's National Medical Center
  • Georgia
    • Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30322
      • Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory - Children's Center
  • Illinois
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
      • Lurie Children's Hospital
  • Massachusetts
    • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02115
      • Boston Children's Hospital
  • Missouri
    • Saint Louis, Missouri, United States, 63110
      • St. Louis Children's Hospital
  • New Jersey
    • Hackensack, New Jersey, United States, 07601
      • Hackensack University Medical Center
  • Ohio
    • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44195
      • Cleveland Clinic Children's
    • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44106
      • University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's
  • Oregon
    • Portland, Oregon, United States, 97239
      • Oregon Health and Science University
  • Tennessee
    • Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37232
      • Vanderbilt University Medical Center - Ingram Cancer Institute
  • Texas
    • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
      • MD Anderson Cancer Care Center
  • Utah
    • Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84112
      • University of Utah
  • Washington
    • Seattle, Washington, United States, 98109
      • Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
  • Wisconsin
    • Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, 53226
      • Medical College of Wisconsin

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 1 year to 21 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion:

1. Male or female 1 to 21 years of age at the time of consent

2. Steroid-refractory grade B-D aGvHD.

   • Steroid-refractory is defined as a failure to respond to steroid treatment, with failure to respond defined as any grade B-D (IBMTR grading) aGvHD that shows progression ≥ 3 days, or no improvement by 5 days of treatment with 2 mg/kg/day methylprednisolone or equivalent in participants with lower gastrointestinal (GI) or liver disease, or skin disease associated with bullae. Grade D organ involvement will be limited to skin and liver.
   • Steroid refractory may also be defined as a failure to respond to 1 mg/kg/day of methylprednisolone or equivalent in participants with disease confined to upper GI disease or lesser degrees of skin GvHD
   • Participants with lack of complete response after 2 weeks of steroid treatment
3. A Lansky scale Performance Status score ≥ 30

4. Laboratory values are within the following limits, assessed within 3 days of the first study treatment:

   • Absolute neutrophil count > 0.5 × 10^9/liter (L)
   • Creatinine level < 2 times the upper limit of normal
5. For participants with isolated upper GI symptoms, pre-Screening biopsy results to confirm diagnosis of aGvHD

6. Female participants of childbearing potential and nonsterilized males who are sexually active with a female partner must be practicing highly effective, reliable, and medically approved contraceptive regimen throughout their participation in the study and for 3 months following the last ECP treatment. Or, for the US only, abstinence may be used in place of an approved contraceptive regimen. Females of childbearing potential are those who have reached the onset of menarche, or 8 years of age, whichever comes first. Approved contraceptive methods for female participants of childbearing potential or nonsterilized males who are sexually active with a female partner are as follows:

   • Barrier methods of contraception: condom or occlusive cap (diaphragm or cervical/vault caps) with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/suppository
   • Established use of oral, injectable, or implanted hormonal methods of contraception.
   • Placement of an intrauterine device or intrauterine system
7. Signed informed consent/assent is obtained before conducting any study procedures; the parent, legal guardian, or legally authorized representative of a minor must also provide written informed consent

Exclusion:

1. Currently enrolled in another clinical trial for the treatment of aGvHD
2. Use of any experimental regimens or medication(s) for aGvHD treatment
3. Treatment with > 2.0 mg/kg/day of methylprednisolone equivalents for aGvHD within 30 days prior to the first study treatment
4. Overt signs of relapse of the underlying condition
5. Uncontrolled viral, fungal, or bacterial infection
6. Platelet count < 20.0 × 10^9/L, despite platelet transfusion
7. Inability to tolerate the extracorporeal volume shifts associated with ECP treatment
8. Uncontrolled GI bleeding
9. Veno-occlusive liver disease
10. Life expectancy < 4 weeks
11. Participant requires invasive ventilation or vasopressor support
12. Known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis B or C virus infection (proof of seronegativity within 6 months of screening is required)
13. Known allergy or hypersensitivity to methoxsalen, Uvadex, or its excipients
14. Known hypersensitivity and allergy to heparin and Anticoagulant Citrate Dextrose Formula-A (ACD-A)
15. Co-existing photosensitive disease (e.g., porphyria, systemic lupus erythematosus, albinism) or aphakia
16. Coagulation disorders that cannot be corrected with simple transfusion
17. Co-existing melanoma, basal cell, or squamous cell skin carcinoma
18. Previous splenectomy
19. White blood cell count greater than 25,000 cubic millimeter (mm^3)
20. Currently being treated with any systemic immunosuppressive or biologic therapy for the treatment of a medical condition other than aGvHD
21. Female participant is breastfeeding or pregnant
22. Any medical concerns that may pose risk to the participant
23. Any psychological, familial, sociological, and/or geographical condition that may potentially hamper compliance with the study protocol and follow-up schedule

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Methoxsalen with ECP; Participants receive methoxsalen 20 µg/ml in conjunction with ECP procedure three times per week for Weeks 1 to 4, and two times per week for Weeks 5 to 12.	Drug: Methoxsalen; Sterile solution used in conjunction with photopheresis procedure.; Other Names: UVADEX®; Procedure: Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP); Other Names: THERAKOS® CELLEX® Photopheresis System

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants Achieving Overall Response (OR) Using the Modified International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry (IBMTR) Severity Index at Week 4	OR using the modified IBMTR Severity Index is defined as complete response (CR) + partial response (PR) as follows: CR: complete resolution of all signs and symptoms of aGvHD in all evaluable organs without addition of next-line systemic treatment; PR: improvement of 1 stage in 1 or more aGvHD target organs without progression in others and without addition of next-line systemic treatment	4 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants With Adverse Events	Clinically significant changes in vital signs, laboratory values and investigations are reported as adverse events. Summary data are provided below, with details listed in the adverse events module.	16 weeks
Percentage of Participants Achieving Overall Response (OR) Using Modified IBMTR Severity Index at Week 8	OR using the modified IBMTR Severity Index is defined as complete response (CR) + partial response (PR) as follows: CR: complete resolution of all signs and symptoms of aGvHD in all evaluable organs without addition of next-line systemic treatment; PR: improvement of 1 stage in 1 or more aGvHD target organs without progression in others and without addition of next-line systemic treatment	8 weeks
Percentage of Participants Achieving Overall Response (OR) Using Modified IBMTR Severity Index at Week 12	OR using the modified IBMTR Severity Index is defined as complete response (CR) + partial response (PR) as follows: CR: complete resolution of all signs and symptoms of aGvHD in all evaluable organs without addition of next-line systemic treatment; PR: improvement of 1 stage in 1 or more aGvHD target organs without progression in others and without addition of next-line systemic treatment	12 weeks
Duration of Response (Days) Within 16 Weeks Using Modified IBMTR Severity Index	Duration of first response is presented for patients whose disease progressed. Duration of response is defined in the following way: Patients whose response failed: Date at which 1st disease progression occurs - date of 1st response +1. Patients whose response did not relapse: Date of 16 week follow-up or final assessment prior to week 16 (if patient withdrew early) - date of 1st response.	16 weeks
Overall Response Rate (ORR) According to the Modified Glucksberg Criteria	ORR is defined as the percentage of patients who achieve an overall response after 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks of ECP treatment according to a scoring algorithm applied to calculate the grade of aGvHD using the modified Glucksberg Criteria.	4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks
Cumulative Dose of Daily Steroids	Steroids administered from diagnosis of aGvHD to 12 Weeks after initiation of ECP treatment	From diagnosis of aGvHD to 12 Weeks
Number of Patients With Skin Rated as Stage 0 - 4 Using the Modified Glucksberg Criteria	Number of patients whose skin was rated as Stage 0 - 4 using the modified Glucksberg criteria based on the Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD) rash - Stages are defined as 0=No GvHD rash, 1=Maculopapular rash on <25% body surface area (BSA), 2=Maculopapular rash on 25-50% BSA, 3=Maculopapular rash on >50% BSA, and 4=Generalized erythroderma plus bullous formation, which are blisters bigger than 5 mm across	at 4, 8 and 12 weeks
Number of Patients With Liver Rated as Stage 0 - 4 Using the Modified Glucksberg Criteria	Number of patients whose liver was rated as Stage 0 - 4 on the modified Glucksberg criteria - Stages are based on level of bilirubin, defined as: Stage 0 = Bilirubin < 2.0 mg/dL, Stage 1 = Bilirubin 2.0-3.0 mg/dL, Stage 2 = Bilirubin 3.1-6.0 mg/dL, Stage 3 = Bilirubin 6.1-15.0 mg/dL, and Stage 4 = Bilirubin > 15.0 mg/dL	at 4, 8 and 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Therakos, Inc., a Mallinckrodt Company

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 20, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 16, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): July 16, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 13, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 14, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): August 17, 2015

Study Record Updates

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

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Immune System Diseases; Graft vs Host Disease; Photosensitizing Agents; Dermatologic Agents; Methoxsalen
• Other Study ID Numbers: TKS-2014-001

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

IPD Plan Description

Because we work in the rare disease space, to eliminate risk of patient identification we do not share individual patient data.

We post summary aggregate results for applicable clinical trials in the registry, and statistical endpoints and discussion in publications; with each referencing the other.

Drug and device information, study documents

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