Investigating Dupilumab's Effect in Asthma by Genotype (IDEA)

Effect of IL-4RαR576 Polymorphism on Response to Dupilumab in Asthma, a Genotype-stratified, Randomized, Placebo- Controlled Trial

The Goal of this study is to investigate if individuals ages 12 years and older, carrying the IL-4RαR576 gene variant, will have a greater response to therapy acting directly on the anti-IL-4R. This will be conducted by examining the effect of a 48 week therapy with dupilumab on the rate of asthma exacerbations.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Asthma
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Dupilumab; Other: Placebo

Detailed Description

This is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled parallel-group phase 4 clinical trial.

Patients will be genotyped and categorized as those with: 1) the wild type allele (Q576/Q576), 2) heterozygous allele (Q576/R576), or 3) homozygous mutant allele (R576/R576); the genotype associated with more severe disease.

After a run-in period of 2-12 weeks to determine asthma control, subjects who fulfill all inclusion/exclusion criteria will be randomized to receive either subcutaneous Dupilumab or placebo (1:1 randomization allocation ratio).

This study addresses fundamental mechanisms by which the IL-4Rα-R576 variant drives the TH2/TH17 disease endotype and the influence of this variant on response to Dupilumab therapy. It brings together individuals with deep clinical and scientific expertise in allergic diseases, including epidemiology, genetics, inflammation, and tolerance mechanisms to investigate, in a coordinated strategy, the hypothesis that the IL-4Rα-R576 variant drives TH2/TH17 cell inflammation by subverting allergen-specific iTreg cells into TH17 cells. Asthmatics bearing this endotype will be particularly likely to favorably respond to Dupilumab therapy by virtue of its prevention of iTreg cell reprogramming into TH17-like cells, potentially leading to their long-term stability and potential for sustained immune tolerance.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 150
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Claudina Luna; Email: asthma@childrens.harvard.edu
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Wanda Phipatanakul, MD, MS; Phone Number: 857-218-5336; Email: Wanda.Phipatanakul@childrens.harvard.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Massachusetts
    • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02115
      • Recruiting
      • Boston Children's Hospital
      • Contact: Claudina Luna, MD. MPH.; Phone Number: 857-218-5336; Email: asthma@childrens.harvard.edu
      • Principal Investigator: Wanda Phipatanakul, MD.MS.
    • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02115
      • Recruiting
      • Brigham and Women's Hospital
      • Contact: Angeles Cinelli; Email: mcinelli@bwh.harvard.edu
      • Principal Investigator: Eliot Israel, MD
  • Michigan
    • Detroit, Michigan, United States, 48202
      • Recruiting
      • Henry Ford Health System
      • Principal Investigator: Haejin Kim, MD.
      • Contact: Gabrielle Burdzinski, RN; Phone Number: 313-207-2453; Email: ideaasthma@hfhs.org
  • New Jersey
    • Cedar Knolls, New Jersey, United States, 07927
      • Recruiting
      • Atlantic Health System
      • Contact: Juliana Colecchia; Phone Number: 78625 908-934-0555; Email: Juliana.colecchia@atlantichealth.org
      • Principal Investigator: John Oppenheimer, MD
  • New York
    • Bronx, New York, United States, 10467
      • Recruiting
      • Montefiore Einstein Clinical Research Center
      • Contact: Sunit Jariwala, MD; Phone Number: 609-937-1023; Email: SJARIWAL@montefiore.org
      • Principal Investigator: Sunit Jariwala, MD.
      • Contact: Hemraj Komal, MPH; Phone Number: 718-839-7562; Email: Hemraj.komal@einsteinmed.edu
  • Ohio
    • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44109
      • Recruiting
      • MetroHealth System
      • Contact: David Kaelber, MD.PHD. MPH.; Phone Number: 216-780-3722; Email: dkaelber@metrohealth.org
      • Contact: Kimberly Schach; Phone Number: 216-778-7992; Email: kschach@metrohealth.org
      • Principal Investigator: David Kaelber, MD.PHD.MPH.
  • Pennsylvania
    • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
      • Recruiting
      • University of Pennsylvania
      • Contact: Audreesh Banerjee, MD; Phone Number: 215-549-5023; Email: Audreesh.Banerjee@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
      • Principal Investigator: Audreesh Banerjee, MD
      • Contact: Elizabeth Beothy; Phone Number: 215-549-5023; Email: eabeothy@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 12 years and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Ages 12 years and older
2. Ability to provide informed consent
3. Ability to perform pulmonary function tests
4. Female participants of childbearing potential must have a negative urine pregnancy test upon study entry
5. Female participants with reproductive potential must agree to use FDA-approved methods of birth control for the duration of the study2
6. Participant-reported physician or licensed medical practitioner diagnosis of asthma
7. Treatment with medium to high dose ICS (400 mcg to maximum of 2000 mcg per day of fluticasone propionate or equivalent) for at least 3 months with a stable dose ≥1 month prior to screening OR used a biologic medication for asthma within the past 8 weeks
8. History of asthma exacerbation in the past year

An exacerbation is an asthma attack for which a clinician prescribed a course of systemic (oral, IV, IM) steroids whether or not the patient took the steroids OR An increase of >50% of baseline inhaled corticosteroid dose for ≥3 days OR An unscheduled visit for acute asthma attack (licensed medical practitioner/nurse office, urgent care intervention, emergency department, or hospitalization)

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Chronic lung disease other than asthma, which may impair lung function
2. Current smoker or cessation of smoking ≤6 months prior to Visit 0 screening
3. Current use of any electronic (e) "vaping" device (e.g., e-cigarette, e-cig, mod, vape pen, JUUL, e-cigar, e-hookah, e-pipe, vape pods) or cessation ≤ 6 months prior to screening
4. Pregnant or breast feeding
5. Any other condition or abnormality that, in the opinion of the Principal Investigator, would compromise the safety of the patient or quality of data
6. Evidence that the participant or family may be unreliable or poorly adherent to their asthma treatment or study procedures
7. Planning to relocate away from the clinical center area before study completion
8. Currently participating in an investigational drug trial or participated in one within 30 days before screening
9. Currently being treated with immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory or other investigational agents or biologics for conditions other than asthma, or used a biologic for a non-asthma indication within the past 6 months
10. History of respiratory illness requiring antibiotics or systemic corticosteroids, including asthma exacerbations, within the past 4 weeks (evaluated at time of screening visit)
11. History of alcohol or illicit substance abuse within 6 months of screening
12. Neutropenia (<1,000/mm3) or thrombocytopenia (<100,000/mm3) or hemoglobin < 100 g/L (10 g/dL) or blood eosinophils > 1500/mm3 at screening
13. Administration of a live vaccine within 4 weeks of screening
14. Currently receiving allergen immunotherapy (food or aeroallergen) other than an established maintenance regimen implemented continuously for a minimum of 2 months. Individuals receiving aeroallergen immunotherapy must be willing to stay on it for the duration of the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Treatment group; Dupilumab (Dupixent®) administered subcutaneously every two weeks. An initial dose of 600 mg (two 300 mg injections) followed by 300 mg given every other week.	Drug: Dupilumab; anti-IL4 receptor antagonist; Other Names: Dupixent®
Placebo Comparator: Placebo group; Placebo (preparation, administration, packaging, and labeling all equivalent to the treatment) administered subcutaneously every two weeks.	Other: Placebo; Placebo for Dupilumab (packaged/administered the same as the active drug)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The rate of asthma exacerbations	An exacerbation is an asthma attack for which a clinician prescribed a course of systemic steroids, whether or not the patient took the steroids.	48 week treatment period

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in pre-bronchodilator lung function	the change in pre-bronchodilator FEV1% predicted from baseline	average of week 4,12, 24,36 and 48 week
Change in CASI score	The change in CASI score from baseline	average of 4,12, 24, 36, and 48 week

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Boston Children's Hospital
• Collaborators: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); Sanofi; Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; HealthBeacon Plc
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Wanda Phipatanakul, Boston Children's Hospital

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Lai PS, Massoud AH, Xia M, Petty CR, Cunningham A, Chatila TA, Phipatanakul W. Gene-environment interaction between an IL4R variant and school endotoxin exposure contributes to asthma symptoms in inner-city children. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2018 Feb;141(2):794-796.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.08.023. Epub 2017 Sep 21. No abstract available.
• Massoud AH, Charbonnier LM, Lopez D, Pellegrini M, Phipatanakul W, Chatila TA. An asthma-associated IL4R variant exacerbates airway inflammation by promoting conversion of regulatory T cells to TH17-like cells. Nat Med. 2016 Sep;22(9):1013-22. doi: 10.1038/nm.4147. Epub 2016 Aug 1.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 8, 2021
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 1, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 1, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): October 3, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 28, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 27, 2024
• Last Verified: February 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Respiratory Tract Diseases; Immune System Diseases; Lung Diseases; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Bronchial Diseases; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Respiratory Hypersensitivity; Hypersensitivity; Asthma
• Other Study ID Numbers: P00029072; U01AI143514 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

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

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