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Isolated Cartilage Injury of the KneePhase 2NCT01066871

Sprifermin (AS902330) in Cartilage Injury Repair (CIR)

A Phase 2 study testing Sprifermin (AS902330) 10 mcg, Sprifermin (AS902330) 30 mcg and Sprifermin (AS902330) 100 mcg in people with Isolated Cartilage Injury of the Knee, run by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany at 1 site in Germany.

Terminated

Stopped early. The study ended before it was planned to and will not resume.

Official record
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Trial summary

Several people all over the world suffer from cartilage injuries in the knee. Symptoms include pain, joint swelling, and loss of function. Without repair, cartilage injury may ultimately lead to osteoarthritis (OA). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 45 years
Conditions the study is for
Isolated Cartilage Injury of the Knee
What is being tested?
Sprifermin (AS902330) 10 mcg, Sprifermin (AS902330) 30 mcg and Sprifermin (AS902330) 100 mcg
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
74 participants
Where
1 siteGermany
Study dates
Mar 2010to Apr 2013
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 45 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Acute cartilage lesion of ICRS grade 2 to 4 at the femoral condyle of the knee (= target knee)
  • Age: 18 to 45 years
  • Sex: male or female. Women of childbearing potential (that is, all female subjects after puberty unless they are post-menopausal for at least 2 years or surgically sterile) must have negative serum and urine pregnancy tests at screening and Visit 1, respectively, and must use a highly effective method of contraception.
  • History of pain and effusion of the target knee post-injury
  • Injury within 4 to 12 weeks prior to 1st treatment with investigational medicinal product (IMP)
  • Written informed consent prior to any trial-related activity

Who cannot join

  • Personal medical history of osteoarthritis OA in either knee
  • Any previous surgery on the target knee
  • History of swelling of the target knee along with pain on weight-bearing, or arthroscopy for diagnostic purposes during the 12 months preceding injury
  • Corticosteroid (intra-articular) injection into the target knee during the preceding 12 months
  • Any other intra-articular injection into the target knee during the preceding 3 months
  • Any concurrent injury (for example, arthrolith, anterior cruciate ligament rupture, meniscus tear) of the target knee requiring surgical intervention
Show all 19Show fewer
  • OA or any pre-existing cartilage damage in the target knee, as revealed by MRI
  • Legal incapacity or limited legal capacity
  • Subjects who are imprisoned or institutionalized by regulatory or court order
  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Participation in another clinical trial within the past 30 days
  • Any condition or findings in the medical history or in the pre-trial assessments that in the opinion of the Investigator constitutes a risk or contraindication for participation in the trial or that could interfere with the trial objectives, conduct or evaluation
  • Known hypersensitivity to the trial treatment or diluents
  • Significant renal or hepatic impairment, as indicated by: Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), or alkaline phosphatase (ALP) greater than (>) 3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN); total bilirubin >1.5 times ULN (except in case of Gilbert's syndrome); creatinine >1.5 times ULN; hemoglobin less than (<5.5) millimole per liter (mmol/L), white blood cell count (WBC) <2.5 * 10^9 per liter, or platelets <75 *10^9 per liter)
  • Any suspicion of intra-articular infection
  • Any known active infections that may compromise the immune system such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis B or C infection
  • History of sarcoma and/or of other active malignancy within five years, except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
  • Open growth plate, as revealed by MRI
  • Diagnostic arthroscopy after injury and within 4 weeks prior to treatment start

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Germany1 site
  • Please contact the Merck KGaA Communication Center

    Darmstadt

Other trials in Germany

About this study

Official title: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group Phase II Trial to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of Weekly Intra-articular (i.a.) Injections of 10, 30, and 100 µg of AS902330 for Three Consecutive Weeks in Patients With Acute Cartilage Injury of the Knee

Several people all over the world suffer from cartilage injuries in the knee. Symptoms include pain, joint swelling, and loss of function. Without repair, cartilage injury may ultimately lead to osteoarthritis (OA). Natural healing is poor, and to date treatment is available only for deep cartilage defects involving also the underlying bone. A promising candidate for drug treatment of cartilage injury is sprifermin (AS902330), a recombinant form of the human fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 18.

So far, the drug has been used in subjects with different stages of knee OA in two ongoing studies without emerging safety issues following single and multiple intra-articular injections of ascending doses. However, OA represents late-stage cartilage injury, where repair might be difficult due to diffuse damage, reduced responsiveness of the cartilage, and/or the involvement of other joint structures.

This clinical trial is meant to provide the proof of concept and to identify an efficacious dose of sprifermin (AS902330) for the treatment of adult subjects with acute cartilage injuries of the knee. The first subject for this trial was treated on the 19th of April 2010.

Being tested
Sprifermin (AS902330) 10 mcg, Sprifermin (AS902330) 30 mcg, Sprifermin (AS902330) 100 mcg, Placebo
Keywords
Knee cartilage injury, fibroblast growth factor 18, FGF18

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Sprifermin (AS902330) 10 mcgDrug

    Sprifermin (AS902330) will be administered at a dose of 10 microgram (mcg) as intra-articular injection once every week for 3 consecutive weeks.

  • Sprifermin (AS902330) 30 mcgDrug

    Sprifermin (AS902330) will be administered at a dose of 30 mcg as intra-articular injection once every week for 3 consecutive weeks.

  • Sprifermin (AS902330) 100 mcgDrug

    Sprifermin (AS902330) will be administered at a dose of 100 mcg as intra-articular injection once every week for 3 consecutive weeks.

  • PlaceboOther

    Placebo matched to sprifermin (AS902330) will be administered as intra-articular injection once every week for 3 consecutive weeks.

Study groups in NCT01066871
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Sprifermin (AS902330) 10 mcgExperimentalNot described
Receives: Drug: Sprifermin (AS902330) 10 mcg
Sprifermin (AS902330) 30 mcgExperimentalNot described
Receives: Drug: Sprifermin (AS902330) 30 mcg
Sprifermin (AS902330) 100 mcgExperimentalNot described
Receives: Drug: Sprifermin (AS902330) 100 mcg
PlaceboPlacebo comparatorNot described
Receives: Other: Placebo

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Percent Change From Baseline in Cartilage Defect Volume at Month 12

    Percent change in cartilage defect volume was calculated based on central magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): (volume at Month 12 minus volume at baseline)*100/volume at baseline.

    Measured: Baseline, Month 12

Secondary outcomes (12)
  1. Percent Change From Baseline in Cartilage Defect Volume and Cartilage Defect Thickness in the Target Knee at Months 3 and 6

    Percent change in cartilage defect volume and cartilage defect thickness at Months 3 and 6 based on central MRI was calculated as: ([volume or thickness at Months 3 and 6 minus volume or thickness at baseline, respectively]*100)/volume or thickness at baseline.

    Measured: Baseline, Months 3 and 6

  2. Change From Baseline in Cartilage Defect Volume in the Target Knee at Months 3, 6 and 12

    The change in cartilage defect volume at Months 3, 6 and 12 based on central MRI was calculated as volume at Months 3, 6 and 12 minus volume at baseline, respectively.

    Measured: Baseline, Months 3, 6 and 12

  3. Change From Baseline in Cartilage Defect Thickness in the Target Knee at Months 3, 6 and 12

    The change in cartilage defect thickness at Months 3, 6 and 12 based on central MRI was calculated as thickness at Months 3, 6 and 12 minus thickness at baseline, respectively.

    Measured: Baseline, Months 3, 6 and 12

  4. Number of Participants With Response to Magnetic Resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue (MOCART) Sub-scales

    MOCART scoring system (comprising 9 variables) was used to describe the morphology \& signal intensity of the repair tissue following MRI -degree of defect repair [DDR] score 0 (subchondral bone exposed) to 20 (complete repair); integration to the border zone [IBZ] score 0 (> 50% of length of repair tissue) to 15 (complete integration to border zone);surface of repair tissue [SRT] score 0 (>50% surface repair tissue/total degradation) to 10(surface intact);structure of repair tissue [StRT] score 0(inhomogenous/cleft formation) to 5 (homogenous);signal intensity [T2] Mapping Sequence [T2MS] and Hi-Res Sagittal Pharmacodynamic Sequence [Hi-Res SPS] score 0 (marked hyper intense for T2MS and hypo intense for Hi-Res SPS) to 15 (iso intense); subchondral lamina,subchondral bone score 0 (not impact) to 5 (intact);adhesions \& effusion score 0 (yes) and 5 (no). Higher values represent more favorable outcome of repair.

    Measured: Months 3 (M3), 6 (M6) and 12 (M12)

  5. Change From Baseline in Boston Leeds Osteoarthritis Knee Score (BLOKS) Sub-scale (Bone Marrow Lesion [BML] Size, Osteophyte Size, Meniscal Extrusion Score [MES], and Meniscal Tear Score [MTS]) Scores at Month 12

    The BLOKS scoring system assesses intra-articular regions within the knee according to the following features: BML size, cartilage 1, osteophyte size, synovitis, effusion, meniscal extrusion, and meniscal tear. Change from baseline in summary scores for BML size, osteophyte size, MES, and MTS were reported. Summary scores for BML size range from 0 to 27, for osteophyte size range from 0 to 36, for MES range from 0 to 12, and for MTS range from 0 to 32, with lower scores corresponding to favorable outcomes.

    Measured: Baseline, Month 12

  6. Number of Participants With Shift From Baseline in BLOKS Sub-Scales (Cartilage 1, Synovitis, Effusion) Scores at Month 12

    The BLOKS scoring system assesses intra-articular regions within the knee according to the following features: BML size, cartilage 1, osteophyte size, synovitis, effusion, meniscal extrusion, and meniscal tear. Total number of participants with shift from baseline in various BLOKS sub-scales (cartilage 1 [patella medial, patella lateral, femur medial trochlea, femur lateral trochlea, medial weight bearing femur, lateral weight bearing femur, tibia medial, tibia lateral], synovitis, and effusion) scores at Month 12 were reported.

    Measured: Month 12

  7. Number of Participants With Change From Baseline in International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) Grade at Months 6 and 12

    The ICRS grading is used to score the amount of cartilage repair and damage. The grades range from 1 to 4 where higher grades indicate more severity of injury. Number of participants with change value of -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, and 2 from baseline in ICRS grade at Months 6 and 12 were reported. Lower change value indicates less severity of injury.

    Measured: Baseline, Months 6 and 12

  8. Change From Baseline in Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) Sub-scale Scores and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Score at Months 3, 6 and 12

    The KOOS is a knee-specific self-administered questionnaire that assesses symptoms and problems associated with knee injury and osteoarthritis. It consists of 42 items grouped into 5 sub-scales: symptoms, pain, function in daily living (FDL), function in sports and recreation activities (FSRA), and quality of life (QoL). Sub-scale scores range from 0-100, with 0 representing extreme knee problems and 100 no knee problems. The IKDC consists of 19 items to summarize symptoms such as highest level of activity without significant pain, frequency and severity of pain scales, stiffness and swelling, highest levels of activity without significant swelling or giving way, knee lock or catch, highest level of activity that can be performed on a regular basis, effect of knee on ability to perform set tasks, knee function prior to injury, and current knee function. The IKDC scores range from 0-100 where high score represents high levels of function.

    Measured: Baseline, Months 3, 6 and 12

  9. Number of Participants With Global Evaluation of Treatment Benefit

    Participants were asked to evaluate and rate the treatment benefit as poor, fair, good, very good or excellent.

    Measured: Months 3, 6 and 12

  10. Number of Participants With Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs), Local TEAEs, Systemic TEAEs, TEAEs Leading to Discontinuation and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)

    An adverse event (AE) is defined as any untoward medical occurrence in a subject or clinical investigation subject administered a pharmaceutical product, which does not necessarily have a causal relationship with this treatment. An SAE is an AE that resulted in any of the following outcomes: death; life threatening; persistent/significant disability/incapacity; initial or prolonged inpatient hospitalization; congenital anomaly/birth defect. TEAEs are those AEs that either started or worsened in severity on or after the date of first dose of study drug and on or before Month 12. Local TEAEs are those only related to the target knee. Systemic TEAEs are those that are related to other parts of the body.

    Measured: Baseline up to Month 12

  11. Number of Participants With Acute Inflammatory Reactions

    Acute inflammatory reaction (AIR) is defined as an increase of pain by 30 millimeter (mm) on a 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS) associated with a subject-reported synovial fluid effusion within 3 days following intra-articular injection.

    Measured: Baseline up to Month 12

  12. Number of Participants With Binding Antibodies (BAbs) and Neutralizing Antibodies (NAbs) to Fibroblast Growth Factor 18 (FGF18)

    Number of participants with BAbs and NAbs to FGF18 at Week 1 (pre-dose), Week 2 (pre-dose), Week 4, Months 3 and 12 were reported.

    Measured: Week 1 (pre-dose), Week 2 (pre-dose), Week 4, Months 3 and 12

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted10 Feb 2010 (estimated)
  2. Study startMar 2010
  3. Primary completionApr 2013
  4. Study completionApr 2013

Why it stopped: The study was discontinued due to low recruitment.

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
74 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01066871
Sponsor's protocol ID
EMR700692_003
Status last verified
Feb 2016
First submitted
9 Feb 2010
Last updated
23 Mar 2016
Data monitoring committee
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing Sprifermin (AS902330) 10 mcg, Sprifermin (AS902330) 30 mcg and Sprifermin (AS902330) 100 mcg in people with Isolated Cartilage Injury of the Knee, run by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany at 1 site in Germany.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 19 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Mar 2016. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Germany. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 23 Mar 2016). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Percent Change From Baseline in Cartilage Defect Volume at Month 12 (time frame: Baseline, Month 12). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Mar 2016.

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