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Hepatitis CPhase 2/3NCT02825212

Efficacy of All-Oral Anti-Viral Therapy for Symptomatic Hepatitis C Virus Infection-Related Cryoglobulinemia

A Phase 2/3 study testing Harvoni and Epclusa in people with Hepatitis C and Cryoglobulinemia, run by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

10 patients with chronic genotype 1 HCV infection and mixed cryoglobulinemia will be treated with Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir 90mg/400 mg FDC once daily for 12 weeks (naïve subjects or non-cirrhotic treatment experienced subjects) or 24 weeks (treatment experienced subjects with cirrhosis). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Hepatitis C, Cryoglobulinemia
What is being tested?
Harvoni and Epclusa
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
10 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Feb 2016to 19 Jul 2019
Phase
Phase 2/3
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 65 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Subjects must meet all of the following inclusion criteria to be eligible for participation in this study.

  1. Willing and able to provide written informed consent
  2. Male or female, age ≥18 years
  3. HCV RNA ≥ 15 IU/mL at Screening
  4. HCV genotype 1
  5. Chronic HCV infection (≥ 6 months) documented by prior medical history or liver biopsy
  6. Classification as treatment naïve or treatment experienced:
  7. Treatment naïve is defined as having never been exposed to approved or experimental HCV-specific direct-acting antiviral agents or prior treatment of HCV with interferon or ribavirin or DAAs (except for SOF-containing regimens).
  8. Treatment experienced is defined as prior treatment failure or relapse to a regimen containing interferon either with or without RBV or DAAs (except for SOF-containing regimens) that was completed at least 8 weeks prior to Baseline/Day 1. The subject's medical records must include sufficient detail of prior virologic failure to allow for categorization of prior response, as either:
  9. Non-Responder: Subject did not achieve undetectable HCV RNA levels while on treatment, or
  10. Relapse/Breakthrough: Subject achieved undetectable HCV RNA levels during treatment or within 4 weeks of the end of treatment but did not achieve SVR.
  11. Cirrhosis determination (approximately 20% of subjects may have cirrhosis) a. Cirrhosis is defined as any one of the following:
  12. Any previous liver biopsy showing cirrhosis (e.g., Metavir score = 4 or Ishak score ≥5) ii) FibroMeter® score >0.442 or an AST:platelet ratio index (APRI) >2 during Screening iii) Fibroscan with a result of >12.5 kPa at any time prior to or during screening.
  13. Absence of cirrhosis is defined as any one of the following: i) Liver biopsy within 2 years of Screening showing absence of cirrhosis ii) FibroMeter® score <0.442 or APRI ≤ 1 performed during Screening iii) Fibroscan with a result of ≤12.5 kPa within 6 months of Baseline/Day 1 Fibroscan results will supersede FibroMeter® /APRI; liver biopsy results will supersede Fibrotest® /APRI or Fibroscan results and be considered definitive.
  14. Liver imaging (ultrasound, CT scan or MRI) within 6 months of screening is required in patients with cirrhosis to exclude hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
  15. Presence of MC vasculitis (please see criteria on the note below).
  16. Null or partial response to previous therapies for MC, including corticosteroids, cytotoxic agents (cyclophosphamide, azathioprine), hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, mono- or combination therapy with IFNα/PEG-IFN and ribavirin, and/or CD20 depletion with Rituximab. a. Patients can be on ongoing treatment with one of the drugs described above at inclusion unless there is significant DDI.
  17. Subjects has the following laboratory parameters at screening:
  18. ALT <10 x the upper limit of normal (ULN)
  19. AST <10 x ULN
  20. Adequate bone marrow function as indicated hematologic parameters listed below and/or bone marrow cellularity >60-70% average for age.
  21. WBC >1500 /uL ii.Platelets > 50,000/uL
  22. Direct bilirubin >2 x ULN e) INR >1.5 x ULN unless subject has known hemophilia or is stable on an anticoagulant regimen affecting INR
  23. Females of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test at Screening and a negative urine pregnancy test on Baseline/Day 1 prior to treatment.
  24. Male subjects and female subjects of childbearing potential who engage in heterosexual intercourse must agree to use protocol specified method(s) of contraception.
  25. Lactating females must agree to discontinue nursing before the study drug is administered.
  26. Subject must be of generally good health, with the exception of chronic HCV infection, as determined by the Investigator.
  27. Subject must be able to comply with the dosing instructions for study drug administration and able to complete the study schedule of assessments.

Note: Definition of Mixed Cryoglobulinemia (patients must meet one of the five overlapping syndromes listed below and the presence of cold-precipitable immune complexes in blood on two different occasions.

  • Clinical evidence of cryoglobulinemia, overlapping syndromes:
  1. Cutaneous vasculitis (Raynaud's phenomenon, purpura, skin ulcers, livedo, acrocyanosis)
  2. Glomerulonephritis (hypertension, hematuria, nephrotic syndrome)
  3. Arthropathy (arthralgias, arthritis)
  4. Neuropathy (peripheral and/or central nervous system, distal sensorimotor, mononeuritis multiplex)
  5. Sicca syndrome (xerostomia, xerophthalmia) Other factors that will be assessed / recorded in patients with MC will be:
  6. Associated laboratory abnormalities including:
  • Positive HCV serology (recombinant immunoblot assay), viral nucleic acid quantitation diagnostic for HCV infection, and reflex genotyping.
  • Evidence of glomerulonephritis, including an active urinary sediment, hypoalbuminemia (albumin <3gm/dL) and/or significant proteinuria (>300mg/day).
  • Abnormal nerve conduction testing. 2. Pathologic evidence of cryoglobulinemia including:
  • Leukocytoclastic vasculitis.
  • Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.
  • Vasculopathy and/or mononuclear cell infiltrates on sural nerve biopsy.
  • Lip biopsy suggestive for Sjogren's syndrome. 3. Laboratory evidence of cryoglobulinemia including:
  • Characterization of cryoprecipitable material in serum by immunofixation, cryocrit, and/or quantitation of protein.
  • Associated immunological abnormalities, such as depressed levels of complement, elevated titers of rheumatoid factor, abnormal immunoglobulin quantitations, and serum immunofixation carried out on serum and/or isolated cryoglobulins.
  1. Laboratory evidence of B-cell clonality, including:
  • IgMk determined by immunofixation of serum and/or cryoglobulin, and kappa excess >2.65:1 on Free Light Chain (FLC) assay

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

    New York, New York, 10029

Other trials in United States

About this study

10 patients with chronic genotype 1 HCV infection and mixed cryoglobulinemia will be treated with Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir 90mg/400 mg FDC once daily for 12 weeks (naïve subjects or non-cirrhotic treatment experienced subjects) or 24 weeks (treatment experienced subjects with cirrhosis).

The researchers anticipate that approximately 20% of subjects may have cirrhosis.

Read the detailed description

The treatment of extrahepatic disease manifestations of HCV has largely paralleled that of hepatic disease. Interferon was reported to have efficacy for MC even before linkage of the syndrome to HCV in 1989, and successful combination therapy with ribavirin was found to eliminate virus and lead to the resolution of immunologic abnormalities associated with extrahepatic disease. In addition, ~75% of HCV-associated indolent asymptomatic lymphoproliferative diseases remit with successful antiviral therapy. However, in many instances, MC (notably cutaneous vasculitis) will relapse with recurrence of virus, and may occasionally persist even after clearance. In particular, side effects of Interferon alpha, including the uncovering of frank autoimmune disease, theoretically may mitigate response of extrahepatic disease to treatment. Peg-interferon increased the response rate of MC, and decreased the duration of treatment, but side effects remained problematic.

An alternative approach to the treatment of MC has been the use of immunomodulatory agents. In particular, B-cell expansion in peripheral blood and in lymphoid follicles in the liver prevalent amongst HCV-infected persons provided a rationale for the use of depletion as a therapeutic strategy. Rituximab (anti-CD20) monotherapy has been used mostly for treatment failures/intolerance or in the setting NHL, and has yielded response rates in the setting of involvement of skin (73%); MPGN (70%); joint (53%); and nerve (36%). However, this monoclonal antibody (MAb) has the potential to form immune-complexes with mixed cryoglobulin RF and cause clinical vasculitis in patients with high cryocrits, and may raise the HCV RNA level in rare patients, causing cytotoxicity. Following Rituximab with Peg-IFN plus ribavirin achieved greater than a 60% complete response (CR) in patients resistant to combination treatment alone. Other approaches include the use of Aldesleukin, an inducer of regulatory T-cell activity, MAbs targeted to specific B-cell subsets or costimulatory signal molecules (e.g. BAFF) or agents inhibiting the interaction of HCV core antigen with C1q in cryoprecipitates via the receptor for the globular domain of C1q (gC1qR).

The development of low molecular weight inhibitors of the non-structural proteins (NSPs) elaborated by HCV, in particular 5A, 5B nucleoside and non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitors, and inhibitors of 3/4A serine proteases; to selectively inhibit HCV replication has raised the prospect of "all-oral" treatment for both hepatic and extrahepatic manifestations of disease. However, the use of first generation direct-acting antiviral agents (Telaprevir® and Boceprevir® linear NS3/4A protease inhibitors) was limited by frequent escape mutants, efficacy restricted to genotype-1, need to retain protocols including PegIFN and ribavirin, potential for significant drug interactions, and serious side effects. In a trial of combination therapy including Telaprevir® for 13 patients with MC, all had significant AEs, including asthenia (92%), anemia (84%), neutropenia and bacterial infection (54%). Approval of an uridine nucleoside analogue that selectively inhibits HCV NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (Sofosbuvir) by the FDA late 2013 has led to proof-of-concept trials in which combination all-oral therapy has proven effective for both genotype 1 and other genotypes, with a number of other regimens under development. In particular, the combination of Sobosbuvir (SOF) and Ledipasvir (LDV) has been reported to have almost universal efficacy in a 12 week regimen for genotype 1, and the combination of SOF and Ribavirin (RBV) for genotypes 2-6 in a 24 week regimen. However, persistence of cryoglobulinemia even after viral clearance with the newer regimens has also raised the question of whether longer treatment regimens may be appropriate in the setting of significant extrahepatic disease. Thus, the timing is right to initiate a trial of all-oral treatment to rigorously evaluate the effect on extrahepatic disease, and to re-establish the efficacy of antiviral therapy in halting the direct and indirect role of HCV in driving autoimmune disease and lymphoproliferation. Using an interferon-sparing regimen to treat patients with HCV-related cryoglobulinemia will help answer the question as to whether immunomodulating therapy plays a role at all in eradicating cryoglobulins long-term, and whether antiviral therapy alone is adequate. If the latter, appreciable morbidity and mortality may be saved in avoiding treating these potentially sick, often cirrhotic patients, with immunomodulatory therapies.

Being tested
Harvoni, Epclusa
Keywords
Hepatitis C, Cryoglobulinemia
Medical subject headings
Hepatitis C, Cryoglobulinemia

What participants receive

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

  • HarvoniDrug

    Also called Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir, LDV/SOF FDC

    12 weeks for naïve subjects or non-cirrhotic treatment experienced subjects; or 24 weeks for treatment experienced subjects with cirrhosis

  • EpclusaDrug

    Also called Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir

    once daily for 12 weeks (naïve subjects, non-cirrhotic treatment experienced or treatment experienced subjects with compensated cirrhosis) for genotype 1-6 subjects.

Study groups in NCT02825212
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Participant with Symptomatic Hepatitis C Virus Infection-Related CryoglobulinemiaExperimentalParticipants treated with either Harvoni or Epclusa * Harvoni 90mg/400 mg FDC once daily. Subjects will take 1 tablet daily with or without food. * Epclusa 400mg/100mg 400mg/100mg FDC once daily
Receives: Drug: Harvoni; Drug: Epclusa

What is being measured

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

  1. Sustained Virologic Response (SVR)

    Number of participants who attain SVR, ie, cleared HCV

    Measured: 2-4 weeks and 24 weeks after treatment

  2. Response in Patients With Mixed Cryoglobulinemia (MC)

    Response to medication in patients with MC categorized as either complete response (100% response) vs partial response (50% response).

    Measured: up to 24 weeks after treatment

Timeline

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

  1. First posted7 Jul 2016 (estimated)
  2. Study startFeb 2016
  3. Primary completion19 Jul 2019
  4. Study completion19 Jul 2019

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 2/3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
10 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02825212
Sponsor's protocol ID
GCO 15-2282
Other IDs
IN-US-337-1716
Status last verified
Nov 2020
First submitted
3 Jul 2016
Last updated
17 Dec 2020
Data monitoring committee
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Dammacco F, Sansonno D. Therapy for hepatitis C virus-related cryoglobulinemic vasculitis. N Engl J Med. 2013 Sep 12;369(11):1035-45. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1208642. No abstract available.

    PubMed 24024840
  • Damoiseaux J. The diagnosis and classification of the cryoglobulinemic syndrome. Autoimmun Rev. 2014 Apr-May;13(4-5):359-62. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2014.01.027. Epub 2014 Jan 11.

    PubMed 24424176
  • Jacobson IM, Cacoub P, Dal Maso L, Harrison SA, Younossi ZM. Manifestations of chronic hepatitis C virus infection beyond the liver. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 Dec;8(12):1017-29. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2010.08.026. Epub 2010 Sep 24.

    PubMed 20870037
  • Giordano TP, Henderson L, Landgren O, Chiao EY, Kramer JR, El-Serag H, Engels EA. Risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and lymphoproliferative precursor diseases in US veterans with hepatitis C virus. JAMA. 2007 May 9;297(18):2010-7. doi: 10.1001/jama.297.18.2010.

    PubMed 17488966
  • Ko HM, Hernandez-Prera JC, Zhu H, Dikman SH, Sidhu HK, Ward SC, Thung SN. Morphologic features of extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C virus infection. Clin Dev Immunol. 2012;2012:740138. doi: 10.1155/2012/740138. Epub 2012 Aug 5.

    PubMed 22919404
  • Dispenzieri A, Gorevic PD. Cryoglobulinemia. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 1999 Dec;13(6):1315-49. doi: 10.1016/s0889-8588(05)70129-5.

    PubMed 10626153
  • Gorevic PD. Rheumatoid factor, complement, and mixed cryoglobulinemia. Clin Dev Immunol. 2012;2012:439018. doi: 10.1155/2012/439018. Epub 2012 Aug 26.

    PubMed 22956968
  • Wilson LE, Widman D, Dikman SH, Gorevic PD. Autoimmune disease complicating antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus infection. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2002 Dec;32(3):163-73. doi: 10.1053/sarh.2002.37277.

    PubMed 12528081
  • Saadoun D, Resche Rigon M, Thibault V, Longuet M, Pol S, Blanc F, Pialoux G, Karras A, Bazin-Karra D, Cazorla C, Vittecoq D, Musset L, Decaux O, Ziza JM, Lambotte O, Cacoub P. Peg-IFNalpha/ribavirin/protease inhibitor combination in hepatitis C virus associated mixed cryoglobulinemia vasculitis: results at week 24. Ann Rheum Dis. 2014 May;73(5):831-7. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-202770. Epub 2013 Apr 20.

    PubMed 23606708
  • Kowdley KV, Gordon SC, Reddy KR, Rossaro L, Bernstein DE, Lawitz E, Shiffman ML, Schiff E, Ghalib R, Ryan M, Rustgi V, Chojkier M, Herring R, Di Bisceglie AM, Pockros PJ, Subramanian GM, An D, Svarovskaia E, Hyland RH, Pang PS, Symonds WT, McHutchison JG, Muir AJ, Pound D, Fried MW; ION-3 Investigators. Ledipasvir and sofosbuvir for 8 or 12 weeks for chronic HCV without cirrhosis. N Engl J Med. 2014 May 15;370(20):1879-88. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1402355. Epub 2014 Apr 10.

    PubMed 24720702
  • Afdhal N, Zeuzem S, Kwo P, Chojkier M, Gitlin N, Puoti M, Romero-Gomez M, Zarski JP, Agarwal K, Buggisch P, Foster GR, Brau N, Buti M, Jacobson IM, Subramanian GM, Ding X, Mo H, Yang JC, Pang PS, Symonds WT, McHutchison JG, Muir AJ, Mangia A, Marcellin P; ION-1 Investigators. Ledipasvir and sofosbuvir for untreated HCV genotype 1 infection. N Engl J Med. 2014 May 15;370(20):1889-98. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1402454. Epub 2014 Apr 11.

    PubMed 24725239
  • Levo Y, Gorevic PD, Kassab HJ, Tobias H, Franklin EC. Liver involvement in the syndrome of mixed cryoglobulinemia. Ann Intern Med. 1977 Sep;87(3):287-92. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-87-3-287.

    PubMed 900672
  • Diagnosis and treatment of HCV-related mixed cryoglobulinemia over the last decade at a Liver Referral Center Ando, Y, Gorevic, PD, Schiano TD. Hepatology 58 2013 : 1443 abstract

  • Naarendorp M, Kallemuchikkal U, Nuovo GJ, Gorevic PD. Longterm efficacy of interferon-alpha for extrahepatic disease associated with hepatitis C virus infection. J Rheumatol. 2001 Nov;28(11):2466-73.

    PubMed 11708420
  • Levine JW, Gota C, Fessler BJ, Calabrese LH, Cooper SM. Persistent cryoglobulinemic vasculitis following successful treatment of hepatitis C virus. J Rheumatol. 2005 Jun;32(6):1164-7.

    PubMed 15940780

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2/3 study testing Harvoni and Epclusa in people with Hepatitis C and Cryoglobulinemia, run by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai at 1 site in United States.

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

Who may be eligible to take part?

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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Dec 2020. 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 United States. 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. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this combined 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.

Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.

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 17 Dec 2020). 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?

Sustained Virologic Response (SVR) (time frame: 2-4 weeks and 24 weeks after treatment). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02825212, which also lists 30 linked publications.

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 17 Dec 2020.

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