Safety and Efficacy Study of Photopheresis Plus Standard Therapy to Treat Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease

Mallinckrodt

Status and phase

Completed

Phase 2

Conditions

Graft-versus-Host Disease

Treatments

Drug: Methoxsalen

Procedure: Extracorporeal Photopheresis

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Industry

Identifiers

NCT00054613

GvHD-SK1

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine whether extracorporeal photoimmune therapy with UVADEX (ECP) added to standard therapy is effective in the treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD).

Full description

For patients who survive allogeneic bone marrow transplants greater than 100 days, chronic GvHD is a major cause of non-relapse morbidity and mortality. Depending on the presence of known associated risk factors, chronic GvHD will occur in 20-50% of these transplant recipients, with mortality rates varying from 20 to 70%.

Because a lymphocyte-mediated immune reaction is thought to be involved in GvHD, suppression of these cells by means other than medications could have benefit in the GvHD population.

ECP is a technique in which peripheral white blood cells are exposed to a photoactivatable compound (UVADEX) administered extracorporeally and ultraviolet A light. After cells are reinfused into the patient, their function is altered, thereby activating mechanisms that allow for further regulation of specific lymphocyte populations.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether ECP, in conjunction with standard therapy, is effective in the treatment of chronic GvHD. Efficacy of the therapy with respect to skin manifestations of the disease will be determined by a blinded skin assessor.

Sex

All

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Documented skin disease classical for chronic GvHD (e.g. hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, lichenoid lesions, sclerodermatous lesions)greater than or equal to 100 days post transplantation.
Patients with documented chronic GvHD that is corticosteroid refractory, corticosteroid dependent or corticosteroid intolerant.
Women of childbearing potential must agree to use a reliable method of birth control for the duration of this study.
Patients must weight at least 40 kg (88 lbs.)

Exclusion criteria