Steroid Sparing in Immune Related Hepatitis (irH)
Primary Purpose
Hepatitis Immune
Status
Not yet recruiting
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Active Surveillance
Early initiation
Sponsored by
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Hepatitis Immune focused on measuring immune related hepatitis, steroid sparing
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients must be 18 years of age, or older on the day of signing informed consent.
- Patients must be capable of providing consent to enrolment and treatment.
- Patients with a performance status of ECOG 0-2 will be eligible for enrolment.
- Patients with histologically confirmed cancer receiving anti-PD1 or anti-PDL1 monoclonal antibody ICI therapy, either alone or in combination with anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody ICI therapy who develop CTCAEv5.0 grade 2 or grade 3 hepatitis that has developed on, or after, ICI therapy and is felt to be treatment related (irH).
- Absence of any condition hampering compliance with the study protocol and follow- up schedule; those conditions should be discussed with the patient before registration in the trial.
- Assessment by the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM) ≥6 showing probable relationship between ICI and liver injury (appendix)
Exclusion Criteria:
- History underlying liver disease, including, but not limited to: hepatitis B, C, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary sclerosis, hemochromatosis, primary sclerosis cholangitis, portal vein thrombosis, Budd Chiari syndrome, alcohol induced hepatitis, suspected drug-induced liver injury from other cause (e.g. acetaminophen, antibiotics, statins, methyldopa, non-prescription herbs, see NIH LiverTox website https://livertox.nih.gov for comprehensive list).
- Liver biopsy supporting a cause of liver dysfunction other than irH
- Patients with an indication for systemic immunosuppressive medications or corticosteroids. Patients with CTCAEv5.0 grade ≥2 irAE's other than irH (ie. colitis, pneumonitis, rash, etc.) are not eligible for trial, with the exception of endocrinopathies that are being treated with hormone replacement alone and not systemic immunosuppressive medications or corticosteroids.
- Abnormal International Normalization Ratio (INR) at baseline (≥1.5) and bilirubin ≥60, ALT of ≥10X.
- Previous use of targeted therapies for treatment of malignancy (e.g. BRAF, MEK, EGFR, and VEGF inhibitors) or current treatment with chemotherapy
- Present use of warfarin.
- Diagnosis of immunodeficiency.
- Current use of immunosuppressive medication, EXCEPT for the following: a. intranasal, inhaled, topical steroids, or local steroid injection (e.g., intra-articular injection); b. Steroids as premedication for hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., CT scan premedication).
- Known prior severe hypersensitivity to investigational product or any component in its formulations, including known severe hypersensitivity reactions to monoclonal antibodies (CTCAEv5.0 Grade ≥ 3).
- Other severe acute or chronic medical conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, immune pneumonitis, pulmonary fibrosis or psychiatric conditions including recent (within the past year) or active suicidal ideation or behavior; or laboratory abnormalities that may increase the risk associated with study participation or study treatment administration or may interfere with the interpretation of study results and, in the judgment of the investigator, would make the patient inappropriate for entry into this study.
Sites / Locations
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm Type
Experimental
Active Comparator
Arm Label
1- Active Surveillance
2- Early initiation of steroid (Standard)
Arm Description
Active surveillance with rescue corticosteroids
Early intervention with high-dose steroids
Outcomes
Primary Outcome Measures
Resolution of biochemical abnormalities in grade 2 and grade 3 irH at 12 weeks.
The primary objective of this clinical trial is to determine if active surveillance with steroid salvage is a non-inferior strategy in grade 2 and grade 3 irH in patients without evidence of liver dysfunction. Resolution will be defined as improved in irH to grade ≤1. This was chosen as a clinically significant endpoint as it is often used by oncologists to determine if patients may resume ICI therapy. Assessment and grading will be completed by the investigator according to CTCAEv5.0
Secondary Outcome Measures
Safety of Steroid Sparing Strategy
To evaluate the safety of surveillance strategy based on rates of hospitalization, ICU admission, development of clinically significant liver failure (e.g. decompensated hepatic failure) and death.
Total steroid usage
Total steroid usage (defined as the total amount of prednisone or prednisone equivalent in mg required over the study period).
Development of immune related adverse events (irAE's) other than irH.
Defined as the emergence of adverse events that were not present at study baseline that are deemed by the investigator to be related to prior use of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Causality will be investigator assessed and graded according to CTCAEv5.0.
Re-initiation of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
The proportion of patients in each study arm that are re-treated with an immune checkpoint inhibitor.
The time elapsed between randomization and tumor progression (radiographically or clinically) or death from any cause
Progression free survival
Full Information
NCT ID
NCT05345847
First Posted
March 23, 2022
Last Updated
October 12, 2023
Sponsor
AHS Cancer Control Alberta
1. Study Identification
Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT05345847
Brief Title
Steroid Sparing in Immune Related Hepatitis (irH)
Official Title
A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Steroid Sparing Strategy in Immune Related Hepatitis
Study Type
Interventional
2. Study Status
Record Verification Date
October 2023
Overall Recruitment Status
Not yet recruiting
Study Start Date
December 30, 2023 (Anticipated)
Primary Completion Date
February 1, 2026 (Anticipated)
Study Completion Date
February 1, 2027 (Anticipated)
3. Sponsor/Collaborators
Responsible Party, by Official Title
Sponsor
Name of the Sponsor
AHS Cancer Control Alberta
4. Oversight
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product
No
Data Monitoring Committee
Yes
5. Study Description
Brief Summary
A multi-centre, randomized, non-inferiority trial in patients with irH, randomized to receive either close surveillance with corticosteroid rescue therapy or early high dose corticosteroids.
Detailed Description
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a class of immunotherapy drugs that helps signal to the immune system to seek out and destroy cancer. However despite showing clinical benefit over traditional chemotherapy, ICIs can lead to certain toxicities called immune-related adverse events (irAEs).
One of these irAEs is immunotherapy related hepatitis (irH) and is an important and less common toxicity of ICI therapy that could develop into a rare but serious complication of sudden liver failure. The management of irH includes high-dose steroids and use of steroids is not without significant side effects, especially when used for longer term.
Given the potential consequences of high dose long-term corticosteroids along with the implications of permanently discontinuing therapy, it is necessary to better understand the pathophysiology associated with irH and clarify the role of steroids in managing this patient population. It is especially important to determine which patients require intervention with steroids and other immunosuppression versus those that could simply be monitored for spontaneous resolution.
The results of this trial will identify predictors of irH resolution and inform judicious use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive therapy for this at-risk population.
This study has been designed as a randomized, phase II non-inferiority study to investigate the efficacy of an active surveillance with steroid rescue strategy compared to early initiation of corticosteroids in the setting of irH secondary to ICIs. The study treatment period is 12 weeks with twice weekly liver enzyme function assessments. Once irH has improved to by one CTCAE grade (i.e. grade 3 to 2, or grade 2 to 1), this can be decreased to weekly assessment. For patients who continue to have asymptomatic liver enzyme elevation of grade 2 or higher, maintaining a surveillance strategy beyond this point is not appropriate, as investigators may wish to adjust therapy, especially if this is resulting in delay in resuming ICI. In this setting, weekly liver enzyme assessment will continue. The frequency of liver enzyme monitoring can be increased at the discretion of the investigator or hepatologist.
Following the initial 12-week period, further surveillance with an observation period consisting of every 3 weekly assessments will be completed for a total of 40 weeks (total study duration of 52 weeks). Participants will continue follow up for a total of one year to allow the capture longer term data as well as other endpoints.
6. Conditions and Keywords
Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Hepatitis Immune
Keywords
immune related hepatitis, steroid sparing
7. Study Design
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Masking
None (Open Label)
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
55 (Anticipated)
8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions
Arm Title
1- Active Surveillance
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Active surveillance with rescue corticosteroids
Arm Title
2- Early initiation of steroid (Standard)
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
Early intervention with high-dose steroids
Intervention Type
Other
Intervention Name(s)
Active Surveillance
Intervention Description
Close monitoring of liver enzymes with steroid rescue strategy (watch and wait approach)
Intervention Type
Other
Intervention Name(s)
Early initiation
Intervention Description
Immediate start of high-dose steroids
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Resolution of biochemical abnormalities in grade 2 and grade 3 irH at 12 weeks.
Description
The primary objective of this clinical trial is to determine if active surveillance with steroid salvage is a non-inferior strategy in grade 2 and grade 3 irH in patients without evidence of liver dysfunction. Resolution will be defined as improved in irH to grade ≤1. This was chosen as a clinically significant endpoint as it is often used by oncologists to determine if patients may resume ICI therapy. Assessment and grading will be completed by the investigator according to CTCAEv5.0
Time Frame
12 weeks
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Safety of Steroid Sparing Strategy
Description
To evaluate the safety of surveillance strategy based on rates of hospitalization, ICU admission, development of clinically significant liver failure (e.g. decompensated hepatic failure) and death.
Time Frame
1 year
Title
Total steroid usage
Description
Total steroid usage (defined as the total amount of prednisone or prednisone equivalent in mg required over the study period).
Time Frame
1 year
Title
Development of immune related adverse events (irAE's) other than irH.
Description
Defined as the emergence of adverse events that were not present at study baseline that are deemed by the investigator to be related to prior use of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Causality will be investigator assessed and graded according to CTCAEv5.0.
Time Frame
1 year
Title
Re-initiation of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
Description
The proportion of patients in each study arm that are re-treated with an immune checkpoint inhibitor.
Time Frame
1 year
Title
The time elapsed between randomization and tumor progression (radiographically or clinically) or death from any cause
Description
Progression free survival
Time Frame
1 year
10. Eligibility
Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
Patients must be 18 years of age, or older on the day of signing informed consent.
Patients must be capable of providing consent to enrolment and treatment.
Patients with a performance status of ECOG 0-2 will be eligible for enrolment.
Patients with histologically confirmed cancer receiving anti-PD1 or anti-PDL1 monoclonal antibody ICI therapy, either alone or in combination with anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody ICI therapy who develop CTCAEv5.0 grade 2 or grade 3 hepatitis that has developed on, or after, ICI therapy and is felt to be treatment related (irH).
Absence of any condition hampering compliance with the study protocol and follow- up schedule; those conditions should be discussed with the patient before registration in the trial.
Assessment by the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM) ≥6 showing probable relationship between ICI and liver injury (appendix)
Exclusion Criteria:
History underlying liver disease, including, but not limited to: hepatitis B, C, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary sclerosis, hemochromatosis, primary sclerosis cholangitis, portal vein thrombosis, Budd Chiari syndrome, alcohol induced hepatitis, suspected drug-induced liver injury from other cause (e.g. acetaminophen, antibiotics, statins, methyldopa, non-prescription herbs, see NIH LiverTox website https://livertox.nih.gov for comprehensive list).
Liver biopsy supporting a cause of liver dysfunction other than irH
Patients with an indication for systemic immunosuppressive medications or corticosteroids. Patients with CTCAEv5.0 grade ≥2 irAE's other than irH (ie. colitis, pneumonitis, rash, etc.) are not eligible for trial, with the exception of endocrinopathies that are being treated with hormone replacement alone and not systemic immunosuppressive medications or corticosteroids.
Abnormal International Normalization Ratio (INR) at baseline (≥1.5) and bilirubin ≥60, ALT of ≥10X.
Previous use of targeted therapies for treatment of malignancy (e.g. BRAF, MEK, EGFR, and VEGF inhibitors) or current treatment with chemotherapy
Present use of warfarin.
Diagnosis of immunodeficiency.
Current use of immunosuppressive medication, EXCEPT for the following: a. intranasal, inhaled, topical steroids, or local steroid injection (e.g., intra-articular injection); b. Steroids as premedication for hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., CT scan premedication).
Known prior severe hypersensitivity to investigational product or any component in its formulations, including known severe hypersensitivity reactions to monoclonal antibodies (CTCAEv5.0 Grade ≥ 3).
Other severe acute or chronic medical conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, immune pneumonitis, pulmonary fibrosis or psychiatric conditions including recent (within the past year) or active suicidal ideation or behavior; or laboratory abnormalities that may increase the risk associated with study participation or study treatment administration or may interfere with the interpretation of study results and, in the judgment of the investigator, would make the patient inappropriate for entry into this study.
Central Contact Person:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
Omar F Khan, MD
Phone
403-5213350
Email
Omar.Khan@albertahealthservices.ca
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
Amy Abel
Phone
403-476-2506
Email
amy.abel@albertahealthservices.ca
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Omar Khan, MD
Organizational Affiliation
AHS Cancer Control Alberta
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
12. IPD Sharing Statement
Plan to Share IPD
No
Learn more about this trial
Steroid Sparing in Immune Related Hepatitis (irH)
We'll reach out to this number within 24 hrs