Active clinical trials for "Immune System Diseases"

Background: There has been little research on the long-term health effects from oil spills, even though at least 10 percent of all oil tanker spills between 1970 and 2009 have affected coastal populations. The Deepwater Horizon disaster, with its release of approximately 5 million barrels (~680,000 tons) of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, is far larger than any of the individual tanker spills. Given the magnitude of this spill and the scope of the potential exposures, including the 55,000 workers involved in clean-up efforts and countless residents of the affected areas, researchers are interested in monitoring Gulf clean-up workers to understand the adverse consequences of oil spills in general. The Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study will investigate health effects associated with the clean-up activities following the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010. More than 100,000 persons completed safety training in preparation for participation in clean-up activities related to the spill. Many of these individuals participated in active clean-up efforts, but others did not. Exposures among persons involved in clean-up range from negligible to potentially significant, especially for workers involved in tasks associated with direct exposure to crude or burning oil, or to chemical dispersants. However, prediction of adverse health effects is not possible because the long-term human health consequences of oil spills are largely unknown. In addition to the oil itself, the widespread economic and lifestyle disruption caused by the oil spill may contribute to mental health problems among this population. Objectives: - To investigate potential short- and long-term health effects associated with clean-up activities and exposures surrounding the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Eligibility: - English-, Spanish-, and Vietnamese-speaking workers and volunteers at least 21 years of age engaged or potentially engaged in oil spill clean-up operations in the Gulf of Mexico, or who lived in affected areas (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida coastal regions). Design: Participants will be divided into groups of those who performed oil-spill clean-up-related work ( exposed ) and those who did not engage in clean-up-related work ( unexposed controls). Participants will be screened with a full medical history and physical examination, as well as an interview to determine the nature of their potential exposure. Participants will provide blood, hair, toenail, urine, and saliva (spit) samples. Participants may also have a lung function exam. Participants will have researchers collect dust from their homes by using wipes and special vacuum bags. Participants will also provide detailed contact information, including their Social Security number, to be contacted in the future for long-term health follow-up appointments. These appointments will include 30-minute telephone interviews every 2 years.

The investigators are measuring the effectiveness of Ocrevus™ in helping patients with hand or arm weakness, especially if posed by a more advanced MS patient than those included in the clinical trials.

The aim of the study is to conduct one RCT of personalized immunotherapy in sepsis targeting patients who lie either on the predominantly hyper-inflammatory arm or on the predominantly hypo-inflammatory arm of the spectrum of the host response. These patients will be selected by the use of a panel of biomarkers and laboratory findings and they will be randomly allocated to placebo or immunotherapy treatment according to their needs.

The main purpose of this trial is to assess the safety and feasibility of treatment with two-dose infusion of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue expanded in vitro in patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT, who have developed chronic and extensive graft versus host disease (GVHD). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) express low levels of HLA class I molecules, and do not express class II molecules neither CD40, CD80 and CD86, being unable to induce proliferation of allogeneic lymphocytes. In addition, MSCs inhibit lymphocyte proliferation by inhibiting cell division and maintaining these cells in a quiescent state. This supports the hypothesis that MSCs are universal suppressors.

The objective of this study is to determine whether 12 weeks of mesalamine therapy added to a standard HIV treatment decreases systemic immune activation and inflammation in HIV-infected patients, possibly resulting in better recovery of the immune system. The study hypothesis is that decreasing inflammation directly in the gut may decrease both of these potential causes of chronic inflammation, potentially resulting in an immunologic benefit.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether LJP 394 (abetimus sodium) is safe and effective in delaying and reducing renal flares in patients with lupus nephritis.

A phase 2, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study to evaluate the effect of tezepelumab on airway inflammation in adults with inadequately controlled asthma.

B7451029 is a Phase 3 study to investigate PF-04965842 in adult patients who have moderate to severe atopic dermatitis and use background topical therapy. The efficacy of two dosage strengths of PF-04965842, 100 mg and 200 mg taken orally once daily will be evaluated relative to placebo over 12 weeks. The efficacy of the two dosage strengths of PF-04965842 will be compared with dupilumab in terms of pruritus relief at 2 weeks. The two dosage strengths of PF-04965842 and dupilumab 300 mg injected subcutaneously once every two weeks (with a loading dose of 600 mg injected on the first day) will also be evaluated relative to placebo over 16 weeks. The safety of the investigational products will be evaluated over the duration of the study. Subjects will use non-medicated emollient at least twice a day and medicated topical therapy such as corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors or PDE4 inhibitors, as per protocol guidance, to treat active lesions during the study. Subjects who are randomized to receive one of the two dosage strengths of PF-04965842 will also receive placebo injectable study drug every two weeks until Week 16 and then will continue on receiving only the oral study drug for 4 weeks. Subjects who are randomized to receive dupilumab injections every two weeks will also receive oral placebo to be taken once daily until Week 16 and will then continue to receive only the oral placebo for 4 weeks. Subjects who are randomized to the placebo arms, will receive both daily oral placebo and injectable placebo every two weeks until Week 16, after which they will receive either 100 mg or 200 mg of PF-04965842 taken orally once daily for 4 weeks, dependent upon which arm they have been allocated to. Eligible subjects will have an option to enter a long-term extension study after completing 20 weeks of treatment.

Atopic Dermatitis (AD), also known as eczema, is a common skin disease characterized by itchy lesions. The prevalence of AD has increased over the past few decades, with 15-30% of children and 2-10%of adults being affected. The lesions of AD patients are very inflamed, with an increased number of inflammatory cells in the skin. There are not many medications available that are fully effective and can be used long-term for treatment of atopic dermatitis. Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody used for treatment of a type of asthma called "eosinophilic asthma". Atopic dermatitis is also associated with elevated levels of eosinophils, and we would like to determine if benralizumab is effective in patients with atopic dermatitis. This is a randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled study will evaluate the effect of 3 doses of a fixed 30 mg dose of benralizumab administered subcutaneously (SC) every 4 weeks to patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, on the severity of atopic dermatitis, and the cellular inflammation of skin lesions in these patients. Anti-inflammatory properties of benralizumab when a skin flare is induced in a controlled laboratory setting, in addition to the effects of benralizumab on skin that is already inflamed will be examined.It is hypothesized that benralizumab will attenuate eosinophilic inflammation in the skin.

B7451014 is a Phase 3 study to investigate PF-04965842 in patients aged 12 years and over with a minimum body weight of 40 kg who have moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. Subjects responding well to an initial open-label 12 week treatment of PF-04965842 (200 mg) taken orally once daily (QD) will be identified and randomized in a double-blind manner to receive 200 mg QD PF-04965842, 100 mg QD PF-04965842, or QD placebo. Efficacy and safety of 2 doses of PF-04965842 will be evaluated relative to placebo over 40 weeks. Subjects experiencing significant worsening of their symptoms, i.e., protocol-defined flare, enter 12 weeks rescue treatment and receive 200 mg PF-04965842 together with a marketed topical medicine. Eligible patients will have the option to enter a long-term extension study after completing the initial 12 week treatment, the 12 week rescue treatment, and the 40 week blinded treatment.