A Phase 3 interventional study of Rituximab and placebo in Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA), sponsored by Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris. Completed at 1 site in France. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-06.
Sponsored by Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
The purpose of the study is to determine wether a rituximab-based treatment compared to standard therapy (glucocorticoid alone) in patients with microscopic polyangiitis without any bad prognosis marker increases the remission and reduces the relapse free survival rate.
Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), is a small-sized vessel necrotizing vasculitis associated with anti-neutrophils cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA). Treatment of ANCA associated vasculitis (AAV) was previously based on glucocorticoids (GC) and cyclophosphamide. It has been demonstrated in two prospective randomized trials that rituximab is as effective as cyclophosphamide in the induction treatment of GPA and severe MPA. In addition, it was shown in GPA and MPA that rituximab is superior to azathioprine as maintenance therapy.
Patients with MPA without poor prognosis factor (Five factor score (FFS)=0) have not been included in the previous studies and GC alone is considered as the reference treatment in these patients. However, as much as 50% of these patients experience relapses after a 24 months follow-up and only 40% of patients have a long lasting remission.
In the group of patients with MPA without any poor prognosis factor (FFS=0), an additional treatment with rituximab might decrease the relapse rate from 40% to 15% after an 18 months' follow-up. The efficacy and safety of this proposal must be tested.
69 studies on the registry are indexed under Microscopic Polyangiitis; 12 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 8 is below the median of 84 across 41 interventional studies indexed under Microscopic Polyangiitis.
Browse Microscopic Polyangiitis studies →Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris is the lead sponsor of 3,592 studies on the registry; 1,033 are open to participants now.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Patient already receiving or biological agent.
Prior treatment with any of the following:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.
Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Childbearing potential
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Immunosuppression
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis B tests
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
NYHA class (heart failure)
The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.
Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Experimental regimen: One year Glucocorticoid treatment and Rituximab IV 1 gram on Day 1 and 15
Drug: Rituximab
Standard regimen: One-year Glucocorticoid treatment and Placebo-Rituximab IV on Day 1 and 15
Drug: placebo
1 gram IV on Day 1 and 15 after premedication with 100 mg méthylprednisolone, 1 gramm paracetamol and 5 mg dexchlorpheniramine
Placebo-Rituximab 1 gram IV on Day 1 and 15 after premedication with 100 mg méthylprednisolone, 1 gramm paracetamol and 5 mg dexchlorpheniramine
Disease free survival rate
Failure free survival in patients with microscopic polyangiitis treated with rituximab and glucocorticoids compared to glucocorticoids alone. * Primary failure: Vasculitis requiring a modification of immunosuppressive treatment or prednisone tapering protocol before M3 * Remission is defined by the absence of sign attributable to vasculitis and a Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS)=0 at M3 * Relapse is defined after visit M3 by a BVAS\>0 or the impossibility to decrease glucocorticoids according to the predefined protocol. Therefore, patients who experience a primary failure or fail to enter remission or relapse will be considered as treatment failure. Death will also be considered as a treatment failure
Time frame: 18 months
Cumulative dose of GC in each group
GC dose will be recorded at each visit
Time frame: 18 months
Proportion of patients who achieve a complete remission defined by the absence of sign attributable to vasculitis and a BVAS=0
Absence of sign attributable to vasculitis and a BVAS=0 at M3
Time frame: 1 month
Compare proportion of patients who relapse and time to first relapse
Relapse is defined after visit M3 by the reoccurrence of signs or symptoms attributable to vasculitis and a BVAS≥1 or the impossibility to decrease GC therapy according to the predefined protocol
Time frame: 18 months
Among patients who relapse, proportion of major relapses
Major relapse is defined by reappearance or worsening of disease with a BVAS≥1 and involvement of at least one major organ, a life-threatening manifestation, or both
Time frame: 18 months
Among patients who relapse, proportion of minor relapses
Minor relapse is defined by reappearance or worsening of disease with a BVAS≥1, not corresponding to a major relapse
Time frame: 18 months
Mortality rate
Proportion will be compared between groups
Time frame: 18 months
Quality of life:Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36)
Assessed by mean variation of the SF-36 The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) questionnaire includes 36 items related to eight health component (physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role emotional and mental health.) A scale has been established for each component and results vary from 0 (bad health perception) to 100 (good health perception).
Time frame: 18 months
Disability
Assessed by the mean variation of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) is a questionnaire that evaluates the disability of the patient. Results vary from 0 (no assistance is needed) to 3 (patient usually needs both a special device and help from another person).
Time frame: 18 months
Disability
Assessed by the mean variation of the Euroqol 5D (EQ-5D). The EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D-3L) is a standardized measure of health status developed by the EuroQol Group in order to provide a simple, generic measure of health for clinical and economic appraisal. The EQ-5D is made up of five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain or discomfort, and anxiety or depression), each of which can be rated at one of three levels (no problem, some problems, extreme/severe problems). The EuroQol questionnaire also contains a visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS), where patients are asked to rate their current health state on a 0 (worst imaginable health state) to 100 (best imaginable health state) scale.
Time frame: 18 months
Severity of sequels linked to vasculitis as
Assessed by comparison of the VDI score. The Vascular Damage index score documents any organ damage that has occurred in patients since the onset of vasculitis. The score includes 64 items that are categorized into 11 groups (by organ system) and result is the summ of each damaged items.
Time frame: 18 months
Proportion of patients who still receive GC at the end of follow-up
Proportion will be compared between groups
Time frame: 18 months
Number and severity of side effect.
Record of adverse events and serious adverse events related to vasculitis or treatment in each group. Classification is made according to the CTCAE toxicity grading system.
Time frame: 18 months
Plan to share: No
This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Studies of the drug tested here: Rituximab
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