An observational study in Aortitis and Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA), sponsored by Groupe français d'étude des Maladies Inflammatoires de loeil. Recruiting at 1 site in France. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-12-20.
Sponsored by Groupe français d'étude des Maladies Inflammatoires de loeil · Observational
This is a french multicenter observational study assessing safety and efficacy of biosimilar of Tocilizumab in Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) with active aortitis, including 14 reference centers from the Groupe d'Etude Français des vascularites des gros vaisseaux (GEFA).
Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA), formerly known as temporal arteritis, is the most common form of systemic vasculitis in patients aged ≥ 50 years. GCA is defined by granulomatous arteritis that affects large#sized and medium#sized blood vessels with a predisposition to affect the cranial arteries. Aortitis accounted for more than 50% of GCA patients with the new imaging techniques. Aortitis is typically diagnosed using imaging tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or Computed Tomography (CT) scans. Aortitis is an inflammation of the aorta, leading to a range of symptoms such as fever, weight loss, fatigue, and chest pain. In severe cases, aortic aneurysms or aortic dissection can occur, which can be life-threatening.
Multiple reports have demonstrated the presence of abnormal pro-inflammatory cytokine production in large-vessel vasculitis patients, particularly those with GCA, including interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, IL-18, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interferon-γ, by T lymphocytes and macrophages. IL-6 has been implicated as a crucial cytokine in the pathogenesis of aortitis and targeting its signaling has shown promising results in treating the condition. IL-6 inhibitors such as tocilizumab have been found to effectively reduce disease activity and improve clinical outcomes in GCA patients.
The GIACTA study (GiAnt cell arteritis roActemra (tocilizumab) study) was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in the treatment of GCA. The study included 251 patients with newly diagnosed or relapsing GCA and found that treatment with tocilizumab significantly increased the proportion of patients who achieved sustained remission from GCA at 52 weeks, compared to placebo. Additionally, tocilizumab was associated with a lower incidence of disease flares and a reduced need for glucocorticoid therapy.
Following the positive results of the GIACTA study, tocilizumab was approved for the treatment of GCA in adults with active disease, including aortitis, who have not responded to glucocorticoids, or for whom glucocorticoid therapy is not appropriate, by regulatory agencies around the world, including the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency.
However, the efficacy of IL-6 inhibitors on aorta inflammation as assessed by modern and powerful imaging techniques has never been specifically studied in GCA.
This observational study will provide important informations on the impact of Tyenne® (tocilizumab) associated with short term low dose steroids on clinical manifestations and vessel inflammation and damage in aortitis of GCA.
This is a prospective, observational study involving patients with active aortitis related to GCA.
After verification of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and signature of the consent form, patients are included in the study. Patients will be followed and managed according to standard of care (visits and exams).
Oral corticosteroids must be at a stable dose for at least 2 weeks prior to the first administration of study drug at D0.
Baseline prednisone dose Corresponding dose (mg/day) at each week
CG(mg/d) ____60_____50_____40_____30_____25_____20_____15____10____7.5 (at baseline)
60__________W0
50__________W1____W0
40__________W2____W1____W0
30__________W3____W2____W1____W0
25___________ - ____W3____W2____W1____W0
20__________W4____W4____W3____W2____W1____W0
15__________W5____W5____W4____W3____W2____W1____W0
10__________W6____W6____W5____W4____W3____W2____W2____W0
7.5__________ - _____ - ______ - _____W5____W4____W3____W3____W1____W0
5 ___________W7____W7____W6____W6____W5____W4____W4____W2____W2
0 ___________W8____W8____W7____W7____W6____W6____W5____W4____W4
Sample size:
The investigators anticipated a remission rate of 70% at weel 24 based on pooled data from Viliger et al (1) and Stone et al (2). Viliger et al reported 85% of GCA remission at week 12 and week 52 with tocilizumab(1). Stone et al reported 56% of remission of GCA at week 52 under tocilizumab weekly with less than 10% of relpases between week 24 and week 52 (2). A total of 80 patients will ensure estimating the 24-week remission rate with a precision of +/- 11% using an exact 95% confidence intervalgiven the expected 70% remission rate.
Statistical analysis:
Descriptive analyses will be performed with counts and percent for discrete variables and median and interquartile range for continuous variables. The primary endpoint will be described with the 24-week remission proportion point estimate and its exact 95% confidence interval (95%CI) (Clopper Pearson). Secondary endpoints will be described using a similar approach for binary endpoints,continuous endpoints will be decsribed unsing median (IQR) and also mean (SD) with approximate Gaussian 95%CI for the mean.Kaplan Meier estimator or cumulative incidence estimates allowing competing risks when appropriate (i.e. treatment discontinuation due to toxicity), will be used for right-ecensored time to event variables, with 95% confidence intervals.
147 studies on the registry are indexed under Giant Cell Arteritis; 49 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 80 is below the median of 128 across 78 observational studies indexed under Giant Cell Arteritis.
Browse Giant Cell Arteritis studies →Groupe français d'étude des Maladies Inflammatoires de loeil is the lead sponsor of 6 studies on the registry; 4 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Adult patients with active aortitis associated with GCA, requiring treatment with Tocilizumab biosimilar within the scope of its market authorization (standard of care)
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:
Blood count abnormality:
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.
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 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.
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.
Vaccines made with a weakened form of the germ, such as measles–mumps–rubella (MMR), chickenpox and yellow fever. They can be risky when the immune system is weakened. Flu injections are not live; the nasal flu spray is.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).
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.
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.
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.
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.
Live vaccines
Vaccines made with a weakened form of the germ, such as measles–mumps–rubella (MMR), chickenpox and yellow fever. They can be risky when the immune system is weakened. Flu injections are not live; the nasal flu spray is.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Creatinine clearance (CrCl)
How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ALT and AST (liver enzymes)
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ULN (upper limit of normal)
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Platelets
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hemoglobin (Hb)
The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Adult patients with active aortitis associated with GCA, requiring treatment with Tocilizumab biosimilar used within the scope of its market authorization (standard of care)
To evaluate the proportion of patients with remission of GCA
Proportion of patients with remission of GCA at week 24. EULAR consensus definitions for remission in GCA and other types of LVV is defined as the absence of all clinical signs and symptoms attributable to active LVV, normalization of ESR and CRP values, and no evidence of progressive aortic damage at angio CT and Tep FDG.
Time frame: week 24
To assess the cumulative incidence of relapse
Cumulative incidence of relapse
Time frame: Weeks 12, 24, 36 , 52 and 104
To assess the proportion of GCA in remission (according to EULAR consensus definitions) after treatment start
Proportion of GCA in remission according to EULAR consensus definitions) after treatment start
Time frame: Weeks 12, 24, 36 , 52 and 104
To assess the cumulative dose of prednisone
Cumulative prednisone dose
Time frame: Weeks 12, 24, 36, 52 and 104
To assess the cumulative incidence of severe adverse events
* Glucocorticoid Toxicity Index (GTI) at Weeks 24, 52 and 104; * Cumulative incidence of severe adverse events at Weeks 12, 24, 36 , 52 and 104, defined as those of grades III, IV or V, according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE);
Time frame: Weeks 12, 24, 36, 52 and 104
To assess the proportion of radiological vascular progression
Proportion of radiological vascular progression defined by : * new vascular lesions detected in CTA * new vascular lesions detected in Tep-scan
Time frame: Weeks 12, 24, 36 , 52 and 104
To assess the cumulative incidence of vascular revascularization procedures
Cumulative incidence of vascular revascularization procedures needs (either endovascular or surgical) required due to inflammatory vascular activity
Time frame: Weeks 24, 52 and 104
Plan to share: Undecided
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Groupe français d'étude des Maladies Inflammatoires de loeil