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RecruitingNCT06320626DosEmiUpdated Mar 20, 2024

Pharmacokinetic-guided Dosing of Emicizumab

A Phase 4 interventional study of Emicizumab - PK-guided dose reduction and Emicizumab - Dosis continuation group in Hemophilia A With Inhibitor, Hemophilia A Without Inhibitor and Hemophilia A, Severe, sponsored by Kathelijn Fischer. Recruiting at 8 sites in Netherlands. Open to male participants aged 1 Year and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-03-20.

Sponsored by Kathelijn Fischer · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Mar 2026, 7 months ago, but the record still lists the study as recruiting.
  • Registered 1 year 5 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Sep 2022, registered Feb 2024).
  • Started Sep 2022; still recruiting 4 years 1 month later.
Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
95
Allocation
Non-randomized
Ages
1 Year and older
Sex
Male
01

Study summary

The goal of this multicentre, prospective, open-label, cross-over clinical study is to determine whether individualized PK-guided dosing of emicizumab is non-inferior to conventional dosing of emicizumab in the prevention of bleeding in congenital haemophilia A patients.

Read the detailed description

Haemophilia A is an X-linked hereditary bleeding disorder resulting from a deficiency or dysfunction of endogenous coagulation factor VIII (FVIII). Persons with haemophilia A (PwHA) suffer from spontaneous or provoked bleeding, predominantly into major joints, which eventually lead to painful and chronic disabling arthropathy. The primary goal in clinical management of haemophilia A is prevention of bleeding by self-administration of FVIII concentrates via intravenous injections.

Prophylaxis with FVIII concentrates has effectively reduced treated bleeds from an annual average of 20-30 to 1-4. However, in approximately 30% of PwHA anti-FVIII antibodies (known as inhibitors) develop that interfere with FVIII replacement therapy. PwHA who develop inhibitors require alternative suboptimal therapy with (costly) bypassing agents (BPA).

The first approved non-factor therapy is the bispecific, FVIII-mimicking antibody, emicizumab (Hemlibra®), which came available in the Netherlands in July 2018. Emicizumab is a humanized, bispecific antibody connecting factor IX and factor X enabling the activation of FX and subsequent thrombin generation. Emicizumab has shown to be highly effective prophylaxis in PwHA by achieving a complete eradication of treated bleeds in around 80% of PwHA (n = 374) during the second 24-week interval of treatment. Furter advantages of emicizumab are the subcutaneous administration and less frequent dosing intervals every 1, 2 or 4 weeks due to a long half-life (t ½: 28 days). Despite many PwHA are candidate for prophylaxis with emicizumab, cost limit widespread access.

Currently, emicizumab is approved by F. Hoffmann-La Roche® with a loading dose of 3 mg/kg/week for four weeks and a maintenance dose of 1.5 mg/kg/week, 3 mg/kg/2 weeks or 6 mg/kg/4 weeks. These dose regimens were based on a pharmacometric approach instead of a dose finding study, and targeted a trough concentration (Ctrough) of 45 µg/ml by using pharmacokinetic (PK)simulations. Meanwhile long-term bleed data from the phase III and IV studies by the pharmaceutical company were included in pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) modelling studies, and the effective Ctrough was suggested at 30 µg/ml.

Although this Ctrough of 30 µg/ml is substantially lower than the previous Ctrough (45 µg/ml), the dose regimens were not adjusted. Conventional dosing leads to mean concentrations of 55 µg/ml with two thirds of the observations between 40 and 70 µg/ml (i.e., SD of ±15 µg/ml). Emicizumab has been approved based on fixed body-weight-based dosing and therefore the concentration target might have been kept higher to avoid lower effectivity due to inter-patient variability. However, reduced dosing of emicizumab, either by extending the dosing interval or lowering the dose, without sacrificing its efficacy has been reported in small case series.

Therefore, the investigators hypothesized that lower dosing of emicizumab targeted at Ctrough 30 μg/mL, is equally as effective and less costly in preventing bleeds as conventional dosing of emicizumab, and designed the DosEmi study to investigate the hypothesis in a large prospective cohort of adult and paediatric PwHA.

02

Conditions studied

  • Hemophilia A With Inhibitor
  • Hemophilia A Without Inhibitor
  • Hemophilia A, Severe
  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Adult

Browse trials for

Keywords

  • Emicizumab
  • Hemophilia A
  • Monoclonal antibodies
  • PK-guided dosing
  • Hemorrhage
03

In context

Hemophilia A

866 studies on the registry are indexed under Hemophilia A; 137 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 95 is above the median of 28 across 512 interventional studies indexed under Hemophilia A.

Browse Hemophilia A studies →

Lead sponsor

This is the only study on the registry with Kathelijn Fischer as lead sponsor.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
1 Year and older
Sexes eligible
Male
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Confirmed diagnosis of congenital haemophilia A, with a baseline endogenous FVIII of \<6 IU/ml
  • Aged > 1 year at inclusion (inclusion of children 1-16 years after favourable interim-analysis see protocol)
  • Receiving conventional dosing of emicizumab (6 mg/kg/4 weeks with varying intervals) for a duration of at least 12 months prior to inclusion;
  • Having good bleeding control, defined as:

i No spontaneous joint/muscle bleeds in the previous 6 months AND ii A maximum of two treated (traumatic) bleeds in the previous 6 months.

  • Willing and able to provide written informed consent, either by the subject or its parents/legal guardian
  • Willing to provide bleeding assessment information
  • Willing to adhere to the medication regimen

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Acquired haemophilia A
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
95 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Other
    Conventional dosing - open label

    Patients will be followed 6 months retrospectively and 6 months prospectively on conventional dosing.

    Other: Emicizumab - PK-guided dose reduction · Other: Emicizumab - Dosis continuation group · Other: Emicizumab - Dose adjustment group

  • Other
    PK-guided dosing - open label

    Patients with emicizumab concentration of ≥ 40 μg/mL will receive individualized PK-guided dose reduction of emicizumab targeted at a Ctrough of 30μg/mL. Patients will be followed for 12 months on reduced dosing.

    Other: Emicizumab - PK-guided dose reduction

  • Other
    No intervention continuation - open label

    Patients with emicizumab concentration of 25-39 μg/mL will continue on their current dose regimen. Patients will be followed for 12 months on current dosing.

    Other: Emicizumab - Dosis continuation group

  • Other
    No intervention adjusted - open label

    Patients with emicizumab plasma concentration \< 25 μg/mL will be adjusted in dosing regimen according to local protocol. Patients will be followed for selective safety data only.

    Other: Emicizumab - Dose adjustment group

Interventions

  • OtherEmicizumab - PK-guided dose reduction

    PK-guided dose reduction emicizumab targeted at a Ctrough of 30μg/mL.

    Also known as: Hemlibra

  • OtherEmicizumab - Dosis continuation group

    Continue on their current dose regimen

    Also known as: Hemlibra

  • OtherEmicizumab - Dose adjustment group

    Adjusted in dosing regimen according to local protocol

    Also known as: Hemlibra

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Proportion of patients without treated bleeds

    Comparison proportion treated bleeds 6 months before (conventional) and after intervention (PK-guided dosing)

    Time frame: 12 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Proportion of patients without treated bleeds

    Comparison proportion without treated bleeds 12 months before (conventional) and after intervention (PK-guided dosing)

    Time frame: 24 months

  2. Proportion of patients without spontaneous joint- or muscle bleeds

    Comparison proportion without spontaneous joint- or muscle bleeds 6 and 12 months before and after intervention.

    Time frame: 24 months

  3. Annualized bleeding rate (ABR) of treated bleeds, including joint bleeds and sport-induced bleeds

    Comparison annualized bleeding rate 6 and 12 months before and after intervention.

    Time frame: 24 months

  4. To compare cost-effectiveness between conventional dosing and individualized PK-guided dosing of emicizumab

    Direct and indirect medical costs: Direct medical costs are predominantly determined by consumption of emicizumab, additional FVIII, and/or bypassing agents, extracted from the hospital's pharmacy records. These data are highly reliable, as this medication is exclusively distributed by haemophilia treatment centers. Indirect medical costs: are number of (emergency) hospital visits, bleeding related hospital admissions and/or unscheduled surgeries, and days lost from work/school (for patients and/or caregivers).

    Time frame: 24 months

  5. To assess the cumulative number of coagulation factor (sc. and/or iv.) of per year.

    Assessment of the cumulative number of sc. and/or iv. Injections related to coagulation correction.

    Time frame: 24 months

  6. To assess the performance of the population PK model

    Predictive performance of the MAP Bayesian procedure used for the dose adaptation procedure, defined as % of patients within ±20% of target level/within the target level of 25-39 µg/mL of emicizumab.

    Time frame: 12 months

  7. To investigate whether direct joint health remains stable measured by physical examination when switching to lower-dosed emicizumab compared to conventional treatment

    Joint status will be measured by physical examination (Haemophilia Joint Health Score; HJHS),

    Time frame: 12 months

  8. To investigate whether direct joint health remains stable measured by ultrasound when switching to lower-dosed emicizumab compared to conventional treatment

    Joint status will be measured by ultrasound (if available, according to the HEAD US score).

    Time frame: 12 months

  9. To investigate if indirect joint health, as measured by biomarkers, remains stable when switching to lower doses of emicizumab compared to conventional treatment.

    biomarker assessment for inflammation and joint and cartilage turnover in blood. The biomarkers comprising origin of different joint tissues will be selected and adopted based on the literature on osteoarthritis, which is a rapidly changing area of research.

    Time frame: 12 months

  10. To investigate if indirect joint health, as measured by biomarkers, remains stable when switching to lower doses of emicizumab compared to conventional treatment.

    biomarker assessment for inflammation and joint and cartilage turnover in urine.The biomarkers comprising origin of different joint tissues will be selected and adopted based on the literature on osteoarthritis, which is a rapidly changing area of research.

    Time frame: 12 months

  11. To investigate whether Health Related Quality of Life (HR-QoL) are similar in patients receiving conventional dosing compared with PK-guided dosing of emicizumab.

    Health related quality of life will be assessed with EuroQol Five Dimensions Health Questionnaire (Youth) EQ5D(Y).

    Time frame: 12 months

  12. To investigate whether Health Related Quality of Life (HR-QoL) are similar in patients receiving conventional dosing compared with PK-guided dosing of emicizumab.

    Health related quality of life will be assed with PROMIS instruments (Physical Function/mobility and Pain Interference short forms).

    Time frame: 12 months

  13. To investigate whether sports participation are similar in patients receiving conventional dosing compared with PK-guided dosing of emicizumab.

    Sports participation (type, duration, frequency) will be assessed with Modifiable Activities Questionnaire (MAQ).

    Time frame: 12 months

  14. To investigate whether thrombin generation parameters can be used as a pharmacodynamic (PD) biomarker for emicizumab treatment efficacy.

    To measure coagulation potential, blood samples will be collected to measure thrombin generation (Peak Height and ETP)

    Time frame: 12 months

  15. To assess and monitor pain during emicizumab administration

    Assessment of pain during emicizumab administration by Visual Analogue Scale (scale 0-10)

    Time frame: 12 months

07

Study locations

8 of 8 sites recruiting
  • Radboud University Medical Center
    Nijmegen, Gelderland 6525 GA, Netherlands
    Recruiting
  • Maastricht University Medical Center
    Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
    • Floor Moenen, Dr, MD · Contact · floor.moenen@mumc.nl · +31433876543
    • Floor Moenen, Dr, MD · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
  • Amsterdam University Medical Center
    Amsterdam, Noord-Holland 1105 AZ, Netherlands
    • Michiel Coppens, Dr, MD · Contact · m.coppens@amsterdamumc.nl · +31(0)20 566 5964
    • Michiel Coppens, Dr, MD · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
  • HagaZiekenhuis
    Den Haag, Zuid-Holland 2545 CH, Netherlands
    Recruiting
  • Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum
    Leiden, Zuid-Holland 2300 RC, Netherlands
    • Paul den Exter, Dr, MD · Contact · p.l.den_exter@lumc.nl · +31 (0)71 526 1850
    • Paul den Exter, Dr, MD · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
  • Erasmus University Medical Center
    Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland 3000CA, Netherlands
    • Marjon Cnossen, Dr., MD · Contact · m.cnossen@erasmusmc.nl · +31107040113
    • Marjon Cnossen, Dr. MD · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
  • University Medical Center Groningen
    Groningen, 9700 RB, Netherlands
    • Louise Hooimeijer, MD · Contact · h.l.hooimeijer@umcg.nl · +310-503612740
    • Louise Hooimeijer, MD · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
  • University Medical Center Utrecht
    Utrecht, Netherlands
    • Kathelijn Fischer, Dr, MD · Contact · K.Fischer@umcutrecht.nl · +31887558450
    • Konrad van der Zwet, MD · Contact · dosemi@umcutrecht.nl · +31650124691
    • Kathelijn Fischer, Dr, MD · Principal investigator
    • Konrad van der Zwet, MD · Sub investigator
    • Lize F.D. van Vulpen, Dr, MD · Sub investigator
    • Roger E.G. Schutgens, Prof, MD · Sub investigator
    • Paul van der Valk, MD · Sub investigator
    • Karin P.M. van Galen, Dr, MD · Sub investigator
    • Nanda Uitslager, Msc · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Donners A, van der Zwet K, Egberts ACG, Fijnvandraat K, Mathot R, Kruis I, Cnossen MH, Schutgens R, Urbanus RT, Fischer K. DosEmi study protocol: a phase IV, multicentre, open-label, crossover study to evaluate non-inferiority of pharmacokinetic-guided reduced dosing compared with conventional dosing of emicizumab in people with haemophilia A. BMJ Open. 2023 Jun 26;13(6):e072363. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072363. PubMed 37369395 ↗
  • Berntorp E, Fischer K, Hart DP, Mancuso ME, Stephensen D, Shapiro AD, Blanchette V. Haemophilia. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2021 Jun 24;7(1):45. doi: 10.1038/s41572-021-00278-x. PubMed 34168126 ↗
  • Blanchette VS, Key NS, Ljung LR, Manco-Johnson MJ, van den Berg HM, Srivastava A; Subcommittee on Factor VIII, Factor IX and Rare Coagulation Disorders of the Scientific and Standardization Committee of the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis. Definitions in hemophilia: communication from the SSC of the ISTH. J Thromb Haemost. 2014 Nov;12(11):1935-9. doi: 10.1111/jth.12672. Epub 2014 Sep 3. No abstract available. PubMed 25059285 ↗
  • Srivastava A, Santagostino E, Dougall A, Kitchen S, Sutherland M, Pipe SW, Carcao M, Mahlangu J, Ragni MV, Windyga J, Llinas A, Goddard NJ, Mohan R, Poonnoose PM, Feldman BM, Lewis SZ, van den Berg HM, Pierce GF; WFH Guidelines for the Management of Hemophilia panelists and co-authors. WFH Guidelines for the Management of Hemophilia, 3rd edition. Haemophilia. 2020 Aug;26 Suppl 6:1-158. doi: 10.1111/hae.14046. Epub 2020 Aug 3. No abstract available. Erratum In: Haemophilia. 2021 Jul;27(4):699. doi: 10.1111/hae.14308. PubMed 32744769 ↗
  • Callaghan MU, Negrier C, Paz-Priel I, Chang T, Chebon S, Lehle M, Mahlangu J, Young G, Kruse-Jarres R, Mancuso ME, Niggli M, Howard M, Bienz NS, Shima M, Jimenez-Yuste V, Schmitt C, Asikanius E, Levy GG, Pipe SW, Oldenburg J. Long-term outcomes with emicizumab prophylaxis for hemophilia A with or without FVIII inhibitors from the HAVEN 1-4 studies. Blood. 2021 Apr 22;137(16):2231-2242. doi: 10.1182/blood.2020009217. Erratum In: Blood. 2023 Oct 12;142(15):1329. doi: 10.1182/blood.2023022214. PubMed 33512413 ↗
  • Yoneyama K, Schmitt C, Kotani N, Levy GG, Kasai R, Iida S, Shima M, Kawanishi T. A Pharmacometric Approach to Substitute for a Conventional Dose-Finding Study in Rare Diseases: Example of Phase III Dose Selection for Emicizumab in Hemophilia A. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2018 Sep;57(9):1123-1134. doi: 10.1007/s40262-017-0616-3. PubMed 29214439 ↗
  • Retout S, Schmitt C, Petry C, Mercier F, Frey N. Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis and Exploratory Exposure-Bleeding Rate Relationship of Emicizumab in Adult and Pediatric Persons with Hemophilia A. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2020 Dec;59(12):1611-1625. doi: 10.1007/s40262-020-00904-z. PubMed 32504271 ↗
  • Jonsson F, Schmitt C, Petry C, Mercier F, Frey N, Retout S. Exposure-Bleeding Count Modeling of Emicizumab for the Prophylaxis of Bleeding in Persons with Hemophilia A with/Without Inhibitors Against Factor VIII. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2021 Jul;60(7):931-941. doi: 10.1007/s40262-021-01006-0. Epub 2021 Mar 12. PubMed 33709296 ↗
  • Donners AAMT, Rademaker CMA, Bevers LAH, Huitema ADR, Schutgens REG, Egberts TCG, Fischer K. Pharmacokinetics and Associated Efficacy of Emicizumab in Humans: A Systematic Review. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2021 Nov;60(11):1395-1406. doi: 10.1007/s40262-021-01042-w. Epub 2021 Aug 13. PubMed 34389928 ↗
  • Lehtinen AE, Lassila R. Do we need all that emicizumab? Haemophilia. 2022 Mar;28(2):e53-e55. doi: 10.1111/hae.14483. Epub 2021 Dec 30. No abstract available. PubMed 34970820 ↗
  • Chuansumrit A, Sirachainan N, Jaovisidha S, Jiravichitchai T, Kadegasem P, Kempka K, Panuwannakorn M, Rotchanapanya W, Nuntiyakul T. Effectiveness of monthly low dose emicizumab prophylaxis without 4-week loading doses among patients with haemophilia A with and without inhibitors: A case series report. Haemophilia. 2023 Jan;29(1):382-385. doi: 10.1111/hae.14707. Epub 2022 Nov 29. No abstract available. PubMed 36446746 ↗
  • Bansal S, Donners AAMT, Fischer K, Kshirsagar S, Rangarajan S, Phadke V, Mhatre S, Sontate B, Silva M, Ansari S, Shetty S. Low dose emicizumab prophylaxis in haemophilia a patients: A pilot study from India. Haemophilia. 2023 May;29(3):931-934. doi: 10.1111/hae.14785. Epub 2023 Apr 8. No abstract available. PubMed 37029771 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes

Supporting information: Study protocol, Sap

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 20, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06320626
Lead sponsor
Kathelijn Fischer
Collaborators
Erasmus Medical Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Radboud University Medical Center, Maastricht University Medical Center, University Medical Center Groningen, HagaZiekenhuis, Dutch Society of Haemophilia Patients
Responsible party
Kathelijn Fischer (Principal Investigator, UMC Utrecht) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Mar 20, 2024
Start date
Sep 8, 2022
Primary completion
Mar 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Aug 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Mar 20, 2024

Study contacts

Kathelijn Fischer, Dr, MD.
Contact
k.fischer@umcutrecht.nl
+318 875 584 50
Konrad VD van der Zwet, MD
Contact
k.vanderzwet@umcutrecht.nl
+31650124691
Study Officials Fischer, Dr, MD
principal investigator · UMC Utrecht

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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