Rituximab in Graves' disease (RIGD)
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN20381716 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN20381716 |
| ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT) | Nil known |
| Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) | 2016-000209-35 |
| Protocol serial number | 32511 |
| Sponsor | Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust |
| Funder | Medical Research Council |
- Submission date
- 02/11/2016
- Registration date
- 03/11/2016
- Last edited
- 03/03/2022
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Graves’ disease, also known as Graves’ hyperthyroidism, is one of the most common conditions affecting the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland, located in the neck, is responsible for making thyroid hormones which play an important role in the regulation of brain activity, heart rate and gut function. In Graves’ disease, the immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland, causing it to become overactive and produce too much thyroid hormone. Treating Graves’ disease is much more difficult in young people because the available drugs are less likely to cure the condition and are more likely to be associated with side-effects. Only 1 in 4 affected young people will be cured after a 2 year course of standard therapy, usually with the drug Carbimazole, (CBZ). The other treatments used to treat Graves’ disease (surgery and treatment with radioactive iodine) are associated with additional risks in the young and could make the person dependent on life-long thyroid hormone replacement. Rituximab (RTX) is a medication used in the treatment of many immune disorders and works by targeting certain types of white blood cell, which are responsible for attacking the healthy parts of the body. The aim of this study is to find out whether the effects of RTX increase the likelihood of curing Graves’ disease in young people when given with a shortened course of standard CBZ treatment.
Who can participate?
Graves’ disease patients aged between 12-20 years who are at the beginning (first six weeks) of receiving treatment.
What does the study involve?
All participants receive a single dose of Rituximab through a drip at the start of the study. A relatively low dose of RTX is used (500mg) because it has recently been shown that this amount has the desired effect on the immune system in adults. Patients also receive a 12 month course of standard treatment with a drug such as Carbimazole. Over a period of two years, participants provide around 15 blood samples so that the effectiveness of the RTX treatment with the short course of standard therapy can be assessed.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The potential benefit of taking part is that treatment with RTX will reduce the likelihood of the thyroid gland over-activity returning when ATD is stopped. Around half of the people receiving a Rituximab infusion have a risk of experiencing some side effects. These can include, feeling hot or cold, shivering, feeling sick, or itchiness. Paracetamol, piriton and methylprednisolone (a steroid medicine) are used to help prevent this. If symptoms do develop then the treatment will be stopped for a few minutes and then restarted at a slower rate when the patient feels better. In addition, because RTX is acting on the immune system, there is a small risk (1 in 50) that patients will develop an infection, such as pneumonia, after the they are given the drug through a drip (infusion). If this happens then subjects will receive antibiotic treatment. Most people have RTX without any infection occurring as a result.
Where is the study run from?
Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Royal Victoria Infirmary (Lead centre) and nine other NHS hospitals in England and Scotland (UK)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
September 2016 to February 2021
Who is funding the study?
Medical Research Council (UK)
Who is the main contact?
Gillian Watson, gillian.watson@ncl.ac.uk
(updated 28/06/2021, previously: Dr Faye Wolstenhulme, faye.wolstenhulme@ncl.ac.uk)
Contact information
Scientific
Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit
Newcastle University
1-4 Claremont Terrace
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 4AE
United Kingdom
| Phone | +44 191 208 8813 |
|---|---|
| gillian.watson@newcastle.ac.uk |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Non-randomised; Both; Design type: Treatment, Drug, Cohort study |
| Secondary study design | Non randomised study |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | Adjuvant rituximab – a potential treatment for the young patient with Graves’ hyperthyroidism |
| Study acronym | RIGD |
| Study objectives | This aim of this study is to examine whether the effects of rituximab (RTX) increase the likelihood of Graves’ hyperthyroidism resolving in young people when administered in association with an abbreviated course of standard Carbimazole (CBZ) treatment. |
| Ethics approval(s) | Tyne and Wear South, 15/08/2016, ref: 16/NE/0253 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Specialty: Children, Primary sub-specialty: Diabetes and endocrinology; UKCRC code/ Disease: Metabolic and Endocrine/ Disorders of thyroid gland |
| Intervention | The trial involves administering a 500mg dose of Rituximab (RTX) together with a 12 month course of anti-thyroid drug (Carbimazole [CBZ] or Propylthiouracil [PTU]) to each participant with Graves’ hyperthyroidism. The trial team will follow the subjects for 2 years and the outcome will be whether or not they are in remission and hence no longer hyperthyroid at the end of this period. Typically 20 to 30 % of young patients with Graves’ hyperthyroidism enter remission after a 2 year course of anti-thyroid drug (ATD). If this pilot trial provides evidence that the remission rate is plausibly 40% or more, 2 years after a single dose of RTX and a 12 month course of ATD, then this will indicate a likely effect of RTX on disease outcome and justify a randomised efficacy evaluation of this adjuvant RTX regimen. Only participants who have consented and who have then screened negative for hepatitis and who have submitted a negative pregnancy test will be recruited to this trial. All participants will receive the RTX infusion during the course of a day-case admission that will last around 6 hours. Participants will then be seen in clinic every 4 weeks for the first 6 months, every 8 weeks for the following 6 months and then every 3 months in the second year of the trial. The final trial visit will be 2 years after the RTX infusion. Subjects will undergo a routine clinical examination at each clinic visit and they will be asked about possible adverse events. A blood sample will be taken at each visit so that a range of parameters including thyroid status and markers of immune function can be assessed. There will be phone contact after each clinic visit so that participants can be informed of their blood results with advice regarding the potential need for a revised ATD regimen during the first 12 months. |
| Intervention type | Drug |
| Phase | Phase II |
| Drug / device / biological / vaccine name(s) | 1. Rituximab 2. Carbimazole 3. Propylthiouracil |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Remission as assessed through measuring serum FT3 levels and serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations in blood samples or the need for alternative treatment at 2 years. |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
1. TRAb titre and related thyroid hormone status measured in blood samples taken at the time of RTX administration, 1 year after RTX and then at 2 years post RTX at the final trial visit |
| Completion date | 28/02/2021 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 27 |
| Total final enrolment | 27 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Excess thyroid hormone concentrations at diagnosis: elevated free tri-iodothyronine (FT3) and / or free thyroxine (based on local assay) 2. Suppressed (un-recordable) TSH (based on local assay) 3. Patients between the ages of 12-20 years inclusive who are less than 6 weeks from the initiation of anti-thyroid drug treatment (carbimazole or propylthiouracil) for the first time 4. Elevated thyroid binding inhibitory immunoglobulin or thyroid receptor antibodies (TRAb including TBII) based on local assay. Patients may or may not have a raised TPO antibody titre 5. All patients must be willing to use effective forms of contraception for 12 months post-treatment with Rituximab 6. If females are of childbearing potential, they must have a negative pregnancy test at screening. This will need to be repeated on the day of RTX administration if more than 7 days has elapsed since the screening visit or a negative pregnancy test. 7. Able and willing to adhere to a 2 year study period |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Previous episodes of autoimmune thyroid disease 2. Patients with an active, severe infection (e.g. tuberculosis, sepsis and opportunistic infections) or severely immunocompromised patients 3. Patients with known allergy or contraindication to carbimazole and propylthiouracil 4. Participants with previous use of immunosuppressive or cytotoxic drugs (including Rituximab and methylprednisolone but excluding inhaled glucocorticoid and oral glucocorticoid for asthma or topical glucocorticoid for eczema) 5. Chromosomal disorders known to be associated with an increased risk of autoimmune thyroid disease including Downs’ syndrome and Turners’ syndrome 6. Pregnancy, planned pregnancy during the study period or current breast-feeding 7. Absence of informed consent from parent/legal guardian for participants age < 16 years 8. Participants with previous use of immunosuppressive or cytotoxic drugs (including Rituximab and methylprednisolone but excluding inhaled glucocorticoid and oral glucocorticoid for asthma or topical glucocorticoid for eczema) 9. Participants with significant chronic cardiac, respiratory or renal disorder or non-autoimmune liver disease. • Participants with known allergy or contraindication to Rituximab or methylprednisolone 10. Participants with evidence of Hepatitis B/C infection, assessed by determining hepatitis ‘B’ surface antigen (HBsAg) status, hepatitis ‘B’ Core antibody (HB Core antibody) status and hepatitis ‘C’ virus antibody (HCV antibody) status 11. Participants in families who know they will be moving out of the catchment areas during the 2 years following RTX treatment 12. Participants currently involved in any other clinical trial of an IMP or who have taken an IMP within 30 days prior to trial entry |
| Date of first enrolment | 04/11/2016 |
| Date of final enrolment | 08/08/2018 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- United Kingdom
- England
- Scotland
Study participating centres
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4LP
United Kingdom
Edinburgh
EH9 1LF
United Kingdom
Edinburgh
EH16 4SA
United Kingdom
Birmingham
B4 6NH
United Kingdom
Birmingham
B15 2TH
United Kingdom
Sheffield
S10 2TH
United Kingdom
Sheffield
S10 2JF
United Kingdom
St. James's University Hospital
Leeds
LS9 7TF
United Kingdom
Beckett Street
Leeds
LS14 3AR
United Kingdom
Doncaster
DN2 5LT
United Kingdom
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Available on request |
| IPD sharing plan | The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study will be stored in a non-publically available repository EudraCT (https://eudract.ema.europa.eu/) and are available upon request from Dr Tim Cheetham (Chief Investigator, Tim.Cheetham@nuth.nhs.uk) |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | 17/02/2022 | 03/03/2022 | Yes | No | |
| Protocol article | protocol | 21/01/2019 | 12/02/2020 | Yes | No |
| HRA research summary | 28/06/2023 | No | No | ||
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
03/03/2022: The following changes have been made:
1. Publication reference added.
2. The total final enrolment number has been added from the reference.
28/06/2021: The plain English summary was updated.
12/02/2020: Publication reference added.
12/12/2019: The EudraCT number was added.
21/10/2019: The scientific contact has been changed.
12/11/2018: The intention to publish date was added.
06/11/2018: The recruitment end date was updated from 31/10/2018 to 08/08/2018.
16/03/2018: The following updates were made:
1. The recruitment end date has been updated from 28/02/2018 to 31/10/2018
2. The overall trial end date has been updated from 30/06/2020 to 28/02/2021
3. The Intention to publish date has been updated from 30/06/2021 to 28/02/2022
4. Dr Faye Wolstenhulme replaces Dr Ann Marie Hynes as the primary study contact
25/09/2017: Internal review.
04/11/2016: Verified study information with principal investigator.
