A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Masked, Clinical Trial of Autologous Serum Eye Drops for Severe Ocular Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD) in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) Patients

Some eye diseases can be helped by eye drops made from a person's own blood. These eye drops are called autologous serum eye drops, or ASEDs. ASEDs have been studied in only a few people with graft vs. host disease (GVHD) affecting the eye and were found to be helpful with few side effects.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether ASEDs are safe and more effective than control (normal saline) and can help with eye symptoms in people with severe chronic eye GVHD.

Each participant in this study was to have blood drawn to prepare ASEDs specifically for the participant. Each participant was scheduled to receive ASEDs for 3 months and placebo eye drops (salt water) for 3 months. Participants did not know when they were receiving the ASEDs and when they were receiving placebo eye drops.

Objective:

A common, serious and debilitating long term complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCST) is chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Ocular GVHD develops in up to 85% of patients with chronic GVHD. It is characterized by progressive keratitis sicca and cicatrizing ocular inflammatory surface disease with T cell mediated damage to conjunctival and corneal epithelium and lacrimal tissue. Various medical and surgical treatments have been used, such as various lubricating agents, steroid drops and ointments, cyclosporin drops, punctal plugs or cautery and partial tarsorrhaphy. However, in severe cases, none offer acceptable, long-lasting relief from pain, irritation, dryness and diminished vision associated with ocular GVHD. An alternative treatment that has previously been safely investigated is autologous serum eye drops (ASEDs). The objective of this study was to determine whether ASEDs are more effective than control (normal saline) in the treatment of severe chronic ocular GVHD in HSCT patients unresponsive to standard medical treatment.

Study Population:

Eighteen post-HSCT patients with severe ocular GVHD unresponsive to standard medical treatment were enrolled. Initially, 34 post-HSCT patients with severe ocular GVHD unresponsive to standard medical treatment were to be enrolled. However, only 18 enrolled, as the investigational product (IP) was no longer provided to participants as of June 2015 due to manufacturing issues.

Design:

This was a Phase 2, randomized, double-masked, controlled, crossover, single-center study to investigate ASEDs in participants with severe chronic ocular GVHD. During the initial crossover phase of the study, participants participated in a two-period, six-month, crossover study in which participants were randomized to one of two treatment sequence groups. The two groups were: 1) daily administration of ASEDs for the first three months and then crossover to control (normal saline) eye drops beginning at Month 3 through Month 6, or 2) daily administration of control (normal saline) eye drops for the first three months and then crossover to ASEDs beginning at Month 3 through Month 6. Participants in both groups applied the assigned drops four times per day for six months, as well as maintained their current standard ocular GVHD therapy. Following the initial crossover phase, beginning at the Month 6 visit, participants were provided ASEDs as open-label treatment on an as-needed basis until study completion. As of June 2015, participants were informed to discontinue use of the IP and send it back the NIH Pharmacy. During the first year, required clinic visits occurred at Baseline, Months 3, 6 and 12 with required telephone follow-up visits at Months 7 and 9. Following the Month 12 visit, participants were evaluated every six months, alternating telephone follow-up visits with clinic visits, until the last enrolled participant reached his/her Month 12 visit. At the discretion of the Investigator, participants who did not complete the Month 12 visit had the most recent study visit constitute as the final safety visit, otherwise the participant was scheduled for a final safety visit within 4 1/2 months. Participants who already surpassed the Month 12 visit were scheduled for a final safety visit within 4 1/2 months.

Outcome Measures:

The primary outcome was the proportion of participants experiencing a ≥ 50% reduction in the combined score of the modified Oxford punctate keratopathy grading and the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Eye Institute (NEI) visual analogue scale in the study eye from baseline to Month 3. A ≥ 50% reduction in the combined score is considered a treatment success. While the design is a crossover study, the primary outcome was assessed after the first period at Month 3. Secondary outcomes included changes in the combined score of the modified Oxford punctate keratopathy grading and the NIH/NEI visual analogue scale in both eyes from baseline to the end of each period, changes in the chronic ocular GVHD Composite Assessment Scale (CAS) score, objective testing, subjective testing and global chronic GVHD assessments in both eyes. Safety outcomes were the number and severity of systemic and ocular toxicities and adverse events. The number of participants withdrawn from the study treatment due to vision loss, adverse events or treatment failure also contributed to the assessment of safety.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria

1. Participant must be 18 years of age or older.
2. Participant must understand and sign the protocol's informed consent document.
3. Participant must have severe ocular Graft-versus-host Disease (GVHD) in one (unilateral) or both (bilateral) eyes with the following characteristics in the study eye:

   1. Combined score of modified Oxford punctate keratopathy grading and National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Eye Institute (NEI) visual analogue scale of ≥ 4, and
   2. Composite assessment scale (CAS) score of ≥ 3, and
   3. Schirmer's tear test without anesthesia of ≤ 5 mm, and
   4. Not responsive to standard medical treatment for at least three months prior to randomization. Standard medical treatment includes cyclosporine (Restasis®) ophthalmic emulsion (if tolerated), steroid drops (unless contraindicated), lubricating drops and ointments.
4. Participant is enrolled in an NIH study at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) or National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
5. Participant is willing and able to supply an adequate amount of blood to create the autologous serum eye drops (ASEDs).

Exclusion Criteria

1. Participant is unable to comply with study procedures or follow-up visits.
2. Participant is seropositive with positive nucleic acid confirmatory tests for human immunodeficiency virus-1/2 (HIV-1/2), human T lymphotropic virus-I/II (HTLV-I/II), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and/or hepatitis B virus (HBV) without confirmed history of vaccination.
3. Participant has GVHD proliferative keratopathy, uveitis or GVHD retinopathy in either eye.
4. Participant has an active ocular infection in either eye.
5. Participant has an allergy to dilating or anesthetic eye drops.
6. Participant has used Boston Scleral Lens (or similar lenses) in either eye or has used ASEDs in either eye within the past two months. Participants who have used the Boston Scleral Lens (or similar lenses) or ASEDs in either eye who did not respond to treatment and have stopped using them for at least two months are eligible.