Clinical trial NCT00201682: Etanercept and Rituximab in Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma
Official title: Phase I/II Study of Etanercept and Rituximab in Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE1
PHASE2
Conditions: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma
Keywords: Leukemia
Lymphoma
Lead sponsor: Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2005-09-20
Enrollment: 36
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This is a phase I/II study of the combination of etanercept and rituximab in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). This combination is proposed to improve the efficacy and diminish the toxicity of this the

Detailed description: Rationale: Previous research has demonstrated that rituximab has efficacy against chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody used to treat different types of lymphomas. Monoclonal antibodies are a type of immunotherapy used against some types of cancer. They are produced in a laboratory and designed to target as well as bind with cells that carry specific proteins. Rituximab attaches to a protein called CD20 that is found almost exclusively on the surface of B-cells. Once rituximab attaches to the protein, the immune system activates to kill the malignant B-cells. Researchers are investigating what other therapies to combine with rituximab to reduce side effects and improve patient outcomes. The current study combines etanercept with rituximab. Etanercept is an anti-inflammatory agent being tested as a therapy for cancer. Researchers want to assess the theory that etanercept may reduce the toxicity associated with rituximab in patients and increase efficacy while providing its own treatment benefit to patients.

Purpose: This study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of combination etanercept and rituximab in patients with CLL and SLL. The biological response of tumor cells and the immune system to this drug combination will also be measured in patients before, during, and after therapy administration.

Treatment: Patients in this study will receive etanercept and rituximab. Etanercept is given through injections into the skin and rituximab through intravenous infusions. During the first week of the study, etanercept alone will be given to patients two times. During the second week, patients will continue receiving etanercept twice weekly and begin receiving rituximab three times weekly. This schedule of etanercept twice weekly and rituximab three times weekly will be repeated four times. Several tests and exams will be given throughout the study to closely monitor patients. Treatments will be discontinued due to disease growth or unacceptable side effects.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Must have been previously treated CLL/SLL
* Must have CD20 expression
* ECOG PS =\<3
* No prior Campath-1H
* No active infection requiring antibiotics
* No concurrent immunosuppressive therapy
* No prior history demyelinating neurologic disease
* No active viral hepatitis

Exclusion Criteria:

* No pregnant or breastfeeding women
* ECOG PS =4
* Life expectancy of \>12 weeks
* Patients with bilirubin or creatinine\>3.0 mg/dl

Primary outcomes:
measure: To determine the feasibility and toxicity of the combination of etanercept and rituximab in patients with CLL/SLL.
timeFrame: up to 1 year
measure: Determine if etanercept increases the complete response rate while decreasing the frequency of infusion-related toxicity in patients with CLL/SLL receiving rituximab therapy.
timeFrame: up to 1 year
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Columbus
country: United States
facility: Ohio State University Medical Center
state: Ohio
Study officials:
affiliation: Ohio State University
name: John Byrd, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Woyach JA, Lin TS, Lucas MS, Heerema N, Moran ME, Cheney C, Lucas DM, Wei L, Caligiuri MA, Byrd JC. A phase I/II study of rituximab and etanercept in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma. Leukemia. 2009 May;23(5):912-8. doi: 10.1038/leu.2008.385. Epub 2009 Feb 19.