Conditions: Lupus Nephritis
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 52
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This 2 arm study will compare the efficacy and safety of CellCept plus corticosteroids, versus cyclophosphamide plus corticosteroids in the induction phase followed by azathioprine in the maintenance phase, in maintaining remission and renal function in patients with lupus nephritis. Patients will be randomized to receive CellCept 1g bid po plus corticosteroids for 24 weeks, followed by CellCept 0.75g bid po plus corticosteroids for the following 24 weeks, or cyclophosphamide 0.5-1.0g/m2 monthly plus corticosteroids for 24 weeks, followed by azathioprine 2mg/kg/day po plus corticosteroids for the following 24 weeks. Response rate will be assessed at the end of the induction phase, and at the end of study. The anticipated time on study treatment is 3-12 months, and the target sample size is 100-500 individuals.

Detailed description:

Arms:
arm 1: Participants received mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) 0.5 grams (g), orally (PO), twice daily (BID) from Day 0 to the end of Week 1, followed by 1.0 g, PO, BID from Weeks 2 through 24, and 0.75 g, PO, BID from Weeks 32 to 48. Participants also received prednisolone 0.75 to 1.0 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), PO, once per day, up to a maximum of 60 mg per day from Weeks 1 through 4, reduced by 10 mg per day every 2 weeks until dose reaches 40 mg per day, followed by a reduction of 5 mg per day every 2 weeks until dose reaches 10 mg per day up to Week 48. arm 2: Participants received cyclophosphamide 0.75 grams per square meter (g/m\^2), intravenously (IV), every 4 weeks from Weeks 1 through 4, and 0.5 to (-) 1.0 g/m\^2, IV, to maintain a minimum white blood cell (WBC) count of greater than or equal to (≥) 2500 per cubic millimeter (mm\^3) every 4 weeks from Weeks 5 through 24. Participants also received azathioprine 100 mg, PO, daily for participants with a body weight of 50 to 70 kg and 150 mg, PO, daily for subjects with a body weight of more than 70 kg from Weeks 25 through 48. Participants also received prednisolone 0.75 to 1.0 mg/kg, PO, once per day, up to a maximum of 60 mg per day from Weeks 1 through 4, reduced by 10 mg per day every 2 weeks until dose reaches 40 mg per day, followed by a reduction of 5 mg per day every 2 weeks until dose reaches 10 mg per day up to Week 48.

Interventions: intervention 1: Mycophenolate Mofetil intervention 2: Corticosteroids intervention 3: Azathioprine intervention 4: Cyclophosphamide
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: 0.5 g PO BID from Day 0 to the end of Week 1, followed by 1.0 g PO BID from Weeks 2 through 24, and 0.75 g PO BID from Weeks 32 to 48 intervention 2: 0.75 to 1.0 mg/kg/d PO (up to 60 kg/day) from Weeks 1 through 4; reduced by 10 mg/day every 2 weeks until dose reaches 40 mg/day, followed by a reduction of 5 mg/day every 2 weeks until dose reaches 10 mg/day up to Week 48 intervention 3: 100 mg PO daily for participants with a body weight of 50 to 70 kg,150 mg PO daily for subjects with a body weight of more than 70 kg up to Week 48 intervention 4: 0.75 g/m\^2 IV every 4 weeks from Weeks 1 through 4, and 0.5-1.0 g/m\^2 to maintain a minimum WBC count of ≥ 2500 per mm\^3 from Weeks 5 through 24

Protocol document: