Conditions: Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria
Keywords: Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 38
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The investigators are recruiting for a chronic hives study. This research is being done to test whether an investigational drug called AstraZeneca drug (AZD)1981 may be helpful for treating people with Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria who continue to have symptoms despite taking antihistamines. The word "investigational" means that AZD1981 is not approved for marketing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is allowing the use of AZD1981 in this study.

People with chronic hives lasting for at least 6 months and without a known cause may join. The study involves 6 visits over 8 weeks. Approximately 48 participants expected to take part in this study at the Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Clinic. All participants will be treated with the study medication and/or placebo for 8 weeks.

The results of this trial may have a benefit others with Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria who don't respond well to antihistamines by generating experience and data to support the design of a larger, multicenter trial investigating the efficacy of AZD1981 in treating antihistamine refractory CIU.

Detailed description:
The investigators propose to use AZD1981 in subjects with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) who are otherwise uncontrolled on first-line, oral antihistamine therapy. The skin lesion pathology in CIU shows a perivascular infiltrate of lymphocytes (both Th2 and Th1), eosinophils, and basophils, and closely resembles an allergen-induced late-phase reaction. Further, murine studies show that the chemoattractant receptor-homologous molecule expressed on Th2 (CRTh2) pathway is important in leukocyte recruitment following allergen challenge of the skin. Our proposed hypothesis is that AZD1981 in CIU will reduce CRTh2-expressing, leukocyte recruitment to the skin and reduce leukocyte activation through CRTh2, thus reducing the signs and symptoms in CIU refractory to control with antihistamines.

Arms:
arm 1: AZD1981 for oral administration will be available in tablet form. AZD1981 tablets will be provided in 10 mg strengths.

The drug will be self-administered by the subject. Subjects will take 4 tablets in the morning, 4 tablets in the afternoon, and 4 tablets in the evening.

The tablets should be swallowed whole with a glass of water. arm 2: The placebo will be available in tablet form. The placebo contains the same ingredients as the AZD1981 with the exception of the active compound.

The placebo will be self-administered by the subject. Subjects will take 4 tablets in the morning, 4 tablets in the afternoon, and 4 tablets in the evening.

The tablets should be swallowed whole with a glass of water.

Interventions: intervention 1: AZD1981 intervention 2: Placebo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: AZD1981 is an oral, potent, selective, reversible antagonist of CRTh2 (Chemoattractant Receptor Homologous Molecule expressed on Th2 cells). intervention 2: Sugar pill manufactured to mimic AZD1981 10 mg tablet

Protocol document: