Randomized Autologous heMatopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Versus Alemtuzumab, Cladribine or Ocrelizumab for RRMS (RAM-MS)

NCT ID: NCT03477500

Last Updated: 2025-06-25

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

100 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-03-21

Study Completion Date

2028-03-21

Brief Summary

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This study is a randomized multicentre, multinational, treatment interventional study of RRMS patients with breakthrough inflammatory disease activity in spite of ongoing standard immunomodulatory medication. The study has two treatment arms; arm A: HSCT (hematopoietic stem cell transplantation) and arm B: alemtuzumab, cladribine or ocrelizumab. A pre-planned 3-year follow-up extension period will be performed depending on future funding.

The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness and side effects of a new treatment intervention in RRMS; HSCT, and, thereby, the value of HSCT in clinical practice. Data from recently published patient series indicate that HSCT may have a significantly higher treatment effect than currently registered RRMS immunomodulatory treatments. This study will determine the relative role of HSCT versus alemtuzumab, cladribine or ocrelizumab.

Detailed Description

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This is a randomized study of autologous HSCT using a low intensity, non-ablative conditioning regimen with cyclophosphamide and ATG versus treatment with the currently presumed best available immunomodulatory medication (alemtuzumab, cladribine or ocrelizumab) in RRMS patients with significant inflammatory disease activity in spite of ongoing immunomodulatory MS treatment.

Significant disease activity is defined as having one or more clinically reported multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse(s), AND 1 or more T1 Gd-enhanced lesion(s), OR three or more new or enlarging T2 lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over the last year while being treated on immunomodulatory medication by standard national guidelines. The relapse(s) must have occurred 3 or more months after the onset of an immunomodulatory treatment, as immunomodulatory treatment in MS may reach full effect after 3 months or more.

Both the knowledge of the treatment effect of registered immunomodulatory therapies for RRMS, and the number of treatments approved for RRMS by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are rapidly increasing. During the study period, there may thus appear new supplementing information on other MS immunomodulatory treatments that favour the use of a new comparator (replacing or supplementing the comparators). This will be evaluated by the PMC if applicable during the study period and the planned extension period.

If the treatment efficacy obtained by HSCT is better than the currently most efficacious standard, immunomodulatory treatment in randomized treatment trials, HSCT will likely be approved as a part of the standard treatment recommendations for a significant proportion of RRMS patients. A randomized study regarding with statistical power to evaluate the clinical outcome of autologous HSCT compared to a standard immunomodulatory treatment in MS has not yet been published. Except for Sweden, HSCT is currently not registered as a part of standard MS treatment in the public health services of Europe. The HSCT regimen for the study will be identical to the regimen used in similar patient populations in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

Alemtuzumab, cladribine or ocrelizumab have been chosen as the primary comparators, because they are the immunomodulatory medication currently authorised by the EMA for treatment of RRMS with the most favourable therapeutic effects. In a meta-analysis of immunomodulatory treatment effects in RRMS, thse medications had the most eminent reduction of annualized relapse rate and 3 month confirmed disability progression.

In this study, a health economic evaluation will be included. Accordingly, the proposed study should provide a robust basis for future official decisions regarding the role of HSCT in RRMS treatment.

Conditions

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Multiple Sclerosis

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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HSCT (Cyclophosphamide and ATG)

Day 1: Cyclophosphamide 2.0 g/m2 body surface area Days 5-10: Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (filgrastim) 5 mcg/kg body weight/day sc.

Day 11 and until apheresis is discontinued: Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (filgrastim) 5 mcg/kg body weight x 2 sc/day.

HSCT days -5 to -2: Cyclophosphamide 50 mg/kg/day. HSCT days -5 to -1: Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG-rabbit, Thymoglobuline®) 0.5 mg/kg body weight iv on day -5, 1.0 mg ATG-rabbit/kg will be given iv on day -4, and 1.5 mg ATG-rabbit /kg will be given iv on days -3,-2 and -1 over 10 hours.

HSCT day 0: Reinfusion of a minimum of 3,0 x 106 CD 34+ cells/kg body weight.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Cyclophosphamide and ATG

Intervention Type DRUG

Hematopoetic stem cell transplantation

Alemtuzumab, Cladribine or Ocrelizumab

Alemtuzumab, Cladribine or Ocrelizumab administered after the label of the study drug.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Alemtuzumab

Intervention Type DRUG

Alemtuzumab (Lemtrada)

Cladribine Pill

Intervention Type DRUG

Cladribine (Mavenclad)

Ocrelizumab

Intervention Type DRUG

Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus)

Interventions

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Cyclophosphamide and ATG

Hematopoetic stem cell transplantation

Intervention Type DRUG

Alemtuzumab

Alemtuzumab (Lemtrada)

Intervention Type DRUG

Cladribine Pill

Cladribine (Mavenclad)

Intervention Type DRUG

Ocrelizumab

Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus)

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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Sendoxan Lemtrada Mavenclad Ocrevus

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Age between ≥18 to ≤50, both genders
2. Women of childbearing potential\* (WOCBP) and men in a sexual relation with WOCBP must be ready and able to use highly effective methods of birth control per ICH M3 (R2) that result in a low failure rate of less than 1% per year when used consistently and correctly.
3. Diagnosis of RRMS using revised McDonald criteria of clinically definite MS1
4. An EDSS score of 0 to 5.5
5. Significant inflammatory disease activity in the last year despite treatment with standard disease modifying therapy (interferon beta, glatiramer acetate, dimethyl fumarate, teriflunomide, fingolimod, natalizumab)

a. Significant inflammatory disease activity is defined by: i. One or more clinically reported multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse(s), ii. AND 1 or more T1 Gd-enhanced lesion(s), iii. OR three or more new or enlarging T2 lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) The relapse(s) must have been treated with iv or oral high dose corticosteroids prescribed by a neurologist, and must have occurred 3 or more months after the onset of an immunomodulatory treatment, as MS immunomodulatory treatment may reach full effect after 3 months or more2.
6. The patient is a RRMS-patient referred from neurological departments in Norway, Denmark, Sweden or possibly other European countries to an assigned study site.
7. Signed informed consent and expected patient cooperation regarding the treatment schemes and procedures planned in the treatment and follow-up periods must be obtained and documented according to ICH GCP and national/local regulations.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Known hypersensitivity or other known serious side effects for any of the study medications, including co-medications such as high-dose glucocorticosteroids
2. Any illness or prior treatment that in the opinion of the investigators would jeopardize the ability of the patient to tolerate aggressive chemotherapy or high-dose glucocorticosteroids
3. Any ongoing infection, including Tbc, CMV, EBV, HSV, VZV, hepatitis virus, toxoplasmosis, HIV or syphilis infections, as well as heaptitis B surface antigen positivity and/or hepatitis C PCR positivity verified at Visit 1
4. Patients without a history of chickenpox or without vaccination against varicella zoster virus (VZV), unless tested for antibodies to VZV. VZV negative patients can only be included if they receive vaccination against VZV at least 6 weeks prior to inclusion.
5. Current or previous treatments with long-term effects that may influence the treatment effects or potential toxicities/side effects of the treatment arms. This includes, but is not restricted to previous treatment with rituximab, mitoxantrone, alemtuzumab, cladribin and ocrelizumab
6. Immunocompromised patients, or patients currently reveiving immunosuppressive or myelosuppressive therapy
7. Treatment with glucocorticoids or ACTH within one month prior to start of study treatment
8. Having experienced an MS relapse within one month prior to study inclusion
9. Prior or current major depression
10. Prior or current psychiatric illness, mental deficiency or cognitive dysfunction influencing the patient ability to make an informed consent or comply with the treatment and follow-up phases of this protocol.
11. Prior or current alcohol or drug dependencies
12. Cardiac insufficiency, cardiomyopathy, significant cardiac dysrhytmia, unstable or advanced ischemic heart disease (NYHA III or IV)
13. Significant hypertension: BP \> 180/110
14. Active malignancy, or prior history of malignancy except localized basal cell, squamous skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix.
15. Known untreated or unregulated thyroid disease
16. Failure to willingly accept or comprehend risk of irreversible sterility as a side effect of therapy
17. WBC \< 1,5 x 109/L if not caused by a reversible effect of documented ongoing medication. If WBC \< 1,5 x 109/L is caused by a reversible effect of documented ongoing medication the WBC count must be \> 1,5 x 109/L before start of study treatment.
18. Platelet (thrombocyte) count \< 100 x 109/L
19. ALAT and/or ASAT more than 2 times the upper normal reference limit (UNL)
20. Serum creatinine \> 200 µmol/L
21. Serum bilirubin \> ULN
22. Moderate or severely impaired kidney function (creatinine-clearance below 60 ml/min)
23. Presence of metallic objects implanted in the body that would preclude the ability of the patient to safely have MRI exams
24. Diagnosis of primary progressive MS
25. Diagnosis of secondary progressive MS
26. Treatment with natalizumab and fingolimod within the last 2 months, and treatment with dimetylfumurat within the last month (washout must be performed as specified in section 5.1) prior to start of study medication.
27. Use of teriflunomide (Aubagio®) within the previous 2 years unless cleared from the body (plasma concentration \< 0.02 mcg/ml following elimination from the body with cholestyramine or activated powdered charcoal) as specified in section 5.1 prior to start of study medication.
28. Any hereditary neurological disease such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease or Spinocerebellar ataxia
29. Any disease that can influence the patient safety and compliance, or the evaluation of disability
30. History of hypersensitivity reaction to rabbit
31. Women who are pregnant, breast-feeding, or who plan to become pregnant within the timeframe of this study
32. Currently enrolled in another investigational device or drug study, or less than 30 days since ending another investigational device or drug study(s), or receiving other investigational treatment(s). Patients participating in a purely observational trial will not be excluded.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

50 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Haukeland University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Lars Bø, MD, Phd

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Haukeland University Hospital

Anne Kristine Lehmann, MD, PhD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Haukeland University Hospital

Astrid Kittang, MD, PhD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Haukeland University Hospital

Einar Kristoffersen, MD, PhD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Haukeland University Hospital

Øivind Torkildsen, MD, PhD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Haukeland University Hospital

Trygve Holmøy, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University Hospital, Akershus

Margitta Kampman, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Tromsø University Hospital

Kathrine K Liane, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

St. Olavs Hospital

Joachim Burman, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Akademiska sjukhuset, Uppsala

Morten Blinkenberg, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Rigshospitalet, Denmark

Jan Lycke, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Locations

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Rigshospitalet

Copenhagen, , Denmark

Site Status

VUmc

Amsterdam, , Netherlands

Site Status

Haukeland University Hospital

Bergen, , Norway

Site Status

Akershus University Hospital

Oslo, , Norway

Site Status

University Hospital of North Norway

Tromsø, , Norway

Site Status

St. Olav's University Hospital

Trondheim, , Norway

Site Status

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Gothenburg, , Sweden

Site Status

Akademiska sjukhuset

Uppsala, , Sweden

Site Status

Countries

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Denmark Netherlands Norway Sweden

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Related Links

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http://www.ram-ms.no

Study site (in Norwegian)

Other Identifiers

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2017-001362-25

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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