Clinical Research Directory

Systemic Sclerosis DIet for GastrointESTinal Symptoms

This research will evaluate the effect of diets on bloating/distention, assess changes in abdominal pain, and overall gastrointestinal symptom burden in Systemic Sclerosis. The researchers will do this by comparing outcomes of people assigned to 3 different diets. Following the research specifics of the diets will be available upon contact with the details listed below.

Controlling Hyperactive Immunity With Long-lived Lymphocytes

This study is a Phase 1/2, open-label clinical trial to test an experimental treatment called QEL-005 in adults with two autoimmune conditions: diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) and difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis (D2TRA). The main goals are to find out whether QEL-005 is safe, how well people tolerate it, and whether it may help reduce disease activity or improve symptoms. QEL-005 is made from a participant's own white blood cells (autologous cells). These cells are collected and then changed in a laboratory using genetic methods to create specialized immune cells called CAR-T regulatory cells that target a protein on B cells called CD19. These modified cells are then given back to the participant by intravenous (IV) infusion. To take part, eligible participants will first have a procedure called leukapheresis, where some of their white blood cells are removed from the blood. The study team will use these cells to manufacture QEL005. After QEL005 is ready, participants will receive an IV infusion of their modified cells, stay in hospital overnight for monitoring, and will then be followed closely in the clinic. Throughout the trial, participants will have regular safety checks, which may include blood tests, imaging scans, questionnaires about symptoms and daily functioning, and biopsies taken from involved tissues, to help understand how QEL005 is working in the body. Detailed follow up will be for 1 year after QEL-005 infusion, and there is long-term follow up for a total of 15 years, which is standard for cell therapies. The information from this Phase 1/2 study will help determine an appropriate dose and dosing schedule of QEL005 for future studies.

MTS109 in Patients With Refractory Autoimmune Diseases

This is the first-in-human trial of MTS109 (mRNA-LNP). The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the safety, tolerability of intravenous injection of MTS109 in moderate to severe autoimmune diseases.

Assessment of Nutritional Status in Rheumatic Diseases and Association to Disease Activity

The aim of the present work is to assess the nutritional status among different rheumatic diseases patients and to study its association with the corresponding diseases activity.

Personalized Online Occupational Therapy Intervention for Adults With Scleroderma

This pilot exploratory randomized controlled trial will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of a personalized online occupational therapy intervention for adults with scleroderma in Spain. Participants will be individually randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either an online occupational therapy intervention added to usual care or usual care alone. The intervention consists of eight individual online occupational therapy sessions delivered over four weeks, with two sessions per week, plus individualized materials. The control group will continue with usual care during the intervention and follow-up period. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and four weeks after the end of the intervention. The primary outcome is feasibility, defined as the proportion of participants in the intervention group who complete at least six of the eight planned sessions. Secondary and exploratory outcomes include acceptability, adherence, safety, technical feasibility, functioning, quality of life, occupational balance, hand function, and individual goal attainment.

A Phase 1/2 Study of PRO-203 in Healthy Volunteers and Participants With Systemic Sclerosis.

A two-part study of PRO-203 administered subcutaneously in healthy adult volunteers and participants with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc).

Tissue Modeling in Systemic Sclerosis Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)

The objective of the study is to establish an in vitro model using iPSCs to test the hypotheses developed. The primary objective is to generate, via the SAFE-IPS platform, 8 iPSC lines derived from blood samples taken from: * Two patients with severe/diffuse SSc with multi-organ involvement (with anti-SCl-70 autoantibodies) * Two of their healthy close relatives * Two patients with uncomplicated SSc with localized involvement (with non-SCl-70 autoantibodies) * Two of their healthy close relatives These 8 cell lines will be differentiated by several teams at the FHU REGENHAB into: * Immune cells (monocytes/macrophages, neutrophils, dendritic cells, B/T lymphocytes) * Mesenchymal stromal cells * Myocardial cells * Skin cells (fibroblasts) * Synovial cells * Bronchial cells * Endothelial cells This project aims to map cellular and tissue heterogeneity using iPSC lines obtained from patients with both severe and mild SSc, employing single-cell RNA-seq under various pathological conditions, with and without autologous (or even heterologous) autoimmune stimulation. For example, the percentages of different cell types comprising a tissue in these various situations will be calculated. Comparisons will be made with control groups using healthy iPSC lines by recruiting healthy subjects with the same genetic profile and gender as the patients.

TL1A Inhibition in Systemic Sclerosis-Related Skin Fibrosis and Immunological Alterations: A Proof-of-Concept In Vitro Study (FIBROSTOP)

Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune connective tissue disease characterized by microvascular injury, immune activation, and progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc), particularly in its early phase, is associated with aggressive fibrotic evolution and high morbidity. Despite advances in immunomodulatory therapy, no treatment has proven capable of consistently halting or reversing fibrosis, highlighting the need for new mechanistic targets. TL1A (TNF-like ligand 1A) is a cytokine of the TNF superfamily expressed by endothelial and immune cells, which interacts with death receptor 3 (DR3) to regulate immune activation, endothelial dysfunction, and tissue remodeling. Elevated TL1A levels have been observed in SSc patients and correlate with disease activity. TL1A has also been shown to promote lung fibrosis in preclinical models. The FIBROSTOP study is a proof-of-concept, in vitro, interventional study on biological samples aimed at elucidating the immunological and fibrotic mechanisms regulated by TL1A, and at assessing whether TL1A inhibition can reverse pathogenic processes in SSc. Ten (n=10) patients with early diffuse cutaneous SSc and ten (n=10) age- and sex-matched healthy controls will be enrolled at a single center (Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome). Each participant will undergo a single visit (T0) involving peripheral blood sampling and skin biopsy. No follow-up visits are planned. The study pursues three co-primary objectives: (1) evaluating the role of TL1A and its inhibition in modulating T lymphocyte activity; (2) assessing the effects of TL1A and its inhibition on endothelial cell activation and function; (3) investigating the impact of TL1A and its inhibition on fibrotic remodeling in ex vivo SSc skin cultures using single-cell RNA sequencing. The findings may inform future targeted antifibrotic interventions in SSc and other fibrotic diseases.

US Zamto-cel Autoimmune Diseases

AID is a phase I multi-cohort study to assess the safety and tolerability of zamtocabtagene autoleucel (zamto-cel) in patients with refractory autoimmune diseases (SLE-Non renal, SLE-LN, SSc/dcSSc) after receiving standard therapy.

COVID-19 Booster Vaccine in Autoimmune Disease Non-Responders

This is a randomized, multi-site, adaptive, open-label clinical trial comparing the immune response to different additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine in participants with autoimmune disease requiring IS medications. All study participants will have negative serologic or suboptimal responses (defined as a Roche Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S result ≤200 U/mL) or a low immune response (defined as a Roche Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S result \>200 U/ml and ≤2500 U/mL) to their previous doses of COVID-19 vaccine. The study will focus on 5 autoimmune diseases in adults: * Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) * Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) * Multiple Sclerosis (MS) * Systemic Sclerosis (SSc), and * Pemphigus. This study will focus on 4 autoimmune diseases in pediatric participants: * Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) * Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) * Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis (POMS) * Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM)

A Study of BEN301 Injection in theTreatment of Autoimmune Diseases

The study aims to investigate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary clinical efficacy of BEN301 Injection in patients with autoimmune diseases. In patients with autoimmune diseases, Treg cells are typically deficient or dysfunctional. CAR-Treg cell therapy represents a promising strategy for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and may be applicable to a broad spectrum of autoimmune conditions. Preclinical studies have shown that BEN301 Injection not only effectively suppresses the aberrant activation of T and B cells in SLE models, but also significantly reduces total lgG secretion and the production of SLE-specific autoantibodies, particularly anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibodies. Moreover, no significant treatment-related toxicities were observed. Treg cell therapy has already demonstrated favorable efficacy in multiple indications, including organ transplantation and autoimmune diseases, with a well-established safety and tolerability profile. Meanwhile, CAR-Treg cell therapy has been actively explored in various autoimmune conditions; several products have shown therapeutic potential, and some patients have already benefited from treatment. These findings highlight the promising prospects of CAR-Treg cell therapy in the management of autoimmune diseases.

AlloNK®, an Allogeneic Non-genetically Modified, Cord Blood-derived NK Cell Therapy, in Combination With Rituximab, Studied in Relapsing Forms of B-cell Dependent Rheumatologic Diseases.

A Basket Trial of Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Sjögren's Disease (SjD), Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies (IIMs) and Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) subjects to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AlloNK, a non-genetically modified allogeneic NK cell, in combination with rituximab.

A Phase 1 Study of FT819 in B-cell Mediated Autoimmune Disease

This is a phase 1 study designed to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and anti-B-cell activity of FT819 following treatment with or without auxiliary medicinal product (AMP) in participants with moderate-to-severe active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with or without nephritis, antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM), and systemic sclerosis (SSc). The study will consist of a dose-escalation stage, followed by an expansion stage to further evaluate the safety and activity of FT819.

Phase 1 Study of HBI0101 CAR-T in Refractory B-Cell Autoimmune Diseases

A Phase 1 study of HBI0101 BCMA-CART in B-Cell Mediated Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases. The goal of the study is evaluation of safety and identification of the maximum HBI0101 CART dose that may be administered safely to patients with B-cell mediated autoimmune disease.

Intralesional Injection of STS in Treatment of Calcinosis

The specific objective of this study is to perform a small, open-label study to assess the safety and efficacy of intralesional, subcutaneous injection of STS on calcinosis symptoms and lesion size in systemic sclerosis (SSc), mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and dermatomyositis (DM) patients. Injection will be guided by ultrasound, lesion size assessed by ultrasound, and symptom burden by patient-reported outcome measures.

A Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Efgartigimod PH20 SC in Adults With Systemic Sclerosis

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect and safety of efgartigimod PH20 SC compared to placebo in adults with systemic sclerosis. The study consists of a screening period, a treatment period of up to 48 weeks and a safety follow-up period. After the screening period, eligible participants will be randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive either efgartigimod PH20 SC or placebo. The total study duration can be up to approximately 15 months. More information can be found on: https://clinicaltrials.argenx.com/esscape

Safety and Immunogenicity of the Live Attenuated Tetravalent Butantan-Dengue Vaccine in Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether the live attenuated tetravalent Butantan-Dengue vaccine (Butantan-DV) is safe and capable of inducing an immune response in patients aged 12 to 59 years with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) who are clinically stable and under low-grade or no immunosuppression, as well as in healthy volunteers matched by sex and age. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the vaccine induce adequate seroconversion in patients with ARDs compared to healthy controls? What is the frequency and intensity of common adverse events after vaccination in ARDs patients? Does physical activity levels and nutritional status influence vaccine-induced immune response in patients with ARDs? Researchers will compare patients with ARDs to healthy controls to evaluate if the vaccine elicits similar immune responses and safety profiles. All participants will: * receive a single 0.5 mL dose of the Butantan-DV vaccine via subcutaneous injection; * undergo blood sample collection before and after vaccination (baseline, Day 42, and Day 400) to assess antibody and cellular responses; * attend follow-up visits on Days 7, 14, and 42 for safety monitoring and laboratory tests; * report any symptoms or adverse events using a standardized diary for 42 days; * be followed for up to one year for long-term safety and immunogenicity assessments. * wear a device for 14 consecutive days to assess current and habitual physical activity levels. * answer three non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls, including at least one weekend day to assess nutritional status. * collect blood samples one-year after vaccination to access immunogenicity and cellular response. Researcher will also perform subgroups analysis in: A viremia subgroup (50 patients and 50 healthy controls) will provide additional samples on Days 1, 7, 14, 28, 42, and-if viremia is detected-Day 68, to evaluate post-vaccination viremia and its duration. An immunogenicity subgroup (\~20% of participants, n=96) will undergo cellular immune response testing via flow cytometry to evaluate T-cell responses.

Allogeneic CD19/BCMA CAR-T for B Cell-Related Autoimmune Disease

This is an exploratory, open-label, single-arm Phase 1 clinical study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of QT-219C. QT-219C is a universal allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) product targeting both CD19 and BCMA. The study targets subjects with refractory B-cell-related autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), multi-drug resistant nephrotic syndrome (NS), IgA nephropathy (IgAN), systemic sclerosis (SSc), and ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) .The research is divided into two phases: a dose-escalation phase and a dose-expansion phase. Dose Escalation: Utilizes a standard "3+3" design to evaluate potential recommended dose(RD) and identify dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) .Treatment Procedure: Eligible subjects will receive a lymphodepleting conditioning regimen followed by a single intravenous infusion of QT-219C .Primary Objectives: The primary goals are to evaluate the safety profile, including the incidence of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), and to assess clinical response rates at 90 days post-infusion .Follow-up: Subjects will be monitored for pharmacokinetics (cell expansion), pharmacodynamics (B-cell depletion), and long-term safety for up to two years .

A Phase 1 Study of Prulacabtagene Leucel (Prula-cel, Formerly ADI-001) in Autoimmune Disease

ADI-202300103 is a phase 1 multicenter, open label, dose finding and dose expansion, safety/efficacy study in patients with autoimmune disease. The study will consist of different periods including screening, lymphodepletion, treatment, and follow-up

Hand Disability In Systemic Sclerosis - Digital Ulcers

The aim of this study was to examine the Turkish validity and reliability of the Hand Disability in Systemic Sclerosis - Digital Ulcers Questionnaire (HDISS-DU) in individuals with Systemic Sclerosis.

Hand ScleroDerma Lived Experience Scale in Individuals With Systemic Sclerosis

The aim of this study was to examine the Turkish validity and reliability of the Hand scleroDerma lived Experience Scale (HAnDE Scale) Questionnaire in individuals with SSc.

CT1190B in the Treatment of Patients With Moderate to Severe Refractory Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or Refractory/Progressive Systemic Sclerosis (SSc)

A Clinical Study Exploring CT1190B in the treatment of patients with moderate to severe refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or refractory/progressive systemic sclerosis (SSc)

A Clinical Study of YTS109 Cell for R/R Autoimmune Diseases

This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of YTS109 cells in adults with relapsed/refractory autoimmune diseases, such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), including LN and SLE-ITP, Sjogren's Syndrome, etc. Aproximately 18 patients aged 18-65 will receive a single infusion of YTS109 cells. The dose groups are set to commence at 3×10⁶ STAR -T cells/kg, employing a 3+3 escalation principle for dose titration. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the safety of YTS109 cells therapy in treating recurrent/refractory autoimmune diseases, while the secondary objectives are to assess the efficacy of YTS109 cells as well as their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics. The primary endpoint is observations of types, severity, and frequency of adverse events (AEs) and efficacy assessment. This single-arm, open-label trial will enroll patients across The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University.

A Clinical Study of TI-0032-III Injection in Patients With Relapsed and Refractory Autoimmune Diseases

This is an open-label, dose escalation study in patients with relapsed and refractory autoimmune diseases. Study drug, TI-0032-III injection, is composed of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) targeting T cells that encapsulate circular RNA encoding the CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), which is a therapeutic biological product. It is clinically intended for the treatment of various relapsed and refractory B cell-related autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, sjögren's syndrome, systemic sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory myositis, and antiphospholipid syndrome.