Phase 1 Trial of Type II Collagen (CII) APL A12 in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

The study will have 3 treatment arms each with 10 patients who have demonstrated T cell immunity to CII and have an in vitro response to APL A12 at the screening visit. Patients will be randomized to one of the 3 treatment arms. Each of the 3 treatments will be given for 16 weeks. In keeping with a sequential dose escalation strategy, the originally proposed randomization scheme will be modified so that subjects will be randomized to receive either the lowest dose (30 mg) or placebo (Block 1), followed by the next dose (50 mg) or placebo (Block 2). We will begin with the lowest dose (30 g/day) and enroll 6 to receive 30 g/day APL A12 and 2 to receive placebo for 16 weeks. Results will be reported to the Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) for a decision to proceed to the next block based on indications of safety. If this dose does not cause adverse events or toxicity or worsens RA, we will proceed to enroll patients to receive 30 ug, or 50 g/day APL A12 or placebo for 16 weeks. A total of 32 subjects will be randomized to obtain 24 subjects who complete the study. Recruitment was difficult. Only 22 patients were randomized. There were not enough 50mcg patients enrolled so 2 treatment groups was analyzed. Arm 1 included 30 and 50 mcg and Arm 2 represents the patients that received placebo.