Objective: Scleritis is a chronic, painful and potentially blinding inflammatory disease characterized by edema of the episcleral and sclera tissues and is commonly associated with systemic autoimmune disorders. Gevokizumab is an interleukin-1β (IL-1β) inhibitor, thus possibly preventing the IL-1β that may be responsible for scleral breakdown in patients with anterior scleritis. The study objective is to evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of gevokizumab as a possible treatment of non-infectious, active, anterior scleritis.
Study Population: Ten participants with non-infectious, active, anterior scleritis with a scleral inflammatory grade of ≥ +1 in at least one eye were to be initially enrolled. However, only eight participants were enrolled. Participants may be on ≤ 20 mg/day of prednisone or the equivalent at the time of enrollment but all other immunosuppressive drugs will be stopped with the initiation of study drug.
Design: This is a Phase 1/2, open label, non-randomized, prospective, single-arm, pilot trial to evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of gevokizumab in non-infectious, active, anterior scleritis. The study consists of an initial phase followed by a two-part extension phase. For the initial phase, all participants will receive one subcutaneous injection of 60 mg gevokizumab at Baseline and Weeks 4, 8 and 12. At Week 16 of the initial phase, participants will be assessed for eligibility in the first extension phase of the study. Participants from the initial phase, who do not continue in the first extension phase of the study will discontinue the study drug and may receive salvage therapy using standard-of-care treatment at the investigator's discretion. Participants from the initial phase who do not continue in the first extension phase will return for a final safety visit at Week 28. Participants from the initial phase who are determined eligible for the first extension phase may continue in the first extension phase and receive one gevokizumab injection (60 mg) every four weeks until the Week 36 visit. Participants entering the first extension phase will have follow-up safety visits at Weeks 40 and 52. At Week 52 follow-up of the first extension phase, participants will be assessed for eligibility in the 2nd extension phase, which is a PRN extension phase of the study. Participants who are eligible may continue in the PRN extension phase (2nd extension) and receive gevokizumab injections (60 mg) at Weeks 52, 54, 58, and 62. Subjects that have already completed the week 52 visit will be eligible to return and be assessed for entry into this 2nd extension phase. If they have already completed the Week 52 exit visit from the protocol and are returning to enroll in the PRN extension phase (2nd extension), the visits will be labeled as Weeks 52 (PRN-week0), 54 (PRN-week2), 58 (PRN-week6), and 62 (PRN-week10). Participants in the PRN extension phase (2nd extension) will have a final safety visit at least 16 weeks following their last injection in the PRN extension phase (2nd extension).
Outcome Measures: The primary outcome is the number of participants with at least a 2-step reduction or reduction to grade 0 in scleral inflammation in the study eye (or eyes, if both eyes meet study eye criteria), according to a standardized photographic scleritis grading system developed at NEI, on or before the Week 16 visit as compared to Baseline. Secondary outcomes include changes in visual acuity, changes in intraocular pressure and changes in scleral grading. Safety outcomes include the number and severity of systemic and ocular toxicities and adverse events (AEs), and the proportion of participants with loss of ≥ 15 ETDRS letters at any follow-up visit.
