Evaluating Clinical and Immunological Effects of Rituximab With Cyclophosphamide Compared to Rituximab Alone in AAV Patients
Most recent insights in the treatment for patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) have demonstrated that 'tailored' maintenance treatment with rituximab (RTX) is effective to achieve durable remission of disease. As such, RTX re-treatment can be tailored on the basis of relevant clinical and immunological parameters in AAV patients. Now, the present study intends to evaluate whether combining rituximab with cyclophosphamide is superior to current standard of care with rituximab only to induce a favorable clinical and immunological state in AAV patients and can thereby reduce the number of tailored re-treatments with rituximab.
⁃ Subjects enrolled in the study must meet the following inclusion criteria:
• Clinical diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) or microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA), consistent with Chapel-Hill Consensus Conference definitions26
• Aged at least 18 years, with newly-diagnosed or relapsed AAV with 'generalised disease', defined as involvement of at least one major organ (e.g. kidney, lung, heart, peripheral or central nervous system), requiring induction treatment with cyclophosphamide or rituximab
• Positive test for anti-PR3 or anti-MPO (current or historic)
• Willing and able to give written Informed Consent and to comply with the requirements of the study protocol