NCT00221325

A Safety Study of Rituximab Plus MTX Injected Into the Cerebrospinal Fluid in the Treatment of Brain Lymphoma

Phase I Study of Intraventricular Administration of Rituximab in Combination With Methotrexate in the Treatment of Recurrent CNS and Intraocular Lymphoma

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 14 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Rituximab is the first monoclonal antibody to receive approval in the treatment of cancer and has been proven to lead to extended survival when administered intravenously in the treatment of patients with systemic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We have previously demonstrated that a small fraction of Rituximab administered intravenously is able to cross the blood-brain-barrier into the brain. We will test the idea that the direct injection into the cerebrospinal fluid of Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody which attacks and kills lymphoma cells, is safe and when used in combination with methotrexate in patients with recurrent brain and intraocular lymphoma. We will also test the idea that the combination of rituximab plus methotrexate has activity and is effective in the treatment of recurrent brain and intraocular lymphoma.

Detailed description

Rituximab is the first monoclonal antibody to receive FDA approval in the treatment of cancer. Intravenous administration of rituximab has been demonstrated to lead to prolongation of survival when used in combination with chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with systemic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We have previously demonstrated that a small fraction of Rituximab administered intravenously is able to cross the blood-brain-barrier into the brain and we have also previously demonstrated that direct intraventricular administration of Rituximab is able to achieve high concentrations within the cerebrospinal fluid ventricles and lumbar sac. We will test the hypothesis that the direct intraventricular injection of Rituximab in combination with Methotrexate is safe and when used in combination in patients with recurrent brain and intraocular lymphoma. We will evaluate the safety of this combination by testing different dose levels of Rituximab. We will also measure the concentration of Rituximab in the intraocular compartments and cerebrospinal fluid at different time points after intraventricular administration to determine the pharmacokinetics of intrathecal Rituximab as well as the potential impact of Methotrexate on Rituximab distribution. We will also test the hypothesis that the intraventricular administration of the combination of rituximab plus methotrexate has activity and is effective in the treatment of recurrent brain and intraocular lymphoma.

Conditions

• Central Nervous System Lymphoma
• Intraocular Lymphoma

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Intraventricular Rituximab Plus MTX	Intraventricular injection of rituximab into an Ommaya reservoir on day 1 of each week. Intraventricular rituximab plus methotrexate (MTX) on day 4 of each week. First three patients at dose A : 25 mg rituximab on day 1, and MTX (12 mg) plus rituximab (10 mg) on day 4 each week. If there are no dose limiting toxicities at Dose A in all of the first 3 patients or in 5 of the first 6 patients, the next 3 patients will receive dose level B: 25 mg rituximab on day 1, and combination MTX (12 mg) plus rituximab (25 mg) on day 4 of each week. Oral leucovorin rescue 24 hours after each MTX administration. Maximum injections will be 16 over 9-weeks. Subjects who experience a partial response at week 10 will be given the option for extended dosing.

Timeline

• Start date: 2007-04-01
• Primary completion: 2012-01-01
• Completion: 2013-03-01
• First posted: 2005-09-22
• Last updated: 2015-02-16

Locations

4 sites across 1 country: United States