NCT04827979

Daratumumab and Belatacept for Desensitization

A Mechanistically Driven Therapy to Desensitize >98.0% cPRA Patients: Depletion of Plasma Cells With Anti-CD38 and Prevention of B Cell Activation With Costimulation Blockade (ITN090ST)

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 1 / Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 19 (actual)
• Sponsor: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) · NIH
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Some kidney transplant candidates have a very low chance of getting a kidney transplant because their immune systems are "highly sensitized" to most kidney donors. Being "highly sensitized" means that they will likely have to wait a long time (more than 5 years) before an acceptable donor is found for them or, they never receive a compatible donor, and die on waitlist. The purpose of this study is to find out whether two drugs, daratumumab (Darzalex®), and belatacept (Nulojix®), can make these kidney transplant candidates less sensitized, and make it easier and quicker to find a kidney donor for them.

Detailed description

This study will enroll 15 eligible adult participants with end stage renal failure on dialysis who are on the waiting list for a deceased donor transplant with calculated panel reactive antibodies (cPRA) ≥99.9% or \>98% (with \>5 years of waiting time) or, those with cPRA \>98% and an human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-incompatible approved living donor who have not received a transplant after 1 year in a paired kidney exchange program. The study will evaluate whether the study treatment is safe and can lower the participant's immune system's sensitization to kidney donors, making it easier to find a well-matched kidney for them. The study treatment is comprised of two drugs, Darzalex® (daratumumab) and Nulojix® (belatacept). Daratumumab is licensed for treatment of multiple myeloma and belatacept is licensed for prevention of rejection after kidney transplant. Eligible participants will receive infusions of daratumumab and belatacept over a 10-week period in Cohort 1. Eligible participants will receive infusions of daratumumab and belatacept over a 14-week period in Cohort 2. An interim safety and efficacy analysis will occur after the first 5 participants have received study treatment. All subjects will undergo HLA antibody assessments and bone marrow aspiration prior to and after completion of treatment and receive 42 weeks of follow up after completing treatment. Participants who prematurely discontinue study therapy will receive follow up through 56 weeks after their baseline visit. Subjects who receive a kidney transplant while in the study will receive standard of care immunosuppression and undergo 52 weeks of follow up. Living donors will participate for one study visit to provide blood collection.

Conditions

• Highly Sensitized Prospective Kidney Transplant Recipients

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BIOLOGICAL	daratumumab	Daratumumab is a CD38 (Cluster of Differentiation 38)-directed cytolytic monoclonal antibody indicated for the treatment of multiple myeloma. In this study, daratumumab will be used in highly sensitized subjects without myeloma who are awaiting a kidney transplant. Definition of highly sensitized: Potential kidney transplant recipients with either: * calculated panel reactive antibodies (cPRA) ≥99.9% awaiting deceased donor transplant, or * cPRA \>98% (with \>5 years of waiting time) awaiting living donor transplant
BIOLOGICAL	belatacept	Belatacept, a monoclonal antibody, is indicated for the prophylaxis of organ rejection in adult patients receiving a kidney transplant. In this study, belatacept will be used in subjects who have not received a kidney transplant.
PROCEDURE	Bone marrow aspiration	Subjects will undergo a bone marrow aspiration prior to starting the study regimen and at 12 weeks after starting the study regimen. In subjects who undergo a kidney transplant during the study, another bone marrow aspiration will be done if it has been \>4 weeks since the previous bone marrow aspiration.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-11-01
• Primary completion: 2027-03-31
• Completion: 2028-04-30
• First posted: 2021-04-01
• Last updated: 2026-01-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated drug study