TY - JOUR
T1 - Repeated 5-day cycles of low dose aldesleukin in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (IMODALS)
T2 - A phase 2a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
AU - Camu, William
AU - Mickunas, Marius
AU - Veyrune, Jean-Luc
AU - Payan, Christine
AU - Garlanda, Cecilia
AU - Locati, Massimo
AU - Juntas-Morales, Raul
AU - Pageot, Nicolas
AU - Malaspina, Andrea
AU - Andreasson, Ulf
AU - Kirby, Janine
AU - Suehs, Carey
AU - Saker, Safa
AU - Masseguin, Christophe
AU - De Vos, John
AU - Zetterberg, Henrik
AU - Shaw, Pamela J
AU - Al-Chalabi, Ammar
AU - Leigh, P Nigel
AU - Tree, Timothy
AU - Bensimon, Gilbert
N1 - Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/9
Y1 - 2020/9
N2 - Background: Low-dose interleukin-2 (ld-IL-2) enhances regulatory T-cell (Treg) function in auto-inflammatory conditions. Neuroinflammation being a pathogenic feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we evaluated the pharmacodynamics and safety of ld-IL-2 in ALS subjects. Methods: We performed a single centre, parallel three-arm, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Eligibility criteria included age < 75 years, disease duration < 5 years, riluzole treatment > 3 months, and a slow vital capacity ≥ 70% of normal. Patients were randomised (1:1:1) to aldesleukin 2 MIU, 1 MIU, or placebo once daily for 5 days every 4 weeks for 3 cycles. Primary outcome was change from baseline in Treg percentage of CD4
+ T cells (%Tregs) following a first cycle. Secondary laboratory outcomes included: %Treg and Treg number following repeated cycles, and plasma CCL2 and neurofilament light chain protein (NFL) concentrations as surrogate markers of efficacy. Safety outcomes included motor-function (ALSFRS-R), slow vital capacity (SVC), and adverse event reports. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02059759. Findings: All randomised patients (12 per group), recruited from October 2015 to December 2015, were alive at the end of follow-up and included in the intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis. No drug-related serious adverse event was observed. Non-serious adverse events occurred more frequently with the 1 and 2 MIU IL-2 doses compared to placebo, including injection site reactions and flu-like symptoms. Primary outcome analysis showed a significant increase (p < 0·0001) in %Tregs in the 2 MIU and 1 MIU arms (mean [SD]: 2 MIU: +6·2% [2·2]; 1 MIU: +3·9% [1·2]) as compared to placebo (mean [SD]: -0·49% [1·3]). Effect sizes (ES) were large in treated groups: 2 MIU ES=3·7 (IC95%: 2·3–4·9) and 1 MIU ES=3·5 (IC95%: 2·1–4·6). Secondary outcomes showed a significant increase in %Tregs following repeated cycles (p < 0·0001) as compared to placebo, and a dose-dependent decrease in plasma CCL2 (p = 0·0049). There were no significant differences amongst the three groups on plasma NFL levels. Interpretation: Ld-IL-2 is well tolerated and immunologically effective in subjects with ALS. These results warrant further investigation into their eventual therapeutic impact on slowing ALS disease progression. Funding: : The French Health Ministry (PHRC-I-14-056), EU H2020 (grant #633413), and the Association pour la Recherche sur la SLA (ARSLA).
AB - Background: Low-dose interleukin-2 (ld-IL-2) enhances regulatory T-cell (Treg) function in auto-inflammatory conditions. Neuroinflammation being a pathogenic feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we evaluated the pharmacodynamics and safety of ld-IL-2 in ALS subjects. Methods: We performed a single centre, parallel three-arm, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Eligibility criteria included age < 75 years, disease duration < 5 years, riluzole treatment > 3 months, and a slow vital capacity ≥ 70% of normal. Patients were randomised (1:1:1) to aldesleukin 2 MIU, 1 MIU, or placebo once daily for 5 days every 4 weeks for 3 cycles. Primary outcome was change from baseline in Treg percentage of CD4
+ T cells (%Tregs) following a first cycle. Secondary laboratory outcomes included: %Treg and Treg number following repeated cycles, and plasma CCL2 and neurofilament light chain protein (NFL) concentrations as surrogate markers of efficacy. Safety outcomes included motor-function (ALSFRS-R), slow vital capacity (SVC), and adverse event reports. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02059759. Findings: All randomised patients (12 per group), recruited from October 2015 to December 2015, were alive at the end of follow-up and included in the intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis. No drug-related serious adverse event was observed. Non-serious adverse events occurred more frequently with the 1 and 2 MIU IL-2 doses compared to placebo, including injection site reactions and flu-like symptoms. Primary outcome analysis showed a significant increase (p < 0·0001) in %Tregs in the 2 MIU and 1 MIU arms (mean [SD]: 2 MIU: +6·2% [2·2]; 1 MIU: +3·9% [1·2]) as compared to placebo (mean [SD]: -0·49% [1·3]). Effect sizes (ES) were large in treated groups: 2 MIU ES=3·7 (IC95%: 2·3–4·9) and 1 MIU ES=3·5 (IC95%: 2·1–4·6). Secondary outcomes showed a significant increase in %Tregs following repeated cycles (p < 0·0001) as compared to placebo, and a dose-dependent decrease in plasma CCL2 (p = 0·0049). There were no significant differences amongst the three groups on plasma NFL levels. Interpretation: Ld-IL-2 is well tolerated and immunologically effective in subjects with ALS. These results warrant further investigation into their eventual therapeutic impact on slowing ALS disease progression. Funding: : The French Health Ministry (PHRC-I-14-056), EU H2020 (grant #633413), and the Association pour la Recherche sur la SLA (ARSLA).
KW - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
KW - Biomarkers
KW - Low dose interleukin-2
KW - Neuro-inflammation
KW - Randomised clinical trial
KW - Regulatory T cells
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088359884&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.102844
DO - 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.102844
M3 - Article
C2 - 32651161
SN - 2352-3964
VL - 59
SP - 102844
JO - EBioMedicine
JF - EBioMedicine
M1 - 102844
ER -