Lupus Nephritis

Clinical Trials

Below is a list of Lupus Nephritis clinical trials from the clinical trials database at Mayo Clinic.

This list includes only trials about which Mayo researchers choose to publish information. Mayo Clinic may be conducting other trials which are not in this database. Mayo's clinical trials include experimental treatments, often unavailable elsewhere, which frequently lead to improved patient care for people worldwide. Patients should ask their doctor at Mayo about clinical trials appropriate for their situation.

Ocrelizumab in the Treatment of Lupus Nephritis
This study is designed to evaluate the ability of ocrelizumab, a humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, to induce and maintain a complete or partial renal response in patients with proliferative lupus nephritis. Because lupus nephritis can result in rapid and irreversible loss of renal function, and B cell depletion has yet to be demonstrated to be clinically effective within a double blind study, ocrelizumab will be added onto standard-of-care treatment for lupus nephritis.

There is currently no universally accepted standard of care for the treatment of lupus nephritis, but therapy most commonly includes high dose corticosteroids and cytotoxic drugs such as cyclophosphamide. More recently, mycophenolate mofetil has been evaluated for the treatment of proliferative lupus nephritis. Currently used treatment regimens are associated with significant toxicity (particularly when used over extended periods of time), and relapses as well as progression to chronic renal failure remain common. B cell depletion has been associated with improved outcomes in uncontrolled case series and individual case reports and appears to be well tolerated when given together with the standard of care regimens for the treatment of lupus nephritis which will be used in this study. We will enroll 10 patients.

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Rituximab for Membranous Lupus Nephritis
The purpose of this study is to investigate the drug rituximab in the treatment of lupus membranous nephritis. Treatment for lupus nephritis (LN) is undergoing rapid evolution as new therapeutic agents become available. Rituximab, an anti-CD 20 antibody, is a novel agent under study for treatment of proliferative LN, ISN/WHO Class III and IV with preliminary results showing significant improvement of the lupus activity. However, 10-20 percent of lupus nephritis is WHO Class V, membranous LN. Therapy given for membranous LN has included corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide, and cyclosporin A. However, the potential adverse effects of these agents have contributed to the reluctance of many rheumatologists and nephrologists to employ these interventions for membranous LN. Anti-CD 20 therapy has been administered to a small group of patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy with excellent results. However, there is little data regarding the response of membranous LN to anti-CD 20 therapy. Based upon the effects of rituximab in idiopathic membranous nephritis and the effects of rituximab in lupus nephritis Class III and IV, it is reasonable to postulate that anti-CD 20 therapy with rituximab will also be effective in patients with membranous LN.
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