Study of Nipocalimab in Adults with Moderate to Severe Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (GARDENIA)
Summary description of the study
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissue, causing swelling and redness in various organs. SLE can often lead to repeated kidney inflammation, which can result in kidney failure. It can also cause serious health problems due to treatments and, in some cases, lead to death. The current therapies for SLE generally work by treating symptoms or suppressing the immune system. Therefore, there is a need for new treatment options that work better.
Nipocalimab is a type of monoclonal antibody* that selectively blocks the binding site of immunoglobulin (IgG) on a protein called the endogenous neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). This leads to a reduction in circulating IgG and therefore a reduction in the inflammatory immune response to harmful IgG in the body.
- A type of protein designed to recognize and bind to a specific target. In this clinical trial, researchers want to find out how well Nipocalimab works in patients with moderate to severe SLE compared to a placebo. The trial consists of the following phases: screening phase (6 weeks), double-blind treatment phase (week 0 to week 52), open-label long-term extension phase (week 52 to week 156), and safety follow-up phase (up to week 162). Safety assessments include monitoring for adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, and AEs of special interest, laboratory parameters, blood pressure monitoring, injection site reactions, infections, and allergic reactions (mild to severe). The total duration of the clinical trial is approximately 3 years and 1 month.
(BASEC)
Intervention under investigation
Nipocalimab, a new medication that binds circulating immune cells and may reduce the inflammatory immune response.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissue, causing swelling and redness in various organs. SLE can often lead to repeated kidney inflammation, which can result in kidney failure. It can also cause serious health problems due to treatments and, in some cases, lead to death. The current therapies for SLE generally work by treating symptoms or suppressing the immune system. Therefore, there is a need for new treatment options that work better.
Nipocalimab is a type of monoclonal antibody* that selectively blocks the binding site of immunoglobulin (IgG) on a protein called the endogenous neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). This leads to a reduction in circulating IgG and therefore a reduction in the inflammatory immune response to harmful IgG in the body.
- A type of protein designed to recognize and bind to a specific target. In this clinical trial, researchers want to find out how well Nipocalimab works in patients with moderate to severe SLE compared to a placebo. The trial consists of the following phases: screening phase (6 weeks), double-blind treatment phase (week 0 to week 52), open-label long-term extension phase (week 52 to week 156), and safety follow-up phase (up to week 162). Safety assessments include monitoring for adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, and AEs of special interest, laboratory parameters, blood pressure monitoring, injection site reactions, infections, and allergic reactions (mild to severe). The total duration of the clinical trial is approximately 3 years and 1 month.
(BASEC)
Disease under investigation
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissue, causing swelling and redness in various organs.
(BASEC)
Inclusion Criteria:
Patients can only be included in this trial if they meet the following criteria.
1. Medically stable according to physical examination, medical history, vital signs, clinical laboratory tests, and 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG*) performed at the beginning of the trial.
2. For women who can become pregnant, a urine pregnancy test must be performed in week 0 prior to the start of the trial treatment, which must be negative.
3. Diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) according to the classification criteria of the European League Against Rheumatism/The American College of Rheumatology (EULAR/ACR) from 2019, made more than 24 weeks before the start of the trial.
4. SLEDAI-2K score of >= 6 and clinical SLEDAI-2K of >= 4 at screening AND clinical SLEDAI-2K score of >= 4 points in week 0, excluding points awarded for "lupus headaches," "alopecia," and "cerebral organic psychosyndrome."
5. Positive for SLE-associated antibodies tested and standard treatment for the condition has already been initiated.
6. At least 1 BILAG-2004-A score or 2 BILAG-2004-B scores during screening.
- Examination to record heart activity.
(BASEC)
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients cannot be included in this trial if they meet the following criteria.
1. History of severe liver, stomach and intestinal, kidney, lung, and heart diseases, mental disorders, neurological conditions, or muscle and skeletal diseases, hypertension and/or any other condition in which the immune system attacks its own healthy tissue, or abnormal laboratory values at the start of the trial.
2. Known allergies, hypersensitivity (exaggerated immune response), or intolerance to Nipocalimab or the excipients used in the placebo.
3. Likely need for dialysis in the 52 weeks prior to the first dose of trial treatment.
4. History of known or possibly present drug-induced lupus.
5. Myocardial infarction, unstable ischemic heart disease, or stroke (sudden blockage or bleeding in the brain) within 12 weeks prior to screening.
(BASEC)
Trial sites
Basel, Geneva, Zurich
(BASEC)
Sponsor
Cilag GmbH International, a Johnson & Johnson company Gubelstrasse 34 6300 Zug Switzerland
(BASEC)
Contact
Contact Person Switzerland
Prof. Dr. Diego Kyburz
+41 61 328 74 80
Participate-In-This-Study1@clutterits.jnj.comUniversitaetsspital Basel Rheumatologie Petersgraben 4 4031 Basel
(BASEC)
Scientific Information
not available
Name of the authorising ethics committee (for multicentre studies, only the lead committee)
Ethics Committee northwest/central Switzerland EKNZ
(BASEC)
Date of authorisation
12.06.2026
(BASEC)
ICTRP Trial ID
not available
Official title (approved by ethics committee)
A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Multicenter Study of Nipocalimab in Adults with Moderate to Severe Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (BASEC)
Academic title
not available
Public title
not available
Disease under investigation
not available
Intervention under investigation
not available
Type of trial
not available
Trial design
not available
Inclusion/Exclusion criteria
not available
not available
Primary and secondary end points
not available
not available
Registration date
not available
Incorporation of the first participant
not available
Secondary sponsors
not available
Additional contacts
not available
Secondary trial IDs
not available
Results-Individual Participant Data (IPD)
not available
Further information on the trial
not available
Results of the trial
Results summary
not available
Link to the results in the primary register
not available