TARGET-18

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  TARGET-18: A Phase II experimental medicine trial of GSK1070806 anti-human IL-18 monoclonal antibody in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

• IRAS ID

  1008804

• Contact name

  Aurelie Najm

• Contact email

  aurelie.najm@glasgow.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Greater Glasgow Health Board

• Research summary

  Each year around 27,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Patients with RA have inflammation (swelling) in their joints causing pain, stiffness and difficulty in moving. This is caused by over-activity of the immune system.
  Most people with RA start treatment with a “disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug” or DMARD for short to help control their condition. Many will require additional RA medicines such as a biologic or a targeted DMARD but even then their arthritis may not be as well controlled as we would like. Therefore we need to find new treatments which will help.

  Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a small protein which is important in controlling the growth and activity of certain types of immune system cells. IL-18 proteins have been found in people living with RA in their blood and in the lining of their joint cavities, also called synovial tissue. IL-18 acts as a messenger of inflammation and contributes to recruiting white blood cells in the joint to cause chronic inflammation that may lead to damage to the cartilage and the bone and potentially causing disabling joint deformity.
  We believe that if we could block the effects of the IL-18 protein within in the blood and the joint, we may reduce inflammation, improve arthritis symptoms
  We will ask 13 patients from approximately 3 hospitals in England and Scotland if they would like to take part. Patients will be asked to have a biopsy taken of their worst affected joint, be given the drug and then will have another biopsy 12 weeks after. We will compare the number of inflammation makers pre and post drug to see if it make a difference. We will also ask patients to complete a questionnaire which asks about their health, as well as take blood samples. After the week 12 biopsy, the patients' medical records will be checked by a member of the study team for a further 10 weeks to ensure they are doing well.

• REC name

  East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  24/EE/0265

• Date of REC Opinion

  24 Jan 2025

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion