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CTRI Number  CTRI/2024/11/076794 [Registered on: 14/11/2024] Trial Registered Prospectively
Last Modified On: 13/11/2024
Post Graduate Thesis  No 
Type of Trial  Interventional 
Type of Study   Drug 
Study Design  Randomized, Parallel Group, Multiple Arm Trial 
Public Title of Study   Which of the Commonly Available and Approved Drugs in Addition to Standard of Care Can Significantly Improve the Slope of Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate at Two Years When Compared to Standard of Care Alone in South Asian Kidney Biopsy proven Adult Primary IgA Nephropathy 
Scientific Title of Study   Randomized Embedded Adaptive Platform Clinical Trial in South Asian Kidney Biopsy Proven Primary Glomerular Diseases Multi center Multi arm and Multi stage 
Trial Acronym  IA-GRACE-IGAN 
Secondary IDs if Any  
Secondary ID  Identifier 
15811[INTERVEN] dated 25.10.23  Other 
IA/CPHS/22/1/506541  Protocol Number 
 
Details of Principal Investigator or overall Trial Coordinator (multi-center study)  
Name  Suceena Alexander 
Designation  Professor and HoU (Nephrology Unit III) 
Affiliation  Christian Medical College Vellore 
Address  Department of Nephrology, 6th Floor, A Block, Christian Medical College Vellore, Ranipet Campus, Kilminnal Village,

Vellore
TAMIL NADU
632517
India 
Phone  9894519136  
Fax    
Email  suceena@cmcvellore.ac.in  
 
Details of Contact Person
Scientific Query
 
Name  Suceena Alexander 
Designation  Professor and HoU (Nephrology Unit III) 
Affiliation  Christian Medical College Vellore 
Address  Department of Nephrology, 6th Floor, A Block, Christian Medical College Vellore, Ranipet Campus, Kilminnal Village,

Vellore
TAMIL NADU
632517
India 
Phone  9894519136  
Fax    
Email  suceena@cmcvellore.ac.in  
 
Details of Contact Person
Public Query
 
Name  Suceena Alexander 
Designation  Professor and HoU (Nephrology Unit III) 
Affiliation  Christian Medical College Vellore 
Address  Department of Nephrology, 6th Floor, A Block, Christian Medical College Vellore, Ranipet Campus, Kilminnal Village,

Vellore
TAMIL NADU
632517
India 
Phone  9894519136  
Fax    
Email  suceena@cmcvellore.ac.in  
 
Source of Monetary or Material Support  
Christian Medical College, Ida Scudder Road, Vellore-632004, Tamil Nadu. 
DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, Nishant House, 8-2-351/N/1, 2nd floor, Road No. 2, Venkateshwara Hills, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 500034. 
 
Primary Sponsor  
Name  Suceena Alexander 
Address  Department of Nephrology, 6th Floor, A Block, Christian Medical College Vellore, Ranipet Campus, Kilminnal Village, Ranipet-632517, Tamil Nadu, India. 
Type of Sponsor  Other [Self] 
 
Details of Secondary Sponsor  
Name  Address 
NIL  NIL 
 
Countries of Recruitment     India  
Sites of Study  
No of Sites = 12  
Name of Principal Investigator  Name of Site  Site Address  Phone/Fax/Email 
Sandip Panda  Department of Nephrology, AIIMS Bhubaneswar  Sijua, Patrapada, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751019
Khordha
ORISSA 
9626801175

drsandippanda@gmail.com 
Selvin Sundar Raj  Department of Nephrology, Christian Medical College Vellore  Department of Nephrology, 6th Floor, A Block, CMC Vellore, Ranipet Campus, Kilminnal Village, Ranipet-632517,
Vellore
TAMIL NADU 
8870345123

selvinsr@cmcvellore.ac.in 
Priyamvada P S   Department of Nephrology, JIPMER  Jipmer Campus Rd, Jipmer Campus, Puducherry, 605006
Pondicherry
PONDICHERRY 
7598566984

priyamvadaps@gmail.com 
Manjunath S Shetty  Department of Nephrology, JSS Medical College  JSS AHER, Sri Shivarathreeshwara Nagara, Mysuru - 570 015, Karnataka.
Mysore
KARNATAKA 
9880739069

drmanjunathsshetty@yahoo.com 
Ravindra Prabhu  Department of Nephrology, Kasturba Medical College  Tiger Circle Road, Madhav Nagar, Eshwar Nagar, Manipal, Karnataka 576104
Udupi
KARNATAKA 
9448107771

aravindraprabhu@gmail.com 
Tukaram Jamale  Department of Nephrology, KEM Hospital  Acharya Donde Marg, Parel East, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400012
Mumbai
MAHARASHTRA 
9167460362

tukaramjamale@yahoo.co.in 
Jayalakshmi Seshadri  Department of Nephrology, Madras Medical College  Near Station, Poonamallee High Rd, Park Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600003
Chennai
TAMIL NADU 
9176252755

vetrikuzhal@gmail.com 
Umapati Hegde  Department of Nephrology, Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital  Dr V V, Petlad Rd, Yogiraj Society, Nadiad, Gujarat 387001
Kheda
GUJARAT 
9426043141

umapatih@gmail.com 
Sree Bushan Raju  Department of Nephrology, Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences  Punjagutta Rd, Punjagutta Market, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, Telangana 500082
Hyderabad
TELANGANA 
9848492951

sreebhushan@hotmail.com 
Manisha Sahay  Department of Nephrology, Osmania Medical College  5-1-876, Turrebaz Khan Rd, Troop Bazaar, Koti, Hyderabad, Telangana 500095
Hyderabad
TELANGANA 
9849097507

drmanishasahay@gmail.com 
Pallavi Prasad  Department of Nephrology, Safdarjung Hospital  Ansari Nagar East , Near to AIIMS Metro Station-110029,
South
DELHI 
9899797701

pallaviprasad1986@gmail.com 
Narayan Prasad  Department of Nephrology, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences  New PMSSY Rd, Raibareli Rd, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226014
Lucknow
UTTAR PRADESH 
9415403140

narayan.nephro@gmail.com 
 
Details of Ethics Committee  
No of Ethics Committees= 12  
Name of Committee  Approval Status 
Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences  Submittted/Under Review 
AIIMS Bhubaneswar  Approved 
Christian Medical College Ethics Committee (Silver)  Approved 
JIPMER  Submittted/Under Review 
JSS Medical College  Approved 
Kasturba Medical College  Submittted/Under Review 
KEM Hospital  Submittted/Under Review 
Madras Medical College  Approved 
Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital  Approved 
Osmania Medical College  Submittted/Under Review 
Safdarjung Hospital  Approved 
Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences  Submittted/Under Review 
 
Regulatory Clearance Status from DCGI  
Status 
Not Applicable 
 
Health Condition / Problems Studied  
Health Type  Condition 
Patients  (1) ICD-10 Condition: N033||Chronic nephritic syndrome with diffuse mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis,  
 
Intervention / Comparator Agent  
Type  Name  Details 
Intervention  SoC and Gut-directed budesonide. This intervention arm will start with the randomisation of the first participant.  Gut-directed budesonide and SoC. Gut-directed Budesonide 12 mg once daily for nine months and tapered to 9mg once daily for the next three months, 6mg once daily for the next three months and 3mg once daily for the next three months and stopped (total 18 months). All participants in this arm will receive SoC. 
Intervention  SoC and Hydroxychloroquine. This intervention arm will start with the randomisation of the first participant.  Hydroxychloroquine and SoC. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) 6.5 mg per kg per day (maximum 400 mg daily) for 24 months. All participants in this arm will receive SoC. 
Intervention  SoC and Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). This intervention arm will start with the randomisation of the first participant.  Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and SoC. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) 1.5g/ day for twelve months, followed by 1g/ day for six months (total 18 months). All participants in this arm will receive SoC.  
Intervention  SoC and Non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist. The sixth arm may begin after the planned interim analysis conditional to the availability of the generic drug in the Indian market and will recruit an additional 117 participants with a concurrent comparator arm.  Non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist and SoC. Generic drug not available currently. All participants in this arm will receive SoC. 
Intervention  SoC and Oral prednisolone. This intervention arm will start with randomisation of the first participant.  Oral prednisolone and SoC Oral prednisolone 0.5 mg per kg per day (maximum, 40 mg/day) for two months, followed by dose tapering by 5mg per day each month for six to nine months. All participants in this arm will receive SoC and oral cotrimoxazole prophylaxis.  
Comparator Agent  SoC defined as maximal labelled or tolerated dose of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ACEi or ARB) and steady dose of sodium- glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i)  Maximal labelled or tolerated dose of ACEi or ARB and a steady dose of SGLT2i (10mg per day of dapagliflozin).  
 
Inclusion Criteria  
Age From  18.00 Year(s)
Age To  65.00 Year(s)
Gender  Both 
Details  1. Must be able to provide a written informed consent form, which must be obtained before the initiation of study assessments.
2. Adults between 18-65 years of age.
3. Males or Females.
4. Diagnosis of primary IgAN as demonstrated by renal biopsy of any vintage if eGFR greater than or equal to 45 mL per min per 1.73 m2 or within the last ten years if eGFR less than 45 mL per min per 1.73 m2. If diabetic, the biopsy vintage should be less than five years.
5. eGFR greater than or equal to 20 mL/min/1.73 m2 at screening, as per the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation.
6. Total urine protein excretion greater than or equal to 1 g per 24-hour or UPCR greater than or equal to 0.75 g per g from an adequately measured 24-hour urine sample (24HUP) during the Screening Period.
7. Patient on the maximum labelled or tolerated dose of ACEi or ARB AND 10mg per day of Dapagliflozin (SGLT2i) for at least 12 weeks at screening and from screening to study Day 1.
8. Systolic blood pressure less than or equal to 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure less than or equal to 90 mmHg at randomisation. Other anti-hypertensives can be optimised during the screening period to achieve the BP goal.
9. A female is eligible if she is not pregnant and consents to avoid pregnancy during the study duration.
 
 
ExclusionCriteria 
Details  1. IgAN secondary to another condition (e.g., liver cirrhosis) or
other causes of mesangial IgA deposition such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), dermatitis herpetiformis, ankylosing spondylitis, etc. IgA vasculitis (i.e., Henoch-Schonlein purpura) with biopsy-proven mesangial IgA deposition and no active skin vasculitis for the last year can be included.
2. Evidence of nephrotic syndrome at screening (serum albumin less than 3g per dL AND UPCR greater than 3.5 g per g).
3. Evidence of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis defined as loss of greater than or equal to 50% of eGFR in three months before screening.
4. Concomitant kidney disease in addition to IgAN in kidney biopsy (e.g., diabetic nephropathy, primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, membranous nephropathy, C3 glomerulopathy, lupus nephritis).
5. Female patients planning pregnancy.
6. Concomitant co-morbidities like systemic autoimmune disorders, chronic active infections like tuberculosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus infection, chronic liver disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
7. Renal or other organ transplantation before, or expected during, the study, except for corneal transplants.
8. Morbid obesity defined as BMI greater than or eual to 40 kg per m2 at screening.
9. Uncontrolled diabetes as defined by HbA1c greater than 8 percentage at screening.
10. History or diagnosis of demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis or optic neuritis.
11. Prohibited medications:
• Participants who received oral steroids over two weeks within 12 weeks before screening.
• Immunosuppressive medications (e.g., MMF, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, hydroxychloroquine) for treating IgAN within 12 weeks before screening.
• Use of B-cell–directed biologic therapies, including belimumab, rituximab, and ocrelizumab, within six months before screening.
• Use of other biologics (e.g., anti-TNF, abatacept, anti-IL-6) and investigational biologics within the last four weeks or five half-lives, whichever is longer, before the screening.
• Use of traditional medications or Ayurvedic medications within 12 weeks before screening.
• Use of endothelin receptor antagonists or oral spironolactone or oral finerenone or GLP-1 agonists or hydroxychloroquine within 12 weeks before screening.
12. Patients with a history of unstable angina, Class III and IV congestive heart failure, and clinically significant arrhythmia, as judged by the Investigator.
13. Active clinically significant viral, bacterial, or fungal infection or any major episode of infection requiring hospitalisation or treatment with parenteral anti-infectives within four weeks before or during the Screening Visit.
14. History of malignancy within the past five years before Screening (except for adequately treated basal cell carcinoma or non-metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or cervical carcinoma in situ, with no evidence of recurrence).
15. Known hypersensitivity to any of the interventions.
16. Major surgery within six weeks before the Screening Visit.
17. Clinically significant history of alcohol or drug abuse in the one year before the Screening Visit as per the Investigator’s opinion.
18. Unwillingness or lack of capacity to follow all study procedures. 
 
Method of Generating Random Sequence   Stratified block randomization 
Method of Concealment   Centralized 
Blinding/Masking   Outcome Assessor Blinded 
Primary Outcome  
Outcome  TimePoints 
To evaluate the mean change in annualized eGFR slope (ml per min per 1.73m2) in the interventional and the active comparator arms.
 
Baseline, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 24 months. 
 
Secondary Outcome  
Outcome  TimePoints 
To evaluate the mean change in UPCR ratio in the interventional and the active comparator arms.  Baseline, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. 
To evaluate the mean change in time averaged proteinuria in the interventional and the active comparator arms.  Baseline, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. 
Proportion of participants reaching the composite endpoint. Composite end-point is defined as greater than or equal to 50 percent decline in eGFR sustained for at least 28 days, end-stage kidney disease requiring renal replacement therapy, or death.  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 24 months. 
Proportion of participants having rapidly progressive kidney disease. Rapidly progressive kidney disease is defined as greater than or equal to 50 percent decline in eGFR over three months.  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 24 months. 
Proportion of participants reaching eGFR less than 15 ml per min per 1.73 m2 sustained for at least 28 days  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 24 months. 
Adverse Events. Percentage adverse events in clinical and laboratory tests.  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 24 months. 
Glucocorticoid Toxicity Index. Change in Glucocorticoid Toxicity Index (GTI) score for prednisolone and budesonide arms.  Baseline, 6months, 12 months. 
Medication Adherence. To evaluate the proportion of participants with Medication Adherence in the interventional and the active comparator arms.  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 24 months 
To evaluate participant related outcome measure (PROM) by EQ-5D-5L study instrument.  Baseline, 12 and 24 months. 
To evaluate PROM by KDQOL-36 study instrument.  Baseline, 12 and 24 months. 
To evaluate PROM py FACIT-F study instrument.  Baseline, 12 and 24 months. 
Serum biomarker profile. To evaluate the longitudinal change in serum biomarker profile from baseline to two years. This is an exploratory objective and the bio samples will be stored and the evaluation done later with supplemental funds.  Baseline, 12, 24 months. 
 
Target Sample Size   Total Sample Size="585"
Sample Size from India="585" 
Final Enrollment numbers achieved (Total)= "Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials"
Final Enrollment numbers achieved (India)="Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials" 
Phase of Trial   Phase 4 
Date of First Enrollment (India)   26/11/2024 
Date of Study Completion (India) Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials 
Date of First Enrollment (Global)  Date Missing 
Date of Study Completion (Global) Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials 
Estimated Duration of Trial   Years="5"
Months="0"
Days="0" 
Recruitment Status of Trial (Global)   Not Applicable 
Recruitment Status of Trial (India)  Open to Recruitment 
Publication Details   N/A 
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement

Will individual participant data (IPD) be shared publicly (including data dictionaries)?  

Response - YES
  1. What data in particular will be shared?
    Response - Individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this article, after de-identification (text, tables, figures, and appendices).

  2. What additional supporting information will be shared?
    Response -  Study Protocol
    Response -  Statistical Analysis Plan
    Response - Informed Consent Form
    Response - Clinical Study Report
    Response -  Analytic Code

  3. Who will be able to view these files?
    Response - Researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal.

  4. For what types of analyses will this data be available?
    Response - To achieve aims in the approved proposal.

  5. By what mechanism will data be made available?
    Response (Others) -  All de-identified individual-level data, as permitted by the local law, will be made available on Mendeley Data. Access to data will be possible by writing to gracetrials@cmcvellore.ac.in or suceena@cmcvellore.ac.in on or after 31 Dec 2030.

  6. For how long will this data be available start date provided 01-12-2030 and end date provided 30-11-2035?
    Response (Others) -  Within 6 months of data lock at the end of the trial and for a period of five years thereafter.

  7. Any URL or additional information regarding plan/policy for sharing IPD? 
    Additional Information - NIL
Brief Summary  

Global Burden of Diseases ranks chronic kidney disease (CKD) as the 12th leading cause of death, with an estimated 20% increase from 2010 to 2019. India is the most populous country in South Asia, with one-fourth of the global population. CKD prevalence has reached epidemic proportions in South Asia, with 1 in 7 adults affected by it. Glomerular diseases are the most common cause of CKD after diabetes and hypertension. IgAN is the most common primary glomerular disease in adults. In the Caucasian and East Asian populations, IgAN results in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in 15–20% of patients within 15-20 years after the first clinical presentation.

Our first prospective observational (GRACE-IgANI) cohort since 2015 showed that South Asians have severe and progressive IgAN, with 39% having a rapid fall in eGFR, 25% having non-remission of proteinuria, and 36% reaching
an adverse kidney outcome at three years. Our group has shown that South Asian ethnicity is associated with a severe phenotype, rapid progression, and significant ethnic differences in biomarkers.

Over the last few years, newer anti-proteinuric agents and immunomodulatory drugs have either been approved by the FDA or are in the late phases of clinical trials for various proteinuric kidney diseases. The results of the STOP- IgAN and the recent TESTING trial have shown that the short-term beneficial effects of steroids on proteinuria and eGFR slope at six months wane over time, and there is a need for effective longer-term agents. The KDIGO guidelines development body on glomerular diseases has actively advocated enrolling patients prospectively in ‘Clinical Trials’.

Platform trials are Multi-Arm and Multi-Stage (MAMS) randomised CTs comparing multiple parallel interventional groups against standardised common control groups with central coordination. It allows new interventions to be added, the control group to be updated throughout the trial, and the use of prespecified interim analysis plans for statistical efficiencies. Interventional groups can be introduced after the trial has started based on pre-specified criteria, and futile interventions may be stopped based on pre-specified interim analyses and trial-stopping rules.

This is a randomised controlled single-blind (outcome assessor) Platform trial, Multi-Arm and Multi-Stage. There is a single overarching protocol called a Master protocol. The master protocol, the common concurrent control arm
for multiple interventions,the within-trial adaptations, the pre-specified interim analyses, and the pragmatic nature ensure greater acceptability and allow key trial characteristics to evolve. The overall strategy of the study relies strongly on 
pragmatic ‘real world clinical situations’ faced by practising nephrologists when treating adult patients with kidney biopsy-proven primary IgAN in South Asia. It will establish the ‘GRACE Clinical Trial Network’.

The overarching trial hypothesis is that commonly available and approved generic drugs (low-dose oral prednisolone, gut-directed budesonide, mycophenolate mofetil, and hydroxychloroquine) in addition to Standard
of Care (SoC), which is the maximal labelled or tolerated dose of renin- angiotensin system blockers (ACEi/ ARB) and a steady dose of sodium- glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) can significantly improve the kidney outcomes at two years when compared to Standard of Care (SoC) alone in South Asian kidney biopsy-proven adult (≥18 years) primary IgAN who on follow-up remain at high risk of progression defined as UPCR ≥0.75g/g and baseline eGFR ≥20ml/min/1.73m2 despite good BP control. SoC is defined as a maximal labelled or tolerated dose of ACEi/ ARB and a steady dose of SGLT2i with a goal BP <140/90 mmHg for at least three months.

 
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