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CTRI Number  CTRI/2023/06/053691 [Registered on: 08/06/2023] Trial Registered Prospectively
Last Modified On: 18/08/2026
Post Graduate Thesis  No 
Type of Trial  Interventional 
Type of Study   Drug 
Study Design  Other 
Public Title of Study   Head-to-head, open-label, superiority trial compares SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel to rituximab in treatment of PMN that commences with an adaptive trial design. 
Scientific Title of Study   A Phase 3 Superiority Study Comparing the Safety and Efficacy of SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel compared to Rituximab and FDA approved biosimilars in Adults with Primary Membranous Nephropathy (PMN) in a Two-Phase Adaptive Trial Design. 
Trial Acronym   
Secondary IDs if Any
Modification(s)  
Secondary ID  Identifier 
ACTH-PMN-301 Version: 4, Amendment 3.0 Date: 28-May-2025  Protocol Number 
NCT05696613  ClinicalTrials.gov 
 
Details of Principal Investigator or overall Trial Coordinator (multi-center study)  
Name  Dr Dharmesh Domadia 
Designation  Vice President - Global Clinical Operations 
Affiliation  Cliantha Research Limited 
Address  Cliantha Research, Department Clinical Trials, Room no. 01, 2nd floor, #06, Arista@Eight Corporate House, Near Satyam House, Behind Rajpath Club, Bodakdev, Ahmadabad-380054, Gujarat, India

Ahmadabad
GUJARAT
380054
India 
Phone  079-66219555  
Fax  079-66219549  
Email  ddomadia@cliantha.com  
 
Details of Contact Person
Scientific Query
 
Name  Dr Ankesh Barnwal 
Designation  Associate Director-II Medical Services 
Affiliation  Cliantha Research Limited 
Address  Cliantha Research, Department Clinical Trials, Room no. 01, 2nd floor, #06, Arista@Eight Corporate House, Near Satyam House, Behind Rajpath Club, Bodakdev, Ahmadabad-380054, Gujarat, India

Ahmadabad
GUJARAT
380054
India 
Phone  079-66219545  
Fax  079-66219549  
Email  abarnwal@cliantha.com  
 
Details of Contact Person
Public Query
 
Name  Mr Hitesh Maheshwari 
Designation  Associate Director-I Clinical Trials 
Affiliation  Cliantha Research Limited 
Address  Cliantha Research, Department Clinical Trials, Room no. 01, 2nd floor, #06, Arista@Eight Corporate House, Near Satyam House, Behind Rajpath Club, Bodakdev, Ahmadabad-380054, Gujarat, India

Ahmadabad
GUJARAT
380054
India 
Phone  079-66219577  
Fax  079-66219549  
Email  hmaheshwari@cliantha.com  
 
Source of Monetary or Material Support  
Cerium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 312 Main Street, Suite 300 Gaithersburg, MD 20878 
 
Primary Sponsor  
Name  Cerium Pharmaceuticals Inc. 
Address  312 Main Street, Suite 300 Gaithersburg, MD 20878 
Type of Sponsor  Pharmaceutical industry-Global 
 
Details of Secondary Sponsor  
Name  Address 
NIL  NIL 
 
Countries of Recruitment     United States of America
Canada
India  
Sites of Study
Modification(s)  
No of Sites = 16  
Name of Principal Investigator  Name of Site  Site Address  Phone/Fax/Email 
Dr Vinay Rathore  AIIMS- Raipur  Room No. 420, AIIMS- Gate No, 1, Great Eastern Rd, opposite Gurudwara, AIIMS Campus, Tatibandh, Raipur, Chhattisgarh - 492099, India.
Raipur
CHHATTISGARH 
9914699651

vinayrathoremd@gmail.com 
Dr Alok Jain  Apex Hospital Private Limited  SP-4 & 6, First Floor Academic Block Clinical Trial Room, Malviya Industrial Area, Malviya Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan - 302017, India
Jaipur
RAJASTHAN 
1413090309

drjainalok@gmail.com 
Dr Sanjay Srinivasa  Dr. Sanjays Center For Kidney and Diabetes  Clinical Research Department-Basement, 357B, Bengaluru Bellary Road, Near to HDFC bank, Yelahanka Town, Opposite RR Gold Palace Bangalore, Karnataka - 560064, India
Bangalore
KARNATAKA 
9901996744

drsanjaysri872@gmail.com 
Dr Dhananjay Sinha   Galaxy Hospital  4th floor M.S. Chamber, CT room, Galaxy Hospital, Plot No. 4,5,6,7, Dayal Enclave Mahmoorganj Rd, Near Railway Station, Mahmoorganj, Uttar Pradesh - 221010, India.
Varanasi
UTTAR PRADESH 
9415304564

dksinha15@gmail.com 
Dr Shreedhar CG  Institute of Nephro Urology  Room No. 08, Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephro Urology, XH6F Q47, Victoria Hospital Campus, Alur Venkata Rao Rd, New Tharagupet, Bengaluru- Karnataka 560002, India.
Bangalore
KARNATAKA 
9535246939

drsreedharcg@gmail.com 
Dr Ramaswami Sethuraman  KG Hospital and Post Graduate Medical lnstitute and Research Centre  No. 5, Government Arts College Road, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, lndia - 641018
Coimbatore
TAMIL NADU 
9600900078

ramaswami.sethuraman@gmail.com 
Dr Ritesh Verneker  KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre  G2 Sharavati Floor SMO Office, KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and MRC, Belagavi, Karnataka – 590010, India.
Belgaum
KARNATAKA 
8312470400

riteshvernekar@gmail.com 
Dr Abhijit Konnur  Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital  1st Floor, main building, Dr. V V, Petlad Rd, Yogiraj Society, Nadiad, Gujarat - 387001, India.
Kheda
GUJARAT 
9825316112

abhijit@mpuh.org 
Dr Raja Ramchandran  Post graduate Institute of medical Education and Research  Department of Nephrology, Ground Floor , C-Block, Nehru Hospital, Sector- 12, Chandigarh - 160012, India.
Chandigarh
CHANDIGARH 
9216958874

drraja980@gmail.com 
Dr Dhananjai Agrawal  S.M.S Medical College Hospital  Room No. 507, 5th floor, Department of Nephrology,S.M.S Superspeciality Hospital, Attached to S.M.S medical college, Vivekanand Marg, C-Scheme-302001, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
Jaipur
RAJASTHAN 
9414459790

dhananjaynephro@gmail.com 
Dr Manas Ranjan Patel  Sanjay Gandhi Post graduate Institute of Medical Sciences  Room No. 205, Ist Floor, Administrative Block, SGPGI Bioethics Cell, Raebareli Road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh - 226014, India.
Lucknow
UTTAR PRADESH 
8004904356

drmrpatel@ymail.com 
Dr Amit Pasari  Saraswati Kidney Care center  4th Floor , 13 New Sneh Nagar, near Jaiprakash Nagar Metro Station, Jaitala Road, Nagpur, Maharashtra-440015, India.
Nagpur
MAHARASHTRA 
9422164630

dramit2811@gmail.com 
Dr Hardik Shah  Shree Ashirwad Hospital  2nd floor, C-3,4, Shree Complex, Opp. Mahavir Nagar, Manpada Road, Dombivli East, Maharastra-421201, India.
Thane
MAHARASHTRA 
9833919767

drhardik74@hotmail.com 
Dr Vinant Bhargava  Sir Ganga Ram Hospital  Room No. 1233, 2nd floor, Old Building, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Marg, Rajinder Nagar, New Delhi, Delhi 110060, India.
New Delhi
DELHI 
9990610096

vinant_bhargava@yahoo.com 
Dr C V Rama Krishna  Vendanta Hospitals  Fourth Floor, Clinical Research Department,15-11-154,Beside Vasavi Cloth Market, Near Best Price , Mangalagiri Road, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh - 522001, India.
Guntur
ANDHRA PRADESH 
9701504777

rknephro@gmail.com 
Dr Venkata Krishna Reddy  Vijaya Super Speciality Hospital  4th Floor, 16- II/41 A, Raghava Cine Complex Road, Pogathota, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh - 524001, India.
Nellore
ANDHRA PRADESH 
9849048222

svkkrishnareddy.vijaya@gmail.com 
 
Details of Ethics Committee
Modification(s)  
No of Ethics Committees= 16  
Name of Committee  Approval Status 
Altezza Institutional Ethics Committee  Submittted/Under Review 
Dr. Sanjays Hospital Ethics Committee  Submittted/Under Review 
EC of SMS Medical College & Hospital  Approved 
Ethics Committee Galaxy Hospital  Approved 
Institute Ethics Committee-AIIMS Raipur  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee of Institute of Nephro Urology  Submittted/Under Review 
Institutional Ethics Committee , Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of M Sciences  Submittted/Under Review 
Institutional Ethics Committee Apex Hospitals Private Limited  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee of KLE University  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research  Approved 
lnstitutional Ethics Committee, KG Hospital  Approved 
Muljibhai Patel Society for Research in Nephro-Urology Ethics Committee  Approved 
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Ethics Committee  Approved 
SKCC Institute Ethics Committee  Approved 
Vedanta Hospital Institutional Ethics Committee  Approved 
Vijaya Ethics Committee   Approved 
 
Regulatory Clearance Status from DCGI  
Status 
Approved/Obtained 
 
Health Condition / Problems Studied  
Health Type  Condition 
Patients  (1) ICD-10 Condition: N04||Nephrotic syndrome,  
 
Intervention / Comparator Agent
Modification(s)  
Type  Name  Details 
Intervention  12 patients at 3mg SNP-ACTH Gel sc injection 3 times per week  SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel administered subcutaneously. Phase 3 a: Dose:- 3mg Frequency:- 3 times per week Route:- Subcutaneous  
Intervention  12 patients at 5mg SNP-ACTH Gel sc injection 3 times per week   SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel administered subcutaneously. Phase 3 a: Dose:- 5mg Frequency:- 3 times per week Route:- Subcutaneous  
Comparator Agent  1g IV infusions of rituximab on Days 0, 15, 180, 195 (Total 4 g of rituximab)   Rituximab 1 g Intravenous Injection to be administered 
Intervention  SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel treatment at the dose level determined in the Phase 3a.  SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel administered subcutaneously. Dose:- to be decided based on 3a study Frequency:- 3 times per week Route:- Subcutaneous 
 
Inclusion Criteria  
Age From  18.00 Year(s)
Age To  99.00 Year(s)
Gender  Both 
Details  To be eligible for the study, an individual must meet all the following criteria:

1. ≥ 18 years old
2. Biopsy-proven membranous glomerulonephritis or a diagnosis of MN and a positive anti PLA2R antibody test.
3. Patients classified to be at a High Risk for progressive loss of kidney function, as defined by KDIGO 2021-Glomerular Diseases Guideline
a. eGFR of <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and/or proteinuria >8 g/d for >6 months or
b. Normal eGFR, proteinuria >3.5 g/d and no decrease >50% after 6 months of conservative therapy with ACEi / ARB and at least one of the following: PLA2R antibody levels >50 RU/ml, serum albumin <25 g/L, urinary α1-microglobin >40 µg/min, urinary β2-microglobin > 250 mg/d
c. Patient meeting above criteria as per PI discretion as High Risk Patient.
4. eGFR by Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) formula ≥40 mL/min/1.73 m2
5. Stable dose of blood pressure (BP) medication for at least 1 month
6. Prophylactic anticoagulation should be employed in patients when the risk of thromboembolism exceeds the estimated patient-specific risks of an anticoagulation
7. Life expectancy > 24 months
8. Vaccinated for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) before randomization.
9. Vision sufficient to measure a syringe volume or a caretaker who can do the same.
10. Patients who have had CR (Complete Remission) or PR (Partial Remission) in response to immunosuppressive therapy, however if relapsed can participate in the study if they have received high dose glucocorticoids, calcineurin inhibitors, mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) for more than 3 months since their last dose.
11. Patients who have had CR or PR in response to immunosuppressive therapy, however if relapsed can participate in the study if they have received chlorambucil or CYC (cyclophosphamide) more than 6 months since their last dose.
12. Patients who have had CR or PR in response to immunosuppressive therapy, but then relapsed can participate in the study if it has been more than 12 months since their last dose of Rituximab.
13. If all Inclusion Points are met but patient has not been on a stable dose of ACEi (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor ) or ARB (angiotensin receptor blocker ) for 90 days, he/she will be asked to return for screening once the dose of ACEi or ARB has not changed in 90 days.


 
 
ExclusionCriteria 
Details  An individual who meets any of the following criteria will not be enrolled in the study:

1. Secondary membranous nephropathy as defined by history, physical exam, kidney biopsy results or serologies.
2. A confirmed diagnosis of diabetes.
3. Patient with fasting blood glucose >126 mg/dL hemoglobin A1C will be tested, If the A1C level is > 6.5% and the patient will be excluded
4. Renal biopsy showing glomerular disease other than MN or clinical manifestations, history, serology, or biopsy findings
5. Patients who have had a 50% or greater decrease in their baseline proteinuria levels within the last year in the absence of IS or cytotoxic therapy
6. Patients who have had a ≥ 50% reduction in serum titers of PLA2R (phospholipase A2 receptor) auto-antibody within 1 year before screening.
7. Patients who were non responders to previous IS treatments
8. Patients who must be initiated on drugs likely to affect renal function
9. Blood serologies suggestive of lupus nephritis or glomerular diseases other than PMN.
10. Pregnancy as determined by serum quantitative human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level.
11. Active infectious disease either clinically or, serologically, or culture based.
12. Patients with active hepatitis.
13. Past clinical history of Hepatitis B without anti-HBs antibodies.
14. Chronic Hepatitis C (HCV) with no successful virologic curative therapy.
15. Inability to give informed consent in the absence of a legal surrogate
16. History of cancer in remission for < 3 years excluding basal cell skin cancer and squamous cell skin cancer under surveillance by a dermatologist.
17. Scleroderma
18. Osteoporosis
19. Latent tuberculosis or tuberculin positivity as shown by the QuantiFERON Gold test.
20. Ocular herpes simplex present or history thereof.
21. Surgery within 1 month of study entry.
22. Uncompensated congestive heart failure
23. History of sensitivity to proteins of porcine origin.
24. Myasthenia gravis
25. Untreated hypothyroidism
26. Clinical liver disease diagnosed by a health care provider by signs and symptoms or biochemical liver disease manifest
27. Hemoglobinopathies including sickle cell disease. 
 
Method of Generating Random Sequence   Computer generated randomization 
Method of Concealment   Centralized 
Blinding/Masking   Open Label 
Primary Outcome
Modification(s)  
Outcome  TimePoints 
determine the optimal dose that will be used in the Phase 3b part of the study. study will enroll 24 patients randomized to 2 different dose levels for up to 12 months. Dose levels will be: 12 patients at 3 mg SNP-ACTH Gel sc injection 3 times per week
12 patients at 5 mg SNP-ACTH Gel sc injection 3 times per week
Phase 3 b - To assess the efficacy of SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel relative to rituximab in inducing a CR of proteinuria at month 12 and confirming durability of CR at month 24.
 
Phase 3 a - 13.5 month
Phase 3 b - 24 month 
 
Secondary Outcome  
Outcome  TimePoints 
1. To demonstrate the safety and tolerability of SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel.
2. To assess the efficacy of SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel relative to rituximab in inducing a CR or PR of proteinuria at month 12.
3. To assess the efficacy of SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel relative to rituximab in achieving immunological response at month 12.
4. To assess the utility of anti-PLA2R (or anti-THSD7A) auto-antibody levels and their relation to therapy and proteinuria at baseline.
5. To assess the clinical response to treatment by analyzing eGFR with proteinuria and auto-antibody levels (if applicable).
6. To assess the clinical response to treatment by analyzing quantitation of B and T cell subsets and their relation to therapy and proteinuria at baseline.
 
24 month 
 
Target Sample Size
Modification(s)  
Total Sample Size="156"
Sample Size from India="71" 
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 3 
Date of First Enrollment (India)
Modification(s)  
03/10/2023 
Date of Study Completion (India) Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials 
Date of First Enrollment (Global)  13/03/2023 
Date of Study Completion (Global) Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials 
Estimated Duration of Trial   Years="3"
Months="6"
Days="0" 
Recruitment Status of Trial (Global)
Modification(s)  
Open to Recruitment 
Recruitment Status of Trial (India)  Open to Recruitment 
Publication Details   Nill 
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement

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

Response - NO
Brief Summary  

This head-to-head, open-label, 2-phase superiority trial compares SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel to rituximab in treatment of PMN that commences with an adaptive trial design for dose finding. The trial will be divided into two parts: Phase 3a and Phase 3b.

Dose finding Phase 3a part of the study will enroll 16 patients randomized to 2 different dose levels of SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel treatment for 12 months. Dose levels will be:

·         8 patients at 3mg SNP-ACTH Gel sc injection 3 times per week;

·         8 patients at 5mg SNP-ACTH Gel sc injection 3 times per week

Data from the Phase 3a part of the study will be assessed at regular intervals (at months 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12) and will inform the dose selection for the Phase 3b. The optimal dose will be determined based on a risk/benefit assessment from data obtained from the Phase 3a part of the study, with the earliest assessment being conducted after all patients have completed at least 2 months of therapy.

The Phase 3b part of the study will enroll 132 patients randomized 1:1 to either 12 months of 1g Rituximab therapy (2 treatment cycles at month 1 and month 6) or 12 months of SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel treatment at the dose level determined in the Phase 3a.

This is an open label adaptive trial. Patients who have been randomized to SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel who have not demonstrated an improvement in proteinuria levels or anti-PLA2R antibody levels (if applicable) after 4 months of treatment, could, at the option of the treating physician, be removed from the trial and provided an alternative treatment.

The number of randomized patients in the Phase 3b (N=132) was determined by the estimated CR rates of patients after the 12-month treatment period (45% for SNP-ACTH (1-39) Gel vs 18% for rituximab), where the durability of CR is confirmed at month 24 (12-month treatment period plus, for those patients achieving a CR at month 12, a 12-month follow up period to confirm durability of response). 
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