Ruxolitinib for the treatment of patients with steroid-refractory GVHD: an introduction to the REACH trials

Immunotherapy. 2018 Apr;10(5):391-402. doi: 10.2217/imt-2017-0156. Epub 2018 Jan 10.

Abstract

For patients with hematologic malignancies and disorders, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation offers a potentially curative treatment option. Many patients develop graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a serious complication and leading cause of nonrelapse mortality. Corticosteroids are the standard first-line treatment for GVHD; however, patients often become steroid-refractory or remain corticosteroid-dependent. New second-line treatment options are needed to improve patient outcomes. Here we review the role of JAK1 and JAK2 in acute and chronic GVHD. We also describe the study designs of the Phase II REACH1 (NCT02953678) and the Phase III REACH2 (NCT02913261) and REACH3 (NCT03112603) clinical trials that are currently recruiting patients to evaluate the JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib in patients with corticosteroid-refractory acute or chronic GVHD.

Keywords: JAK; allogeneic stem cell transplant; refractory graft-versus-host disease.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial Protocol
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones*
  • Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic
  • Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic
  • Graft vs Host Disease* / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic
  • Nitriles
  • Prospective Studies
  • Pyrazoles* / therapeutic use
  • Pyrimidines
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones
  • Nitriles
  • Pyrazoles
  • Pyrimidines
  • ruxolitinib

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT02953678
  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT02913261
  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT03112603