This is a multi-center double-blind placebo-controlled study to assess the efficacy and safety of canakinumab (trade name Ilaris®), a high-affinity monoclonal antibody that neutralizes IL-1β, in patients with Schnitzler syndrome. Efficacy is assessed by physician's global assessment (a combined clinical symptom score) and inflammation markers. Following a baseline period of 1-4 weeks, patients will be randomized to receive single s.c. injections of either 150 mg canakinumab or placebo (day 0). Treatment response will be assessed on day 7. Patients will then be eligible to enter the 16-week open-label phase and receive canakinumab injections (150-300mg, dose depends on clinical response on day 7) upon relapse of symptoms. Visits for investigator's assessments will be scheduled at 4-weekly intervals following day 7. Overall a max. of 20 subjects with Schnitzler syndrome will be enrolled.
1. Amendment: After successful completion of the 16-week open-label phase patients will be eligible to enter a one-year open-label extension of the study. During this part of the study patients will be scheduled at bi-monthly intervals. Canakinumab dosing will be performed upon relapse of symptoms comparable to the 16-week open-label phase.
2. Amendment: After successful completion of the 1-year open-label study extension patients will be eligible to enter another 3-year open-label extension. Patients will be scheduled at 3-month-intervals and Canakinumab dosing will be performed on an individual basis with optimized dosing intervals to ensure a constant low disease activity.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Adults (18 years or older)
* Informed consent signed and dated
* Able to read, understand and willing to sign the informed consent form and abide with study procedures
* SchS diagnosis based on diagnostic criteria defined in Appendix
* Patients with symptomatic Schnitzler syndrome \[SchS\] (as defined by the physician's global assessment with a minimum score of 8 and C-reactive protein \[CRP\] \> upper limit of normal \[ULN\])
* Willing, committed and able to return for all clinic visits and complete all study-related procedures, including willingness to have subcutaneous injections administered by a qualified person
* In females of childbearing potential: Negative pregnancy test; females willing to use highly effective contraception (Pearl-Index \< 1). A woman will be considered not of childbearing potential if she is post-menopausal for greater than two years or surgically sterile (bilateral tubal ligation, bilateral oophorectomy or hysterectomy)
* Subjects are considered eligible, if they meet the following tuberculosis \[TB\] screening criteria: no history of latent or active TB prior to screening, no signs or symptoms suggestive of active TB, no recent close contacts with a person with active TB, and negative QuantiFERON-TB test at screening (if QuantiFERON-TB test is positive, the patient can only be included if active TB is ruled out with appropriate measurements according to standard of care)
* No participation in other clinical trials 4 weeks b…
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
The effect of canakinumab on the clinical signs and symptoms of SchS measured by physician's global assessment