Publications by authors named "Steven Fischkoff"

Aims: The melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) plays a central role in appetite regulation, and agonistic activity at this receptor promotes satiety. Results from two randomized controlled clinical trials examine the effects of bremelanotide's agonism at MC4R on caloric intake and body weight.

Methods: Premenopausal women with a body mass index >30 kg/m were studied in two phase 1, single-centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.

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The objective of this study was to examine the safety of cenplacel (PDA-002) in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). Cenplacel is a mesenchymal-like cell population derived from full-term human placenta. This phase 1, dose-escalation study investigated cenplacel in diabetic patients with chronic DFUs (Wagner grade 1 or grade 2) and PAD [ankle-brachial index (ABI) >0·5 and ≤0·9], enrolled sequentially into each of four dose cohorts (3 × 10 , 10 × 10 , 30 × 10 and 100 × 10 cells; administered intramuscularly on study days 1 and 8 in combination with standard of care).

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Background: Placental derived mesenchymal-like cells have been found to have immunosuppressive effects on T cell function. We studied mesenchymal-like cells as immunomodulators in chronic pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Methods: PDA-001 cells were culture-expanded in vitro as a plastic-adherent, undifferentiated cell population that expresses the nominal phenotype CD34-, CD10+, CD105+ and CD200+.

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Background: PDA-001 (cenplacel-L), a preparation of placenta-derived mesenchymal-like adherent cells with immunomodulatory effects, previously demonstrated safety and tolerability in an open-label Crohn's disease (CD) study. The current phase 1b/2a study evaluated the safety and efficacy of PDA-001 in subjects with moderate-to-severe CD.

Methods: Subjects had active inflammation on colonoscopy or elevated fecal calprotectin and inadequate response to conventional therapy.

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Background: Infusion of PDA-001, a preparation of mesenchymal-like cells derived from full-term human placenta, is a new approach in the treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: This safety study aimed to rule out the possibility of paradoxical exacerbation of disease activity by PDA-001 in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Methods: This was a phase 1b, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2-dose ranging study including patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

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Background: The clinical utility of cellular therapies is being investigated in a broad range of therapeutic areas. This phase 1 study represents the first exploration of PDA001, a preparation of cells cultured from human placental tissue, in subjects with Crohn's disease.

Methods: Twelve subjects with active, moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease unresponsive to previous therapy were given 2 intravenous infusions of PDA001 1 week apart, monitored weekly for 5 weeks, and assessed at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after infusion.

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Purpose: MDX-060 is a human anti-CD30 immunoglobulin (Ig) G1kappa monoclonal antibody that inhibits growth of CD30-expressing tumor cells in preclinical models. To determine the safety, maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), and efficacy of MDX-060 in patients with relapsed or refractory CD30+ lymphomas, sequential phase I and II studies were performed.

Patients And Methods: In the phase I portion, MDX-060 was administered intravenously at doses of 0.

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Objective: To evaluate whether administration of afelimomab, an anti-tumor necrosis factor F(ab')2 monoclonal antibody fragment, would reduce 28-day all-cause mortality in patients with severe sepsis and elevated serum levels of IL-6.

Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-center, phase III clinical trial.

Setting: One hundred fifty-seven intensive care units in the United States and Canada.

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Objective: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is an important proinflammatory cytokine that mediates inflammatory synovitis and articular matrix degradation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We investigated the ability of adalimumab, a human anti-TNF monoclonal antibody, to inhibit the progression of structural joint damage, reduce the signs and symptoms, and improve physical function in patients with active RA receiving concomitant treatment with methotrexate (MTX).

Methods: In this multicenter, 52-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 619 patients with active RA who had an inadequate response to MTX were randomized to receive adalimumab 40 mg subcutaneously every other week (n = 207), adalimumab 20 mg subcutaneously every week (n = 212), or placebo (n = 200) plus concomitant MTX.

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Objective: This study, known as STAR (Safety Trial of Adalimumab in Rheumatoid Arthritis), evaluated the safety and efficacy of adalimumab (Humira), a fully human monoclonal tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) antibody, when given with standard antirheumatic therapy in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) not adequately responding to such therapies. Standard antirheumatic therapy included traditional disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD), low dose corticosteroids, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID), and/or analgesics.

Methods: In this 24-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 636 patients with RA were randomly assigned to receive adalimumab 40 mg subcutaneously (sc) every other week (n = 318) or placebo (n = 318) while continuing standard antirheumatic therapy.

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Background: Because traditional therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) such as methotrexate (MTX) do not produce an adequate response in many patients, newer therapies that block the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) are increasingly being used in combination with MTX.

Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and safety profile of adalimumab, a fully human anti-TNF alpha monoclonal antibody, when added to continuing MTX therapy.

Methods: This Phase I, randomized, dose-titration study consisted of a 4-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled treatment phase and a 26-month, open-label continuation phase.

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Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adalimumab (D2E7), a fully human monoclonal tumor necrosis factor alpha antibody, in combination with methotrexate (MTX) in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) despite treatment with MTX.

Methods: In a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 271 patients with active RA were randomly assigned to receive injections of adalimumab (20 mg, 40 mg, or 80 mg subcutaneously) or placebo every other week while continuing to take their long-term stable dosage of MTX. The primary efficacy end point was the American College of Rheumatology criteria for 20% improvement (ACR20) at 24 weeks.

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