Macular Edema Ranibizumab v. Intravitreal Anti-inflammatory Therapy Trial

Completed · Phase 3

Conditions studied: Uveitis, Macular Edema

In brief

The Macular Edema Ranibizumab v. Intravitreal anti-inflammatory Therapy (MERIT) Trial will compare the relative efficacy and safety of intravitreal methotrexate, intravitreal ranibizumab, and the intravitreal dexamethasone implant for the treatment of uveitic macular edema persisting or reoccurring after an intravitreal corticosteroid injection. MERIT is a parallel design (1:1:1), randomized comparative trial with an anniversary close-out after 6 months of follow-up. The primary outcome is percent change in central subfield thickness from the baseline OCT measurement to the 12 week visit.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT02623426
Run by: JHSPH Center for Clinical Trials
People needed: 194
Starts: 2017-03-09
Expected to finish: 2022-02-02
Last updated by the study team: 2023-07-10

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Patient level inclusion criterion
18 years of age or older;
Eye level inclusion criteria - at least one eye must meet all of the following conditions
Inactive or minimally active non-infectious anterior, intermediate, posterior or panuveitis, as defined by the Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) Working Group criteria as ≤ 0.5+ anterior chamber cells, ≤ 0.5+ vitreous haze grade and no active retinal/choroidal lesions for a minimum of 4 weeks;
Macular edema (ME) defined as the presence of macular thickness greater than the normal range for the OCT machine being used (see cut points below), regardless of the presence of cysts, following an intravitreal corticosteroid injection (≥ 4 weeks following intravitreal triamcinolone injection or ≥ 12 weeks following intravitreal dexamethasone implant injection);
Greater than 300 μm for Zeiss Cirrus Greater than 320 μm for Heidelberg Spectralis Greater than 300 μm for Topcon SD OCT
Baseline fluorescein angiogram that, as assessed by the study ophthalmologist, is gradable for degree of leakage in the central subfield;
Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) 5/200 or better;
Baseline intraocular pressure > 5 mm Hg and ≤ 21 mm Hg (current use of ≤3 intraocular pressure-lowering medications and/or prior glaucoma surgery are acceptable (Note: combination medications, e.g., Combigan, are counted as two IOP-lowering medications);
Media clarity and pupillary dilation sufficient to allow OCT testing and assessment of the fundus.

You may not qualify if…

Patient level exclusion criteria
History of infectious uveitis in either eye;
History of infectious scleritis of any type in either eye (Note: History of noninfectious scleritis that has been active in past 12 months is an eye-level exclusion -see #13 below);
History of keratitis (with the exception of keratitis due to dry eye) in either eye;
History of central serous retinopathy in either eye;
Active infectious conjunctivitis in either eye;
Oral prednisone dose > 10 mg per day (or of an alternative corticosteroid at a dose higher than that equipotent to prednisone 10 mg per day) OR oral prednisone dose ≤ 10 mg per day at baseline that has not been stable for at least 4 weeks (note: if patient is off of oral prednisone at baseline (M01 study visit) dose stability requirement for past 4 weeks does not apply);
Systemic immunosuppressive drug therapy that has not been stable for at least 4 weeks (note: use of systemic methotrexate is acceptable as long as regimen has been stable for at least 4 weeks);
Use of oral acetazolamide or other systemic carbonic anhydrase inhibitor at baseline;
Known allergy or hypersensitivity to any component of the study drugs;
For women of childbearing potential: pregnancy, breastfeeding, or a positive pregnancy test; unwilling to practice an adequate birth control method (abstinence, combination barrier and spermicide, or hormonal) for duration of trial;
Eye level exclusion criteria - at least one eye that meets all inclusion criteria cannot have any of the following conditions
History of infectious endophthalmitis;
History of severe glaucoma as defined by optic nerve damage (cup/disc ratio of ≥ 0.9 or any notching of optic nerve to the rim);
History of active noninfectious scleritis in past 12 months (Note: History of noninfectious scleritis is acceptable if the last episode of active scleritis resolved at least 12 months prior to enrollment);
Presence of an epiretinal membrane noted clinically or by OCT that per the judgment of study ophthalmologist may be significant enough to limit improvement of ME (i.e., causing substantial wrinkling of the retinal surface);
Torn or ruptured posterior lens capsule
Presence of silicone oil;
Ozurdex administered in past 12 weeks;
Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agent, intravitreal methotrexate, or intravitreal/periocular corticosteroid administered in past 4 weeks;
Fluocinolone acetonide implant (Retisert) placed in past 3 years.

Where it is running

Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA — Los Angeles, California, United States
University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, California, United States
Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine — Miami, Florida, United States
Emory University — Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Northwestern University — Chicago, Illinois, United States
Rush University Medical Center — Chicago, Illinois, United States
University of Iowa — Iowa City, Iowa, United States
University of Louisville — Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary — Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston — Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan — Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Duke Eye Center, Duke University — Durham, North Carolina, United States
Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
MidAtlanitc Retina, Wills Eye Hospital — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Vanderbilt — Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Retinal Consultants of Houston — Houston, Texas, United States
John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah — Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital — East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
McGill University — Montreal, Quebec, Canada
LV Prasad Eye Institute - Bhubaneswar — Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
Medical and Vision Research Foundation — Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
LV Prasad Eye Institute - Hyderabad — Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Advanced Eye Center, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research — Chandigarh, India

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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