Clinical trial Recruiting at 16 sites Phase 3 Interventional Ages 16 to 80

Plonmarlimab for relapsed or refractory macrophage activation syndrome in rheumatic and immune diseases

Official title: An Open-label, Single-arm, Multicenter, Phase III Clinical Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Plonmarlimab in Subjects With Relapsed/Refractory Rheumatic and Immunologic Disease-associated Haemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (Also Known as Macrophage Activation Syndrome [MAS])

Run by TJ Biopharma Co., Ltd. · NCT07208058 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This test will see if plonmarlimab helps people aged 16–80 with relapsed or refractory macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) linked to rheumatic or immune diseases.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 3
Study typeInterventional
Ages16 Years to 80 Years
SexAll
Enrollment30 (estimated)
SponsorTJ Biopharma Co., Ltd.
Industry-sponsored
Drugs / interventionsCAR-T, prednisone, Plonmarlimab
Locations18 sites (Beijing, Beijing Municipality and 17 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedNovember 21, 2025
Main results expectedDecember 20, 2026
Study endsNovember 30, 2027
Registry record updatedOctober 15, 2026
Trial IDNCT07208058 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are people aged 16–80 with a rheumatic or immunologic disease who meet HLH‑2004 diagnostic criteria and have relapsed, refractory, or corticosteroid‑dependent MAS after high‑dose corticosteroid therapy.

Probably not a fit

Patients with confirmed or suspected primary HLH, infection‑induced HLH, or who cannot tolerate study procedures are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This is a Phase III interventional trial enrolling patients aged 16–80 with rheumatic or immunologic disease who meet HLH‑2004 criteria and have MAS that is relapsed, refractory, or corticosteroid‑dependent. Eligible participants receive plonmarlimab and are followed for clinical response, safety, immunogenicity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. The study also explores biomarkers that may predict treatment response. Patients with primary HLH or infection‑triggered HLH are excluded.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, plonmarlimab could reduce dangerous hyperinflammation and improve disease control and outcomes for patients with relapsed or refractory MAS.

How similar studies have gone: Targeted biologic approaches for MAS have shown promise in early‑phase trials and case series, but robust Phase III evidence remains limited.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age: 16 to 80 years (inclusive), of any gender.
* The subject is willing to participate in this study and voluntarily signs the informed consent form. For minor subjects aged 16 years (inclusive) to less than 18 years, written informed consent must be signed by both the subject and the subject's legal guardian.
* Diagnosed with a rheumatic and immunological disease.
* Diagnosed with haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) according to the HLH-2004 diagnostic criteria (excluding molecular diagnosis)
* No response to/or dependence on/intolerance to/or worsening during high-dose corticosteroid therapy. High-dose corticosteroid therapy: at least 1.5-2.0 mg/kg/d of prednisone or its equivalent dose for 3 consecutive days, including methylprednisolone pulse therapy (15-30 mg/kg/d, maximum dose 1 g/d, for 3-5 days).

Exclusion Criteria:

* Confirmed or suspected primary haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (pHLH).
* HLH induced by infection (including but not limited to EBV-HLH) or treatment (including but not limited to drugs such as CAR-T cells, TCEs, ADCs).
* History of other active neoplasm malignant within 5 years prior to screening, with the exception of successfully treated cutaneous basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma, or localised neoplasms that have been adequately treated with curative intent, including but not limited to, uterine carcinoma in situ, breast cancer in situ, thyroid cancer, etc.; asymptomatic, localised prostate cancer confirmed to have no metastasis and not requiring treatment, etc. Prior to receiving the investigational drug, an assessment by an oncology specialist is required to clarify the current status of the neoplasm malignant and to rule out the possibility of HLH secondary to the neoplasm malignant.
* History of allergy to any component of the investigational drug.
* Lung disorder: including but not limited to asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial lung disease, alveolar proteinosis, pulmonary granulomatosis, etc., and abnormal pulmonary function tests: forced vital capacity (FVC) \<80% of predicted value, or FEV1/FVC \<70%, etc.; or the investigator's comprehensive assessment concludes that the subject has a pre-existing lung disease that significantly affects pulmonary function and is unsuitable for participation in this clinical study.
* Cardiovascular disorder: history of acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris, severe arrhythmia (multifocal frequent premature ventricular contractions, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation), etc., within the last 6 months; New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III-IV.
* Infection: Presence of an infection deemed uncontrollable by the investigator during the screening period \[including but not limited to tuberculosis, active syphilis infection, viral infection (EBV, CMV, COVID-19, active hepatitis B, active hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus), other bacterial infections (including but not limited to atypical mycobacteria, Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter, etc.)\].
* Abnormal renal function: creatinine (Cr) or urea/blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test value \>1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN); or eGFR \<60 mL/min during the screening period, calculated using the MDRD formula: eGFR \[mL/(min × 1.73 m2)\] = 186 × serum creatinine (mg/dL)-1.154 × age (years)-0.203 × (0.742 if female) × 1.233.
* Haematological diseases: Subjects with a past or current history of haematological diseases (including but not limited to, myelofibrosis, aplastic anaemia, leukaemia, lymphoma, etc.).
* Surgery or other conditions: Planned surgery or any other medical history, laboratory test abnormal, or other condition that, in the investigator's judgment, makes the subject unsuitable for participation in this study.
* Transplant: History of major organ transplant (e.g., heart, lung, kidney, liver) or haematopoietic stem cell/bone marrow transplant.
* Other diseases: Subject currently has a clinically significant and clinically unstable or inadequately controlled acute or chronic disease (e.g., acute pneumonia, pulmonary arterial hypertension, diabetic ketoacidosis, pancreatitis acute, etc.).
* Pregnant or lactating women.
* Participation in any clinical trial (including investigational vaccines) treatment or use of an invasive investigational medical device within 3 months prior to enrolment, or currently enrolled in an interventional study.
* Received live vaccine within 30 days prior to screening.
* Evidence of alcohol abuse within 3 months prior to screening or current abuse, identified through medical history inquiry.
* Other conditions that, in the investigator's opinion, make the subject unsuitable for participation in this clinical study. For example, any condition that may increase the risks associated with the subject's participation in the study, or may interfere with the evaluation of the investigational drug or confound the interpretation of the study results.

Where it's running

  • Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University
    Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
    Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Peking University People's Hospital
    Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University
    Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
    Recruiting
  • The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University
    Nanning, Guangxi, China
    Recruiting
  • The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University
    Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
    Recruiting
Show 12 more locations
  • Henan Children's Hospital Zhengzhou Children's Hospital
    Zhengzhou, Henan, China
    Recruiting
  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
    Zhengzhou, Henan, China
    Recruiting
  • Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Wuhan, Hubei, China
    Recruiting
  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University
    Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
    Recruiting
  • Children's Hospital of Fudan University
    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Huashan Hospital, Fudan University
    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine
    Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
    Recruiting
  • The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
    Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
    Recruiting
  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University
    Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
    Recruiting
  • The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University
    Shenyang, Liaoning, China
    Withdrawn
  • Tianjin Medical University General Hospital
    Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, China
    Withdrawn

Study contacts

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How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.