Last Update: Sep 09, 2026
A 52-week Multi-center, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo Controlled Phase 3 Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Remibrutinib in Adult Participants With Severe Chronic Pruritus of Unknown Origin (CPUO)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
Novartis Reference Number:CLOU064R12301
All compounds are either investigational or being studied for (a) new use(s). Efficacy and safety have not been established. There is no guarantee that they will become commercially available for the use(s) under investigation.

Study Description

The purpose of this phase 3 study is to establish the efficacy, safety and tolerability of remibrutinib in adult participants with severe chronic pruritus of unknown origin (CPUO). This is a global, phase 3 multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of remibrutinib in adult participants with severe CPUO.

The design includes 4 periods, for a total duration of up to 60 weeks:

* Screening period: up to 4 weeks.
* Double-blind treatment period (treatment period 1, TP1): 24 weeks of double-blind treatment with remibrutinib or matching placebo
* Open-label treatment period (treatment period 2, TP2): 28 weeks of open-label treatment with remibrutinib. The participants randomized to the placebo arm will be switched to remibrutinib at Week 24.
* Safety follow-up period: 4 weeks of treatment-free safety follow-up.

Chronic Pruritus of Unknown Origin
Phase3
Recruiting
180
Aug 24, 2026
Apr 15, 2030
All
18 Years - (Adult, Older Adult)

Interventions

Drug

Placebo

Oral administration of matching placebo.
Drug

Remibrutinib

Oral administration of remibrutinib

Eligibility Criteria

Key Inclusion Criteria:

* Participant must be ≥ 18 years of age, at the time of signing the informed consent.
* Participants with chronic pruritus for at least 4 months prior to screening.
* Chronic pruritus considered of unknown origin as assessed by the investigator at baseline (e.g., excluding chronic pruritus related to primary dermatological or systemic conditions, neuropathic or psychogenic origin or secondary to drugs or other allergen exposures).
* Chronic pruritus must affect at least 2 of the following body areas: trunk, arms, or legs (cannot be unilateral and/or dermatomal in distribution).
* Participants with ongoing, severe chronic pruritus despite the use of emollients and who are candidates for systemic therapy.
* Participants must have severe itch defined by a WI-NRS ≥7 at screening; score scale ranges from 0 to 10; higher score indicates worse itch.
* Participants must have an average WI-NRS ≥7 over the 7 days prior to randomization/baseline visit.
* The average WI-NRS score over the preceding 7 days prior to the randomization/baseline visit will be calculated based on the daily WI-NRS scores (0-10).
* Participants must have PGIS of pruritus scored as 3 "severe" at screening and baseline visits.

Key Exclusion Criteria:

* Any active skin conditions (e.g., atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, etc.) that may interfere with the assessment of CPUO.
* Known systemic condition(s) or medication(s) that are considered by the investigator to be the primary cause of current pruritus.
* Known or suspected infectious disease that is active, chronic or recurrent which precludes the participant from participating in the clinical trial as per Investigator´s assessment. These infectious diseases include but are not limited to opportunistic infections (e.g., tuberculosis, atypical mycobacterioses, listeriosis or aspergillosis) and/or known or suspected HIV infection.
* History of malignancy of any organ system (other than localized basal cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ cervical cancer), treated or untreated, within the past 5 years, regardless of whether there is evidence of local recurrence or metastases.
* Significant bleeding risk or coagulation disorders. History of gastrointestinal bleeding, e.g., in association with use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), that was clinically relevant (e.g., where intervention was indicated or requiring hospitalization or blood transfusion). Requirement for anti-platelet medication, except for acetylsalicylic acid up to 100 mg/d or clopidogrel up to 75 mg/d. The use of dual anti-platelet therapy (e.g., acetylsalicylic acid + clopidogrel) is prohibited.
* History or current hepatic disease, including but not limited to, acute or chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis or hepatic failure or aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/ alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels of more than 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) or International Normalized Ratio (INR) of more than 1.5 at screening.

Novartis Investigative Site

Recruiting

Tachikawa,Tokyo,1900023,Japan

Aeroallergy Research Laboratories

Recruiting

Savannah,Georgia,31406,United States

Brad Goodman
Susie Gault

Dawes Fretzin Clinical Rea Group

Recruiting

Indianapolis,Indiana,46256,United States

Joannie Prusa
Kenneth Dawes

Optima Research-Boardman

Recruiting

Boardman,Ohio,44512,United States

Patrick Shannon
Sarah Merlo

Austin Inst for Clinical Research

Recruiting

Pflugerville,Texas,78660,United States

Alivia Hernandez
Edward Lain

Worldwide Contacts

If the location of your choosing does not feature any contact detail, please reach out using the information below.

Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Novartis Pharmaceuticals