New drug cocktail aims to halt scleroderma skin damage
NCT ID NCT03844061
First seen Apr 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 20, 2026 · Updated 9 times
Summary
This study tests whether combining two immune-suppressing drugs, belimumab and rituximab, can improve skin fibrosis in people with early diffuse systemic sclerosis (a rare autoimmune disease that causes skin hardening). Thirty adults will receive either the drug combo or placebo, alongside standard treatment with mycophenolate mofetil, for 52 weeks. The main goal is to see if the combo improves a composite measure of disease activity and is safe.
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This is a summary of
the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Study contacts
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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Hospital for Special Surgery
RECRUITINGNew York, New York, 10021, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
belimumab and rituximab (drugs that target the immune system)
What this could lead to
If it works, this combination could offer a new way to slow or improve skin fibrosis in early diffuse systemic sclerosis.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-phase trial (30 people) with no guarantee of success. The drugs can cause serious infections and infusion reactions.
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.