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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

A Study of Rapcabtagene Autoleucel in Active, Refractory Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or Lupus Nephritis (LN) Patients (AUTOGRAPH - SLE/LN)

A Phase 2, Open-label, Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Rapcabtagene Autoleucel in Patients With Active, Refractory Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or Active, Refractory Lupus Nephritis (LN).

A Study of Rapcabtagene Autoleucel in Active, Refractory Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or Lupus Nephritis (LN) Patients (AUTOGRAPH - SLE/LN) (NCT06581198) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic and Lupus Nephritis, sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rapcabtagene autoleucel (administered once following lymphodepletion) in patients with active, refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or active, refractory lupus nephritis (LN).

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

Target enrollment of 179 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Key Who May Qualify: - Men and women with SLE, aged \>= 18 years and =\< 75 years at screening, fulfilling the 2019 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for SLE at screening. - Participant must be positive for at least one of the following autoantibodies at screening: antinuclear antibodies (ANA) at a titer of \>= 1:80 (on HEp-2 cells or an equivalent positive test), or anti-dsDNA (above the ULN); or anti-Sm (above the ULN) as determined by a central laboratory. - Active lupus nephritis without signs of significant chronicity or active systemic lupus erythematosus - SLEDAI-2K Criteria at screening: SLEDAI-2K score \>= 6 points (Gladman et al 2002, Touma et al 2011), excluding points attributed to "fever", "lupus headache", "alopecia", and "organic brain syndrome". - Inadequate response at screening to at least two therapies Key Who Should NOT Join This Trial: - Any acute, severe lupus related-flare at screening that needs immediate treatment other than pulse GCs and/or makes the immunosuppressive washout impossible and, thus, makes the participant ineligible for CD19 CAR-T therapy - Inyour organs (liver, kidneys, etc.) are working well enough based on blood tests during screening and prior to randomization - History or current diagnosis of ECG or cardiac abnormalities indicating significant risk of safety for participants prior to randomization - Human weakened immune system virus (HIV) positivity at screening. - Acute or chronic infection with hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV) at screening. - Grade 2 or higher thromboembolic event in the past 4 weeks prior to screening. Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply. Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Key Inclusion Criteria: * Men and women with SLE, aged \>= 18 years and =\< 75 years at screening, fulfilling the 2019 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for SLE at screening. * Participant must be positive for at least one of the following autoantibodies at screening: antinuclear antibodies (ANA) at a titer of \>= 1:80 (on HEp-2 cells or an equivalent positive test), or anti-dsDNA (above the ULN); or anti-Sm (above the ULN) as determined by a central laboratory. * Active lupus nephritis without signs of significant chronicity or active systemic lupus erythematosus * SLEDAI-2K Criteria at screening: SLEDAI-2K score \>= 6 points (Gladman et al 2002, Touma et al 2011), excluding points attributed to "fever", "lupus headache", "alopecia", and "organic brain syndrome". * Inadequate response at screening to at least two therapies Key Exclusion Criteria: * Any acute, severe lupus related-flare at screening that needs immediate treatment other than pulse GCs and/or makes the immunosuppressive washout impossible and, thus, makes the participant ineligible for CD19 CAR-T therapy * Inadequate organ function during screening and prior to randomization * History or current diagnosis of ECG or cardiac abnormalities indicating significant risk of safety for participants prior to randomization * Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positivity at screening. * Acute or chronic infection with hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV) at screening. * Grade 2 or higher thromboembolic event in the past 4 weeks prior to screening. Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply.

Treatments Being Tested

BIOLOGICAL

rapcabtagene autoleucel

single infusion of rapcabtagene autoleucel

Locations (20)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

University Of Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Loma Linda University
San Bernardino, California, United States
UCSF
San Francisco, California, United States
UCSF
San Francisco, California, United States
Sutter Health Network
San Pablo, California, United States
Ann and Robert H Lurie Childs Hosp
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, United States
University Of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa, United States
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Tufts Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Boston Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
WA Uni School Of Med
St Louis, Missouri, United States
Oregon Health Sciences University
Portland, Oregon, United States
Univ Of TX MD Anderson CC
Houston, Texas, United States
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, United States
LDS Hospital
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
LDS Hospital
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Novartis Investigative Site
Clayton, Victoria, Australia
Novartis Investigative Site
Graz, Austria
Novartis Investigative Site
Vienna, Austria

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06581198), the sponsor (Novartis Pharmaceuticals), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT06581198 clinical trial studying?

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rapcabtagene autoleucel (administered once following lymphodepletion) in patients with active, refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or active, refractory lupus nephritis (LN). The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06581198?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT06581198?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT06581198. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06581198. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.