Faculty

Matthew J. Koster, M.D.

Clinical Studies

Prediction of relapse following discontinuation of tocilizumab in patients with giant cell arteritis Rochester, Minn.
The purpose of this study is to identify whether change in the level of inflammation of the arteries at time of drug (tocilizumab) discontinuation compared to six months after drug discontinuation can predict who will or will not relapse. In addition, this study will leverage the use of wearable technology (Oura ring) and machine learning to detect physiologic changes that can forecast flare in order to provide novel methods of patient monitoring and disease detection.
VEXAS Syndrome Biorepository (VEXAS) Rochester, Minn.
The objective of this study is to develop a biorepository of venous peripheral blood samples to carry out future multi-omic research on patients with VEXAS syndrome.

An adult auto-inflammatory syndrome caused by somatic mutations in the bone marrow myeloid precursors in the bone marrow has been recently identified and described by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This condition has been termed VEXAS syndrome – which stands for Vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, Auto-inflammatory, Somatic

PAXIS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding phase 2 study (Part 1) followed by an open-label period (Part 2) to assess the efficacy and safety of pacritinib in patients with VEXAS syndrome Rochester, Minn., Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz.
The purpose of this stduy is to evaluate the efficacy of two dose levels of pacritinib compared to placebo during the double-blind treatment period in patients with VEXAS (i.e., Vacuoles in myeloid progenitors, E1 ubiquitin-activating enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory manifestations, and somatic) syndrome.