RecruitingPhase 2NCT06941376
Immune
Relapsing Polychondritis
Also known as RP, Meyenburg-Altherr-Uehlinger syndrome, chronic atrophic polychondritis
Relapsing Polychondritis is a rare systemic autoimmune disease characterized by episodic and progressive inflammation of cartilaginous structures throughout the body, including auricular, nasal, laryngotracheal, and articular cartilage, as
ORPHA:728 ↗Prevalence 3.5 in 1,000,000Onset Any age; peak in 4th-5th decadeAutoimmune cartilage and proteoglycan disorder
4
studies recruiting now
as of 7 Sept 2026
12
studies registered in total
as of 7 Sept 2026
2
countries with a recruiting site
as of 7 Sept 2026
23 Apr 2025
most recent study posted
among recruiting studies
Recruiting trials
RecruitingNCT02257866
Studies of the Natural History, Pathogenesis, and Outcome of Idiopathic Systemic Vasculitis
RecruitingNCT04919538
Longitudinal Study for Relapsing Polychondritis
RecruitingPhase 1 / Phase 2NCT06873100
Efficacy, Safety and Immunological Evaluation of Upadacitinib for Relapsing Polychondritis
Showing the 4 most recently updated recruiting studies, as recorded 7 Sept 2026. Live status on each study page.
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Countries with at least one recruiting site among the studies above, 7 Sept 2026. Tap a country to search trials there.
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About Relapsing Polychondritis
Relapsing Polychondritis is a rare systemic autoimmune disease characterized by episodic and progressive inflammation of cartilaginous structures throughout the body, including auricular, nasal, laryngotracheal, and articular cartilage, as well as proteoglycan-rich structures of the eye, inner ear, and cardiovascular system. The immunopathogenesis involves autoantibodies against type II collagen and matrilin-1, combined with T-cell mediated cartilage destruction. Without adequate treatment, tracheobronchomalacia from airway cartilage destruction represents the most life-threatening complication.
Common clinical features
Painful auricular chondritis with erythema (sparing the ear lobe)Nasal chondritis with saddle-nose deformityLaryngotracheal involvement causing hoarseness and stridorInflammatory arthritis (non-erosive, seronegative)Episcleritis and scleritisSensorineural hearing loss and vestibular dysfunctionAortic regurgitation or aneurysm
From Orphanet’s phenotype annotations (CC BY 4.0). Not a complete list.
Treatments being studied
3 in clinical development, from Open Targets (CC BY 4.0). Not medical advice.
Phase 2Tocilizumab (Actemra roactemra)
Phase 2Aldesleukin (Proleukin)
Phase 1Abatacept (Orencia)
Before you apply
Things trial teams commonly ask about for Relapsing Polychondritis. Not eligibility rules; those are set by each study.
- Diagnostic criteria (McAdam or modified Damiani) fulfillment should be documented; biopsy confirmation of chondritis significantly strengthens trial eligibility where pathology is requested
- Airway involvement severity (spirometry, CT trachea, bronchoscopy findings) is a key stratification variable in trials; current pulmonary function tests are essential
- Concurrent myelodysplastic syndrome occurs in 10-30% of RP patients and may affect eligibility; bone marrow biopsy results should be available if cytopenias are present
Related conditions
Information, not medical advice. Trial listings are shown as recorded on ClinicalTrials.gov; whether any study is right for you is a decision for you and your clinicians, and eligibility is decided by each research team. Disease information from Orphanet (CC BY 4.0).