Progressive interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are rare but severe diseases, with high mortality and morbidity, with no effective pharmacological treatment allowing for long-term remission, and therefore no clear therapeutic recommendations. Several ILDs present inflammatory components (ILDic), which may justify the use of anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs, as first-step therapy. Except for systemic sclerosis (SSc)–ILD and sarcoidosis, the evidence in favor of this approach is very weak. The EvER-ILD2 study is the first one to prospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab (RTX) versus placebo in a broad range of progressive ILD outside sarcoidosis and connective tissue diseases. A pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic analysis based on RTX serum concentrations will allow identification of potential factors associated with therapeutic response and/or adverse effects.

EvER-ILD2 study is a French multicentre, prospective, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, superiority trial. Patients with progressive ILDic will be randomized into 2 groups of treatment: one course of RTX (RTX group) and one course of placebo (Placebo group). The primary outcome is the change in Forced Vital Capacity (FVC, mL) from baseline to 6 months. Several clinical, biological, and quality of life secondary outcomes will be measured at 3 and 6 months. A sample size of 126 patients (63 patients per group) would allow to show a 100 mL difference between groups in the change of FVC from baseline to 6 months, based on a common standard deviation for FVC change of 200 mL with a power of 80% and a two-sided alpha of 5%.

The protocol was approved by the French Research Ethics Committee (CPP Ile de France VI) on September 27, 2022, and by the French competent authority on October 02, 2022. This article refers to protocol V1, dated September 2022. An independent data safety monitoring board will review safety data for the duration of the trial. Results will be disseminated via peer reviewed publication and presentation at international conferences.

NCT05596786 (clinicaltrials.gov), EU-CT number 2022–500,375–31–00 (European Medicines agency).