Ole Graff

Firategrast for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis: a phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND Monoclonal antibody therapy against α4β-integrin is efficacious in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) with some safety concerns. We assessed the safety and efficacy of firategrast, a small oral anti-α4β-integrin molecule, in patients with relapsing remitting MS. METHODS We did a multicentre, phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study in participants with clinically definite relapsing-remitting MS. A 24-week treatment period was followed by 12 weeks of core follow-up and 40 weeks of extended follow-up. Participants were randomly assigned, via computer-generated block randomisation in a 1:2:2:2 ratio, to receive one of four treatments twice a day: firategrast 150 mg, firategrast 600 mg, or firategrast 900 mg (women) or 1200 mg (men), or placebo. Brain scans were obtained at 4-week intervals to the end of core follow-up. The primary outcome was cumulative number of new gadolinium-enhancing brain lesions during the treatment phase and was analysed using a generalised linear model with an underlying negative binomial distribution, adjusted for sex, baseline number of new gadolinium-enhancing lesions, and country. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00395317. FINDINGS Of 343 individuals enrolled, 49 received firategrast 150 mg, 95 received firategrast 600 mg, 100 received firategrast 900 mg or 1200 mg, and 99 received placebo. A 49% reduction (95% CI 21·2-67·6; p=0·0026) in the cumulative number of new gadolinium-enhancing lesions was seen for the 900 mg or 1200 mg firategrast group (n=92, mean number of lesions 2·69 [SE 1·18]) versus the placebo group (90, 5·31 [1·18]). In the 600 mg group (86, 4·12 [SE 1·19]), a non-significant 22% reduction (95% CI -21·3 to 49·7; p=0·2657) occurred in mean number of new gadolinium-enhanced lesions relative to placebo; for the 150 mg group (47, 9·51 [SE 1·24]), a 79% increase (95% CI 4·1-308·1; p=0·0353) occurred relative to placebo. Firategrast was generally well tolerated at all doses. The frequency of all adverse events was similar across all treatment groups except for an increased rate of urinary tract infections in the high-dose firategrast group. No cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy or evidence of reactivation of JC virus were identified. INTERPRETATION This study showed efficacy on imaging endpoints for firategrast at the highest dose tested, and suggests that further investigation of oral short-acting α4β integrin blockade therapies is warranted. FUNDING GlaxoSmithKline.

Research design considerations for chronic pain prevention clinical trials: IMMPACT recommendations

Abstract Although certain risk factors can identify individuals who are most likely to develop chronic pain, few interventions to prevent chronic pain have been identified. To facilitate the identification of preventive interventions, an IMMPACT meeting was convened to discuss research design considerations for clinical trials investigating the prevention of chronic pain. We present general design considerations for prevention trials in populations that are at relatively high risk for developing chronic pain. Specific design considerations included subject identification, timing and duration of treatment, outcomes, timing of assessment, and adjusting for risk factors in the analyses. We provide a detailed examination of 4 models of chronic pain prevention (ie, chronic postsurgical pain, postherpetic neuralgia, chronic low back pain, and painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy). The issues discussed can, in many instances, be extrapolated to other chronic pain conditions. These examples were selected because they are representative models of primary and secondary prevention, reflect persistent pain resulting from multiple insults (ie, surgery, viral infection, injury, and toxic or noxious element exposure), and are chronically painful conditions that are treated with a range of interventions. Improvements in the design of chronic pain prevention trials could improve assay sensitivity and thus accelerate the identification of efficacious interventions. Such interventions would have the potential to reduce the prevalence of chronic pain in the population. Additionally, standardization of outcomes in prevention clinical trials will facilitate meta-analyses and systematic reviews and improve detection of preventive strategies emerging from clinical trials.

A randomized, controlled trial of gabapentin enacarbil in subjects with neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Gabapentin enacarbil (GEn), a transported prodrug of gabapentin, provides sustained, dose‐proportional gabapentin exposure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dose response of GEn to select the optimal dose(s) for clinical use in subsequent diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) trials.

Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a triple reuptake inhibitor GSK372475 in the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder: two randomized, placebo- and active-controlled clinical trials

GSK372475 is a triple reuptake inhibitor with approximately equipotent inhibition of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine transporters. Two randomized, placebo- and active-controlled, double-blind studies examined the efficacy and safety of GSK372475 in outpatients (aged 18–64 years) with a diagnosis of major depressive episode associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). Patients were randomized 1:1:1 to placebo, GSK372475 (1–2 mg/d), or active control (Study 1: venlafaxine XR 150–225 mg/d; Study 2: paroxetine 20–30 mg/d). GSK372475 did not significantly differ from placebo on any of the key efficacy endpoints (six-item Bech scale, IDS-Clinician Rated, MADRS) in either study. Both active controls demonstrated significant antidepressant activity compared with placebo on both primary and secondary endpoints. The most common adverse effects (AEs) with GSK372475 were dry mouth, headache, insomnia, and nausea. AEs were more frequent for GSK372475 versus placebo for sleep, anxiety-related, gastrointestinal, and tachycardia events. Increases in mean change from baseline in heart rate and sitting blood pressure were greater for GSK372475 than observed for either placebo or active control groups. Completion rates were lower for GSK372475 (49%, 58%) compared with placebo (67%, 74%), venlafaxine XR (63%), or paroxetine (77%). GSK372475 was neither efficacious nor well tolerated in patients with MDD in two 10-week studies.

Safety of alitretinoin for severe refractory chronic hand eczema: Clinical studies and postmarketing surveillance

Abstract Background: Alitretinoin is approved for the treatment of adults with severe chronic hand eczema (CHE) refractory to potent topical steroids. In the 6 years since launch, approximately 250 000 patients have been treated with alitretinoin. Objective: To compare the postmarketing safety surveillance experience of alitretinoin with data from clinical trials and key safety issues with other retinoids. Methods: An integrated safety analysis of the pivotal studies of alitretinoin and postmarketing adverse event (AE) reports received since approval for alitretinoin were analyzed. Results: In the pivotal trials, headache, erythema, nausea, increased blood triglycerides and increased blood creatinine phosphokinase were the most frequently reported AEs. Headache, hyperlipidemia and nausea were also frequently reported postmarketing AEs, but depression was relatively more frequently reported than in the pivotal trials. Inflammatory bowel disease and benign intracranial hypertension were rare, and very few cases have been reported in postmarketing surveillance. There have been no reports of teratogenicity in humans consequent to fetal exposure. Conclusions: Safety data collected in pivotal trials and postmarketing surveillance suggest that alitretinoin is well tolerated by patients with CHE with a relatively low incidence of serious reactions. The adverse reaction profile is congruent with reported effects of other marketed oral retinoids.

Leukocyte counts in cerebrospinal fluid and blood following firategrast treatment in subjects with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis

Firategrast is an orally bioavailable alpha4 beta1/alpha4 beta7 integrin antagonist designed to reduce trafficking of lymphocytes into the central nervous system (CNS). This could decrease multiple sclerosis (MS) activity, but may compromise CNS immune surveillance. We aimed to quantitate the effect of firategrast treatment on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lymphocyte count and the extent/speed of recovery after its discontinuation.

A Phase 2a, Randomized, Crossover Trial of Gabapentin Enacarbil for the Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia in Gabapentin Inadequate Responders

OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy of high-dose (3,600 mg/day) vs low-dose (1,200 mg/day) oral gabapentin enacarbil (GEn) on pain intensity in adults with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) and a history of inadequate response to ≥1,800 mg/day gabapentin. DESIGN Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, crossover study (NCT00617461). SETTING Thirty-five outpatient centers in Germany and the United States. SUBJECTS Subjects aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of PHN. METHODS During a 2-week baseline period, subjects received open-label treatment with 1,800 mg/day gabapentin. Subjects who had a mean 24-hour average pain intensity score ≥4 during the last 7 days of the baseline period were randomized to receive GEn (1,200 or 3,600 mg/day) for treatment period 1 (28 days), followed by GEn 2,400 mg/day (4 days), and the alternate GEn dose for treatment period 2 (28 days). RESULTS There was a modest but significant improvement in pain intensity scores with GEn 3,600 mg vs 1,200 mg (adjusted mean [90% confidence interval] treatment difference, -0.29 [-0.48 to -0.10]; P = 0.013). The difference in efficacy between doses was observed primarily in subjects who received the higher dose during treatment period 2; certain aspects of the study design may have contributed to this outcome. Plasma steady-state gabapentin exposure during GEn treatment was as expected and consistent between treatment periods. No new safety signals or adverse event trends relating to GEn exposure were identified. CONCLUSIONS While the overall results demonstrated efficacy in a PHN population, the differences between treatment periods confound the interpretation. These findings could provide insight into future trial designs.