Characterization of American teduglutide consumers from 2015 to 2020: A large database study

The real-world analysis of adverse events with teduglutide: a pharmacovigilance study based on the FAERS database

Background

Teduglutide, the first glucagon-like peptide 2 analogue, has been demonstrated to facilitate the absorption of gut nutrient and lessen the need for parenteral assistance in patients with Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS). However, its adverse drug events (AEs) are primarily documented in clinical trials, with a deficit in real-world data. This study evaluates the AEs profile of teduglutide based on Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) data.

Method

A disproportionality analysis of FAERS data from Quarter 1 (Q1) 2013 to Quarter 3 (Q3) 2023 was conducted to examine the association between teduglutide and adverse events, employing Reporting Odds Ratio (ROR), Proportional Reporting Ratio (PRR), Bayesian Confidence Propagation Neural Network (BCPNN), and Empirical Bayesian Geometric Mean (EBGM) methods.

Results

Out of 13,809,302 reports in the FAERS database, 10,114 reports identified teduglutide as the "primary suspect" in AEs identification. During the dosing observation period, the median occurrence of adverse events was 393 days (interquartile range [IQR] 97-996 days). Teduglutide-associated AEs occurred in 27 System Organ Classes (SOC), of which renal and urinary disorders is not mentioned in the specification. Based on the four algorithms, a total of 260 major disproportionality preferred terms (PTs) were filtered out, including previously unreported AEs including weight decreased (n = 805), vascular device infection (n = 683), dehydration (n = 596) and nephrolithiasis (n = 146).

Conclusion

Our findings corroborate the AEs listed in the teduglutide prescribing information and additionally unveil new adverse reaction signals such as nephrolithiasis. These discoveries could aid in clinical monitoring and risk identification for teduglutide.

Current Status of Chronic Intestinal Failure Management in Adults

BACKGROUND

Chronic intestinal failure (CIF) is a heterogeneous disease that affects pediatric and adult populations worldwide and requires complex multidisciplinary management. In recent years, many advances in intravenous supplementation support, surgical techniques, pharmacological management, and intestinal transplants have been published. Based on these advances, international societies have published multiple recommendations and guidelines for the management of these patients. The purpose of this paper is to show the differences that currently exist between the recommendations (ideal life) and the experiences published by different programs around the world.

METHODS

A review of the literature in PubMed from 1980 to 2024 was carried out using the following terms: intestinal failure, CIF, home parenteral nutrition, short bowel syndrome, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, intestinal transplant, enterohormones, and glucagon-like peptide-2.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a difference between what is recommended in the guidelines and consensus and what is applied in real life. Most of the world's countries are not able to offer all of the steps needed to treat this pathology. The development of cooperative networks between countries is necessary to ensure access to comprehensive treatment for most patients on all continents, but especially in low-income countries.

Baseline Characteristics of Adult Patients Treated and Never Treated with Teduglutide in a Multinational Short Bowel Syndrome and Intestinal Failure Registry

The Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS) Registry (NCT01990040) is a multinational real-world study evaluating the long-term safety of teduglutide in patients with SBS and intestinal failure (SBS-IF) in routine clinical practice. This paper describes the study methodology and baseline characteristics of adult patients who have (ever-treated) or have never (never-treated) received teduglutide. A total of 1411 adult patients (679 ever-treated; 732 never-treated) were enrolled at 124 sites across 17 countries. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) age at enrollment was 55.4 (15.46) years, and 60.2% of patients were women. Crohn's disease was the most common cause of major intestinal resection in both ever-treated (34.1%) and never-treated patients (20.4%). A similar proportion of ever-treated and never-treated patients had a prior history of colorectal polyps (2.7% vs. 3.6%), whereas proportionally fewer ever-treated patients reported a history of colorectal cancer (1.8% vs. 6.2%) or any malignancy (17.7% vs. 30.0%) than never-treated patients. Never-treated patients received a numerically greater mean (SD) volume of parenteral nutrition and/or intravenous fluids than ever-treated patients (12.4 [8.02] vs. 10.1 [6.64] L/week). Ever-treated patients received a mean teduglutide dosage of 0.05 mg/kg/day. This is the first report of patient baseline characteristics from the SBS Registry, and the largest cohort of patients with SBS-IF to date. Overall, ever-treated and never-treated patients had similar baseline characteristics. Differences between treatment groups may reflect variations in patient selection and degree of monitoring.

Use of teduglutide in adults with short bowel syndrome-associated intestinal failure

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a rare gastrointestinal disorder associated with intestinal failure (SBS-IF) and poor health-related outcomes. Patients with SBS-IF are unable to absorb sufficient nutrients or fluids to maintain significantly metabolic homeostasis via oral or enteral intake alone and require long-term intravenous supplementation (IVS), consisting of partial or total parenteral nutrition, fluids, electrolytes, or a combination of these. The goal of medical and surgical treatment for patients with SBS-IF is to maximize intestinal remnant absorptive capacity so that the need for IVS support may eventually be reduced or eliminated. Daily subcutaneous administration of the glucagon-like peptide 2 analog, teduglutide, has been shown to be clinically effective in reducing IVS dependence and potentially improving the health-related quality of life of patients with SBS-IF. The management of patients with SBS-IF is complex and requires close monitoring. This narrative review discusses the use of teduglutide for patients with SBS-IF in clinical practice. The screening of patient eligibility for teduglutide treatment, initiation, monitoring of efficacy and safety of treatment, adapting or weaning off IVS, and the healthcare setting needed for SBS-IF management are described, taking into consideration data from clinical trials, observational studies, and clinical experience.

[Review of real-life teduglutide experience]

Introduction

Background: teduglutide is an agonist of glucagon-related peptide (aGLP2) effective as a treatment for patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS), an entity that affects quality of life, usually requires home parenteral nutrition (HPN) and generates significant health costs. The objective of the present narrative review was to assess the real-life experience reported with teduglutide. Methods and results: in real life, one meta-analysis and studies published with 440 patients indicate that Teduglutide is effective after the period of intestinal adaptation after surgery, reducing the need for HPN and in some cases even allowing it to be suspended. The response is heterogeneous, increasing progressively up to 2 years after the start of treatment and reaching 82 % in some series. The presence of colon in continuity is a negative predictor of early response, but a positive predictive factor for the withdrawal of HPN. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal in the early stages of treatment. There are late complications related to the stoma or the occurrence of colon polyps, although the frequency of the latter is very low. In adults, data on improved quality of life and cost-effectiveness are scarce. Conclusions: teduglutide is effective and safe and data from pivotal trials for the treatment of patients with SBS are confirmed in real life and can reduce or even stop HPN in some cases. Although it seems cost-effective, more studies are needed to identify those patients with the greatest benefit.

Unexpected upper gastrointestinal polyps in patients with short bowel syndrome treated with teduglutide: need for close monitoring

BACKGROUND

Teduglutide is a GLP-2 analog indicated for the treatment of short bowel syndrome (SBS) since 2015. Its efficacy in reducing parenteral nutrition (PN) has been shown in patients with SBS.

OBJECTIVES

Because teduglutide is a trophic factor, the aim of this study was to assess risk of developing polypoid intestinal lesions during treatment.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted in 35 patients with SBS treated with teduglutide for ≥1 y in a home PN expert center. All patients underwent ≥1 follow-up intestinal endoscopy during treatment.

RESULTS

In the 35 patients, the small bowel length was 74 cm (IQR: 25-100), and 23 patients (66%) had a colon in continuity. Upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed after a mean treatment duration of 23 mo (IQR: 13-27), and polypoid lesions were found in 10 patients (6 with a colon in continuity, 4 with an end jejunostomy) and no lesion in 25 patients. In 8 out of the 10 patients, the lesion was found in the small bowel. Five of these lesions presented an aspect of hyperplastic polyp without dysplasia, and 3 of a traditional adenoma with low-grade dysplasia.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study highlights the importance of performing follow-up upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy in SBS patients treated with teduglutide and the potential need to make changes to the recommendations with respect to treatment initiation and follow-up.

Post-Marketing Use of Teduglutide in a Large Cohort of Adults with Short Bowel Syndrome-Associated Chronic Intestinal Failure: Evolution and Outcomes

Teduglutide, a GLP-2 analogue, has been available in France since 2015 to treat short-bowel-syndrome (SBS)-associated chronic intestinal failure (CIF) but it remains very expensive. No real-life data on the number of potential candidates are available. The aim of this real-life study was to assess teduglutide initiation and outcomes in SBS-CIF patients. All SBS-CIF patients cared for in an expert home parenteral support (PS) center between 2015 and 2020 were retrospectively included. Patients were divided into two subpopulations: prevalent patients, already cared for in the center before 2015, and incident patients, whose follow-up started between 2015 and 2020. A total of 331 SBS-CIF patients were included in the study (156 prevalent and 175 incident patients). Teduglutide was initiated in 56 patients (16.9% of the cohort); in 27.9% of prevalent patients and in 8.0% of incident patients, with a mean annual rate of 4.3% and 2.5%, respectively. Teduglutide allowed a reduction in the PS volume by 60% (IQR: 40-100), with a significantly higher reduction in incident versus prevalent patients (p = 0.02). The two- and five-year treatment retention rates were 82% and 64%. Among untreated patients, 50 (18.2%) were considered ineligible for teduglutide for non-medical reasons. More than 25% of prevalent SBS patients were treated with teduglutide compared to 8% of incident patients. The treatment retention rate was >80% at 2 years, which could be explained by a careful selection of patients. Furthermore, this real-life study confirmed the long-term efficacy of teduglutide and showed a better response to teduglutide in incident patients, suggesting a benefit in early treatment.

Epidemiology, survival, costs, and quality of life in adults with short bowel syndrome

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a rare disorder with known physical, psychosocial, and economic burdens and significant morbidity and mortality. Many individuals with SBS require long-term home parenteral nutrition (HPN). The incidence and prevalence of SBS is difficult to determine because it is often based on HPN usage and may not account for those who receive intravenous fluids or achieve enteral autonomy. The most common etiologies associated with SBS are Crohn's disease and mesenteric ischemia. Intestinal anatomy and remnant bowel length are prognostic for HPN dependency, and enteral autonomy confers a survival advantage. Health economic data confirm that PN-related costs are higher for hospitalizations than at home; yet significant healthcare resource utilization is necessary for successful HPN, and patients and families report substantial financial distress that impacts quality of life (QOL). An important advancement in QOL measurement is the validation of HPN- and SBS-specific QOL questionnaires. In addition to the known factors negatively impacting QOL, such as diarrhea, pain, nocturia, fatigue, depression, and narcotic dependency, research has shown that the volume and number of PN infusions per week is associated with QOL. Although traditional QOL measurements describe how underlying disease and therapy influence life, they do not assess how symptoms and functional limitations affect the QOL of patients and caregivers. Patient-centered measures and conversation focused on psychosocial issues helps patients with SBS and HPN dependency better cope with their disease and treatment. This article presents a brief overview of SBS, including epidemiology, survival, costs, and QOL.

Glucagon-like peptide-2 analogues for Crohn’s disease patients with short bowel syndrome and intestinal failure

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) with intestinal failure (IF) is a rare but severe complication of Crohn’s disease (CD), which is the most frequent benign condition that leads to SBS after repeated surgical resections, even in the era of biologics and small molecules. Glucagon-like peptide-2 analogues have been deeply studied recently for the treatment of SBS-IF. These drugs have a significant intestinotrophic effect and the potential to reduce the chronic dependence of SBS-IF patients on parenteral support or nutrition. Teduglutide has been approved for the treatment of SBS-IF, and apraglutide is currently in clinical development. The use of these drugs was examined with a focus on their use in CD patients.