Efficacy and safety of filgotinib alone and in combination with methotrexate in Japanese patients with active rheumatoid arthritis and limited or no prior exposure to methotrexate: Subpopulation analyses of 24-week data of a global phase 3 study (FINCH 3)

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of filgotinib for Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and limited or no prior methotrexate (MTX) exposure.

METHODS

Data up to 24 weeks were analysed for 71 Japanese patients from a 52-week global Phase 3 study. Patients with RA and limited or no prior MTX exposure were randomised in a 2:1:1:2 ratio to filgotinib 200 mg plus MTX, filgotinib 100 mg plus MTX, filgotinib 200 mg, or MTX. Maximum MTX dose was 15 mg/week. Primary endpoint was proportion achieving 20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology criteria (ACR20) at Week 24.

RESULTS

Week 24 ACR20 rates in Japanese patients were 82.6%, 90.9%, 83.3%, and 80.0% for filgotinib 200 mg plus MTX, filgotinib 100 mg plus MTX, filgotinib 200 mg, and MTX, respectively. Greater ACR20 rates with filgotinib vs MTX occurred at Week 2. Greater proportions receiving filgotinib vs MTX achieved DAS28-CRP <2.6 at Weeks 12 and 24. Adverse event rates were comparable across treatments and between the Japanese and overall populations.

CONCLUSIONS

While Week 24 ACR20 rates were similar, filgotinib provided faster responses and higher remission rates vs MTX. In Japanese patients with RA and limited or no prior MTX exposure, filgotinib was generally well tolerated.

Efficacy and safety of filgotinib in combination with methotrexate in Japanese patients with active rheumatoid arthritis who have an inadequate response to methotrexate: Subpopulation analyses of 24-week data of a global phase 3 study (FINCH 1)

OBJECTIVES

Evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Janus kinase-1 inhibitor filgotinib in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inadequate response to methotrexate (MTX).

METHODS

Data from 147 Japanese patients in FINCH 1, a 52-week global Phase 3 study, were analysed up to 24 weeks. Patients received once-daily filgotinib 200 or 100 mg, biweekly adalimumab, or placebo, all with stable background MTX.

RESULTS

In the Japanese population, American College of Rheumatology 20% response rates at Week 12 (primary endpoint) were 77.5%, 65.9%, 53.6%, and 36.8% for filgotinib 200 mg, filgotinib 100 mg, adalimumab, and placebo. Proportions of patients achieving Disease Activity Score with 28 joints <2.6 at Week 24: filgotinib 200 mg, 65.0%; filgotinib 100 mg, 51.2%; adalimumab, 42.9%; and placebo, 5.3%. Incidence rates of serious infections: filgotinib 200 mg, 2.5%; filgotinib 100 mg, 0%; adalimumab, 10.7%; and placebo, 5.3%. Treatment-emergent laboratory abnormalities Grade ≥3 occurred in five (12.5%) filgotinib 200 mg, three (7.3%) filgotinib 100 mg, one (3.6%) adalimumab, and no placebo patients. No deaths were reported among Japanese patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Filgotinib once daily combined with MTX was effective and generally safe and well tolerated up to Week 24 in Japanese patients with RA and inadequate response to MTX.

Filgotinib in combination with methotrexate or as monotherapy versus methotrexate monotherapy in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis and limited or no prior exposure to methotrexate: the phase 3, randomised controlled FINCH 3 trial

OBJECTIVES

To investigate efficacy and safety of the Janus kinase-1 inhibitor filgotinib in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with limited or no prior methotrexate (MTX) exposure.

METHODS

This 52-week, phase 3, multicentre, double-blind clinical trial (NCT02886728) evaluated once-daily oral filgotinib in 1252 patients with RA randomised 2:1:1:2 to filgotinib 200 mg with MTX (FIL200 +MTX), filgotinib 100 mg with MTX (FIL100 +MTX), filgotinib 200 mg monotherapy (FIL200), or MTX. The primary endpoint was proportion achieving 20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology criteria (ACR20) at week 24.

RESULTS

The primary endpoint was achieved by 81% of patients receiving FIL200+ MTX versus 71% receiving MTX (p<0.001). A significantly greater proportion treated with FIL100+ MTX compared with MTX achieved an ACR20 response (80%, p=0.017) at week 24. Significant improvement in Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index was seen at week 24; least-squares mean change from baseline was -1.0 and -0.94 with FIL200+MTX and FIL100+MTX, respectively, versus -0.81 with MTX (p<0.001, p=0.008, respectively). Significantly higher proportions receiving FIL200+MTX (54%) and FIL100+MTX (43%) achieved DAS28(CRP) <2.6 versus MTX (29%) (p<0.001 for both) at week 24. Hierarchical testing stopped for comparison of ACR20 for FIL200 monotherapy (78%) versus MTX (71%) at week 24 (p=0.058). Adverse event rates through week 52 were comparable between all treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

FIL200+MTX and FIL100+MTX both significantly improved signs and symptoms and physical function in patients with active RA and limited or no prior MTX exposure; FIL200 monotherapy did not have a superior ACR20 response rate versus MTX. Filgotinib was well tolerated, with acceptable safety compared with MTX.

P133 Filgotinib in patients with RA with inadequate response to methotrexate: FINCH 1 52-week efficacy and patient reported outcomes data

Background/Aims 

Filgotinib (FIL) is an oral, potent, selective Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor. FINCH 1 (NCT02889796) assessed FIL efficacy, safety and patient reported outcome (PRO) data in patients (pts) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with an inadequate response to methotrexate (MTX-IR). We report data through week 52 (W52) of the FINCH 1 study. Primary outcome results at week (W)12 and W24 were previously reported.

Methods 

This global, phase 3, double-blind, active- and placebo (PBO)-controlled study randomised MTX-IR pts with active RA on a background of stable MTX 3:3:2:3 to oral FIL 200 mg or FIL 100 mg once daily, subcutaneous adalimumab (ADA) 40 mg every 2W, or PBO up to W52; pts receiving PBO at W24 were re-randomised to FIL 100 or 200 mg. Efficacy was assessed using clinical, radiographic, and pt-reported outcomes; W52 comparisons were not adjusted for multiplicity, and nominal p-values are reported. Safety endpoints included types and rates of adverse events (AEs) and laboratory abnormalities. PRO assessment included the HAQ-DI and VAS pain scale, SF-36, and FACIT-Fatigue questionnaire. Change from baseline (CFB) at various time points was assessed up to W52 for each treatment group.

Results 

Of 1,755 treated pts, 1,417 received study drug through W52. FIL efficacy was sustained through W52 with DAS28(CRP) &lt;2.6 remission rates of 54%, 43%, and 46% of pts receiving FIL 200 and 100 mg and ADA, respectively, (nominal p for FIL 200 vs ADA = 0.024) (Table 1). FIL safety profile through W52 was consistent with W24 data. AEs of interest were infrequent and balanced among treatments. As early as W2, through W24, pts receiving either dose of FIL experienced nominally significantly greater (p &lt; 0.001) CFB in HAQ-DI and VAS pain scale than those receiving PBO. These improvements were sustained up to W52. In general, CFB for HAQ-DI, VAS pain scale, and FACIT-Fatigue observed for the FIL groups was higher or comparable to ADA through W52 (Table 1). P133 Table 1:Efficacy and PRO outcomes at Week 52Efficacy OutcomeFIL 200 mg (n = 475)FIL 100 mg (n = 480)ADA (n = 325)ACR20/50/70, %a78/62/4476/59/3874/59/39DAS28(CRP) ≤3.2, %a66+5959mTSSb,c0.18+++0.450.61HAQ-DIc,d−0.93+−0.85−0.85VAS pain scalec,d−42−40−40SF-36 PCSc,d12.011.512.4FACIT-Fc,d11.912.211.7aNon-responder imputation,bLeast squares mean change from baseline,cObserved case,dMean change from baseline.+nominal p &lt; 0.05, +++nominal p &lt; 0.001 vs ADA ADA, adalimumab; FACIT-F, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue; FIL, filgotinib; HAQ-DI, Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index; mTSS, modified van der Heijde TSS; SF-36, 36-Item Short Form Survey.

Conclusion 

Through W52, both FIL 200 and 100 mg showed sustained efficacy, rapid and sustained improvement in patient QoL based on clinical and pt-reported outcomes and were well tolerated in MTX-IR pts with RA.

Disclosure 

D. Walker: Consultancies; Lilly, Pfizer, Novartis, Roche. A. Kivitz: Consultancies; AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Flexion, Janssen, Pfizer, Sanofi, Regeneron, SUN Pharma Advanced Research, Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Pfizer, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Gilead Sciences, Inc., Novartis. Member of speakers’ bureau; Celgene, Merck, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi, Genzyme, Flexion, AbbVie. Y. Tanaka: Honoraria; AbbVie, Asahi Kasei, Astellas, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Chugai, Daiichi-Sankyo, Eisai, Eli Lilly, Gilead Sciences, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi and Y. Grants/research support; AbbVie, Chugai, Daiichi-Sankyo, Eisai, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Takeda and UCB. S. Lee: Shareholder/stock ownership; Gilead Sciences, Inc. Other; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. L. Ye: Shareholder/stock ownership; Gilead Sciences, Inc. Other; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. H. Hu: Shareholder/stock ownership; Gilead Sciences, Inc. Other; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. F. Matzkies: Shareholder/stock ownership; Gilead Sciences, Inc. Other; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. B. Bartok: Shareholder/stock ownership; Gilead Sciences, Inc. Other; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. B. Bartok: Shareholder/stock ownership; Gilead Sciences, Inc. Other; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Y. Guo: Shareholder/stock ownership; Gilead Sciences, Inc. Other; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. J.S. Sundy: Shareholder/stock ownership; Gilead Sciences, Inc. Other; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. A. Jahreis: Shareholder/stock ownership; Gilead Sciences, Inc. Other; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. R. Besuyen: Shareholder/stock ownership; Galapagos BV. Other; Employee of Galapagos BV. B. Combe: Other; Reports research support, honoraria, consulting and speaker fees from AbbVie; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Eli Lilly & Co.; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Janssen; Novartis; Pfizer; Roche-Chugai; Sanofi; and UCB. D. van der Heijde: Consultancies; AbbVie; Amgen; Astellas; AstraZeneca; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Boehringer Ingelheim; Celgene; Cyxone; Daiichi-Sankyo; Eisai; Eli Lilly & Co.; Galapagos; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Glaxo-Smith-Kline; Janssen;, Merck; Novartis; Pfizer; Regeneron; Roche; Sanofi; Takeda; and UCB. J. Simon-Campos: None. H.S.B. Baraf: Grants/research support; AbbVie; Horizon; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Pfizer; Janssen; and Merck. U. Kumar: None. C. Tasset: Shareholder/stock ownership; Galapagos NV. Other; Employee of Galapagos NV. N. Mozaffarian: Shareholder/stock ownership; Gilead Sciences, Inc. Other; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. R.B.M. Landewé: Consultancies; AbbVie; AstraZeneca; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Eli Lilly & Co.; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Galapagos NV; Novartis; Pfizer; and UCB. S. Bae: None. E. Keystone: Other; Reports research support, consulting, and speaker fees from AbbVie; Amgen; AstraZeneca; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Celltrion; F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd.; Genentech, Inc; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Janssen; Lilly, ; Merck; Myriad Autoimmune; Pfizer; PuraPharm; Sandoz; Sanofi-Genzyme; Samsung Bioepsis; and UCB. P. Nash: Other; Reports research support, consulting, and speaker and personal fees from AbbVie; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Celgene; Eli Lilly & Co.; Gilead Sciences, Inc; Janssen; Merck Sharp & Dohme; Novartis; Pfizer;, Roche; Sanofi; and UCB.

Safety and Efficacy of Filgotinib: Up to 4-year Results From an Open-label Extension Study of Phase II Rheumatoid Arthritis Programs

OBJECTIVE

The long-term safety and efficacy of filgotinib (from phase II studies), with or without methotrexate (MTX), for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis was assessed in DARWIN 3, a long-term, open-label extension study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02065700).

METHODS

Eligible patients completing the 24-week DARWIN 1 (filgotinib + MTX) and DARWIN 2 (filgotinib monotherapy) studies entered DARWIN 3, where they received filgotinib 200 mg/day, except for 15 men who received filgotinib 100 mg/day. Safety analyses were performed using the safety analysis set and the exposure-adjusted incidence rate (EAIR) of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) was calculated. Efficacy was assessed from baseline in the parent studies.

RESULTS

Of 790 patients completing the phase II parent studies, 739 enrolled in the study. Through April 2019, 59.5% of patients had received ≥ 4 years of the study drug. Mean (SD) exposure to filgotinib was 3.55 (1.57) years in the filgotinib + MTX group and 3.38 (1.59) years in the filgotinib monotherapy group. EAIR per 100 patient-years of exposure for TEAEs was 24.6 in the filgotinib + MTX group and 25.8 in the filgotinib monotherapy group, and for serious TEAEs, the EAIR was 3.1 and 4.3, respectively. American College of Rheumatology 20/50/70 responses among patients remaining in the study could be maintained through 4 years, with 89.3%/69.6%/49.1% of the filgotinib + MTX group and 91.8%/69.4%/44.4% of the monotherapy group maintaining ACR20/50/70 responses, respectively, based on observed data.

CONCLUSION

Filgotinib was well tolerated with a 4-year safety profile comparable to that of the parent trials, both in patients receiving combination therapy with MTX or as monotherapy.

Filgotinib versus placebo or adalimumab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and inadequate response to methotrexate: a phase III randomised clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Janus kinase-1-preferential inhibitor filgotinib versus placebo or tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitor therapy in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) despite ongoing treatment with methotrexate (MTX).

METHODS

This 52-week, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled and active-controlled phase III trial evaluated once-daily oral filgotinib in patients with RA randomised 3:3:2:3 to filgotinib 200 mg (FIL200) or filgotinib 100 mg (FIL100), subcutaneous adalimumab 40 mg biweekly, or placebo (through week 24), all with stable weekly background MTX. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving 20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology criteria (ACR20) at week 12. Additional efficacy outcomes were assessed sequentially. Safety was assessed from adverse events and laboratory abnormalities.

RESULTS

The proportion of patients (n=1755 randomised and treated) achieving ACR20 at week 12 was significantly higher for FIL200 (76.6%) and FIL100 (69.8%) versus placebo (49.9%; treatment difference (95% CI), 26.7% (20.6% to 32.8%) and 19.9% (13.6% to 26.2%), respectively; both p<0.001). Filgotinib was superior to placebo in key secondary endpoints assessing RA signs and symptoms, physical function and structural damage. FIL200 was non-inferior to adalimumab in terms of Disease Activity Score in 28 joints with C reactive protein ≤3.2 at week 12 (p<0.001); FIL100 did not achieve non-inferiority. Adverse events and laboratory abnormalities were comparable among active treatment arms.

CONCLUSIONS

Filgotinib improved RA signs and symptoms, improved physical function, inhibited radiographic progression and was well tolerated in patients with RA with inadequate response to MTX. FIL200 was non-inferior to adalimumab.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02889796.

Efficacy and safety of filgotinib in Japanese patients with refractory rheumatoid arthritis: Subgroup analyses of a global phase 3 study (FINCH 2)

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate efficacy and safety of filgotinib in Japanese RA patients who have failed or were intolerant to one or more biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD) from the global FINCH 2 study (NCT02873936).

METHODS

This subgroup analysis was performed using the predefined statistical analyses. The FINCH 2 study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 3 study in adult RA patients with inadequate response to bDMARDs. The randomized patients were treated with once-daily filgotinib 200 mg, filgotinib 100 mg or placebo on a background of csDMARDs for 24 weeks.

RESULTS

Of 449 patients enrolled in the overall population, 40 patients were enrolled from Japan. In the Japanese population, the American College of Rheumatology 20% response rates at week 12 (primary endpoint) were 83.3% and 53.3% for filgotinib, 200 mg and 100 mg, respectively, vs 30.8% for placebo. Filgotinib was well tolerated, similar to the overall population.

CONCLUSIONS

Both doses of once-daily filgotinib 200 mg and filgotinib 100 mg were effective, and generally well-tolerated in Japanese patients with active refractory RA.

P216 Effects of filgotinib on anaemia, thrombocytopoenia and leukopoenia: results from a Phase 3 study in patients with active RA and prior inadequate response or intolerance to bDMARDs

Background

Cytopoenias are common in patients treated for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with non-janus kinase 1 (JAK1)-selective inhibitors, possibly due to JAK2-mediated haematopoietic growth factor inhibition. We investigated the extent of cytopoenia in patients with active RA, despite prior treatment with biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), treated with the JAK1-selective inhibitor filgotinib (FIL), in a Phase 3 trial (FINCH2; NCT02873936).

Methods

In the double-blind, Phase 3 FINCH2 trial, patients were randomised 1:1:1 to receive oral FIL 200mg, 100mg, or placebo (PBO) once daily for 24 weeks (W) + conventional synthetic DMARDs. We assessed shifts from baseline at 12 and 24 weeks in haemoglobin, platelets, neutrophils and lymphocytes.

Results

448 patients were treated: FIL 200mg, n = 147; FIL 100mg, n = 153; PBO, n = 148. Overall, haemoglobin, platelet, lymphocyte and neutrophil levels remained consistent throughout the study. At baseline, 129 (28.8%), 4 (0.9%), 10 (2.2%) and 26 (5.8%) patients had mild-moderate low levels of haemoglobin, platelets, neutrophils and lymphocytes, respectively, and 5 (1.1%) had severely low levels of lymphocytes. Of the patients with mild-moderate low haemoglobin levels at baseline, 10-13% achieved normal levels by W24 vs 8% receiving PBO (Table). Of those with normal baseline haemoglobin levels, 6-10% had mild low levels at W24. All patients with baseline mild-moderate low platelets and neutrophils had normal levels at W24, except one patient with mild neutropoenia receiving FIL 100mg. Of the patients with normal platelet and neutrophil levels at baseline, &gt;94% maintained these at W24 in all treatment groups. By W24, 3.2%, 5.2% and 2.2% of patients treated with FIL 200mg, FIL 100mg and PBO, respectively in the baseline mild-moderate subgroup and 1.7% in the severe subgroup treated with FIL 100mg had normal lymphocyte counts.

Conclusion

In this study, most patients in the baseline normal cell count subgroups maintained this status over 24 weeks of FIL treatment. Of the patients with mild-to-moderately low haemoglobin at baseline, &gt;9% shifted towards haemoglobin normalisation. Similar patterns of improvement from baseline were observed for platelet, lymphocyte and neutrophil counts. FIL appears not to increase the incidence of cytopenias in patients with active RA despite prior biologic therapies.

Disclosures

D. Walker: Other; Received support from Lilly, Pfizer, Novartis, Roche. M.C. Genovese: Other; Received support from Gilead Sciences Inc., Galapagos NV, AbbVie Inc. Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer. K. Kalunian: Grants/research support; Grand support from Gilead. J. Gottenberg: None. B. Bartok: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Y. Tan: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc... Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Y. Guo: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. C. Tasset: Other; Employee of Galapagos. J.S. Sundy: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. K. de Vlam: None. T. Takeuchi: None.

P210 Efficacy and safety of filgotinib for patients with RA with inadequate response to methotrexate: FINCH1 primary outcome results

Background

Filgotinib (FIL) is an oral, potent, selective Janus kinase 1 inhibitor that has shown good efficacy and was well tolerated for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objective of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of FIL treatment in patients with RA who have had an inadequate response to methotrexate (MTX).

Methods

This Phase 3, double-blind, active- and placebo (PBO)-controlled study randomised patients with active RA (3:3:2:3) to FIL 200mg, FIL 100mg, adalimumab [ADA] 40mg every 2 weeks, or PBO daily for up to 52 weeks; results through week 24 are presented. Patients also received background MTX. Primary efficacy endpoint was proportion of patients achieving ACR20 at week 12; additional clinical assessments included ACR50 and ACR70 and DAS28-CRP score ≤3.2 and &lt;2.6, and patient-reported outcomes including HAQ-DI. Safety endpoints included adverse event types and rates. Logistic regression was used for superiority test of FIL vs PBO for ACR response and other binary endpoints, while mixed-effect model for repeated measures (MMRM) were used for continuous endpoints. Non-inferiority test of FIL to ADA (preserving &gt;50% of ADA response) was performed for DAS28-CRP ≤3.2 and &lt;2.6.

Results

Of 1,759 patients randomised, 1,755 received study drug: 475 FIL 200mg; 480 FIL 100mg; 325 ADA; and 475 PBO, of which 89.5%, 90.4%, 88.9%, and 81.3%, respectively, completed 24 weeks of study drug. 81.8% were female, mean (standard deviation [SD]) duration of RA was 7.8 (7.6) years, and mean (SD) DAS28-CRP was 5.7 (0.9). At week 12, significantly more patients in the FIL 200mg and 100mg arms achieved an ACR20 improvement vs PBO (Table 1). More patients receiving FIL achieved ACR50 and ACR70 improvements, DAS28-CRP scores ≤3.2 and &lt;2.6 and reported improvements in HAQ-DI scores versus PBO (Table 1). Non-inferiority of FIL 200mg to ADA was met based on DAS28-CRP ≤3.2. The FIL safety profile was consistent with prior studies through Week 24.

Conclusion

FIL 200mg and 100mg led to significant improvement in signs and symptoms of RA, prevented radiographic progression, improved physical function compared to PBO, and was well-tolerated. Efficacy of FIL 200mg was non-inferior to ADA based on DAS28-CRP ≤3.2.

Disclosures

D. Walker: Other; Received support from Lilly, Pfizer, Novartis and Roche. B.G. Combe: Honoraria; Received honoraria from AbbVie, BMS, Gilead, Janssen, Eli Lilly and Co., MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche-Chugai, Sanofi and UCB. A.J. Kivitiz: Consultancies; Consultant to AbbVie, Celgene, Horizon, Jansses, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Genzyme, Sanofi, Regeneron, SUN Pharma Advanced Research, Boehringer Ingelheim, Flexion and Novartis. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Novartis. Y. Tanaka: Honoraria; Honoraria from Daiichi-Sankyo, Astellas, Chugai, Eli Lilly ans Co., Pfizer, AbbVie, YL Biologics, BMS, Takeda, Misubishi-Tanabe, Novartis, Eisai, Janssen, Teijin. Grants/research support; Grant support from Asahi-Kasei, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Chugai, Takeda, Sanofi, BMS, UCB, Daiichi-Sankyo, Eisai, Ono, Astellas, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Abbvi and YL. D. van der Heijde: Corporate appointments; Director of Imaging Rheumatology bv. Consultancies; Consultant for consultant for AbbVie, Amgen, Astellas, AstraZeneca, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, Daiichi, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Glaxo-Smith-Kline, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, Sanofi, Takeda, and UCB. F. Matzkies: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. B. Bartok: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. L. Ye: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc.. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Y. Guo: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. C. Tasset: Corporate appointments; Employee of Galapagos NV. J.S. Sundy: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. N. Mozaffarian: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. R.B.M. Landewé: Consultancies; Consultant for AbbVie, AstraZeneca, BMS, Galapagos, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Novartis, and UCB.. S. Bae: None. E.C. Keystone: Consultancies; Consultant for AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca Pharma, Biotest, BMS Canada, Celltrion, Crescendo, Bioscience, F.Hoffman-La Roche Inc., Genentech, Janssen, Eli Lilly and Co., Merck, Pfizer,, PuraPharm, Sandoz, Sanofi-Aventis, Sanofi-Genzyme, Samsumg Bioepsis, and UCB. P. Nash: Consultancies; Consultant for AbbVie, BMS, Jansses, Pfizer, Roche, Lilly, Sanofi, MSD, Novartis, Celgene and Gilead.

O09 Pooled safety analyses from Phase 3 studies of filgotinib in patients with RA

Background

Filgotinib (FIL) is an oral, selective janus kinase 1 inhibitor under development for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other inflammatory diseases. Safety and efficacy of FIL was investigated in the FINCH clinical program, which includes three Phase 3, summarized, summarized studies in patients with moderate to severely active RA. FINCH1: patients with inadequate response to MTX (NCT02889796); FINCH2: patients receiving conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) with inadequate response to biological DMARDs (NCT02873936); FINCH3: MTX-naïve patients initiating MTX ± FIL, or receiving FIL monotherapy (NCT02886728). We present pooled safety data up to 24 weeks (W24).

Methods

The FINCH studies enrolled patients with RA (2010 ACR/EULAR criteria), ≥6 swollen joints and ≥6 tender joints at screening and Day 1. Safety analyses included patients receiving ≥1 dose of study drug. Patients in FINCH 1 and 2 who did not experience at least a 20% improvement in both swollen joint count and tender joint count by W14 discontinued study drug and switched to standard of care. W24 safety data from all studies were aggregated and ummarized. Key safety endpoints were treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), serious TEAEs, TEAEs of interest, deaths and treatment-emergent laboratory abnormalities.

Results

3,452 patients were evaluated; 2,088 received FIL. At W24, the frequency of TEAEs and TEAEs of interest were similar for those who received FIL and those in the control groups (Table 1). Most TEAEs were infections. Laboratory abnormality rates were similar between FIL and control groups, and were mild to moderate (grades 1 and 2). Overall, the frequency of major adverse cardiac events, herpes zoster virus, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism was low, and similar across groups.

Conclusion

Pooled data from this large database highlights the favourable safety and tolerability profile of FIL in patients with RA both as monotherapy and in combination with MTX/csDMARD.

Disclosures

D. Walker: Other; Received support from Lilly, Pfizer, Novartis and Roche. K. Winthrop: Grants/research support; Received grants for clinical research from Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Insmed Incorporated. Other; Received support from AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead, Janssen, Eli Lilly & Co., MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche-Chugai, Sanofi, and UCB. M.C. Genovese: Other; Gilead Sciences Inc., Galapagos NV, AbbVie Inc. Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer. B.G. Combe: Honoraria; Honoraria from AbbVie, BMS, Gilead, Janssen, Eli Lilly and Co., MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche-Chugai, Sanofi and UCB. Y. Tanaka: Honoraria; Received from Daiichi-Sankyo, Astellas, Chugai, Eli Lilly and Co., Pfizer, AbbVie, YL Biologics, BMS, Takeda, Misubishi-Tanabe, Novartis, Eisai, Janssen, Teijin. Grants/research support; Received grant support from Asahi-Kasei, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Chugai, Takeda, Sanofi, BMS, UCB, Daiichi-Sankyo, Eisai, and Ono. A. Kivitiz: Consultancies; Consultant for AbbVie, Celgene, Horizon, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Genzyme,Sanofi, Regeneron, SUN Pharma Advanced Research, Boehringer Ingelheim and Flexion. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Novartis. F. Matzkies: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. B. Bartok: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. L. Ye: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Y. Guo: Corporate appointments; Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Gilead Sciences, Inc. C. Tasset: Corporate appointments; Employee of Galapagos NV. J.S. Sundy: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. E. Keystone: Consultancies; AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca Pharma, Biotest, BMS Canada, Celltrion, Crescendo, Bioscience, F.Hoffman-La Roche Inc., Genentech, Janssen, Eli Lilly and Co., Merck, Pfizer, PuraPharm, Sandoz,, Sanofi-Aventis, Sanofi- Genzyme Samsung Bioepsis, and UCB. Other; AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca Pharma, Biotest, BMS Canada, Celltrion, Crescendo, Bioscience, F.Hoffman-La Roche Inc., Genentech, Janssen, Eli Lilly and Co., Merck, Pfizer, PuraPharm, Sandoz,, Sanofi-Aventis, Sanofi-Genzyme, Samsumg Bioepsis, and UCB. R. Westhovens: Corporate appointments; An investigator and advisor for Celltrion and Galapagos/Gilead. W. Rigby: Consultancies; Consultancy for Gilead. G.R. Burmester: Consultancies; Consultancy from AbbVie, Gilead, Eli Lilly, and Pfizer. Honoraria; Honoraria from AbbVie, Gilead, Eli Lilly, and Pfizer.

P217 Efficacy and safety of filgotinib for patients with RA naïve to MTX therapy: FINCH3 primary outcome results

Background

Filgotinib (FIL), an orally administered, potent, selective inhibitor of janus kinase 1 (JAK1), has shown good efficacy and was well tolerated for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objectives of this study were to compare efficacy and safety of FIL with and without methotrexate (MTX) in patients with RA who were naïve to MTX therapy.

Methods

This Phase 3, double-blind, active-controlled study randomised patients with moderately to severely active RA (2:1:1:2) to FIL 200mg daily+MTX, FIL 100mg+MTX, FIL 200mg (+placebo [PBO]), or MTX (+PBO) up to 52 weeks; results are through week 24. Primary endpoint was proportion achieving ACR20 response at week 24. Safety endpoints included adverse events types and rates.

Results

Of 1,252 randomised patients, 1,249 received study drug (416 FIL 200mg+MTX; 207 FIL 100mg+MTX; 210 FIL 200mg monotherapy; 416 MTX monotherapy) and were analysed; 1,130 completed week 24. Most (76.9%) were female; mean time since RA diagnosis was 2.2 years (median 0.4 years); mean (standard deviation [SD]) DAS28-CRP was 5.7 (1.0); and 35.9% were using oral steroids at baseline. At week 24, significantly more patients in the FIL 200mg+MTX (81.0%; P&lt;0.001) and FIL 100mg+MTX (80.2%; P&lt;0.05) arms achieved an ACR20 response compared to MTX monotherapy (71.4%)(Table 1). Compared to MTX monotherapy, more patients receiving FIL with or without MTX achieved ACR50 and ACR70 responses, DAS28-CRP &lt;2.6 and ≤3.2, and reported improvements in SF-36 PCS (Table 1). The onset of activity was rapid, with significantly more patients achieving ACR50 and DAS28-CRP &lt;2.6 with FIL than MTX at week 2. The FIL safety profile was consistent with prior studies through week 24. Serious AEs were observed in 4.1%, 2.4%, 4.8%, and 2.9% of patients in the FIL 200mg+MTX, FIL 100mg+MTX, FIL 200mg monotherapy, and MTX monotherapy groups, respectively. There was 1 death from lupus cardiomyopathy.

Conclusion

The JAK1 inhibitor FIL in combination with MTX led to significant improvements in RA signs and symptoms, physical function, and patient-reported outcomes compared to MTX alone and was well tolerated in patients with early active RA naïve to MTX. Clinically meaningful response to FIL occurred as early as 2 weeks after treatment initiation.

Disclosures

N. McKay: None. D. van der Heijde: Corporate appointments; Director of Imaging Rheumatology bv. Consultancies; Consultant for AbbVie, Amgen, Astellas, AstraZeneca, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, Daiichi, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Glaxo-Smith-Kline, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., UCB. R. Westhovens: Corporate appointments; Advisor for Celltrion and Galapagos/Gilead. Other; Advisor for Celltrion and Galapagos/Gilead. W.F.C. Rigby: Consultancies; Consultant for Gilead. D.W.T. Ching: Corporate appointments; Speaker for AbbVie. Member of speakers’ bureau; Speaker for AbbVie. B. Bartok: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. F. Matzkies: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Z. Yin: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Y. Guo: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. C. Tasset: Corporate appointments; Employee of Galapagos NV. J.S. Sundy: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. N. Mozaffarian: Corporate appointments; Employee of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Shareholder/stock ownership; Shareholder of Gilead Sciences, Inc. O.D. Messina: Honoraria; Received Honoraria from Pfizer, Amgen, and Americas Health Foundation (AHF). R.B.M. Landewé: Consultancies; Consultant for AbbVie, AstraZeneca, BMS, Galapagos, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Novartis, and UCB. T. Atsumi: None. G.R. Burmester: Honoraria; Received Honoraria from AbbVie, Gilead, Eli Lilly, and Pfizer.

Risk factors for disease progression in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

In this retrospective study of a randomised trial of simtuzumab in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), prodromal decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) was significantly associated with increased risk of mortality, respiratory and all-cause hospitalisations, and categorical disease progression. Predictive modelling of progression-free survival event risk was used to assess the effect of population enrichment for patients at risk of rapid progression of IPF; C-index values were 0.64 (death), 0.69 (disease progression), and 0.72 (adjudicated respiratory hospitalisation) and 0.76 (all-cause hospitalisation). Predictive modelling may be a useful tool for improving efficiency of clinical trials with categorical end points.

Effects of Selonsertib in Patients with Diabetic Kidney Disease

BACKGROUND

Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) activation in glomerular and tubular cells resulting from oxidative stress may drive kidney disease progression. Findings in animal models identified selonsertib, a selective ASK1 inhibitor, as a potential therapeutic agent.

METHODS

In a phase 2 trial evaluating selonsertib's safety and efficacy in adults with type 2 diabetes and treatment-refractory moderate-to-advanced diabetic kidney disease, we randomly assigned 333 adults in a 1:1:1:1 allocation to selonsertib (oral daily doses of 2, 6, or 18 mg) or placebo. Primary outcome was change from baseline eGFR at 48 weeks.

RESULTS

Selonsertib appeared safe, with no dose-dependent adverse effects over 48 weeks. Although mean eGFR for selonsertib and placebo groups did not differ significantly at 48 weeks, acute effects related to inhibition of creatinine secretion by selonsertib confounded eGFR differences at 48 weeks. Because of this unanticipated effect, we used piecewise linear regression, finding two dose-dependent effects: an acute and more pronounced eGFR decline from 0 to 4 weeks (creatinine secretion effect) and an attenuated eGFR decline between 4 and 48 weeks (therapeutic effect) with higher doses of selonsertib. A post hoc analysis (excluding data for 20 patients from two sites with Good Clinical Practice compliance-related issues) found that between 4 and 48 weeks, rate of eGFR decline was reduced 71% for the 18-mg group relative to placebo (difference 3.11±1.53 ml/min per 1.73 m² annualized over 1 year; 95% confidence interval, 0.10-6.13; nominal P=0.043). Effects on urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio did not differ between selonsertib and placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the trial did not meet its primary endpoint, exploratory post hoc analyses suggest that selonsertib may slow diabetic kidney disease progression.

Effect of Filgotinib vs Placebo on Clinical Response in Patients With Moderate to Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis Refractory to Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug Therapy: The FINCH 2 Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) despite treatment with biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) therapy need treatment options.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of filgotinib vs placebo on the signs and symptoms of RA in a treatment-refractory population.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A 24-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, multinational phase 3 trial conducted from July 2016 to June 2018 at 114 sites internationally, randomizing 449 adult patients (and treating 448) with moderately to severely active RA and inadequate response/intolerance to 1 or more prior bDMARDs.

INTERVENTIONS

Filgotinib, 200 mg (n = 148); filgotinib, 100 mg (n = 153); or placebo (n = 148) once daily; patients continued concomitant stable conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs).

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary end point was the proportion of patients who achieved 20% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology criteria (ACR20) at week 12. Secondary outcomes included week 12 assessments of low disease activity (disease activity score in 28 joints-C-reactive protein [DAS28-CRP] ≤3.2) and change in Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index, 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey Physical Component, and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue scores, as well as week 24 assessment of remission (DAS28-CRP <2.6) and adverse events.

RESULTS

Among 448 patients who were treated (mean [SD] age, 56 [12] years; 360 women [80.4%]; mean [SD] DAS28-CRP score, 5.9 [0.96]; 105 [23.4%] with ≥3 prior bDMARDs), 381 (85%) completed the study. At week 12, more patients receiving filgotinib, 200 mg (66.0%) or 100 mg (57.5%), achieved ACR20 response (placebo, 31.1%; difference vs placebo: 34.9% [95% CI, 23.5%-46.3%] and 26.4% [95% CI, 15.0%-37.9%], respectively; both P < .001), including among patients with prior exposure to 3 or more bDMARDs (70.3%, 58.8%, and 17.6%, respectively; difference vs placebo: 52.6% [95% CI, 30.3%-75.0%] for filgotinib, 200 mg, and 41.2% [95% CI, 17.3%-65.0%] for filgotinib, 100 mg; both P < .001). The most common adverse events were nasopharyngitis (10.2%) for filgotinib, 200 mg; headache, nasopharyngitis, and upper respiratory infection (5.9% each) for filgotinib, 100 mg; and RA (6.1%) for placebo. Four uncomplicated herpes zoster cases and 1 retinal vein occlusion were reported with filgotinib; there were no opportunistic infections, active tuberculosis, malignancies, gastrointestinal perforations, or deaths.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Among patients with active RA who had an inadequate response or intolerance to 1 or more bDMARDs, filgotinib, 100 mg daily or 200 mg daily, compared with placebo resulted in a significantly greater proportion achieving a clinical response at week 12. However, further research is needed to assess longer-term efficacy and safety.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02873936.

Resequencing Study Confirms That Host Defense and Cell Senescence Gene Variants Contribute to the Risk of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Rationale: Several common and rare genetic variants have been associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive fibrotic condition that is localized to the lung. Objectives: To develop an integrated understanding of the rare and common variants located in multiple loci that have been reported to contribute to the risk of disease. Methods: We performed deep targeted resequencing (3.69 Mb of DNA) in cases (n = 3,624) and control subjects (n = 4,442) across genes and regions previously associated with disease. We tested for associations between disease and 1) individual common variants via logistic regression and 2) groups of rare variants via sequence kernel association tests. Measurements and Main Results: Statistically significant common variant association signals occurred in all 10 of the regions chosen based on genome-wide association studies. The strongest risk variant is the MUC5B promoter variant rs35705950, with an odds ratio of 5.45 (95% confidence interval, 4.91-6.06) for one copy of the risk allele and 18.68 (95% confidence interval, 13.34-26.17) for two copies of the risk allele (P = 9.60 × 10-295). In addition to identifying for the first time that rare variation in FAM13A is associated with disease, we confirmed the role of rare variation in the TERT and RTEL1 gene regions in the risk of IPF, and found that the FAM13A and TERT regions have independent common and rare variant signals. Conclusions: A limited number of common and rare variants contribute to the risk of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in each of the resequencing regions, and these genetic variants focus on biological mechanisms of host defense and cell senescence.

SYK inhibitor entospletinib prevents ocular and skin GVHD in mice

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). The tyrosine kinase SYK contributes to both acute and chronic GVHD development, making it an attractive target for GVHD prevention. Entospletinib (ENTO) is a second-generation highly selective SYK inhibitor with a high safety profile. Potential utility of ENTO as GVHD prophylaxis in patients was examined using a preclinical mouse model of eye and skin GVHD and ENTO-compounded chow. We found that early SYK inhibition improved blood immune cell reconstitution in GVHD mice and prolonged survival, with 60% of mice surviving to day +120 compared with 10% of mice treated with placebo. Compared with mice receiving placebo, mice receiving ENTO had dramatic improvements in clinical eye scores, alopecia scores, and skin scores. Infiltrating SYK+ cells expressing B220 or F4/80, resembling SYK+ cells found in lichenoid skin lesions of chronic GVHD patients, were abundant in the skin of placebo mice but were rare in ENTO-treated mice. Thus, ENTO given early after HCT safely prevented GVHD.

A Phase 2, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study Evaluating Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Inhibitor, Andecaliximab, in Patients With Moderately to Severely Active Crohn's Disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 [MMP9] is implicated in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease and may serve as a potential biomarker. A phase 2 trial was conducted to examine the efficacy and safety of the anti-MMP9 antibody andecaliximab [GS-5745] in patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease.

METHODS

Patients were randomized 1:2:2:2 to receive subcutaneous injections of placebo weekly [QW], andecaliximab 150 mg every 2 weeks [Q2W], andecaliximab 150 mg QW, or andecaliximab 300 mg QW.The co-primary study efficacy endpoints were evaluation of a clinical response, defined as liquid or very soft stool frequency and abdominal pain composite [from Patient-Reported Outcome 2] score ≤ 8 at week 8, and an endoscopic response, defined as a ≥ 50% reduction from baseline in the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's Disease, following 8 weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 187 participants were randomized to treatment; 53 participants were randomized to each andecaliximab treatment group and 28 participants were randomized to placebo. Proportions of patients receiving andecaliximab were not different from proportions of patients receiving placebo based on clinical and endoscopic response and Crohn's disease activity index-defined remission at week 8. Rates of adverse events were comparable among the andecaliximab and placebo groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Eight weeks of induction treatment with 150 mg andecaliximab Q2W, 150 mg andecaliximab QW, or 300 mg andecaliximab QW in patients with Crohn's disease did not induce a clinically meaningful symptomatic or endoscopic response. Andecaliximab was well tolerated.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02405442.

Quantitative high-resolution computed tomography fibrosis score: performance characteristics in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

We evaluated performance characteristics and estimated the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of data-driven texture analysis (DTA), a high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT)-derived measurement of lung fibrosis, in subjects with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

The study population included 141 subjects with IPF from two interventional clinical trials who had both baseline and nominal 54- or 60-week follow-up HRCT. DTA scores were computed and compared with forced vital capacity (FVC), diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, distance covered during a 6-min walk test and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire scores to assess the method's reliability, validity and responsiveness. Anchor- and distribution-based methods were used to estimate its MCID.

DTA had acceptable reliability in subjects appearing stable according to anchor variables at follow-up. Correlations between the DTA score and other clinical measurements at baseline were moderate to weak and in the hypothesised directions. Acceptable responsiveness was demonstrated by moderate to weak correlations (in the directions hypothesised) between changes in the DTA score and changes in other parameters. Using FVC as an anchor, MCID was estimated to be 3.4%.

Quantification of lung fibrosis extent on HRCT using DTA is reliable, valid and responsive, and an increase of ∼3.4% represents a clinically important change.

Andecaliximab [Anti-matrix Metalloproteinase-9] Induction Therapy for Ulcerative Colitis: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 2/3 Study in Patients With Moderate to Severe Disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 [MMP9] is implicated in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis [UC] via disruption of intestinal barrier integrity and function. A phase 2/3 combined trial was designed to examine the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of the anti-MMP9 antibody, andecaliximab [formerly GS-5745], in patients with moderately to severely active UC.

METHODS

Patients were randomised [1:1:1] to receive placebo, 150 mg andecaliximab every 2 weeks [Q2W], or 150 mg andecaliximab weekly [QW], via subcutaneous administration. The primary endpoint was endoscopy/bleeding/stool [EBS]-defined clinical remission [endoscopic subscore of 0 or 1, rectal bleeding subscore of 0, and at least a 1-point decrease from baseline in stool frequency to achieve a subscore of 0 or 1] at Week 8. The phase 2/3 trial met prespecified futility criteria and was terminated before completion. This study describes results from the 8-week induction phase.

RESULTS

Neither 150 mg andecaliximab Q2W or QW resulted in a significant increase vs placebo in the proportion of patients achieving EBS clinical remission at Week 8. Remission rates [95% confidence intervals] were 7.3% [2.0%-17.6%], 7.4% [2.1%-17.9%], and 1.8% [0.0%-9.6%] in the placebo, andecaliximab Q2W, and andecaliximab QW groups, respectively. Similarly, Mayo Clinic Score response, endoscopic response, and mucosal [histological] healing did not differ among groups. Rates of adverse events were comparable among andecaliximab and placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

Eight weeks of induction treatment with 150 mg andecaliximab in patients with UC did not induce clinical remission or response. Andecaliximab was well tolerated and pharmacokinetic properties were consistent with those previously reported.

Phase 1b Study of the Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Disease-related Outcomes of the Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Inhibitor Andecaliximab in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

PURPOSE

Andecaliximab (GS-5745) is a highly selective monoclonal antibody against matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9), a proteolytic enzyme implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study assessed the safety and pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of andecaliximab in patients with RA and evaluated the effects of andecaliximab treatment on exploratory disease biomarkers.

METHODS

In this double-blind, Phase 1b trial, patients with active RA were randomized (4:1) to receive 400-mg andecaliximab or placebo every 2 weeks for a total of 3 intravenous infusions. The primary and secondary end points were safety and the PK parameters of andecaliximab, respectively. Data were summarized by using descriptive statistics.

FINDINGS

A total of 18 patients were randomized; 15 received andecaliximab (participants with confirmed RA diagnosis without current administration of a biologic DMARD a biologic DMARD (disease-modifying antirheumatic drug), aged 18 to 70 years old, weighing >45 to <120 kg). No deaths, serious adverse events, or study discontinuations occurred. All reported adverse events were grade 1 or grade 2 in severity. Mean plasma andecaliximab exposure was 587 d · µg/mL and 878 d · µg/mL at days 1 and 29, respectively, suggesting moderate accumulation. The median terminal t_1/2 was 5.65 days; mean volume of distribution at steady state was 4560 mL. Mean MMP9 coverage (the percentage of total plasma MMP9 bound by therapeutic antibody) was maintained at ~80% after the first administration of andecaliximab.

IMPLICATIONS

Andecaliximab administered as 3 infusions over 29 days was generally safe and well tolerated in patients with RA. The majority of total plasma MMP9 was bound by andecaliximab after the first administration. Clinical studies of increased treatment duration in larger patient cohorts are warranted. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02176876. Registered on 25 June 2014.

The cortisol:C-reactive protein ratio and negative affect reactivity in depressed adults

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the effect of the cortisol (CORT) to high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) ratio on stress-induced negative affect (NA) reactivity and whether the association was moderated by depressive symptom severity and gender. The CORT/CRP ratio was used to evaluate the integrity of the negative feedback loop between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and inflammatory response system.

METHOD

Basal CORT and hsCRP levels were measured in fasting blood samples from 198 medication-free and nonsmoking healthy men and women. Depressive symptom severity was assessed using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD). NA ratings were collected at baseline and at the completion of the laboratory stressors, the Anger Recall Interview (ARI) and reading.

RESULTS

Adjusting for potential confounders and baseline NA, analysis revealed a significant relationship between CORT/CRP ratio and NA reactivity to ARI as a function of depressive symptom severity. Simple effects revealed that for participants with high HAMD, decreasing CORT/CRP ratio, suggestive of an insufficient CORT release relative to higher hsCRP, predicted increasing stress-induced NA reactivity. For participants with low HAMD, the CORT/CRP ratio failed to predict NA reactivity. Gender did not moderate the joint effect of depressive symptom severity and the CORT/CRP ratio on stress-induced NA reactivity.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to document that a premorbid dysregulation of the neuro-immune relationship, characterized by an insufficient release of CORT in conjunction with higher CRP, plays a role in stress sensitivity, and specifically NA reactivity, in individuals with elevated levels of depression symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record

Lesinurad in combination with allopurinol: results of a phase 2, randomised, double-blind study in patients with gout with an inadequate response to allopurinol

Objectives

To assess the efficacy and tolerability of lesinurad, an oral selective uric acid reabsorption inhibitor, in combination with allopurinol versus allopurinol alone in patients with gout and an inadequate response to allopurinol.

Methods

Patients (N=227) with an inadequate response to allopurinol, defined as serum urate (sUA) ≥6 mg/dL on ≥2 occasions ≥2 weeks apart despite ≥6 weeks of allopurinol, were randomised 2:1 to 4 weeks of double-blind treatment with lesinurad (200, 400 or 600 mg/day) or matching placebo in combination with their prestudy allopurinol dose (200–600 mg/day). Colchicine prophylaxis for gout flares was required. The primary end point was percent reduction from baseline sUA levels at 4 weeks. A pharmacokinetic substudy was also conducted. Safety was assessed throughout.

Results

Patients (n=208) received ≥1 dose of blinded medication. Lesinurad 200, 400 and 600 mg in combination with allopurinol produced significant mean percent reductions from baseline sUA of 16%, 22% and 30%, respectively, versus a mean 3% increase with placebo (p<0.0001, all doses vs placebo). Similar results were observed in patients with mild or moderate renal insufficiency (estimated creatinine clearance 30 to <90 mL/min). The incidence of ≥1 treatment-emergent adverse event was 46%, 48% and 54% with lesinurad 200, 400 and 600 mg, respectively, and 46% with placebo (most frequent, gout flares, arthralgia, headache and nasopharyngitis), with no deaths or serious adverse events.

Conclusions

Lesinurad achieves clinically relevant and statistically significant reductions in sUA in combination with allopurinol in patients who warrant additional therapy on allopurinol alone.

Trial registration number

NCT01001338.

2015 Gout classification criteria: an American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism collaborative initiative

Objective

Existing criteria for the classification of gout have suboptimal sensitivity and/or specificity, and were developed at a time when advanced imaging was not available. The current effort was undertaken to develop new classification criteria for gout.

Methods

An international group of investigators, supported by the American College of Rheumatology and the European League Against Rheumatism, conducted a systematic review of the literature on advanced imaging of gout, a diagnostic study in which the presence of monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystals in synovial fluid or tophus was the gold standard, a ranking exercise of paper patient cases, and a multi-criterion decision analysis exercise. These data formed the basis for developing the classification criteria, which were tested in an independent data set.

Results

The entry criterion for the new classification criteria requires the occurrence of at least one episode of peripheral joint or bursal swelling, pain, or tenderness. The presence of MSU crystals in a symptomatic joint/bursa (ie, synovial fluid) or in a tophus is a sufficient criterion for classification of the subject as having gout, and does not require further scoring. The domains of the new classification criteria include clinical (pattern of joint/bursa involvement, characteristics and time course of symptomatic episodes), laboratory (serum urate, MSU-negative synovial fluid aspirate), and imaging (double-contour sign on ultrasound or urate on dual-energy CT, radiographic gout-related erosion). The sensitivity and specificity of the criteria are high (92% and 89%, respectively).

Conclusions

The new classification criteria, developed using a data-driven and decision-analytic approach, have excellent performance characteristics and incorporate current state-of-the-art evidence regarding gout.

2015 Gout Classification Criteria: an American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism collaborative initiative

OBJECTIVE

Existing criteria for the classification of gout have suboptimal sensitivity and/or specificity, and were developed at a time when advanced imaging was not available. The current effort was undertaken to develop new classification criteria for gout.

METHODS

An international group of investigators, supported by the American College of Rheumatology and the European League Against Rheumatism, conducted a systematic review of the literature on advanced imaging of gout, a diagnostic study in which the presence of monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystals in synovial fluid or tophus was the gold standard, a ranking exercise of paper patient cases, and a multicriterion decision analysis exercise. These data formed the basis for developing the classification criteria, which were tested in an independent data set.

RESULTS

The entry criterion for the new classification criteria requires the occurrence of at least 1 episode of peripheral joint or bursal swelling, pain, or tenderness. The presence of MSU crystals in a symptomatic joint/bursa (i.e., synovial fluid) or in a tophus is a sufficient criterion for classification of the subject as having gout, and does not require further scoring. The domains of the new classification criteria include clinical (pattern of joint/bursa involvement, characteristics and time course of symptomatic episodes), laboratory (serum urate, MSU-negative synovial fluid aspirate), and imaging (double-contour sign on ultrasound or urate on dual-energy computed tomography, radiographic gout-related erosion). The sensitivity and specificity of the criteria are high (92% and 89%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The new classification criteria, developed using a data-driven and decision analytic approach, have excellent performance characteristics and incorporate current state-of-the-art evidence regarding gout.

Depressogenic vulnerability and gender-specific patterns of neuro-immune dysregulation: What the ratio of cortisol to C-reactive protein can tell us about loss of normal regulatory control

We examined whether the ratio of cortisol (CORT) to high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), an index that captures the integrity of homeostatic regulation between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and inflammatory processes, is associated with vulnerability to depression in a gender specific manner and whether glucocorticoid receptor (GR) sensitivity plays a role in these associations. Fasting blood samples were collected between 08:45 and 09:15 and assayed for CORT, hsCRP, and leukocyte count in 213 healthy, medication-free men and women. The NEO-Personality Inventory was used to assess neuroticism, extraversion and anxiety. We used the Hamilton Depression Interview to assess depressive symptoms, the Buss-Perry anger subscale to measure anger, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index to evaluate subjective sleep quality and its components. Log-transformed CORT/CRP values were analyzed using multiple regression with Holms' adjusted p-values and age, body mass index (BMI), and race as covariates. GR sensitivity was estimated using the log-transformed ratio of neutrophils (N)-to-monocytes (M). The log-transformed ratio of CORT/CRP did not differ between men and women but was significantly and negatively associated with age and BMI. Severity of depressive symptoms, extraversion, anxiety, and sleep quality were associated with the CORT/CRP ratio in a gender-specific manner. For women, decreasing CORT/CRP ratios, suggestive of an insufficient release of CORT coupled with a heightened inflammatory state, were associated with increasing severity of depressive symptoms, decreasing quality of sleep, increasing frequency of sleep disturbance, and decreasing extraversion. For men, increasing frequency of daytime disturbance and levels of anxiety were associated with increasing CORT/CRP ratio, suggestive of an enhanced release of CORT relative to attenuated levels of hsCRP. For both genders, increasing anger was associated with decreasing CORT/CRP ratios. Although results suggested GR downregulation in women but not men, such differences did not mediate the observed associations. With the use of the CORT/CRP ratio, we showed that vulnerability factors for depression are associated with a loss of normal regulatory controls resulting in gender-specific patterns of neuro-immune dysregulation. That GR downregulation did not influence these associations suggests that the loss of regulatory controls in at risk individuals is primarily at the level of the hormone. Beyond the individual contribution of each component of the CORT/CRP ratio, disruption of normal neuroimmune regulatory feedback provides a plausible biological framework useful in understanding biobehavioral vulnerabilities to depression in a gender specific manner. The CORT/CRP ratio may be a viable biomarker not only for delineating risk for MDD but also progression and treatment responses among patients with MDD; possibilities that are testable in future studies.

Rilonacept for Gout Flare Prevention in Patients Receiving Uric Acid-lowering Therapy: Results of RESURGE, a Phase III, International Safety Study

Objective.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of once-weekly subcutaneous rilonacept 160 mg for prevention of gout flares in patients initiating or continuing urate-lowering therapy (ULT).

Methods.

This phase III study was conducted in the United States, South Africa, Europe, and Asia. Adults (n = 1315, 18–80 yrs) with gout, who were initiating or continuing ULT, were randomized to treatment with weekly subcutaneous injections of rilonacept 160 mg or placebo for 16 weeks followed by a 4-week safety followup. The primary endpoint was safety, assessed by adverse events (AE) and laboratory values. Efficacy was a secondary endpoint.

Results.

Demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between treatments; predominantly male (87.8%), mean age 52.7 ± 11.3 years. Patients with ≥ 1 AE were 66.6% with rilonacept versus 59.1% placebo, with slightly more AE-related withdrawals with rilonacept (4.7% vs 3.0%) because of the greater incidence of injection site reactions (15.2% rilonacept, 3.3% placebo). Serious AE were similar in both groups, as were serious infections (0.9% placebo, 0.5% rilonacept); no tuberculosis or opportunistic infections occurred. Most common AE were headache, arthralgia, injection site erythema, accidental overdose, and pain in extremity. Of the 6 deaths, only 1 in the placebo group was considered treatment-related. At Week 16, rilonacept resulted in 70.3% fewer gout flares per patient (p < 0.0001), fewer patients with ≥ 1 and ≥ 2 gout flares (p < 0.0001), and 64.9% fewer gout flare days (p < 0.0001) relative to placebo.

Conclusion.

Weekly subcutaneous administration of rilonacept 160 mg showed no new safety signals. The safety profile was consistent with previous studies. Rilonacept also significantly reduced the risk of gout flares. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT00856206; EudraCT No. 2008-007784-16.

Induced and pre-existing anti-polyethylene glycol antibody in a trial of every 3-week dosing of pegloticase for refractory gout, including in organ transplant recipients

Introduction

Pegloticase, a PEGylated recombinant porcine uricase, is approved for treating refractory gout at a dose of 8 mg intravenous (IV) every 2 weeks. However, during phase 1 testing, pharmacokinetics supported less frequent dosing. Also, single doses of pegloticase unexpectedly induced antibodies (Ab) that bound to polyethylene glycol (PEG). We have conducted a phase 2 trial to evaluate every 3-week dosing, and to further define the Ab response to pegloticase. Organ transplant recipients were included, as they are prone to severe gout that is difficult to manage, and because treatment to prevent graft rejection might influence the immune response to pegloticase.

Methods

Plasma uricase activity (pUox), urate concentration (pUA), and clinical response were monitored during up to 5 infusions in 30 patients, including 7 organ transplant recipients. Depending on whether pUA <6 mg/dL was achieved and maintained, patients were classified as non (NR), persistent (PR), or transient (TR) responders. Ab to pegloticase and 10 kDa mPEG were monitored by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and specificity was further defined.

Results

We observed 17 PR, 12 TR, and 1 NR; 21 patients (16 PR, 5 TR) received all 5 infusions. Over the 15-week trial, pUA in PR averaged 1.0 ± 0.4 mg/dL; T_½ for pUox was approximately 13 days, and area under the curve after dose 5 was approximately 30% higher than after dose 1. PR showed clinical benefit and in some, tophi resolved. In 11 of 12 TR, pUox fell rapidly and hyperuricemia recurred before dose 2. In all TR and NR, loss of response to pegloticase was accompanied by Ab to PEG, which was pre-existing in half of those who had no prior exposure to pegloticase. No PR, and 1 one out of 7 organ transplant recipients, had a sustained Ab response to pegloticase.

Conclusions

Every 3-week dosing is effective and may enhance the utility of pegloticase for treating refractory gout. Ab to PEG, which were pre-existing or induced by treatment, caused rapid loss of efficacy and increased the risk of infusion reactions. Organ transplant recipients can benefit from pegloticase, and may be less prone than non-recipients to developing anti-PEG Ab. Investigation of immunosuppressive strategies to minimize anti-PEG Ab is warranted.

Trial registration

ClincalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00111657

Pegloticase immunogenicity: the relationship between efficacy and antibody development in patients treated for refractory chronic gout

INTRODUCTION

The efficacy of pegloticase, a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-conjugated mammalian recombinant uricase, approved for chronic refractory gout, can be limited by the development of antibodies (Ab). Analyses from 2 replicate, 6-month, randomized controlled trials were performed to characterize Ab responses to pegloticase.

METHODS

Anti-pegloticase, anti-PEG, and anti-uricase Ab were determined by validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Ab titers were analyzed for possible relationships with serum pegloticase concentrations, serum uric acid (sUA) lowering, and risk of infusion reactions (IRs).

RESULTS

Sixty-nine (41%) of 169 patients receiving pegloticase developed high titer anti-pegloticase Ab (> 1:2430) and 40% (67/169) developed anti-PEG Ab; 1 patient receiving placebo developed high titer anti-pegloticase Ab. Only 14% (24/169) of patients developed anti-uricase Ab, usually at low titer. In responders, patients showing sustained UA lowering, mean anti-pegloticase titers at week 25 (1:837 ± 1687 with biweekly and 1:2025 ± 4506 with monthly dosing) were markedly lower than in nonresponders (1:34,528 ± 42,228 and 1:89,658 ± 297,797, respectively). Nonresponder status was associated with reduced serum pegloticase concentrations. Baseline anti-pegloticase Ab, evident in 15% (31/212) of patients, did not predict subsequent loss of urate-lowering response. Loss of sUA response preceded IRs in 44 of 56 (79%) pegloticase-treated patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Loss of responsiveness to pegloticase is associated with the development of high titer anti-pegloticase Ab that increase clearance of pegloticase and are associated with a loss of the sUA lowering effect and increased IR risk. Pre-infusion sUA can be used as a surrogate for the presence of deleterious anti-pegloticase Ab.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT00325195. Registered 10 May 2006, NCT01356498. Registered 27 October 2008.

Using registries to identify adverse events in rheumatic diseases

The proven effectiveness of biologics and other immunomodulatory products in inflammatory rheumatic diseases has resulted in their widespread use as well as reports of potential short- and long-term complications such as infection and malignancy. These complications are especially worrisome in children who often have serial exposures to multiple immunomodulatory products. Post-marketing surveillance of immunomodulatory products in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus is currently based on product-specific registries and passive surveillance, which may not accurately reflect the safety risks for children owing to low numbers, poor long-term retention, and inadequate comparators. In collaboration with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), patient and family advocacy groups, biopharmaceutical industry representatives and other stakeholders, the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) and the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) have developed a novel pharmacosurveillance model (CARRA Consolidated Safety Registry [CoRe]) based on a multicenter longitudinal pediatric rheumatic diseases registry with over 8000 participants. The existing CARRA infrastructure provides access to much larger numbers of subjects than is feasible in single-product registries. Enrollment regardless of medication exposure allows more accurate detection and evaluation of safety signals. Flexibility built into the model allows the addition of specific data elements and safety outcomes, and designation of appropriate disease comparator groups relevant to each product, fulfilling post-marketing requirements and commitments. The proposed model can be applied to other pediatric and adult diseases, potentially transforming the paradigm of pharmacosurveillance in response to the growing public mandate for rigorous post-marketing safety monitoring.

Tophus burden reduction with pegloticase: results from phase 3 randomized trials and open-label extension in patients with chronic gout refractory to conventional therapy

INTRODUCTION

Two replicate randomized, placebo-controlled six-month trials (RCTs) and an open-label treatment extension (OLE) comprised the pegloticase development program in patients with gout refractory to conventional therapy. In the RCTs, approximately 40% of patients treated with the approved dose saw complete response (CR) of at least one tophus. Here we describe the temporal course of tophus resolution, total tophus burden in patients with multiple tophi, tophus size at baseline, and the relationship between tophus response and urate-lowering efficacy.

METHODS

Baseline subcutaneous tophi were analyzed quantitatively using computer-assisted digital images in patients receiving pegloticase (8 mg biweekly or monthly) or placebo in the RCTs, and pegloticase in the OLE. Tophus response, a secondary endpoint in the trials, was evaluated two ways. Overall tophus CR was the proportion of patients achieving a best response of CR (without any new/enlarging tophi) and target tophus complete response (TT-CR) was the proportion of all tophi with CR.

RESULTS

Among 212 patients randomized in the RCTs, 155 (73%) had ≥ 1 tophus and 547 visible tophi were recorded at baseline. Overall tophus CR was recorded in 45% of patients in the biweekly group (P = 0.002 versus placebo), 26% in the monthly group, and 8% in the placebo group after six months of RCT therapy. TT-CR rates at six months were 28%, 19%, and 2% of tophi, respectively. Patients meeting the primary endpoint of sustained urate-lowering response to therapy (responders) were more likely than nonresponders to have an overall tophus CR at six months (54% vs 20%, respectively and 8% with placebo).

CONCLUSIONS

Pegloticase reduced tophus burden in patients with refractory tophaceous gout, especially those achieving sustained urate-lowering. Complete resolution of tophi occurred in some patients by 13 weeks and in others with longer-term therapy.

TRIAL REGISTRATIONS

NCT00325195, NCT01356498.

Racial differences in the association of CD14 polymorphisms with serum total IgE levels and allergen skin test reactivity

Background

The CD14 C-159T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) has been investigated widely as a candidate genetic locus in patients with allergic disease. There are conflicting results for the association of the CD14 C-159T SNP with total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and atopy. There are limited data regarding the association of the CD14 C-159T SNP in subjects of African ancestry. The aim of the study was to determine whether the C-159T SNP and other CD14 SNPs (C1188G, C1341T) were associated with total serum IgE levels and with allergy skin test results in nonatopic and atopic subjects; as well as in Caucasian and African American subjects.

Methods

A total of 291 participants, 18–40 years old, were screened to determine whether they were atopic and/or asthmatic. Analyses were performed to determine the association between CD14 C-159T, C1188G, or C1341T genotypes with serum IgE levels and with the number of positive skin tests among Caucasian or African American subjects.

Results

We found no significant association of serum total IgE level with CD14 C-159T, C1188G, or C1341T genotypes within nonatopic or atopic subjects. Subjects with CD14-159 T alleles had significantly more positive allergen skin tests than subjects without CD14-159 T alleles (P = 0.0388). There was a significant association between the CD14 1188 G allele, but not the CD14 1341 T allele, with the number of positive skin-test results in Caucasians, but not in African Americans.

Conclusion

These results support a possible association between CD14 polymorphisms and atopy. CD14-159 T or CD14 1188 G alleles were associated with atopic disease. For subjects with CD14 1188 G alleles, the association with atopic disease was stronger in Caucasians compared to African Americans.

Long-term safety of pegloticase in chronic gout refractory to conventional treatment

Objective

To evaluate the long-term safety (up to 3 years) of treatment with pegloticase in patients with refractory chronic gout.

Methods

This open-label extension (OLE) study was conducted at 46 sites in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Patients completing either of two replicate randomised placebo-controlled 6-month trials received pegloticase 8 mg every 2 weeks (biweekly) or every 4 weeks (monthly). Safety was evaluated as the primary outcome, with special interest in gout flares and infusion-related reactions (IRs). Secondary outcomes included urate-lowering and clinical efficacy.

Results

Patients (n=149) received a mean±SD of 28±18 pegloticase infusions and were followed for a mean of 25±11 months. Gout flares and IRs were the most frequently reported adverse events; these were least common in patients with a sustained urate-lowering response to treatment and those receiving biweekly treatment. In 10 of the 11 patients with a serious IR, the event occurred when uric acid exceeded 6 mg/dl. Plasma and serum uric acid levels remained <6 mg/dl in most randomised controlled trial (RCT)-defined pegloticase responders throughout the OLE study and were accompanied by sustained and progressive improvements in tophus resolution and flare incidence.

Conclusions

The safety profile of long-term pegloticase treatment was consistent with that observed during 6 months of RCT treatment; no new safety signals were identified. Improvements in clinical status, in the form of flare and tophus reduction initiated during RCT pegloticase treatment in patients maintaining goal range urate-lowering responses were sustained or advanced during up to 2.5 years of additional treatment.

The rheumatology of gout

Gout is a metabolic disorder of purine metabolism with primary manifestations of acute and chronic arthritis and tophus formation. The prevalence of gout appears to be increasing and may affect up to 8 million people in the United States. The development of novel therapies for gout after a 40-year hiatus has opened new understanding of this disease. In addition to causing severe musculoskeletal pain, gout is associated with impaired quality of life, reduced functional status, and injury to joints. The quality of care for many patients with gout is unfortunately not in keeping with current guidelines. The approval of new therapies to treat hyperuricemia, such as febuxostat and pegloticase, has increased our knowledge of the challenges of adequately controlling the disease. Rather than providing a comprehensive overview of gout, this review focuses on new developments in the clinical aspects of gout and highlights advances in the drug therapy of gout.

Rilonacept (interleukin-1 trap) in the prevention of acute gout flares during initiation of urate-lowering therapy: results of a phase II randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the interleukin-1 inhibitor rilonacept (Interleukin-1 Trap) for prevention of gout flares occurring in the first few months following initiation of urate-lowering therapy.

METHODS

In this double-blind study, adult patients with hyperuricemia and gout were randomized to receive rilonacept administered subcutaneously once per week (loading dose 320 mg followed by 160 mg weekly) or placebo, and started on allopurinol (300 mg/day, titrated to serum urate <6 mg/dl). At study visits, physical and laboratory assessments were performed and information on any adverse events was ascertained.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics were similar between the rilonacept and placebo groups (n = 41 and n = 42, respectively). The mean number of gout flares per patient through week 12 (primary efficacy end point) was markedly lower in the rilonacept group than in the placebo group (0.15 [6 flares] versus 0.79 [33 flares]; P = 0.0011). Fewer flares were observed with rilonacept as early as 4 weeks after initiation of treatment (P = 0.007). The proportion of patients experiencing a flare during the 12 weeks was lower in the rilonacept group than in the placebo group (14.6% versus 45.2%; P = 0.0037). No rebound in the flare rate was observed for 6 weeks after discontinuation of rilonacept or placebo at week 16. Adverse events were similar between groups, and no deaths or serious infectious adverse events were reported; the most common adverse events were infections (14.6% and 26.2% of rilonacept- and placebo-treated patients, respectively) and musculoskeletal disorders (14.6% and 21.4%, respectively). A higher percentage of rilonacept-treated patients (98%) compared with placebo-treated patients (79%) completed the primary 12-week evaluation period (P = 0.015).

CONCLUSION

The current findings indicate that rilonacept significantly reduces the frequency of gout flares during the initial period of treatment with urate-lowering therapy, with a favorable safety profile.

The clinical and environmental determinants of airway transcriptional profiles in allergic asthma

RATIONALE

Gene expression profiling of airway epithelial and inflammatory cells can be used to identify genes involved in environmental asthma.

METHODS

Airway epithelia and inflammatory cells were obtained via bronchial brush and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from 39 subjects comprising three phenotypic groups (nonatopic nonasthmatic, atopic nonasthmatic, and atopic asthmatic) 4 hours after instillation of LPS, house dust mite antigen, and saline in three distinct subsegmental bronchi. RNA transcript levels were assessed using whole genome microarrays.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Baseline (saline exposure) differences in gene expression were related to airflow obstruction in epithelial cells (C3, ALOX5AP, CCL18, and others), and to serum IgE (innate immune genes and focal adhesion pathway) and allergic-asthmatic phenotype (complement genes, histone deacetylases, and GATA1 transcription factor) in inflammatory cells. LPS stimulation resulted in pronounced transcriptional response across all subjects in both airway epithelia and BAL cells, with strong association to nuclear factor-κB and IFN-inducible genes as well as signatures of other transcription factors (NRF2, C/EBP, and E2F1) and histone proteins. No distinct transcriptional profile to LPS was observed in the asthma and atopy phenotype. Finally, although no consistent expression changes were observed across all subjects in response to house dust mite antigen stimulation, we observed subtle differences in gene expression (e.g., GATA1 and GATA2) in BAL cells related to the asthma and atopy phenotype.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that among individuals with allergic asthma, transcriptional changes in airway epithelia and inflammatory cells are influenced by phenotype as well as environmental exposures.

Efficacy and tolerability of pegloticase for the treatment of chronic gout in patients refractory to conventional treatment: two randomized controlled trials

CONTEXT

Patients with chronic disabling gout refractory to conventional urate-lowering therapy need timely treatment to control disease manifestations related to tissue urate crystal deposition. Pegloticase, monomethoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-conjugated mammalian recombinant uricase, was developed to fulfill this need.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy and tolerability of pegloticase in managing refractory chronic gout.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS

Two replicate, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (C0405 and C0406) were conducted between June 2006 and October 2007 at 56 rheumatology practices in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in patients with severe gout, allopurinol intolerance or refractoriness, and serum uric acid concentration of 8.0 mg/dL or greater. A total of 225 patients participated: 109 in trial C0405 and 116 in trial C0406.

INTERVENTION

Twelve biweekly intravenous infusions containing either pegloticase 8 mg at each infusion (biweekly treatment group), pegloticase alternating with placebo at successive infusions (monthly treatment group), or placebo (placebo group).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Primary end point was plasma uric acid levels of less than 6.0 mg/dL in months 3 and 6.

RESULTS

In trial C0405 the primary end point was reached in 20 of 43 patients in the biweekly group (47%; 95% CI, 31%-62%), 8 of 41 patients in the monthly group (20%; 95% CI, 9%-35%), and in 0 patients treated with placebo (0/20; 95% CI, 0%-17%; P < .001 and <.04 for comparisons between biweekly and monthly groups vs placebo, respectively). Among patients treated with pegloticase in trial C0406, 16 of 42 in the biweekly group (38%; 95% CI, 24%-54%) and 21 of 43 in the monthly group (49%; 95% CI, 33%-65%) achieved the primary end point; no placebo-treated patients reached the primary end point (0/23; 95% CI, 0%-15%; P = .001 and < .001, respectively). When data in the 2 trials were pooled, the primary end point was achieved in 36 of 85 patients in the biweekly group (42%; 95% CI, 32%-54%), 29 of 84 patients in the monthly group (35%; 95% CI, 24%-46%), and 0 of 43 patients in the placebo group (0%; 95% CI, 0%-8%; P < .001 for each comparison). Seven deaths (4 in patients receiving pegloticase and 3 in the placebo group) occurred between randomization and closure of the study database (February 15, 2008).

CONCLUSION

Among patients with chronic gout, elevated serum uric acid level, and allopurinol intolerance or refractoriness, the use of pegloticase 8 mg either every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks for 6 months resulted in lower uric acid levels compared with placebo.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00325195.

Pulmonary function, bronchial reactivity, and epithelial permeability are response phenotypes to ozone and develop differentially in healthy humans

Effect of laboratory exposure to O₃ (220 ppb) and filtered air (FA) on respiratory physiology were evaluated at two time points (acute and 1 day postexposure) in healthy cohort (n = 138, 18-35 yr, 40% women) comprised mainly of Caucasian (60%) and African American (33.3%) subjects. Randomized exposures had a crossover design and durations of 2.25 h that included rest and treadmill walking. Airway responsiveness (AHR) to methacholine (Mch) and permeability of respiratory epithelium (EI) to hydrophilic radiomarker ((99m)Tc-DTPA, MW = 492), were measured at 1-day postexposure. O₃ significantly affected FEV₁ and FVC indices acutely with mean decrements from pre-exposure values on the order of 7.7 to 8.8% and 1.8 to 2.3% at 1-day post. Acute FEV₁ and FVC decreases were most robust in African American male subjects. At 1-day post, O₃ induced significant changes in AHR (slope of Mch dose response curve) and EI (Tc(99m)-DTPA clearance half-time). Based on conventional thresholds of response and dichotomous classification of subjects as responders and nonresponders, sensitivity to O₃ was shown to be nonuniform. Acute decrements ≥ 15% in FEV₁, a doubling of Mch slope, or ≥ 15% increase in EI developed in 20.3%, 23.1%, and 25.9%, respectively, of subjects evaluated. Results demonstrate a diffuse sensitivity to O₃ and physiological responses, either acutely (decreases in FEV₁) or 1 day post (development of AHR or change in EI) occur differentially in healthy young adults. Random overlap among subjects classified as responsive for respective FEV₁, AHR, and EI endpoints suggests these are separate and independent phenotypes of O₃ exposure.

Work productivity loss due to flares in patients with chronic gout refractory to conventional therapy

OBJECTIVE

Joint pain and swelling during gout flares may lead to considerable morbidity and disability, having an impact on patient work productivity and social participation. The objective of this study was to assess how gout flares affect these activities in patients with chronic gout refractory to conventional therapy.

METHODS

A 1-year prospective observational study was conducted among patients with symptomatic disease in the United States in 2001. Inclusion criteria required patients (1) to be age 18 years or older, (2) to have documented, crystal-proven gout, (3) to have symptomatic gout, and (4) to be intolerant or unresponsive to conventional therapy, reflected by SUA ≥ 6.0 mg/dL. Patients were evaluated every 2 months. At each visit, patients completed a gout diary, which included number of flares experienced, duration and severity of each flare, and whether the flare caused: (1) work loss, (2) missed appointments or social events, or (3) impairment of self-care activities. The Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) was also completed each visit.

RESULTS

Analyses were restricted to those who completed the first 6 months of the study (n = 81). Mean number of flares per patient per year was 8.8. Of the patients who were <65 years, 78% reported at least 1 work day lost due to a gout attack during the year. Mean annual work day loss for those <65 years was 25.1 days. A total of 545 of patients reported at least one flare per year that impaired social activities, with a mean of 17.1 social days lost and 52% reported at least one flare per year that compromised normal self-care activities, with a mean of 16.9 days impairment. Correlations between the diary reports and activity-related questions from the SF-36 were significantly positive.

LIMITATIONS

The study is limited by small sample size, lack of reference group, and inability to explicitly collect employment information. Age under 65 years was used as a proxy for employment eligibility.

CONCLUSION

Flares in patients with chronic gout refractory to conventional therapy significantly affect patient work productivity and social activities.

Reduction of plasma urate levels following treatment with multiple doses of pegloticase (polyethylene glycol-conjugated uricase) in patients with treatment-failure gout: results of a phase II randomized study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy of pegloticase in achieving and maintaining plasma urate levels of <6 mg/dl in gout patients in whom other treatments have failed, and to assess the pharmacokinetics and safety of pegloticase.

METHODS

Forty-one patients were randomized to undergo 12-14 weeks of treatment with pegloticase at 1 of 4 dosage levels: 4 mg every 2 weeks, 8 mg every 2 weeks, 8 mg every 4 weeks, or 12 mg every 4 weeks. Plasma uricase activity, plasma urate, and antipegloticase antibodies were measured, pharmacokinetic parameters were assessed, and adverse events were recorded.

RESULTS

The mean plasma urate level was reduced to <or=6 mg/dl within 6 hours in all dosage groups, and this was sustained throughout the treatment period in the 8 mg and 12 mg dosage groups. The most effective dosage was 8 mg every 2 weeks. Twenty-six patients received all protocol doses. The percentage of the patients in whom the primary efficacy end point (plasma urate <6 mg/dl for 80% of the study period) was achieved ranged from 50% to 88%. Gout flares occurred in 88% of the patients. The majority of adverse events (excluding gout flare) were unrelated to treatment and were mild or moderate in severity. Infusion-day adverse events were the most common reason for study withdrawal (12 of 15 withdrawals). There were no anaphylactic reactions. Antipegloticase antibody, present in 31 of 41 patients, was associated with reduced circulating half-life of pegloticase in some patients.

CONCLUSION

Pegloticase, administered in multiple doses, was effective in rapidly reducing and maintaining plasma urate levels at <or=6 mg/dl in most patients in whom conventional therapy had been unsuccessful due to lack of response, intolerability, or contraindication.

The interleukin 1 inhibitor rilonacept in treatment of chronic gouty arthritis: results of a placebo-controlled, monosequence crossover, non-randomised, single-blind pilot study

Background:

Recent studies suggest that blockade of the NLRP3 (cryopyrin) inflammasome interleukin 1β (IL1β) pathway may offer a new treatment strategy for gout.

Objective:

To explore the potential utility of rilonacept (IL1 Trap) in patients with chronic active gouty arthritis in a proof-of-concept study.

Methods:

This 14-week, multicentre, non-randomised, single-blind, monosequence crossover study of 10 patients with chronic active gouty arthritis included a placebo run-in (2 weeks), active rilonacept treatment (6 weeks) and a 6-week post-treatment follow-up.

Results:

Rilonacept was generally well tolerated. No deaths and no serious adverse events occurred during the study. One patient withdrew owing to an injection-site reaction. Patients’ self-reported median pain visual analogue scale scores significantly decreased from week 2 (after the placebo run-in) to week 4 (2 weeks of rilonacept) (5.0 to 2.8; p<0.049), with sustained improvement at week 8 (1.3; p<0.049); 5 of 10 patients reported at least a 75% improvement. Median symptom-adjusted and severity-adjusted joint scores were significantly decreased. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels fell significantly.

Conclusions:

This proof-of-concept study demonstrated that rilonacept is generally well tolerated and may offer therapeutic benefit in reducing pain in patients with chronic refractory gouty arthritis, supporting the need for larger, randomised, controlled studies of IL1 antagonism such as with rilonacept for this clinical indication.

Quality of life and disability in patients with treatment-failure gout

OBJECTIVE

The relationship between self-reported quality of life and disability and disease severity was evaluated in subjects with treatment-failure gout (n = 110) in a prospective, 52-week, observational study.

METHODS

Subjects had symptomatic crystal-proven gout of at least 2 years' duration and intolerance or refractoriness to conventional urate-lowering therapy. Serum uric acid (sUA) concentration, swollen and tender joint counts, frequency and severity of gout flares, tophus assessments, comorbidities, and patient-reported outcomes data [Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36), Health Assessment Questionnaire-Damage Index] were collected. Analyses included correlations of patient-reported outcomes with clinical variables and changes in clinical status.

RESULTS

Mean age of study subjects was 59 years. Mean scores on SF-36 physical functioning subscales were 34.2-46.8, analogous to persons aged >or= 75 years in the general population. Subjects with more severe gout at baseline had worse health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in all areas (p < 0.02 for all measures), compared to patients with mild-moderate disease. Number of flares reported in past year, number of tender joints, swollen joints, and tophi correlated significantly with some or all HRQOL and disability measures. sUA was not significantly correlated with any HRQOL or disability measure. Subjects with comorbidities experienced worse physical, but not mental, functioning.

CONCLUSION

Severe gout is associated with poor HRQOL and disability, especially for patients who experience more gout flares and have a greater number of involved joints. Subject perceptions of gout-related functioning and pain severity appear to be highly sensitive indicators of HRQOL and disability.

Update on nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review addresses recent concerns about the cardiovascular safety of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the disease-modifying role of these drugs in ankylosing spondylitis, and their use in the understudied pediatric population.

RECENT FINDINGS

Several recent observational and controlled studies highlight the cardiovascular toxicity of rofecoxib, celecoxib, parecoxib, valdecoxib and naproxen. Concerns about cardiovascular safety raise questions about the chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in patients with rheumatic diseases, including children. The risks of these drugs in the pediatric population are not well known and this review addresses the limited data available concerning nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use in children. A recent trial in ankylosing spondylitis patients demonstrated continuous nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use reduced the rate of syndesmophyte formation, suggesting that they may have a disease-modifying role in these patients.

SUMMARY

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been in the spotlight this year. While preliminary evidence has supported novel roles for these drugs in ankylosing spondylitis and in cancer prevention, accumulating evidence shows that some cyclooxygenase-2 and perhaps all nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are associated with cardiovascular toxicity. Further research is needed to understand the magnitude and mechanism of this risk. Clinicians are compelled to weigh carefully the benefits and risks of therapy. Concerns about safety are balanced by optimism about their potential role in delaying the progression of ankylosing spondylitis.

Normative values for exhaled breath condensate pH and its relationship to exhaled nitric oxide in healthy African Americans

BACKGROUND

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH and exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) have been proposed as markers of asthma severity. EBC pH values below 6.5 have been associated with asthma exacerbations. Protonation of airway nitrite occurs at low pH and may contribute to FeNO.

OBJECTIVE

To establish normative EBC pH values and to determine the contribution of EBC pH to FeNO in healthy African Americans.

METHODS

Two hundred seventy healthy African American subjects without asthma between 18 and 40 years old were evaluated. Subjects had simultaneous measurement of EBC pH, EBC nitrite, nitrate, and FeNO.

RESULTS

The median EBC pH was 8.14 (interquartile range, 7.83-8.28). Of subjects, 11.9% had an EBC pH < or = 6.5. In subjects with EBC pH values below 6.5, there was an inverse correlation between EBC pH and FeNO (r(2) = 0.158; P = .0245; n = 32). In the entire cohort, there was a direct correlation between EBC pH and EBC nitrite (r(2) = 0.163; P < .0001), but there was no correlation between EBC nitrite and FeNO. In multivariate analyses, EBC pH and nitrite did not contribute significantly to FeNO variation while controlling for other confounders of FeNO.

CONCLUSION

There was an increased prevalence (11.9%) of low EBC pH (less than 6.5) in healthy African American subjects compared with white subjects (<5%). EBC pH and nitrite were directly correlated, but there was no correlation between EBC nitrite and FeNO. FeNO correlated with EBC pH at pH values less than 6.5 in univariate but not multivariate analyses. This suggests that EBC pH and nitrite are not significant determinants of FeNO in healthy subjects.

Determinants of exhaled nitric oxide levels in healthy, nonsmoking African American adults

BACKGROUND

Asthma is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality for African Americans. Fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels are increased in patients with asthma, and airway levels of nitric oxide metabolites regulate airway inflammation and airway diameter. More needs to be known about the factors that regulate FeNO. There is a need for FeNO reference values for African Americans.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to establish reference values and identify factors associated with FeNO levels in healthy African American adults.

METHODS

FeNO levels were measured in 895 healthy, nonsmoking African Americans between the ages of 18 and 40 years. FeNO measurements were repeated in 84 subjects. Factors potentially associated with FeNO were measured, including blood pressure, height, weight, and serum total IgE, eosinophil cationic protein, C-reactive protein, and nitrate levels. Data on respiratory symptoms, including upper respiratory tract infection (URI) symptoms, were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the relationship between these variables and FeNO levels were performed.

RESULTS

In healthy, nonsmoking African Americans FeNO levels were stable during repeated measurements (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.81). Sex (P < .0001), serum total IgE levels (P < .0001), and current URI symptoms (P = .0002) contributed significantly to FeNO variability but together accounted for less than 50% of the variation in FeNO levels.

CONCLUSION

The high correlation between repeated measurements of FeNO and the low correlation coefficients of known factors associated with FeNO suggest that other factors might contribute substantially to variability of FeNO levels in African Americans.