Voclosporin: A Novel Calcineurin Inhibitor for the Treatment of Lupus Nephritis

OBJECTIVE

To describe the safety, efficacy, and potential role in therapy of voclosporin, an oral calcineurin inhibitor approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2021 as an adjunct treatment for lupus nephritis.

DATA SOURCES

A literature search was conducted using PubMed with the following terms: voclosporin, Lupkynis, and lupus nephritis (January 1, 2010, to December 1, 2021). FDA product labeling was also reviewed for pertinent data sources.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

All articles were considered for inclusion. English-language articles selected included preclinical and clinical studies examining the pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and/or safety of voclosporin.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Voclosporin has been studied as an adjunct immunosuppressive agent in patients with lupus nephritis. Drug design allows for a more predictable pharmacokinetic profile than other calcineurin inhibitors. Data suggest that adding this newly approved calcineurin inhibitor to a regimen of mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids produces promising therapeutic results. As such, voclosporin has been approved for use in patients with active lupus nephritis who are maintained on immunosuppressive therapy with mycophenolate mofetil and a corticosteroid.

RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE

Voclosporin may be a favorable calcineurin inhibitor in patients with lupus nephritis, due to a predictable pharmacokinetic profile. This allows for decreased therapeutic drug monitoring and suggests a favorable adverse effect profile. However, cost remains a consideration with this new agent.

CONCLUSIONS

Current available data suggest that voclosporin is a promising adjunct treatment option for patients with active lupus nephritis who are maintained on mycophenolate mofetil and a corticosteroid.

Revefenacin, a once-daily, long-acting muscarinic antagonist, for nebulized maintenance therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

PURPOSE

This article reviews the efficacy and safety of revefenacin, the first once-daily, long-acting muscarinic antagonist, when delivered via a standard jet nebulizer in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

SUMMARY

Revefenacin 175 µg is indicated for the maintenance treatment of patients with moderate to very severe COPD. Preclinical studies showed that revefenacin is a potent and selective antagonist with similar affinity for the different subtypes of muscarinic receptors (M1-M5). Furthermore, prevention of methacholine- and acetylcholine-induced bronchoconstrictive effects was dose dependent and lasted longer than 24 hours, demonstrating a long duration of action. In phase 2 and 3 trials, treatment with revefenacin was demonstrated to result in statistical improvements in pulmonary function (≥100 mL, P < 0.05) vs placebo, including among patients with markers of more severe disease and those who received concomitant long-acting β-agonists or long-acting β-agonists together with inhaled corticosteroids. Revefenacin was also demonstrated to have efficacy similar to that of tiotropium. The clinical trial findings indicated no significant difference between revefenacin and tiotropium with regard to rates of adverse events. Overall, revefenacin was well tolerated, with COPD worsening/exacerbation, dyspnea, headache, and cough among the most common adverse events noted in the clinical trials.

CONCLUSIONS

Revefenacin treatment delivered via nebulization led to improvements in lung function in patients with COPD. It was also generally well tolerated, with no major safety concerns. Revefenacin provides a viable treatment option for patients with COPD and may be a suitable alternative for those with conditions that may impair proper use of traditional handheld inhalers.

Amisulpride: A New Drug for Management of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

OBJECTIVE

To review the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of amisulpride and determine its role in the management of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).

DATA SOURCES

A PubMed search (1946 to November 2020) using the terms amisulpride and APD421 was conducted.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

Relevant reports on intravenous amisulpride were included.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Six clinical trials were evaluated. In 4 trials on the prevention of PONV, a greater percentage of patients who received amisulpride 5 mg compared with placebo experienced a complete response (44%-60% vs 31%-33%, respectively, when used as monotherapy; 58% vs 47%, respectively, when used in combination with another antiemetic). In 2 trials on the treatment of PONV, a significantly greater percentage of patients who received amisulpride 10 mg compared with placebo experienced a complete response (31.4% vs 21.5%, respectively, in patients who had not received prophylaxis; 41.7% vs 28.5%, respectively, in patients who had received prophylaxis). Adverse effects included infusion site pain, chills, hypokalemia, procedural hypotension, and abdominal distension.

RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE

Amisulpride is effective for the management of PONV and may be less likely to cause QT prolongation and extrapyramidal symptoms than other dopamine antagonists. Additional information is needed on its use for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and in children.

CONCLUSIONS

Amisulpride is an important new option for the multimodal management of PONV in adults, and it may be the preferred dopamine antagonist because of the more favorable safety profile that results from its unique pharmacological properties.

Doing More With Less: Review of Dolutegravir-Lamivudine, a Novel Single-Tablet Regimen for Antiretroviral-Naïve Adults With HIV-1 Infection

OBJECTIVE

To review data on efficacy and safety of dolutegravir (DTG) and lamivudine (3TC) in treatment-naïve adults with HIV-1 infection.

DATA SOURCES

Phase III clinical trials and review articles were identified through PubMed (1996 to March 2020) and ClinicalTrials.gov (2000 to May 2020) using the keywords dolutegravir, lamivudine, and HIV.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

Relevant clinical trials and review articles available in English evaluating efficacy and safety of DTG and 3TC were included.

DATA SYNTHESIS

The once-daily, single-tablet regimen of DTG/3TC is the first dual antiretroviral therapy (ART) recommended for initial therapy in treatment-naïve adults with HIV-1 infection. DTG and 3TC were compared with a regimen of DTG and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine in the GEMINI studies and demonstrated noninferiority for the primary end point of virological suppression at up to 96 weeks. No treatment-emergent resistance mutations were identified in a small group of participants who did not reach virological suppression. The regimen is well tolerated, and the most common adverse events reported in trials include headache, diarrhea, nausea, insomnia, and fatigue.

RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE

This dual-ART regimen is a favorable treatment option for ART-naïve patients with HIV-1 RNA <500 000 copies/mL, absence of hepatitis B virus, and no resistance to DTG or 3TC. Benefits of dual ART include reduction in treatment-related adverse events and toxicities, drug interactions, and cost. In addition, the once-daily, single-tablet formulation promotes adherence.

CONCLUSIONS

DTG/3TC has demonstrated efficacy in maintaining virological suppression in ART-naïve patients at up to 96 weeks while minimizing treatment-related adverse events and toxicities.

Lifitegrast: a novel drug for patients with dry eye disease

The objective of this article is to review the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of lifitegrast and determine its role relative to other agents in the management of dry eye disease. A PubMed search (1946 to December 2018) using the terms lifitegrast and SAR 1118 was conducted to identify relevant articles. In vitro or in vivo evaluations of lifitegrast published in the English language were eligible for inclusion. Phase II and III trials were selected for review of efficacy and safety. Four randomized controlled trials evaluated the efficacy and safety of lifitegrast 0.5% ophthalmic solution for 12 weeks, and 1 additional trial assessed safety for 1 year. In a majority of the trials, lifitegrast caused statistically significant improvements in inferior corneal fluorescein staining scores and eye dryness scores. The most common adverse effects were eye irritation, dysgeusia, and reduced visual acuity, and most were mild to moderate in severity. Lifitegrast has a novel mechanism of action and is safe and effective for the treatment of dry eye disease. At this time, lifitegrast may be considered as an option for patients who have an inadequate response to artificial tears.

Apalutamide: A new agent in the management of prostate cancer

Apalutamide is a competitive inhibitor of the androgen receptor and binds directly to the ligand-binding domain. The US Food and Drug Administration approved apalutamide on 14 February 2018 for use in patients with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer based upon results from the phase III SPARTAN trial demonstrating significantly longer metastasis-free survival over placebo. The SPARTAN trial evaluated 1207 patients with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who were randomized 2:1 to apalutamide or placebo in combination with androgen deprivation therapy. Patients who received apalutamide experienced statistically significantly longer metastasis-free survival (40.5 versus 16.2 months, hazard ratio 0.28 (95% confidence interval = 0.23-0.35); P < 0.0001), which was the major efficacy outcome. Rash, hypothyroidism, and fracture were reported to occur more frequently with apalutamide than placebo. Based upon these results, apalutamide was deemed a safe and effective treatment option for patients with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Clinical trials are ongoing to expand its indication in the metastatic setting, and identify additional roles for apalutamide in the management of prostate cancer such as in the castrate-sensitive metastatic setting.

Exploratory analysis of comparative clinical trials used for marketing approval in patients with type 2 diabetes in Japan

Background/objectives:

The results of phase 2 and 3 clinical trials, which justify decisions regarding marketing approval for new drugs, are used for comparison of drugs in the post-marketing phase. A number of meta-analyses of approved antidiabetics have been performed, but the heterogeneity of trials has not been fully examined. The aim of this study was to explore factors that may influence baseline HbA1c in trial samples and treatment outcomes (i.e. HbA1c reductions and effect sizes), with the goal of providing unbiased and fair retrospective comparisons between different antidiabetics.

Method:

We conducted three meta-regression analyses using 78 randomized or non-randomized comparative phase 2 or 3 trials of 24 approved antidiabetics in Japan, conducted from 1987 to 2012.

Results:

Baseline HbA1c of each arm was higher in phase 2 trials, trials with a greater number of subjects, trials with a lower proportion of male subjects, trials of combination therapy, or trials with longer subject disease duration. Entry criteria were different among drug classes and caused variations in baseline HbA1c. HbA1c reductions were larger in non-randomized trials, trials with a shorter treatment period, or trials with a lower proportion of male subjects. Effect sizes were larger in phase 2 trials, or trials of combination therapy. Larger effect sizes were observed in drugs with later market entry for alpha-glucosidase inhibitors and glinides.

Conclusion:

Baseline HbA1c, an important characteristic of subjects enrolled in trials of antidiabetics, differed significantly across trials. Differences in features of study subjects were caused by explicit stipulations in eligibility criteria of HbA1c and also by other conditions (e.g. trial design, regulatory guidance, treatment guideline) and/or interventions of investigators and pharmaceutical companies that were specific to drugs and trials. Healthcare professionals should carefully consider these heterogeneities in trials used for marketing approval review when making a retrospective comparison to select the best treatment option for patients.

Glycopyrrolate/eFlow CS: The First Nebulized Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonist Approved to Treat Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Objective: To review the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of the first nebulized long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), glycopyrrolate (GLY)/eFlow closed system (CS) nebulizer, approved for maintenance treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Data Sources: A PubMed search was conducted (January 2000 to July 2018) using the following terms/phrases: nebulized glycopyrrolate, inhalation devices in COPD, long-acting muscarinic antagonists COPD, and COPD survey. Retrieved articles were reviewed to identify additional references. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Primary and review articles on GLY/eFlow CS and other treatment options for patients with COPD were selected. Data Synthesis: Guidelines recommend the use of LAMAs, alone or in combination with long-acting β₂-agonists, as maintenance therapy for the majority of patients with COPD. With the range of different devices and bronchodilators now available, treatment can be tailored based on individual needs. The eFlow CS nebulizer delivers GLY rapidly over a 2- to 3-minute period and provides bronchodilation within 30 minutes, lasting 12 hours. Phase 2 dose-finding and phase 3 studies demonstrated sustained statistically significant and clinically important improvements in pulmonary function and patient-reported outcomes with GLY/eFlow CS. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: GLY/eFlow CS provides a novel, portable, efficient, and rapid drug delivery system. Conclusions: The recently approved GLY/eFlow CS drug-device combination provides a viable treatment option for patients with COPD, particularly those with conditions that may impair proper use of traditional handheld inhalers.

Avelumab: A Review of Its Application in Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the clinical development of avelumab and its clinical relevance in metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC).

DATA SOURCES

An English-language literature search using PubMed was performed using the terms avelumab, anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, and MCC from January of 1950 to March 2018. Data were also obtained from package inserts, meeting abstracts, and clinical registries.

STUDY SELECTION/DATA EXTRACTION

All relevant published articles of avelumab were reviewed. Clinical trial registries and meeting abstracts were used for information about ongoing trials.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Avelumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits programmed death ligand-1, which reverses T-cell exhaustion and induces antitumor responses. Avelumab is safe and effective in previously treated metastatic MCC based on a phase II trial of previously treated patients with objective response rates in 28 of 88 patients, including 10 complete responses and 19 partial responses. Median overall survival (OS) was 12.9 months, and 1-year progression-free survival and OS were 30% and 52%, respectively. Grade 3 treatment-related side effects included lymphopenia (2 patients), serum creatine phosphokinase increase (1 patient), aminotransferase elevation (1 patient), and serum cholesterol increase (1 patient). Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: This review outlines the pharmacology and clinical trial data for avelumab in metastatic MCC and guides clinicians on avelumab's place in therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Avelumab is the first Food and Drug Administration-approved medication for metastatic MCC and provides an advantage of durable responses and possibly improved tolerability compared with traditional platinum-based chemotherapy. Clinical trials are under way to expand its utility into the adjuvant and frontline settings.

A Blast From the Past: Revival of Angiotensin II for Vasodilatory Shock

OBJECTIVE

To review and summarize data on angiotensin II (AT-II), approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2017 to increase blood pressure in adults with septic or other distributive shock.

DATA SOURCES

A PubMed/MEDLINE search was conducted using the following terms: (angiotensin ii OR angiotensin 2) AND (shock) from 1966 to February 2018.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

A total of 691 citations were reviewed with only relevant clinical data extracted.

DATA SYNTHESIS

AT-II is a peptide hormone with a multitude of physiological effects-namely, vasoconstriction of venous and arterial smooth muscle. The priority approval granted by the FDA was secondary to a phase 3 study of patients receiving at least 0.2 µg/kg/min of norepinephrine or equivalent for vasodilatory shock. Compared with placebo, AT-II had a significantly higher rate of response, defined as a mean arterial pressure of 75 mm Hg or an increase of 10 mm Hg. No significant difference was found in death by day 28.

CONCLUSIONS

AT-II is a newly available vasoactive agent with a novel mechanism for the treatment of distributive shock. Further research is needed to define its exact role in therapy of shock states, identify patients most likely to benefit, and further study its safety profile in critical illness.

Lesinurad: A Novel Agent for Management of Chronic Gout

OBJECTIVE

To review the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of lesinurad and determine its role relative to other agents in the management of chronic gout.

DATA SOURCES

A PubMed search (1946 to February 2018) using the terms lesinurad and RDEA594 was conducted to identify relevant articles.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

In vitro or in vivo evaluations of lesinurad published in the English language were eligible for inclusion. Phase II and III trials were selected for review of efficacy and safety.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Five clinical trials were evaluated. In 4 trials in which lesinurad was used in combination with a xanthine oxidase inhibitor (XOI), a greater percentage of patients receiving lesinurad 200 mg (54.0%-63.0%) compared with placebo (23.3%-46.8%) achieved a serum uric acid (sUA) level of <6 mg/dL at 1 to 6 months. In one trial involving lesinurad used as monotherapy, a sUA level of <6 mg/dL was achieved by a significantly greater percentage of patients receiving lesinurad 400 mg (29.9%) compared with placebo (1.9%) at 6 months. When used as combination therapy, the drug had an acceptable safety profile, with upper-respiratory-tract infection, nasopharyngitis, and hypertension occurring most commonly and transient renal-related events detected less frequently.

CONCLUSIONS

Lesinurad has a novel mechanism of action and is safe and effective for the treatment of chronic gout. At this time, lesinurad may be considered as an add-on therapy for patients who have an inadequate response to maximum tolerated doses of a XOI.

Ocrelizumab: A New B-cell Therapy for Relapsing Remitting and Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of ocrelizumab, a new B-cell-targeted therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS).

DATA SOURCES

A comprehensive search of PubMed and OVID/MEDLINE was conducted using search terms ocrelizumab and multiple sclerosis using the date range of 1946 through October 2017.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

All English-language, human-subject articles related to ocrelizumab and MS were evaluated.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Ocrelizumab was approved in March 2017 for the treatment of relapsing or primary progressive MS (PPMS). A phase II trial established 600 mg intravenously every 6 months as the preferred dosing schedule. Two phase III trials evaluated the efficacy of ocrelizumab in patients with relapsing remitting MS, and individual and pooled analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in annualized relapse rate ( P < 0.001 pooled), disability progression at 12 weeks ( P < 0.001 pooled), and gadolinium-enhancing lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; P < 0.001). Patients with PPMS were evaluated in a third phase III trial, which showed a significant decrease in disease progression at 12 weeks ( P = 0.03) and volume of T2-weighted lesions on MRI ( P < 0.001). As with other monoclonal antibodies, adverse effects seen with ocrelizumab were primarily infusion-related reactions and infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Ocrelizumab demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of relapsing and PPMS and is the first therapy approved for patients with PPMS.

Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir/Voxilaprevir: A Pan-Genotypic Direct-Acting Antiviral Combination for Hepatitis C

OBJECTIVES

To review the efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

DATA SOURCES

A literature search through PubMed was conducted (August 2010 to August 2017) using the terms GS-9857, voxilaprevir, and NS3/4A protease inhibitor.

STUDY SELECTION/DATA EXTRACTION

Studies of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir were identified.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir is indicated for adult patients with chronic HCV without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis who have (1) genotype 1 through 6 and have previously been treated with an NS5A inhibitor or (2) genotype 1a or 3 and have previously been treated with sofosbuvir without an NS5A inhibitor. POLARIS-1 demonstrated that sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir for 12 weeks was highly effective in patients with HCV genotype 1 through 6 who had prior exposure to an NS5A inhibitor. POLARIS-2 failed to demonstrate that sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir for 8 weeks was noninferior to sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for 12 weeks in patients with HCV genotype 1 through 6 who had no prior exposure to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). POLARIS-3 demonstrated that sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir for 8 weeks was as effective as sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for 12 weeks in patients with HCV genotype 3 and compensated cirrhosis who had no prior exposure to DAAs. POLARIS-4 demonstrated that sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir was as effective as sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for 12 weeks in patients with HCV genotype 1 through 3 who had prior exposure to DAAs but not an NS5A inhibitor. The most common adverse reactions were headache, fatigue, diarrhea, and nausea.

CONCLUSIONS

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir is safe and effective to treat HCV in patients who have previously been treated with DAAs.

Assessing the Quality of Economic Evaluations of FDA Novel Drug Approvals: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review and assess the quality of the novel drugs' economic evaluation literature in print during the drugs' early commercial availability following US regulatory approval.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE and the United Kingdom National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database were searched from 1946 through December 2011 for economic evaluations of the 50 novel drugs approved by the FDA in 2008 and 2009.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

The inclusion criteria were English-language, peer-reviewed, original economic evaluations (cost-utility, cost-effectiveness, cost-minimization, and cost-benefit analyses). We extracted and analyzed data from 36 articles considering 19 of the 50 drugs. Two reviewers assessed each publication's quality using the Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) instrument and summarized study quality on a 100-point scale.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Study quality had a mean of 70.0 ± 16.2 QHES points. The only study characteristics associated with QHES score (with P < 0.05) were having used modeling or advanced statistics, 75.1 versus 61.9 without; using quality-adjusted life years as an outcome, 75.9 versus 64.7 without; and cost-utility versus cost-minimization analysis, 75.9 versus 58.7. Studies most often satisfied quality aspects about stating study design choices and least often satisfied aspects about justifying design choices.

CONCLUSION

The reviewed literature considered a minority of the 2008-2009 novel drugs and had mixed study quality. Cost-effectiveness stakeholders might benefit from efforts to improve the quality and quantity of literature examining novel drugs. Editors and reviewers may support quality improvement by stringently imposing economic evaluation guidelines about justifying study design choices.

Cobimetinib

OBJECTIVE

To review and summarize data on cobimetinib, which was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in November 2015 for use in combination with vemurafenib for unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAFV600E or V600K mutation.

DATA SOURCES

A literature search using PubMed was conducted using the terms cobimetinib, MEK inhibitor, and melanoma from January 2000 to June 2016.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

The literature search was confined to human studies published in English. Trials of cobimetinib for melanoma were prioritized.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Cobimetinib is a reversible inhibitor of MEK1 and MEK2. Its FDA approval was based on a phase III, randomized trial of vemurafenib monotherapy (n = 248) or vemurafenib and cobimetinib (n = 247) in unresectable stage IIIC or IV melanoma with a BRAFV600 mutation. Cobimetinib was administered as 60 mg orally daily for 21 days/7 days off, whereas vemurafenib was administered as 960 mg twice daily. Vemurafenib and cobimetinib were associated with an objective response rate of 68%, and median progression-free survival of 9.9 months. The overall survival was not reached at the time of first interim analysis. Clinically relevant grade ≥3 adverse events were diarrhea (6%), rash (6%), photosensitivity (2%), elevated liver function tests (LFTs) (8%-12%), increased creatine kinase (11%), and retinal detachment (3%).

CONCLUSION

Cobimetinib combined with vemurafenib is an alternative BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy for unresectable or metastatic melanoma with BRAFV600 mutation. The role of cobimetinib in melanoma and other solid tumors is likely to expand as the results from ongoing studies become available.

Apremilast: A Novel Drug for Treatment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To review the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of apremilast and determine its role relative to other agents in the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

DATA SOURCES

A PubMed search (1946 to December 2015) using the terms apremilast and CC-10004 was conducted to identify relevant articles.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

In vitro or in vivo evaluations of apremilast published in the English language were eligible for inclusion. Controlled clinical trials that involved psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis were selected for review.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Four trials were identified on the treatment of psoriasis. In those that involved doses of 30 mg twice daily, a significantly greater percentage of patients receiving apremilast (28.8% to 40.9%) compared with placebo (5.3% to 5.8%) achieved at least 75% improvement from baseline in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score at 16 weeks. Two trials were identified on the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. In the one that involved a dose of 30 mg twice daily, a significantly greater percentage of patients receiving apremilast (38.1%) compared with placebo (19.0%) achieved the American College of Rheumatology criteria for 20% improvement at 16 weeks. In all trials, the drug had an acceptable safety profile, with the most common adverse effects of diarrhea, nausea, and headache.

CONCLUSIONS

Apremilast has a novel mechanism of action and is safe and effective for the management of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. At this time, apremilast should be reserved for patients unable to take disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

Radium-223 dichloride: a novel treatment option for castration-resistant prostate cancer patients with symptomatic bone metastases

OBJECTIVE

To review and evaluate the clinical trial efficacy and safety of radium 223 ((223)Ra) along with its place in therapy in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

DATA SOURCES

A literature search in PubMed/MEDLINE (up to October 2014) was performed using various combinations of the terms radium, hormone-refractory prostate cancer, and castration-resistant prostate cancer. The New Drug Application Medical, Pharmacology, and Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics Reviews for radium (223)Ra dichloride were also utilized. The bibliographies of articles were reviewed to identify additional references.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

Phase 1, 2, and 3 studies that assessed the safety and/or efficacy of (223)Ra in patients with CRPC were reviewed. Peer-reviewed articles with clinically relevant information were reviewed for background information.

DATA SYNTHESIS

In May 2013, the Food and Drug Administration approved intravenous use of (223)Ra for the treatment of patients with CRPC, symptomatic bone metastases, and no known visceral metastatic disease. In a phase 3 study comparing (223)Ra and the best standard of care (SOC) versus the best SOC plus placebo, (223)Ra was shown to increase survival. The most commonly seen adverse drug reactions and hematological laboratory abnormalities with (223)Ra include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, peripheral edema, anemia, lymphocytopenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia.

CONCLUSIONS

(223)Ra is a first-in-class α-particle-emitting radioactive agent that is first-line therapy, providing an extra option for men suffering from CRPC with symptomatic bone metastases and no known visceral metastases. (223)Ra has also been shown to be relatively well tolerated when up to 6 injections are given. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether (223)Ra is safe and effective for more than 6 doses and if it can be used concomitantly with chemotherapy.

Ado-trastuzumab emtansine: a HER2-positive targeted antibody-drug conjugate

OBJECTIVE

To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, adverse effects, drug-drug interactions, dosage and administration, and formulary considerations for ado-trastuzumab emtansine.

DATA SOURCES

Sources of information were identified through a PubMed search (1966 to June 2014) using the key terms ado-trastuzumab emtansine, trastuzumab-DM1, trastuzumab-MCC-DM1, and T-DM1. Other information was obtained from clinicaltrials.gov, product labeling, and press releases.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

All English-language clinical trials and abstracts evaluating ado-trastuzumab emtansine in humans were reviewed for inclusion.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Overexpression or amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) occurs in approximately 20% of breast cancers and is associated with more aggressive tumors and poorer prognosis in the absence of treatment. Although effective therapies for the initial management of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) exist, many patients will experience disease progression. Most second-line therapies are associated with either significant toxicities or limited improvements in overall survival (OS). Ado-trastuzumab emtansine is a HER2-positive directed antibody drug conjugate (ADC) approved in February 2013. In phase III clinical trials comparing the efficacy and safety of ado-trastuzumab emtansine with lapatinib-capecitabine or physician's choice, ado-trastuzumab emtansine had a better tolerability profile and improved progression-free survival compared with lapatinib-capecitabine or physician's choice and increased OS compared with lapatinib-capecitabine.

CONCLUSION

Ado-trastuzumab emtansine is a novel ADC effective for HER2-positive MBC in patients previously treated with trastuzumab, lapatinib, and a taxane. Further studies will determine its use in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant setting and in combination with pertuzumab.