Safety and tolerability of spesolimab in patients with ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin (IL)-36 signaling has been shown to be increased in ulcerative colitis (UC). Spesolimab, a novel humanized monoclonal antibody, targets the IL-36 pathway. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We report safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy data of intravenous (IV) spesolimab in UC. Study 1: phase II, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (300 mg single dose; 450 mg every 4 weeks [q4w]; or 1,200 mg q4w, three doses). Study 2: phase IIa, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (1,200 mg q4w). Study 3: phase IIa, open-label, single-arm trial (1,200 mg q4w). Studies lasted 12 weeks, with a 12-, 24-, and 16-week safety follow-up, respectively. RESULTS: Adver+se event (AE) rates were similar for spesolimab and placebo in Studies 1 (N = 98; 64.9%; 65.2%) and 2 (N = 22; 86.7%; 71.4%); all patients in Study 3 (N = 8) experienced AEs. The most frequent investigator-assessed drug-related (spesolimab; placebo) AEs were skin rash (5.4%; 0%) and nasopharyngitis (4.1%; 0%) in Study 1; acne (13.3%; 0%) in Study 2; one patient reported skin rash, nasopharyngitis, headache, and acne in Study 3. Efficacy endpoints were not met. CONCLUSIONS: Spesolimab was generally well tolerated, with no unexpected safety concerns. The safety data are consistent with studies in other inflammatory diseases.

Anticoagulant Effects of Dabigatran on Coagulation Laboratory Parameters in Pediatric Patients: Combined Data from Five Pediatric Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND: Dabigatran etexilate, a direct oral thrombin inhibitor, is approved to treat venous thromboembolism (VTE) in both adults and children. OBJECTIVES: This population analysis characterized relationships between dabigatran total plasma concentrations and coagulation laboratory parameters (activated partial thromboplastin time [aPTT]; diluted thrombin time [dTT]; ecarin clotting time [ECT]). METHODS: Data from three phase 2a and one single-arm and one randomized, comparative phase 2b/3 pediatric studies (measurements: aPTT 2,925 [N = 358]; dTT 2,348 [N = 324]; ECT 2,929 [N = 357]) were compared with adult data (5,740 aPTT, 3,472 dTT, 3,817 ECT measurements; N = 1,978). Population models were fitted using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling. Covariates (e.g., sex, age) were assessed on baseline and drug-effect parameters, using a stepwise covariate model-building procedure. RESULTS: Overall, relationships between dabigatran, aPTT, dTT, and ECT were similar in children and adults. For children aged <6 months, a higher proportion of baseline samples were outside or close to the upper aPTT and ECT adult ranges. No age-related differences were detected for dTT. With increasing dabigatran concentration, aPTT rose nonlinearly (half the maximum effect at 368 ng/mL dabigatran) while dTT and ECT increased linearly (0.37 and 0.73% change per ng/mL dabigatran, respectively). Mean baseline aPTT (45 vs. 36 seconds) and ECT (40 vs. 36 seconds) were slightly increased for those aged <6 months versus older children. CONCLUSION: The similar relationships of laboratory parameters observed across pediatric age groups suggests that developmental changes in the hemostatic system may have little effect on response to dabigatran.

Pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation support for age- and weight-adjusted dosing of dabigatran etexilate in children with venous thromboembolism.

BACKGROUND: Dabigatran etexilate (DE), a direct oral thrombin inhibitor, has been evaluated in children with venous thromboembolism (VTE) using oral solution, pellets, or capsules. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated DE pharmacokinetics (PK) in children with VTE and the appropriateness of a DE pediatric age- and weight-based dosing algorithm. PATIENTS/METHODS: A population PK model was fitted to data from four single-arm and one randomized, comparative pediatric VTE studies (358 children aged birth to <18 years; 2748 PK observations) and one healthy-adult study (32 males aged <40 years; 1523 PK observations) using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling. A stepwise, covariate, model-building procedure evaluated the influence of covariates (e.g., age, body weight, body surface area [BSA]-normalized renal function, and sex). The final model was used to evaluate the pediatric dosing algorithm, with simulations comparing pediatric trough exposure with reference exposure defined for the pediatric studies. RESULTS: The population PK of dabigatran was adequately described by a two-compartment model with first-order elimination and absorption. Age, weight, BSA-normalized renal function, and sex were statistically significant covariates (all P < .05). Apparent clearance increased with age (independently of body weight), diminished with decreasing BSA-normalized renal function, and was lower in females than males. All disposition parameters increased with body weight escalation (allometric scaling). Simulations confirmed that for all DE formulations, the final pediatric dosing algorithms achieved reference exposure without dose adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: Using a population PK model of DE for children with VTE, simulations showed that the final dosing algorithms were appropriate for all DE formulations; no dose titration was needed.

Dabigatran etexilate for the treatment of acute venous thromboembolism in children (DIVERSITY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 2b/3, non-inferiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Dabigatran etexilate is a direct oral anticoagulant with potential to overcome the limitations of standard of care in children with venous thromboembolism. The aims of this clinical trial were to study the appropriateness of a paediatric dabigatran dosing algorithm, and the efficacy and safety of dabigatran dosed according to that algorithm versus standard of care in treating children with venous thromboembolism. METHODS: DIVERSITY is a randomised, controlled, open-label, parallel-group, phase 2b/3 non-inferiority trial done in 65 centres in 26 countries. Standard of care (low-molecular-weight heparins, unfractionated heparin, vitamin K antagonists or fondaparinux) was compared with a paediatric oral dabigatran dosing regimen (an age-adjusted and weight-adjusted nomogram) in children younger than 18 years with acute venous thromboembolism initially treated (5-21 days) with parenteral anticoagulation, requiring anticoagulation therapy for at least 3 months. Patients were randomised 1:2 (standard of care:dabigatran) and stratified by age (12 to <18 years, 2 to <12 years, and birth to <2 years) via interactive response technology. The primary composite efficacy endpoint (intention-to-treat analysis) was the proportion of children with complete thrombus resolution, and freedom from recurrent venous thromboembolism and venous thromboembolism-related death. A non-inferiority margin of absolute differences of 20% was used. Secondary endpoints included safety (determined by major bleeding events [time-to-event analysis on the treated set]), and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships (descriptive analyses). This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01895777 and is completed. FINDINGS: 328 children were enrolled between Feb 18, 2014, and Nov 14, 2019. 267 were randomly assigned (90 [34%] to standard of care and 177 [66%] to dabigatran) and included in the analyses. Median exposure to standard of care was 85·0 days (IQR 80·0-90·0) and to dabigatran was 84·5 days (78·0-89·0). Similar proportions of children treated with standard of care and dabigatran met the composite efficacy endpoint (38 [42%] of 90 vs 81 [46%] of 177; Mantel-Haenszel weighted difference, -0·04; 90% CI -0·14 to 0·07; p<0·0001 for non-inferiority). On-treatment bleeding events were reported in 22 (24%) of 90 children receiving standard of care and 38 (22%) of 176 children receiving dabigatran (hazard ratio [HR] 1·15, 95% CI 0·68 to 1·94; p=0·61); major bleeding events were similar between the groups (two [2%] of 90 and four [2%] of 176; HR 0·94, 95% CI 0·17 to 5·16; p=0·95). Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic curves showed a linear relationship between total dabigatran plasma concentration and diluted thrombin time and ecarin clotting time, and a non-linear relationship with activated partial thromboplastin time; curves were similar to those for adults. Serious adverse events were reported for 18 (20%) of 90 children receiving standard of care and 22 (13%) of 176 children receiving dabigatran. The most common severe adverse events were vascular disorders (standard of care three [3%] of 90, dabigatran two [1%] of 176), and gastrointestinal disorders (standard of care two [2%] of 90 and dabigatran five [3%] of 176). One on-treatment death occurred in the standard of care group (retroperitoneal bleeding, not considered treatment related by the study investigators). INTERPRETATION: An age-adjusted and weight-adjusted dabigatran dosing algorithm was appropriate in children aged birth to less than 18 years with venous thromboembolism. Dabigatran was non-inferior to standard of care in terms of efficacy, with similar pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships as those seen in adults, and might be a suitable alternative to standard of care. FUNDING: Boehringer Ingelheim.

Safety of dabigatran etexilate for the secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism in children.

This open-label, single-arm, prospective cohort trial is the first phase 3 safety study to describe outcomes in children treated with dabigatran etexilate for secondary venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention. Eligible children aged 12 to <18 years (age stratum 1), 2 to <12 years (stratum 2), and >3 months to <2 years (stratum 3) had an objectively confirmed diagnosis of VTE treated with standard of care (SOC) for ≥3 months, or had completed dabigatran or SOC treatment in the DIVERSITY trial (NCT01895777) and had an unresolved clinical thrombosis risk factor requiring further anticoagulation. Children received dabigatran for up to 12 months, or less if the identified VTE clinical risk factor resolved. Primary end points included VTE recurrence, bleeding events, and mortality at 6 and 12 months. Overall, 203 children received dabigatran, with median exposure being 36.3 weeks (range, 0-57 weeks); 171 of 203 (84.2%) and 32 of 203 (15.8%) took capsules and pellets, respectively. Overall, 2 of 203 children (1.0%) experienced on-treatment VTE recurrence, and 3 of 203 (1.5%) experienced major bleeding events, with 2 (1.0%) reporting clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding events, and 37 (18.2%) minor bleeding events. There were no on-treatment deaths. On-treatment postthrombotic syndrome was reported for 2 of 162 children (1.2%) who had deep vein thrombosis or central-line thrombosis as their most recent VTE. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationships of dabigatran were similar to those in adult VTE patients. In summary, dabigatran showed a favorable safety profile for secondary VTE prevention in children aged from >3 months to <18 years with persistent VTE risk factor(s). This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02197416.

Anticoagulant Effects of Dabigatran in Paediatric Patients Compared with Adults: Combined Data from Three Paediatric Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND: Physiological age-related changes in the haemostatic and coagulation systems result in differing anticoagulant assay responses to standard anticoagulants. Therefore, we investigated the response of anticoagulant assays to dabigatran etexilate (DE) in children compared with adults. OBJECTIVE: This article assesses the relationship between plasma dabigatran concentration and coagulation assay results across age groups in children and adults. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from three clinical trials in which children received DE following standard of care for venous thromboembolism were compared with data from adult clinical trials. The effects of dabigatran concentration on diluted thrombin time (dTT), ecarin clotting time (ECT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) were analysed graphically and with modelling. RESULTS: The concentration-dTT relationships were consistent in children across all ages and adults in the graphical analysis. For ECT and aPTT, relationships based on ratios over baseline were similar across all ages; absolute clotting times showed that the same exposure resulted in longer clotting times in some of the children aged < 1 year versus adults. Modelling showed concentration-clotting time relationships for all three assays were largely comparable between adults and children, except in those aged < 2 months, in whom there was a slight upward shift in ECT and aPTT relative to adults. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that developmental haemostatic changes will have little impact on response to DE. However, further paediatric clinical trials assessing the relationship between coagulation assay responses and clinical outcomes will be needed to confirm this finding.

Rationale and design of a phase III safety trial of idarucizumab in children receiving dabigatran etexilate for venous thromboembolism.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in children has been increasing. Anticoagulants are the mainstay of treatment but are associated with bleeding events that may be life-threatening. Idarucizumab is a fragment antigen-binding (fab) that provides immediate, complete, and sustained reversal of dabigatran's anticoagulant effects in adults. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This phase III, open-label, single-arm, multicenter, multinational trial will assess the safety of idarucizumab in children participating in two ongoing trials investigating dabigatran etexilate. Eligible patients will be children with VTE (aged 0-≤18 years; n = ~5) with life-threatening or uncontrolled bleeding (group A), and children who require emergency surgery/urgent procedures for a condition other than bleeding (group B). Patients will receive idarucizumab up to 5 g as two consecutive intravenous infusions over 5-10 minutes each, as two 10-15-minute drips or as two bolus injections (15 minutes apart) and will be monitored for 30 days. The primary endpoint will be the safety of idarucizumab assessed by the occurrence of drug-related adverse events (including immune reactions) and all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints will be the reversal of dabigatran anticoagulant effects assessed by changes in diluted thrombin time and ecarin clotting time, time to achieve complete reversal and the duration of the reversal and bleeding severity (group A). The formation of antidrug antibodies at 30 days post-dose and cessation of bleeding will also be assessed. CONCLUSION: This study will report the safety of idarucizumab in children with VTE who require rapid reversal of the anticoagulant effects of dabigatran. Clinical trial registration: NCT02815670.

Design and rationale for the DIVERSITY study: An open-label, randomized study of dabigatran etexilate for pediatric venous thromboembolism.

BACKGROUND: The current standard of care (SOC) for pediatric venous thromboembolism (VTE) comprises unfractionated heparin (UFH), or low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) followed by LMWH or vitamin K antagonists, all of which have limitations. Dabigatran etexilate (DE) has demonstrated efficacy and safety for adult VTE and has the potential to overcome some of the limitations of the current SOC. Pediatric trials are needed to establish dosing in children and to confirm that results obtained in adults are applicable in the pediatric setting. OBJECTIVES: To describe the design and rationale of a planned phase IIb/III trial that will evaluate a proposed dosing algorithm for DE and assess the safety and efficacy of DE versus SOC for pediatric VTE treatment. PATIENTS/METHODS: An open-label, randomized, parallel-group noninferiority study will be conducted in approximately 180 patients aged 0 to <18 years with VTE, who have received initial UFH or LMWH treatment and who are expected to require ≥3 months of anticoagulation therapy. Patients will receive DE or SOC for 3 months. DE will be administered twice daily as capsules, pellets, or an oral liquid formulation according to patient age. Initial doses will be calculated using a proposed dosing algorithm. RESULTS: There will be two coprimary endpoints: a composite efficacy endpoint comprising the proportion of patients with complete thrombus resolution, freedom from recurrent VTE and VTE-related mortality, and a safety endpoint: freedom from major bleeding events. CONCLUSION: Findings will provide valuable information regarding the efficacy and safety of DE for the treatment of pediatric VTE. ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT01895777.

Phase 3, single-arm, multicenter study of dabigatran etexilate for secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism in children: Rationale and design.

BACKGROUND: Anticoagulant therapy for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in children is largely based on treatment recommendations for adults. However, differences in both physiology (ie, renal maturation and drug excretion) and developmental hemostasis must be considered when treating children, as such differences could affect dose appropriateness, safety and efficacy. OBJECTIVES: To address these concerns, a study was designed to evaluate the safety of dabigatran etexilate in children requiring secondary thrombus prevention in whom an initial VTE was associated with an identified risk factor that persisted after the acute VTE treatment period. We report herein the rationale and design of the study. PATIENTS/METHODS: This phase 3, open-label, single-arm, multicenter, multinational, prospective cohort study will be conducted in ≥100 children aged 0 to <18 years at ~100 specialist sites worldwide. Children will be treated with dabigatran etexilate for 12 months, or for a shorter duration if their identified VTE risk factor resolves, as per current American College of Chest Physicians recommendations. A nomogram will be used to determine starting doses for each patient. RESULTS: The primary outcomes of the study will be VTE recurrence, bleeding events, overall mortality, and VTE-related mortality. Secondary outcomes will include occurrence of post-thrombotic syndrome, the pharmacokinetics of dabigatran, and the need for dose adjustments during treatment. Data on adverse events during the study will also be collected. CONCLUSION: This study will evaluate the safety of dabigatran etexilate for the secondary prevention of VTE in children, in addition to providing further data to guide pediatric dosing with dabigatran.

Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, Safety and Tolerability of Dabigatran Etexilate Oral Liquid Formulation in Infants with Venous Thromboembolism.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is more frequent in infants than in older children. Treatment guidelines in children are adapted from adult VTE data, but do not currently include direct oral anticoagulant use. Dabigatran etexilate (DE) use in the paediatric population with VTE therefore requires verification. We investigated the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship, safety and tolerability of DE oral liquid formulation (OLF) in infants with VTE (aged < 12 months) who had completed standard anticoagulant treatment in an open-label, phase IIa study. Patients received a single-dose of DE OLF (based on an age- and weight-adjusted nomogram) yielding an exposure comparable to 150 mg in adults. The PK end point was plasma concentration of total dabigatran; PD end points included activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), ecarin clotting time (ECT) and diluted thrombin time (dTT). Safety end points included incidence of all bleeding and other adverse events (AEs). Ten patients were screened; eight entered the study (age range, 41-169 days). The geometric mean (gMean) total dabigatran plasma concentrations 2 hours post-dose (around peak concentrations) were 120 ng/mL with a geometric coefficient of variation (gCV) of 62.1%. The gMean at 12 hours post-dosing was 60.4 ng/mL (gCV 30%). PK/PD relationship was linear for ECT and dTT (R2 = 0.858 and 0.920, respectively), while total dabigatran concentration and aPTT showed a non-linear correlation. There were no deaths, treatment discontinuations or treatment-related AEs. In conclusion, DE was well tolerated without any treatment-related AEs in infants. The observed PK/PD relationships were comparable with the established profile in older patients with VTE.

Comparison of Oral Anticoagulants for Stroke Prevention in Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: A Multicriteria Decision Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Decision on the most appropriate oral anticoagulation therapy for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation is difficult because multiple treatment options are available, and these vary in their clinical effects and relevant nonclinical characteristics. OBJECTIVES: To use a multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) to compare the oral anticoagulants apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban, rivaroxaban, and vitamin K antagonist (VKAs; specifically warfarin) in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. METHODS: We identified the evaluation criteria through a targeted literature review and clinical judgment. The final evaluation model included nine clinical events and four other criteria. We ranked possibly fatal clinical event criteria on the basis of the differences in risks of fatal events and the corresponding window of therapeutic opportunity, as observed in clinical trials. Clinical judgment was used to rank other criteria. Full criteria ranking was used to calculate centroid weights, which were combined with individual treatment performances to estimate the overall value score for each treatment. RESULTS: Using such an MCDA, dabigatran yielded the highest overall value, approximately 6% higher than that of the second-best treatment, apixaban. Dabigatran also had the highest first-rank probability (0.72) in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Rivaroxaban performed worse than the other non-VKA oral anticoagulants, but better than VKAs (with both having 0.00 first-rank probability). The results were insensitive to changes in model structure. CONCLUSIONS: When all key oral anticoagulant value criteria and their relative importance are investigated in an MCDA, dabigatran appears to rank the highest and warfarin the lowest.

Dual Antithrombotic Therapy with Dabigatran after PCI in Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Triple antithrombotic therapy with warfarin plus two antiplatelet agents is the standard of care after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with atrial fibrillation, but this therapy is associated with a high risk of bleeding. METHODS: In this multicenter trial, we randomly assigned 2725 patients with atrial fibrillation who had undergone PCI to triple therapy with warfarin plus a P2Y12 inhibitor (clopidogrel or ticagrelor) and aspirin (for 1 to 3 months) (triple-therapy group) or dual therapy with dabigatran (110 mg or 150 mg twice daily) plus a P2Y12 inhibitor (clopidogrel or ticagrelor) and no aspirin (110-mg and 150-mg dual-therapy groups). Outside the United States, elderly patients (≥80 years of age; ≥70 years of age in Japan) were randomly assigned to the 110-mg dual-therapy group or the triple-therapy group. The primary end point was a major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding event during follow-up (mean follow-up, 14 months). The trial also tested for the noninferiority of dual therapy with dabigatran (both doses combined) to triple therapy with warfarin with respect to the incidence of a composite efficacy end point of thromboembolic events (myocardial infarction, stroke, or systemic embolism), death, or unplanned revascularization. RESULTS: The incidence of the primary end point was 15.4% in the 110-mg dual-therapy group as compared with 26.9% in the triple-therapy group (hazard ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42 to 0.63; P<0.001 for noninferiority; P<0.001 for superiority) and 20.2% in the 150-mg dual-therapy group as compared with 25.7% in the corresponding triple-therapy group, which did not include elderly patients outside the United States (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.58 to 0.88; P<0.001 for noninferiority). The incidence of the composite efficacy end point was 13.7% in the two dual-therapy groups combined as compared with 13.4% in the triple-therapy group (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.29; P=0.005 for noninferiority). The rate of serious adverse events did not differ significantly among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atrial fibrillation who had undergone PCI, the risk of bleeding was lower among those who received dual therapy with dabigatran and a P2Y12 inhibitor than among those who received triple therapy with warfarin, a P2Y12 inhibitor, and aspirin. Dual therapy was noninferior to triple therapy with respect to the risk of thromboembolic events. (Funded by Boehringer Ingelheim; RE-DUAL PCI ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02164864 .).

Design and Rationale of the RE-DUAL PCI Trial: A Prospective, Randomized, Phase 3b Study Comparing the Safety and Efficacy of Dual Antithrombotic Therapy With Dabigatran Etexilate Versus Warfarin Triple Therapy in Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation Who Have Undergone Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Stenting.

Antithrombotic management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing coronary stenting is complicated by the need for anticoagulant therapy for stroke prevention and dual antiplatelet therapy for prevention of stent thrombosis and coronary events. Triple antithrombotic therapy, typically comprising warfarin, aspirin, and clopidogrel, is associated with a high risk of bleeding. A modest-sized trial of oral anticoagulation with warfarin and clopidogrel without aspirin showed improvements in both bleeding and thrombotic events compared with triple therapy, but large trials are lacking. The RE-DUAL PCI trial (NCT 02164864) is a phase 3b, a strategy of prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint trial. The main objective is to evaluate dual antithrombotic therapy with dabigatran etexilate (110 or 150 mg twice daily) and a P2Y12 inhibtor (either clopidogrel or ticagrelor) compared with triple antithrombotic therapy with warfarin, a P2Y12 inhibtor (either clopidogrel or ticagrelor, and low-dose aspirin (for 1 or 3 months, depending on stent type) in nonvalvular AF patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting. The primary endpoint is time to first International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis major bleeding event or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding event. Secondary endpoints are the composite of all cause death or thrombotic events (myocardial infarction, or stroke/systemic embolism) and unplanned revascularization; death or thrombotic events; individual outcome events; death, myocardial infarction, or stroke; and unplanned revascularization. A hierarchical procedure for multiple testing will be used. The plan is to randomize ∼ 2500 patients at approximately 550 centers worldwide to try to identify new treatment strategies for this patient population.

Traditional and new composite endpoints in heart failure clinical trials: facilitating comprehensive efficacy assessments and improving trial efficiency.

Composite endpoints are commonly used as the primary measure of efficacy in heart failure clinical trials to assess the overall treatment effect and to increase the efficiency of trials. Clinical trials still must enrol large numbers of patients to accrue a sufficient number of outcome events and have adequate power to draw conclusions about the efficacy and safety of new treatments for heart failure. Additionally, the societal and health system perspectives on heart failure have raised interest in ascertaining the effects of therapy on outcomes such as repeat hospitalization and the patient's burden of disease. Thus, novel methods for using composite endpoints in clinical trials (e.g. clinical status composite endpoints, recurrent event analyses) are being applied in current and planned trials. Endpoints that measure functional status or reflect the patient experience are important but used cautiously because heart failure treatments may improve function yet have adverse effects on mortality. This paper discusses the use of traditional and new composite endpoints, identifies qualities of robust composites, and outlines opportunities for future research.

Ozenoxacin 1% cream in the treatment of impetigo: a multicenter, randomized, placebo- and retapamulin-controlled clinical trial.

AIM: We compared the efficacy and safety of ozenoxacin (a new nonfluorinated quinolone) 1% cream with placebo in the treatment of impetigo. PATIENTS & METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, multicenter study, patients received ozenoxacin cream or placebo cream twice daily for 5 days (a third group received retapamulin 1% ointment as a control). Clinical, microbiological and laboratory evaluations were performed during follow-up (over 2 weeks). RESULTS: Ozenoxacin was superior to placebo (success rate 34.8 vs 19.2%; p = 0.003). Microbiological success was 70.8% for ozenoxacin and 38.2% for placebo after 3-4 days and 79.2% versus 56.6% after 6-7 days. Ozenoxacin produced more rapid microbiological clearance than retapamulin. All treatments were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Ozenoxacin 1% cream was effective and safe in the treatment of impetigo.

Systemic bioavailability, safety and tolerability of topical ozenoxacin in healthy adult volunteers.

A series of Phase I studies was conducted in healthy volunteers to examine the systemic bioavailability and safety of topical ozenoxacin. Study 1 examined increasing single doses (relating to quantity and body surface area) of ozenoxacin 1% ointment. Study 2 compared multiple doses of ozenoxacin 1% ointment and placebo applied for 7 days. Study 3 investigated multiple doses of ozenoxacin 2% cream and placebo applied for 7 days. Study 4 examined multiple doses of ozenoxacin 2% cream applied to intact and abraded skin for 8 days. No systemic absorption was observed in any study and ozenoxacin was well tolerated. The most common treatment-related adverse events were application-site reactions (erythema and pruritus), but the differences in local tolerability between ozenoxacin and placebo were not clinically significant.

Skin tissue exposure of once- versus twice-daily topical ozenoxacin 2% cream: a Phase I study in healthy volunteers.

In this Phase I study, healthy volunteers (n = 24) were randomly allocated to receive either one or two 0.2-g applications per day (12 h apart) of ozenoxacin 2% cream on three different areas of the back for 3 consecutive days. Ozenoxacin concentrations were measured in tape stripping samples (from the stratum corneum) and in skin punch biopsy samples (from the epidermis and dermis) taken predose from selected dosing areas on study days 2, 3 and 4. Ozenoxacin concentrations were high in the stratum corneum and were approximately twofold greater for the twice- versus once-daily application. Ozenoxacin concentrations were low in the epidermis and were higher for the twice- versus once-daily application. Ozenoxacin concentrations in the dermis were below the limit of quantitation on most study days.

Cumulative irritation, sensitizing potential, phototoxicity and photoallergy of ozenoxacin in healthy adult volunteers.

In this series of Phase I, randomized, placebo-controlled studies in healthy volunteers, the potential for ozenoxacin 1 and 2% cream formulations to cause irritation, sensitization, phototoxicity and photoallergy under occlusive patch conditions was evaluated. Both ozenoxacin formulations showed excellent dermal tolerability; in the vast majority of cases, only minimal signs of erythema were observed, with no evidence of edema or a papular response. No subject met the criteria for a phototoxic reaction with the ozenoxacin 1 or 2% cream formulations. Only a few adverse events were reported across repeated-dose studies, and virtually all events were considered to be unrelated or unlikely to be related to ozenoxacin application. Ozenoxacin was safe, well tolerated and showed little or no tendency to cause irritation, sensitization, phototoxicity or photoallergy.