Cardiovascular safety of QVA149, a combination of Indacaterol and NVA237, in COPD patients.

This study assessed the cardiovascular safety of QVA149, an inhaled, once daily, bronchodilator combination containing two 24-hour bronchodilators, the long-acting ß(2)-agonist indacaterol and the long-acting muscarinic antagonist glycopyrronium (NVA237). In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, 257 patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were randomised to receive QVA149 (indacaterol/NVA237) 600/100 microg, 300/100 microg or 150/100 microg, indacaterol 300 µg or placebo, once daily for 14 days. The primary endpoint was change from baseline in 24-h mean heart rate versus placebo on Day 14. 255 patients were included in the safety analysis (mean age 63.8 years, 76.5% male, post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV(1)] 53.2% predicted, FEV(1)/FVC [forced vital capacity] 50.0%, mean 24-h heart rate 79.6 bpm). There were no clinically significant differences in the 24-h mean heart rate on Day 14 between the three doses of QVA149 and placebo or indacaterol. The confidence intervals of these treatment differences (contrasts) were within the pre-specified equivalence limit (-5 to 5 bpm). No clinically relevant differences in QTc interval (Fridericia's) were observed between groups on Days 1, 7 and 14. Once-daily QVA149 was well tolerated in COPD patients with a cardiovascular safety profile and overall adverse event rates similar to placebo.

QVA149 demonstrates superior bronchodilation compared with indacaterol or placebo in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: This randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled, four-period crossover study assessed the efficacy and safety of once-daily QVA149, a dual bronchodilator consisting of the long-acting ß2-agonist indacaterol and the long-acting muscarinic antagonist glycopyrronium (NVA237), in patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: Patients (N=154) were randomly assigned to receive QVA149 (indacaterol/NVA237) 300/50 µg, indacaterol 300 µg, indacaterol 600 µg, or placebo, once daily for 7 days with a 7-day washout period between each treatment. The primary endpoint was trough forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (mean of 23 h 15 min and 23 h 45 min post-dose values) on day 7. Other endpoints included trough FEV1 on day 1, individual time point FEV1 and monitoring and recording of all adverse events. RESULTS: A total of 135 (87.7%) patients completed the study (all randomly assigned patients: mean age 61.7 years, 61.4% male, post-bronchodilator FEV1 52.2% predicted, FEV1/forced vital capacity 47.6%). The estimated treatment difference (95% CI) for trough FEV1 on day 7 between QVA149 and placebo was 226 ml (192 to 260; p<0.001). The estimated treatment difference between QVA149 and indacaterol 300 and 600 µg was 123 ml (89 to 157; p<0.001) and 117 ml (83 to 150; p<0.001), respectively. The improvements in mean trough FEV1 exceeded the predefined minimal clinically important differences of 100­140 ml for QVA149 versus placebo and indacaterol. Similar results were observed on day 1. All treatments were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: QVA149 demonstrated rapid and sustained bronchodilation with significant improvements compared with indacaterol monotherapy and placebo in patients with COPD. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00570778.

Orlistat improves blood pressure control in obese subjects with treated but inadequately controlled hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hypothesis that weight reduction with orlistat plus mild caloric restriction leads to better blood pressure control than diet alone in obese individuals with inadequately controlled hypertension. DESIGN This was a 1-year, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial of orlistat plus diet versus placebo plus diet in obese hypertensives. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized to receive either orlistat or placebo; all received a 600 kcal deficient diet with no more than 30% of calories from fat. Weight and blood pressure, lipid levels and fasting glucose and insulin levels were followed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients on orlistat experienced greater weight loss (-5.4 +/- 6.4 versus -2.7 +/- 6.4 kg, P< 0.001) and greater reduction in body mass index (-1.9 +/- 2.3 versus -0.9 +/- 2.2 kg/m2, P<0.001). Target weight loss, defined as > or= 5% body weight (BW), was obtained in more orlistat-treated patients than in the placebo group (46 versus 23%, P<0.001). Diastolic BP decreased more in orlistat-treated patients than in the placebo group (-11.4 +/- 8.3 versus -9.2 +/- 8.4 mmHg, P = 0.002). A greater percentage of orlistat-treated patients reached goal diastolic blood pressure (BP), defined as final diastolic BP< 90 mmHg or a reduction of at least 10 mmHg (67 versus 53%, P< 0.001). The orlistat-treated group had significantly greater reductions in total cholesterol ( P<0.001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.001) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P< 0.005) and target 30% cardiovascular risk reduction was obtained in more orlistat-treated patients (36.1 versus 24.0%, P< 0.04). CONCLUSION: A weight-loss program with orlistat is more effective than diet alone to lower blood pressure and results in greater cardiovascular risk reduction.