Dextromethorphan/quinidine: a review of its use in adults with pseudobulbar affect.

Fixed-dose dextromethorphan/quinidine capsules (Nuedexta(®)) utilize quinidine to inhibit the metabolism of dextromethorphan, enabling high plasma dextromethorphan concentrations to be reached without using a larger dose of the drug. The drug combination is the first treatment to be approved for pseudobulbar affect (PBA), a condition of contextually inappropriate/exaggerated emotional expression that often occurs in adults with neurological damage conditions, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), stroke, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. Dextromethorphan/quinidine at the recommended dosages of 20/10 or 30/10 mg twice daily reduced the rate of PBA episodes and improved PBA severity in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in adults with ALS or MS (STAR), with further improvements in the severity of the condition observed in a 12-week open-label extension phase. Dextromethorphan/quinidine 20/10 mg twice daily also improved PBA secondary to dementia in a cohort of a 12-week noncomparative trial (PRISM II). The drug combination was generally well tolerated in these studies, with no particular safety or tolerability concerns. Although longer-term efficacy and tolerability data for dextromethorphan/quinidine 20/10 or 30/10 mg twice daily would be beneficial, current evidence indicates that it is a useful option in the treatment of adults with PBA.

Suvorexant: first global approval.

Suvorexant (Belsomra(®)), a first-in-class, orally active dual orexin-1 receptor and orexin-2 receptor antagonist, has been developed by Merck for the treatment of insomnia. Variations in the levels of the neuropeptides orexin A and orexin B have been linked to circadian rhythms and wakefulness. Orexin-producing neurons in the lateral hypothalamus regulate wakefulness by signalling through orexin receptors. Blockade of orexin receptors is known to promote sleep. Suvorexant was approved in the US in August 2014 for the treatment of adults with sleep onset and/or sleep maintenance insomnia. The drug is also preregistration in Japan, with approval submissions planned for other countries worldwide for this indication. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of suvorexant leading to this first approval for insomnia.

Intravitreal aflibercept (Eylea(®)): a review of its use in patients with macular oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion.

Aflibercept is a fully human, recombinant fusion protein that acts as a soluble decoy receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family members, including VEGF-A, VEGF-B and placental growth factor (P1GF), thereby inhibiting downstream signalling mediated by these ligands. Aflibercept binds all isoforms of VEGF-A with high affinity, and a markedly higher affinity than that of ranibizumab or bevacizumab. A formulation of aflibercept developed specifically for intravitreal injection (Eylea(®)) is approved for use in several countries for the treatment of patients with macular oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). In clinical trials (GALILEO and COPERNICUS) in patients with this condition, intravitreal aflibercept 2 mg every month improved best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), as measured by the proportion of study eyes with a gain of ≥15 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters from baseline, significantly more than sham injections at week 24 (primary analysis). The significant improvements achieved with intravitreal aflibercept compared with sham in the first 6 months were maintained in the second 6 months with as-needed (prn) dosing and monthly monitoring. Continued prn dosing with a reduced monitoring frequency was associated with decreased improvements. More data are needed to confirm the optimal monitoring frequency for use with prn dosing, subsequent to initial monthly injections, in order to maintain long-term efficacy. Intravitreal aflibercept was generally well tolerated in clinical trials and there is little potential for systemic drug accumulation. Thus, intravitreal aflibercept is an effective and generally well tolerated agent that extends the options available for the treatment of macular oedema secondary to CRVO.

Hexaminolevulinate blue light cystoscopy: a review of its use in the diagnosis of bladder cancer.

Hexaminolevulinate (HAL) is an ester derivative of 5-aminolevulinate, and is used in conjunction with blue light (fluorescence) cystoscopy (BLC) to detect bladder cancer. In various studies, HAL-BLC was generally a better detection method than the gold standard method of white light cystoscopy (WLC), as assessed by endpoints including additional lesions (at both the lesion and patient levels) not detected by WLC, higher detection rates, and more complete treatment decisions as a result of improved detection. HAL-BLC in addition to WLC was associated with reduced tumor recurrence rates compared with WLC alone in randomized trials with up to 2 years' follow-up. HAL-BLC was generally well tolerated, and the most common adverse events (i.e. hematuria, dysuria, and bladder spasm) were also the most common adverse events in the WLC alone group, and were expected as a result of the resection procedure. Although its impact on disease progression and survival rates is not yet known, HAL-BLC is a valuable addition to WLC for the diagnosis of bladder cancer in patients who are suitable candidates for its use.

Modified-release prednisone: in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Prednisone is a well-established treatment option in rheumatoid arthritis. Low-dose glucocorticoid therapy alleviates disease signs and symptoms, is better tolerated than high-dose therapy, and its addition to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) inhibits radiographic disease progression. A low-dose, modified-release (MR) formulation of prednisone, administered in the evening, was developed to counter the circadian rise in pro-inflammatory cytokine levels that contributes to disease activity. In a 12-week, randomized trial (CAPRA-2) in adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were receiving stable DMARD therapy, the addition of MR prednisone reduced disease signs and symptoms by ≥20 % according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria (in 48 % of patients vs. 29 % with placebo; p < 0.002 [primary endpoint]). In another 12-week trial (CAPRA-1), addition of evening MR prednisone to stable DMARD therapy reduced the mean duration of morning stiffness to a greater extent than addition of morning immediate-release (IR) prednisone (22.7 vs. 0.4 %; p = 0.045 [primary endpoint]). The improvement in morning stiffness with MR prednisone was maintained for 9-12 months during the open-label extension of CAPRA-1. These findings were supported by data from observational studies in various adult populations with rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment with evening MR prednisone for up to 12 months was generally well tolerated, with an overall similar tolerability profile compared with evening placebo or morning IR prednisone, and no new safety concerns. MR prednisone was estimated to be cost effective relative to IR prednisone in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a UK pharmacoeconomic model.

Olodaterol: first global approval.

Olodaterol (Striverdi(®) Respimat(®)) is a novel, long-acting, ß2-adrenergic receptor agonist developed by Boehringer Ingelheim for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The drug is delivered via the Respimat(®) Soft Mist™ inhaler. Olodaterol received its first global approval for the once-daily maintenance treatment of COPD in Canada and Russia, and submissions for regulatory approval have also been made in the USA, the EU and elsewhere. Phase II trials have been conducted in patients with asthma. The company is also developing a fixed-dose combination of olodaterol with tiotropium bromide, a long-acting anti-muscarinic agent, for the treatment of COPD. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of olodaterol leading to this first approval for COPD.

Recombinant trivalent influenza vaccine (flublok(®)): a review of its use in the prevention of seasonal influenza in adults.

Flublok(®) is a trivalent influenza vaccine manufactured using the baculovirus-insect cell system, which has a number of differences compared with the traditional embryonated chicken egg system. Flublok(®) is the first vaccine containing recombinant protein to be approved for the prevention of seasonal influenza, and is indicated in the USA in adults aged 18-49 years. In a large, placebo-controlled, phase III trial in individuals aged 18-49 years, Flublok(®) met the US FDA requirements for immunogenicity, effectiveness and safety, despite a high incidence of antigenic mismatch between confirmed cases of influenza and the vaccine component strains. Flublok(®) was also compared with Fluzone(®) in two noninferiority trials in older adults aged 50-64 or ≥65 years; although noninferiority was shown for a number of endpoints in these trials, Flublok(®) is not currently approved in these age groups. Flublok(®) is a useful and generally well-tolerated vaccination option for the prevention of seasonal influenza in adults aged 18-49 years, including those with egg allergy.

Sumatriptan/naproxen sodium: a review of its use in adult patients with migraine.

A fixed-dose combination of sumatriptan/naproxen sodium (Treximet(®)) has been approved in the US for the acute treatment of migraine in adults. In two randomized trials, sumatriptan/naproxen sodium demonstrated significantly better efficacy than sumatriptan alone, naproxen sodium alone, or placebo as late-intervention therapy for a single migraine episode in adults, as assessed by co-primary efficacy endpoints evaluating pain and other migraine-related symptoms, as well as health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) endpoints. In four other randomized trials, the drug combination was also effective as early intervention in adults with migraine (including those with menstrual migraine and dysmenorrhoea, or those with poor response or intolerance to triptan therapy) according to various pain-related primary efficacy and HR-QOL endpoints. Data from longer-term, non-randomized studies support these findings, and the drug combination appears to be beneficial in patients with migraine and cutaneous allodynia. In clinical trials, sumatriptan/naproxen sodium was generally well tolerated, with an overall tolerability profile similar to that of sumatriptan. The most common adverse events were in line with those expected for sumatriptan and naproxen sodium. Current data indicate that sumatriptan/naproxen sodium is a useful option in the treatment of adult migraine.

Ospemifene: first global approval.

Ospemifene (Osphena™) is an oral selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), with tissue-specific estrogenic agonist/antagonist effects. QuatRx Pharmaceuticals conducted the global development of the agent before licensing it to Shionogi for regulatory filing and commercialization worldwide. Ospemifene is the first non-estrogen treatment approved for moderate to severe dyspareunia in women with menopause-related vulvar and vaginal atrophy. The drug is approved in the USA, and application for EU regulatory approval is underway. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of ospemifene leading to this first approval for moderate to severe dyspareunia, a symptom of postmenopausal vulvar and vaginal atrophy.

Axitinib: in advanced, treatment-experienced renal cell carcinoma.

Axitinib is a new inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors 1-3, with greater inhibition potency than existing VEGF receptor inhibitors sunitinib, sorafenib and pazopanib. In a pivotal phase III trial in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma that had progressed despite first-line therapy, axitinib 5 mg twice daily significantly prolonged median progression-free survival (primary endpoint) compared with sorafenib 400 mg twice daily. A significant between-group difference favouring axitinib over sorafenib in terms of progression-free survival was maintained in the subgroups of patients who had previously received cytokine or sunitinib therapy. However, median overall survival was not significantly different between the treatment groups. Significantly more axitinib than sorafenib recipients achieved an objective response, and axitinib therapy significantly prolonged time to deterioration (a composite endpoint of death, disease progression and symptom worsening) relative to sorafenib therapy. While its tolerability profile was generally consistent with that of other VEGF receptor inhibitors, axitinib was associated with a numerically lower incidence of palmar-plantar erythrodysaesthesia, cutaneous toxicity and anaemia than sorafenib in the phase III trial.

Sublingual zolpidem (Edluar™; Sublinox™).

Zolpidem is a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic used in the short-term treatment of insomnia. A sublingual orally disintegrating tablet formulation of zolpidem (Edluar™; Sublinox™) has been developed to provide a more rapid onset of action than oral immediate-release zolpidem. Sublingual zolpidem has demonstrated bioequivalence to oral zolpidem. In a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, crossover, multi-centre study in adult patients with primary insomnia (n = 70), a single 10-mg dose of sublingual zolpidem significantly reduced latency to persistent sleep (primary endpoint) compared with a single 10-mg dose of oral immediate-release zolpidem. Sleep-onset latency and latency to stage 1 sleep were also significantly shorter with sublingual zolpidem than with oral zolpidem. Moreover, compared with the oral formulation, sublingual zolpidem was noninferior in terms of total sleep time and did not significantly differ in terms of duration of wake after sleep onset. Sublingual zolpidem was generally well tolerated in this trial, with most adverse events being of mild or moderate severity. The overall tolerability profile of sublingual zolpidem was similar to that of oral zolpidem.

Clobazam : in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Clobazam, as with other benzodiazepines, has a long history of use in the treatment of epilepsy. More recently, it was approved in the USA as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in patients aged ≥2 years. In the pivotal, placebo-controlled CONTAIN trial in paediatric and adult patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (n = 217 evaluable), adjunctive therapy with clobazam 5-40 mg/day for 12 weeks significantly reduced mean weekly drop seizure rates from baseline compared with adjunctive placebo (primary endpoint), with a significant dosage-dependent improvement in these rates. Results from a dosage-ranging, double-blind, multi-centre, phase II trial add further support for the efficacy of clobazam in paediatric and adult patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (n = 61 evaluable). Improvements in mean weekly drop seizure rates with adjunctive clobazam treatment in these short-term trials was maintained in an ongoing, open-label extension study, with a 91.6 % reduction in mean weekly drop seizure rates from baseline (at randomization in the initial trials) to 24 months in the overall population. Treatment with adjunctive clobazam was generally well tolerated in these clinical trials and after at least 2 years of treatment in an open-label extension study. Most adverse events were mild or moderate and similar to those typically observed with other benzodiazepines.

Ruxolitinib: in the treatment of myelofibrosis.

Ruxolitinib is a selective inhibitor of Janus kinases (JAK) 1 and 2, which are involved in the signalling pathway of various cytokines and growth factors essential to haematopoiesis. JAK 1 and 2 are implicated in the development of myelofibrosis, as well as other haematological malignancies. Ruxolitinib is the first agent approved for the treatment of myelofibrosis. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial (COMFORT-I) in patients with myelofibrosis, significantly more ruxolitinib than placebo recipients achieved a ≥ 35% reduction in spleen volume (primary endpoint) at 24 weeks. In a randomized, open-label, multicentre trial (COMFORT-II) in patients with myelofibrosis, significantly more ruxolitinib than best available therapy recipients achieved the same primary endpoint at 48 weeks. Significantly more ruxolitinib than placebo recipients achieved a ≥ 50% reduction in Total Symptom Score at 24 weeks in COMFORT-I. Ruxolitinib generally improved health-related quality-of-life scores, while best available therapy was generally associated with worsened scores at 48 weeks in COMFORT-II. In COMFORT-I, overall survival data appeared to favour ruxolitinib over placebo; of note, most placebo recipients had crossed over to receive ruxolitinib. In COMFORT-II, a significant difference in overall survival between ruxolitinib and best available therapy was not shown; this trial was not powered to detect such a difference. In clinical trials in patients with myelofibrosis, ruxolitinib was generally associated with an acceptable tolerability profile. In the placebo-controlled trial, the most commonly reported grade 3 or 4 adverse events in ruxolitinib recipients were thrombocytopenia, anaemia and neutropenia. These haematological adverse events were mainly managed with dosage interruptions/reductions and/or transfusions, and rarely resulted in discontinuation.

Nomegestrol acetate/estradiol: in oral contraception.

Nomegestrol acetate/estradiol is a combined oral contraceptive with approval in many countries. This fixed-dose combination tablet contains nomegestrol acetate, a highly selective progestogen, and estradiol, a natural estrogen. It is the first monophasic combined oral contraceptive to contain estradiol, and is taken in 28-day cycles, consisting of 24 active therapy days with 4 placebo days (i.e. 24/4-day cycles). In two large, 1-year, randomized, open-label, multicentre, phase III trials in healthy adult women (aged 18-50 years), nomegestrol acetate/estradiol was at least as effective as drospirenone/ethinylestradiol as contraceptive therapy, as the pregnancy rates in women aged 18-35 years (primary efficacy population) in terms of the Pearl Index (primary endpoint) were numerically lower with nomegestrol acetate/estradiol, although the between-group difference was not statistically significant. In both trials, nomegestrol acetate/estradiol was given in a 24/4-day cycle, and drospirenone/ethinylestradiol was given in a 21/7-day cycle. The criteria for using condoms in case of forgotten doses were less stringent in the nomegestrol acetate/estradiol group than in the drospirenone/ethinylestradiol group. Nomegestrol acetate/estradiol therapy for up to 1 year was generally well tolerated in healthy adult women, with an acceptable tolerability profile in line with that expected for a combined oral contraceptive. The most commonly reported adverse events were acne and abnormal withdrawal bleeding (most often shorter, lighter or absent periods). Overall, compared with drospirenone/ethinylestradiol, nomegestrol acetate/estradiol appeared to be associated with less favourable acne-related outcomes, and shorter, lighter or absent periods.

Abiraterone acetate: a guide to its use in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Oral abiraterone acetate (Zytiga®), a selective cytochrome P450 17A1 enzyme inhibitor, is used in combination with prednisone or prednisolone to treat patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) who have previously received docetaxel-containing chemotherapy. In a clinical trial in patients with CRPC, abiraterone acetate plus prednisone significantly prolonged overall survival, the time to prostate-specific antigen progression and progression-free survival compared with placebo plus prednisone.

Saxagliptin: a review of its use as combination therapy in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the EU.

Saxagliptin (Onglyza™) is a dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor widely approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In the EU, saxagliptin is indicated as combination therapy with metformin, a sulfonylurea, a thiazolidinedione, or insulin (with or without metformin) for the treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes, including those with mild to severe renal impairment. This article reviews the clinical efficacy and tolerability of add-on saxagliptin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes, in line with its approved indications in the EU, and summarizes the drug's pharmacological properties. The clinical efficacy of saxagliptin 5 mg/day in combination with metformin, glibenclamide (glyburide), a thiazolidinedione, or insulin (with or without metformin) has been demonstrated in several randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, phase III trials (18-104 weeks in duration) in patients with type 2 diabetes. In these trials, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) was changed from baseline (primary endpoint) by a greater extent with add-on saxagliptin 5 mg/day (-1.09% to +0.03%) than with comparator regimens (-0.44% to +0.69%). Two other randomized, double-blind trials showed that saxagliptin 5 mg/day as add-on therapy to metformin was noninferior to uptitrated glipizide in terms of lowering HbA(1c) (-0.74% vs -0.80%) at 52 weeks, or sitagliptin (-0.52% vs -0.62%) at 18 weeks. Saxagliptin 2.5 mg/day as add-on to existing anti-diabetic therapy was also effective for up to 52 weeks in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial in patients with type 2 diabetes and renal impairment (HbA(1c) was reduced by 1.08% vs 0.36%; p ≤ 0.007). Saxagliptin as add-on therapy for up to 4 years was generally well tolerated in clinical trials. Treatment with saxagliptin did not increase the risk of hypoglycaemia or cardiovascular outcomes relative to placebo or active comparators, and was generally weight neutral. In conclusion, saxagliptin is a useful option as add-on therapy to metformin, a sulfonylurea, a thiazolidinedione, or insulin (with or without metformin) in patients with type 2 diabetes who require combination therapy.

Romidepsin: a guide to its clinical use in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Intravenous romidepsin (Istodax®), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, is indicated in the US for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in adults who have received at least one prior systemic therapy. In two noncomparative trials in adults with relapsed, refractory, and/or advanced CTCL, romidepsin was associated with an overall response (i.e. complete or partial response) rate of 34% and 35%, and a complete response rate of 6% (in both trials). Romidepsin had an acceptable tolerability profile, with the most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events considered at least possibly related to romidepsin being hematologic or asthenic in nature.

Abiraterone acetate: in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Oral abiraterone acetate, in combination with prednisone/prednisolone, is used to treat patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) who have previously received docetaxel-containing chemotherapy. Abiraterone acetate was developed to specifically inhibit cytochrome P450 (CYP)17A1, which is an essential enzyme in the biosynthesis of testosterone. In a pivotal phase III trial in patients with metastatic CRPC who have previously received docetaxel-containing chemotherapy, abiraterone acetate 1000 mg once daily plus prednisone 5 mg twice daily significantly prolonged overall survival compared with placebo plus prednisone. In this trial, abiraterone acetate plus prednisone was significantly more effective than placebo plus prednisone in prolonging the time to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression and in prolonging progression-free survival. Significantly more abiraterone acetate plus prednisone recipients than placebo plus prednisone recipients were considered to be responders, when assessed by PSA levels or radiographic imaging. Treatment with abiraterone acetate plus prednisone in the phase III trial was associated with an acceptable tolerability profile, which was generally similar to that of the placebo plus prednisone group. However, adverse events of special interest (e.g. cardiac disorders and liver-function test abnormalities and adverse events resulting from elevated mineralocorticoid levels because of CYP17A1 inhibition [i.e. fluid retention and oedema, hypokalaemia, hypertension]) occurred in significantly more abiraterone acetate plus prednisone than in placebo plus prednisone recipients.

Romidepsin: in the treatment of T-cell lymphoma.

Romidepsin is a histone deacetylase inhibitor with high inhibitory activity for class I histone deacetylases. Intravenous romidepsin is indicated in the US for the treatment of adult patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) or peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) who have received at least one prior systemic therapy. The clinical efficacy of romidepsin has been demonstrated in two noncomparative, multicentre, phase II trials in patients with relapsed, refractory or advanced CTCL. In both trials, therapy with intravenous romidepsin was associated with an overall response (i.e. both complete response and partial response) rate of 34% and a complete response rate of 6%. The efficacy of romidepsin was also evaluated in patients with relapsed or refractory PTCL in two noncomparative, multicentre, phase II trials. Intravenous romidepsin therapy was associated with overall response rates of 38% and 26% and a complete response rate of 18% and 13% in these trials. Romidepsin had an acceptable tolerability profile in clinical trials in patients with CTCL or PTCL. The most common adverse events of grade 3 or 4 severity considered at least possibly related to romidepsin were haematological or asthenic in nature, and included leukopenia, lymphopenia, granulocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, fatigue and anaemia.