An unbiased ranking of murine dietary models based on their proximity to human metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, encompasses steatosis and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), leading to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Preclinical MASLD research is mainly performed in rodents; however, the model that best recapitulates human disease is yet to be defined. We conducted a wide-ranging retrospective review (metabolic phenotype, liver histopathology, transcriptome benchmarked against humans) of murine models (mostly male) and ranked them using an unbiased MASLD 'human proximity score' to define their metabolic relevance and ability to induce MASH-fibrosis. Here, we show that Western diets align closely with human MASH; high cholesterol content, extended study duration and/or genetic manipulation of disease-promoting pathways are required to intensify liver damage and accelerate significant (F2+) fibrosis development. Choline-deficient models rapidly induce MASH-fibrosis while showing relatively poor translatability. Our ranking of commonly used MASLD models, based on their proximity to human MASLD, helps with the selection of appropriate in vivo models to accelerate preclinical research.

Nirmatrelvir for Vaccinated or Unvaccinated Adult Outpatients with Covid-19.

BACKGROUND: Nirmatrelvir in combination with ritonavir is an antiviral treatment for mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). The efficacy of this treatment in patients who are at standard risk for severe Covid-19 or who are fully vaccinated and have at least one risk factor for severe Covid-19 has not been established. METHODS: In this phase 2-3 trial, we randomly assigned adults who had confirmed Covid-19 with symptom onset within the past 5 days in a 1:1 ratio to receive nirmatrelvir-ritonavir or placebo every 12 hours for 5 days. Patients who were fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and who had at least one risk factor for severe disease, as well as patients without such risk factors who had never been vaccinated against Covid-19 or had not been vaccinated within the previous year, were eligible for participation. Participants logged the presence and severity of prespecified Covid-19 signs and symptoms daily from day 1 through day 28. The primary end point was the time to sustained alleviation of all targeted Covid-19 signs and symptoms. Covid-19-related hospitalization and death from any cause were also assessed through day 28. RESULTS: Among the 1296 participants who underwent randomization and were included in the full analysis population, 1288 received at least one dose of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (654 participants) or placebo (634 participants) and had at least one postbaseline visit. The median time to sustained alleviation of all targeted signs and symptoms of Covid-19 was 12 days in the nirmatrelvir-ritonavir group and 13 days in the placebo group (P = 0.60). Five participants (0.8%) in the nirmatrelvir-ritonavir group and 10 (1.6%) in the placebo group were hospitalized for Covid-19 or died from any cause (difference, -0.8 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, -2.0 to 0.4). The percentages of participants with adverse events were similar in the two groups (25.8% with nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and 24.1% with placebo). In the nirmatrelvir-ritonavir group, the most commonly reported treatment-related adverse events were dysgeusia (in 5.8% of the participants) and diarrhea (in 2.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The time to sustained alleviation of all signs and symptoms of Covid-19 did not differ significantly between participants who received nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and those who received placebo. (Supported by Pfizer; EPIC-SR ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05011513.).

Diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive tests to screen for at-risk MASH-An individual participant data meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: There is a need to reduce the screen failure rate (SFR) in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) clinical trials (MASH+F2-3; MASH+F4) and identify people with high-risk MASH (MASH+F2-4) in clinical practice. We aimed to evaluate non-invasive tests (NITs) screening approaches for these target conditions. METHODS: This was an individual participant data meta-analysis for the performance of NITs against liver biopsy for MASH+F2-4, MASH+F2-3 and MASH+F4. Index tests were the FibroScan-AST (FAST) score, liver stiffness measured using vibration-controlled transient elastography (LSM-VCTE), the fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4) and the NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS). Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) and thresholds including those that achieved 34% SFR were reported. RESULTS: We included 2281 unique cases. The prevalence of MASH+F2-4, MASH+F2-3 and MASH+F4 was 31%, 24% and 7%, respectively. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curves for MASH+F2-4 were .78, .75, .68 and .57 for FAST, LSM-VCTE, FIB-4 and NFS. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curves for MASH+F2-3 were .73, .67, .60, .58 for FAST, LSM-VCTE, FIB-4 and NFS. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curves for MASH+F4 were .79, .84, .81, .76 for FAST, LSM-VCTE, FIB-4 and NFS. The sequential combination of FIB-4 and LSM-VCTE for the detection of MASH+F2-3 with threshold of .7 and 3.48, and 5.9 and 20 kPa achieved SFR of 67% and sensitivity of 60%, detecting 15 true positive cases from a theoretical group of 100 participants at the prevalence of 24%. CONCLUSIONS: Sequential combinations of NITs do not compromise diagnostic performance and may reduce resource utilisation through the need of fewer LSM-VCTE examinations.

Population PK/PD modeling of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol response in hypercholesterolemic participants following administration of bococizumab, a potent anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibody.

We sought to characterize the population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship of bococizumab (RN316/PF-04950615), a humanized IgG2Δa monoclonal antibody that binds to secreted human proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9), using data derived from 16 phase I, II, and III clinical studies (36,066 bococizumab observations, 46,790 low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C] measurements, 3499 participants). A two-compartment disposition model with parallel linear and Michaelis-Menten elimination and an indirect response model was used to characterize the population PK and LDL-C response of bococizumab. Potential model parameters and covariate relationships were explored, and visual predictive checks were used for model assessment and validation. Key covariates included the effect of anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) on exposure through impact on clearance and bioavailability; impact of statins on bococizumab elimination (maximal rate of metabolism); and impact of statins, Asian race, and male sex on LDL-C efficacy (maximum effect). ADAs and neutralizing ADAs did not have additional effects on LDL-C beyond the influence on bococizumab exposure. In conclusion, the population PK/PD model adequately describes bococizumab concentration and LDL-C efficacy. The covariate effects are consistent with the presumed mechanism of action of PCSK9 inhibitors. With increasing availability of antibody-based therapeutics, improved understanding of the effect of ADAs and statins on bococizumab PK/PD adds to the literature and enhances our pharmacological understanding of how immunogenicity and concomitant medications may impact the PK/PD of biotherapeutics.

Liver Investigation: Testing Marker Utility in Steatohepatitis (LITMUS): Assessment & validation of imaging modality performance across the NAFLD spectrum in a prospectively recruited cohort study (the LITMUS imaging study): Study protocol.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the liver manifestation of the metabolic syndrome with global prevalence reaching epidemic levels. Despite the high disease burden in the population only a small proportion of those with NAFLD will develop progressive liver disease, for which there is currently no approved pharmacotherapy. Identifying those who are at risk of progressive NAFLD currently requires a liver biopsy which is problematic. Firstly, liver biopsy is invasive and therefore not appropriate for use in a condition like NAFLD that affects a large proportion of the population. Secondly, biopsy is limited by sampling and observer dependent variability which can lead to misclassification of disease severity. Non-invasive biomarkers are therefore needed to replace liver biopsy in the assessment of NAFLD. Our study addresses this unmet need. The LITMUS Imaging Study is a prospectively recruited multi-centre cohort study evaluating magnetic resonance imaging and elastography, and ultrasound elastography against liver histology as the reference standard. Imaging biomarkers and biopsy are acquired within a 100-day window. The study employs standardised processes for imaging data collection and analysis as well as a real time central monitoring and quality control process for all the data submitted for analysis. It is anticipated that the high-quality data generated from this study will underpin changes in clinical practice for the benefit of people with NAFLD. Study Registration: clinicaltrials.gov: NCT05479721.

Anti-drug Antibody Magnitude and Clinical Relevance Using Signal to Noise (S/N): Bococizumab Case Study.

Historically, the biopharmaceutical industry has used titer to characterize the magnitude of an anti-drug antibody (ADA) response. While reporting levels of antibodies in terms of titer is generally understood and accepted by regulatory and medical communities, titer values are inherently variable given the multiple serial dilutions and reporting a value either directly before or interpolated at the assay cut point on the lower plateau of the assay curve range. Using S/N is an appealing alternative approach to titer as it simplifies analysis with less dilutions, significantly reducing testing, time, and resources and provides a more precise value potentially differentiating low-level ADA responses. Current bridging electrochemiluminescence (ECL) ADA assays using Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) platform are also significantly more sensitive and drug tolerant with wider assay ranges compared to historic ELISA platforms; therefore, ADA response based on S/N may help differentiate and identify those ADA samples that are more likely to be clinically relevant. Bococizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9), which reduces plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Bococizumab was discontinued during Phase 3 clinical development based in part on the high rate of ADA and wide variation in LDL cholesterol responses among patients. The impact of anti-bococizumab antibodies on pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) endpoints was originally assessed using titer. Retrospective analysis of anti-bococizumab ADA responses using S/N ratios illustrates that S/N is an acceptable alternative to titer for characterizing the magnitude of ADA response and interpretation of clinically relevant ADA.

Machine learning algorithm improves the detection of NASH (NAS-based) and at-risk NASH: A development and validation study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Detecting NASH remains challenging, while at-risk NASH (steatohepatitis and F≥ 2) tends to progress and is of interest for drug development and clinical application. We developed prediction models by supervised machine learning techniques, with clinical data and biomarkers to stage and grade patients with NAFLD. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Learning data were collected in the Liver Investigation: Testing Marker Utility in Steatohepatitis metacohort (966 biopsy-proven NAFLD adults), staged and graded according to NASH CRN. Conditions of interest were the clinical trial definition of NASH (NAS ≥ 4;53%), at-risk NASH (NASH with F ≥ 2;35%), significant (F ≥ 2;47%), and advanced fibrosis (F ≥ 3;28%). Thirty-five predictors were included. Missing data were handled by multiple imputations. Data were randomly split into training/validation (75/25) sets. A gradient boosting machine was applied to develop 2 models for each condition: clinical versus extended (clinical and biomarkers). Two variants of the NASH and at-risk NASH models were constructed: direct and composite models.Clinical gradient boosting machine models for steatosis/inflammation/ballooning had AUCs of 0.94/0.79/0.72. There were no improvements when biomarkers were included. The direct NASH model produced AUCs (clinical/extended) of 0.61/0.65. The composite NASH model performed significantly better (0.71) for both variants. The composite at-risk NASH model had an AUC of 0.83 (clinical and extended), an improvement over the direct model. Significant fibrosis models had AUCs (clinical/extended) of 0.76/0.78. The extended advanced fibrosis model (0.86) performed significantly better than the clinical version (0.82). CONCLUSIONS: Detection of NASH and at-risk NASH can be improved by constructing independent machine learning models for each component, using only clinical predictors. Adding biomarkers only improved the accuracy of fibrosis.

Biomarkers for staging fibrosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (the LITMUS project): a comparative diagnostic accuracy study.

BACKGROUND: The reference standard for detecting non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and staging fibrosis-liver biopsy-is invasive and resource intensive. Non-invasive biomarkers are urgently needed, but few studies have compared these biomarkers in a single cohort. As part of the Liver Investigation: Testing Marker Utility in Steatohepatitis (LITMUS) project, we aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 17 biomarkers and multimarker scores in detecting NASH and clinically significant fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and identify their optimal cutoffs as screening tests in clinical trial recruitment. METHODS: This was a comparative diagnostic accuracy study in people with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD from 13 countries across Europe, recruited between Jan 6, 2010, and Dec 29, 2017, from the LITMUS metacohort of the prospective European NAFLD Registry. Adults (aged ≥18 years) with paired liver biopsy and serum samples were eligible; those with excessive alcohol consumption or evidence of other chronic liver diseases were excluded. The diagnostic accuracy of the biomarkers was expressed as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with liver histology as the reference standard and compared with the Fibrosis-4 index for liver fibrosis (FIB-4) in the same subgroup. Target conditions were the presence of NASH with clinically significant fibrosis (ie, at-risk NASH; NAFLD Activity Score ≥4 and F≥2) or the presence of advanced fibrosis (F≥3), analysed in all participants with complete data. We identified thres holds for each biomarker for reducing the number of biopsy-based screen failures when recruiting people with both NASH and clinically significant fibrosis for future trials. FINDINGS: Of 1430 participants with NAFLD in the LITMUS metacohort with serum samples, 966 (403 women and 563 men) were included after all exclusion criteria had been applied. 335 (35%) of 966 participants had biopsy-confirmed NASH and clinically significant fibrosis and 271 (28%) had advanced fibrosis. For people with NASH and clinically significant fibrosis, no single biomarker or multimarker score significantly reached the predefined AUC 0·80 acceptability threshold (AUCs ranging from 0·61 [95% CI 0·54-0·67] for FibroScan controlled attenuation parameter to 0·81 [0·75-0·86] for SomaSignal), with accuracy mostly similar to FIB-4. Regarding detection of advanced fibrosis, SomaSignal (AUC 0·90 [95% CI 0·86-0·94]), ADAPT (0·85 [0·81-0·89]), and FibroScan liver stiffness measurement (0·83 [0·80-0·86]) reached acceptable accuracy. With 11 of 17 markers, histological screen failure rates could be reduced to 33% in trials if only people who were marker positive had a biopsy for evaluating eligibility. The best screening performance for NASH and clinically significant fibrosis was observed for SomaSignal (number needed to test [NNT] to find one true positive was four [95% CI 4-5]), then ADAPT (six [5-7]), MACK-3 (seven [6-8]), and PRO-C3 (nine [7-11]). INTERPRETATION: None of the single markers or multimarker scores achieved the predefined acceptable AUC for replacing biopsy in detecting people with both NASH and clinically significant fibrosis. However, several biomarkers could be applied in a prescreening strategy in clinical trial recruitment. The performance of promising markers will be further evaluated in the ongoing prospective LITMUS study cohort. FUNDING: The Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking.

NAFLD and NASH biomarker qualification in the LITMUS consortium - Lessons learned.

Biomarkers have the potential to accelerate drug development, as early indicators of improved clinical response, to improve patient safety, and for personalised medicine. However, few have been approved through the biomarker qualification pathways of the regulatory agencies. This paper outlines how biomarkers can accelerate drug development, and reviews the lessons learned by the EU IMI2-funded LITMUS consortium, which has had several interactions with regulatory agencies in both the US and EU regarding biomarker qualification in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Sharing knowledge of such interactions with the scientific community is of paramount importance to increase the chances of qualification of relevant biomarkers that may accelerate drug development, and thereby help patients, across disease indications. A qualified biomarker enables a decision to be made that all understand and support in a common framework.

Efficacy and safety of an orally administered DGAT2 inhibitor alone or coadministered with a liver-targeted ACC inhibitor in adults with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): rationale and design of the phase II, dose-ranging, dose-finding, randomised, placebo-controlled MIRNA (Metabolic Interventions to Resolve NASH with fibrosis) study.

INTRODUCTION: Small molecule inhibitors of the terminal step in intrahepatic triglyceride synthesis (diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 inhibitor (DGAT2i, PF-06865571, ervogastat)) and upstream blockade of de novo lipogenesis via acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase inhibitor (ACCi, PF-05221304, clesacostat) showed promise in reducing hepatic steatosis in early clinical trials. This study assesses efficacy and safety of these metabolic interventions to resolve non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with fibrosis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This phase II, randomised, dose-ranging, dose-finding study evaluates DGAT2i 25-300 mg two times per day (BID) or 150-300 mg once a day, DGAT2i 150-300 mg BID+ACCi 5-10 mg BID coadministration or matching placebo in a planned 450 adults with biopsy-confirmed NASH and liver fibrosis stages 2-3 from approximately 220 sites in 11 countries across North America, Europe and Asia. A triage approach including double-confirmation via non-invasive markers is included prior to screening/baseline liver biopsy. On confirmation of histological diagnosis, participants enter a ≥6-week run-in period, then a 48-week double-blind, double-dummy dosing period. The primary endpoint is the proportion of participants achieving histological NASH resolution without worsening fibrosis, ≥1 stage improvement in fibrosis without worsening NASH, or both, assessed by central pathologists. Other endpoints include assessment of hepatic steatosis (imaging substudy), overall safety and tolerability, and evaluation of blood-based biomarkers and quantitative ultrasound parameters over time. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Metabolic Interventions to Resolve NASH with fibrosis (MIRNA) is conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and Council for International Organisations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) International Ethical Guidelines, International Council on Harmonisation Good Clinical Practice guidelines, applicable laws and regulations, including privacy laws. Local independent review board/ethics committees (IRB/ECs) review/approve the protocol, any amendments, informed consent and other forms. Participants provide written informed consent. Details of all IRB/ECs, as well as results, will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and publicly disclosed through ClinicalTrials.gov, EudraCT, and/or www.pfizer.com and other public registries as per applicable local laws/regulations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04321031.

Assessing the Potential Risk of Cross-Reactivity Between Anti-Bococizumab Antibodies and Other Anti-PCSK9 Monoclonal Antibodies.

BACKGROUND: Anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) to bococizumab were detected in > 40% of subjects in the SPIRE lipid-lowering trials. The risk of cross-reactivity between anti-bococizumab antibodies and other approved anti-proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type-9 (PCSK9) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) was investigated using a single-assay approach. METHODS: Bococizumab immunogenicity was assessed in SPIRE-HR, a 52-week study. The highest ADA titer sample from each ADA-positive subject (n = 155) was tested in vitro for cross-reactivity to alirocumab and evolocumab using a novel ADA assay approach. Additional specificity tiers within the bococizumab ADA assay against each drug were validated using recombinant PCSK9 as a surrogate cross-reactive positive control. If the highest ADA titer sample showed cross-reactivity, additional samples from that subject were analyzed. Cross-reactivity was determined by the ability of alirocumab or evolocumab to inhibit the sample signal greater than or equal to the cross-reactivity cut-points. RESULTS: ADAs were detected in 44.0% (155/352) of bococizumab-treated subjects, and 27.0% also developed neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). Median ADA and NAb titers ranged from 276 to 526 and 8 to 12 over the course of the study, respectively. From 155 ADA-positive subjects tested for cross-reactivity, one (0.6%) subject showed weak cross-reactivity to both alirocumab and evolocumab. This cross-reactivity signal was transient (from Days 337 to 373) and undetectable at the last ADA-positive timepoint (Day 407). CONCLUSION: A novel, single-assay approach was validated to assess the potential cross-reactivity of anti-bococizumab antibodies to alirocumab and evolocumab. In subjects who developed ADAs to bococizumab, the likelihood of clinically relevant cross-reactivity to marketed anti-PCSK9 mAbs is remote, based on the low frequency of cross-reactivity observed, which was weak in signal inhibition and transient in nature. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The SPIRE-HR study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov under the identifier NCT01968954.

Cardiovascular event reduction with PCSK9 inhibition among 1578 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: Results from the SPIRE randomized trials of bococizumab.

BACKGROUND: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a dominant genetic disorder associated with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and premature atherosclerotic events. Although therapeutic monoclonal antibodies that inhibit proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) are indicated for LDL-C reduction among adult patients with FH, placebo-controlled outcome data among FH patients are scant. OBJECTIVE: Directly compare the efficacy of PCSK9 inhibition as compared to placebo on hard cardiovascular outcomes in FH patients enrolled in the Studies of PCSK9 Inhibition and the Reduction of vascular Events (SPIRE) program. METHODS: We estimated the efficacy of PCSK9 inhibition with bococizumab on future cardiovascular event rates among 1578 FH patients and 15,959 patients without FH who were selected for comparable lipid levels (on-statin levels of LDL-C >100 mg/dL or non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol > 130 mg/dL). All patients were randomized by computer generated codes to bococizumab 150 mg subcutaneously every 2 weeks or to matching placebo in the SPIRE clinical trials program and were followed over a median period of 11.2 months for major adverse cardiovascular events (nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death). Analysis is by intention to treat. The SPIRE trials are closed and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01968954, NCT01968967, NCT02100514, NCT01968980, NCT01975376, and NCT01975389. RESULTS: Compared to non-FH patients, FH patients enrolled in the SPIRE trials were on average younger (58 vs 63 years), more likely to be women (42 vs 35%), more likely to be primary prevention patients (42 vs 23%), had higher mean baseline LDL-C levels (151 vs 127 mg/dL), and lower rates of diabetes (25 vs 52%) and hypertension (59 vs 82%). FH and non-FH patients both had 55% reductions in LDL-C with bococizumab. Among FH patients, major adverse cardiovascular events occurred among 18 of 781 allocated to bococizumab and 22 of 797 allocated to placebo (hazard ratio 0.83; 95% confidence interval 0.44-1.54, P = .55). This best estimate of effect was similar in magnitude to that observed in the much larger group of patients without FH (hazard ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.64-0.97, P = .023) with no statistically significant evidence of heterogeneity between groups (P = .87). Incidence rate ratios comparing bococizumab to placebo for adverse events were similar among those with and without FH. The proportion of patients developing antidrug antibodies was higher among those with FH compared to those without FH (43% vs 36%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In these randomized placebo-controlled data, the subgroup of statin-treated FH patients had a similar magnitude of risk reduction for hard cardiovascular events with the PCSK9 inhibitor bococizumab as did patients without FH, with no evidence of statistical heterogeneity between groups.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of bococizumab, a monoclonal antibody to PCSK9, after single subcutaneous injection at three sites [NCT 02043301].

AIM: To characterize the single-dose pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of bococizumab, a monoclonal antibody inhibiting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), administered subcutaneously (s.c.) to the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm (NCT02043301). METHODS: Seventy-five adults with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥130 mg/dL and not on background lipid-lowering therapy were randomized (1:1:1) to a single 150-mg s.c. dose of bococizumab administered to the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Blood samples for bococizumab and lipids were collected for 12 weeks postdose. RESULTS: Plasma bococizumab concentration-time profiles and PK parameters were generally similar across injection sites. Mean maximum observed concentration (Cmax ) ranged from 8.14 to 11.9 µg/mL, and area under the concentration-time curve (AUCinf ) ranged from 160.3 to 198.9 µg∙day/mL. The median time to Cmax (Tmax ) ranged from 4.25 to 6.93 days. Similar LDL-C concentration-time profiles were observed across injection sites, with mean (% coefficient of variation) maximum reductions in LDL-C of -57.5% (15.8), -57.0% (25.9), and -55.0% (24.1) for the abdomen, thigh, and upper arm, respectively. Adverse events (AEs) were mostly mild and generally similar across injection sites. Commonly reported AEs were upper respiratory tract infection (9.3%), headache (6.7%), and injection site reaction (6.7%). One serious AE was reported (ischemic colitis), which was not considered related to study drug. CONCLUSIONS: Similar PK profiles and robust LDL-C reductions were observed following a single 150-mg s.c. injection of bococizumab administered to the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm in untreated subjects with LDL-C ≥130 mg/dL. Bococizumab was generally well tolerated following a single 150-mg s.c. administration in this subject population.

Lipid-Reduction Variability and Antidrug-Antibody Formation with Bococizumab.

BACKGROUND: Bococizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9), reduces levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. However, the variability and durability of this effect are uncertain. METHODS: We conducted six parallel, multinational lipid-lowering trials enrolling 4300 patients with hyperlipidemia who were randomly assigned to receive 150 mg of bococizumab or placebo subcutaneously every 2 weeks and who were followed for up to 12 months; 96% were receiving statin therapy at the time of enrollment. The patients were assessed for lipid changes over time, stratified according to the presence or absence of antidrug antibodies detected during the treatment period. RESULTS: At 12 weeks, patients who received bococizumab had a reduction of 54.2% in the LDL cholesterol level from baseline, as compared with an increase of 1.0% among those who received placebo (absolute between-group difference, -55.2 percentage points). Significant between-group differences were also observed in total cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and lipoprotein(a) (P<0.001 for all comparisons). However, high-titer antidrug antibodies developed in a substantial proportion of the patients who received bococizumab, which markedly diminished the magnitude and durability of the reduction in LDL cholesterol levels. In addition, among patients with no antidrug antibodies, there was wide variability in the reduction in LDL cholesterol levels at both 12 weeks and 52 weeks. Major cardiovascular events occurred in 57 patients (2.5%) who received bococizumab and in 55 (2.7%) who received placebo (hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.66 to 1.39; P=0.83). The most common adverse event among patients who received bococizumab was injection-site reaction (12.7 per 100 person-years). CONCLUSIONS: In six multinational trials evaluating bococizumab, antidrug antibodies developed in a large proportion of the patients and significantly attenuated the lowering of LDL cholesterol levels. Wide variation in the relative reduction in cholesterol levels was also observed among patients in whom antidrug antibodies did not develop. (Funded by Pfizer; SPIRE ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT01968954 , NCT01968967 , NCT01968980 , NCT02100514 , NCT02135029 , and NCT02458287 .).

Cardiovascular Efficacy and Safety of Bococizumab in High-Risk Patients.

BACKGROUND: Bococizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and reduces levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. We sought to evaluate the efficacy of bococizumab in patients at high cardiovascular risk. METHODS: In two parallel, multinational trials with different entry criteria for LDL cholesterol levels, we randomly assigned the 27,438 patients in the combined trials to receive bococizumab (at a dose of 150 mg) subcutaneously every 2 weeks or placebo. The primary end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina requiring urgent revascularization, or cardiovascular death; 93% of the patients were receiving statin therapy at baseline. The trials were stopped early after the sponsor elected to discontinue the development of bococizumab owing in part to the development of high rates of antidrug antibodies, as seen in data from other studies in the program. The median follow-up was 10 months. RESULTS: At 14 weeks, patients in the combined trials had a mean change from baseline in LDL cholesterol levels of -56.0% in the bococizumab group and +2.9% in the placebo group, for a between-group difference of -59.0 percentage points (P<0.001) and a median reduction from baseline of 64.2% (P<0.001). In the lower-risk, shorter-duration trial (in which the patients had a baseline LDL cholesterol level of ≥70 mg per deciliter [1.8 mmol per liter] and the median follow-up was 7 months), major cardiovascular events occurred in 173 patients each in the bococizumab group and the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.22; P=0.94). In the higher-risk, longer-duration trial (in which the patients had a baseline LDL cholesterol level of ≥100 mg per deciliter [2.6 mmol per liter] and the median follow-up was 12 months), major cardiovascular events occurred in 179 and 224 patients, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.97; P=0.02). The hazard ratio for the primary end point in the combined trials was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.76 to 1.02; P=0.08). Injection-site reactions were more common in the bococizumab group than in the placebo group (10.4% vs. 1.3%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In two randomized trials comparing the PCSK9 inhibitor bococizumab with placebo, bococizumab had no benefit with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events in the trial involving lower-risk patients but did have a significant benefit in the trial involving higher-risk patients. (Funded by Pfizer; SPIRE-1 and SPIRE-2 ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT01975376 and NCT01975389 .).

Evaluating bococizumab, a monoclonal antibody to PCSK9, on lipid levels and clinical events in broad patient groups with and without prior cardiovascular events: Rationale and design of the Studies of PCSK9 Inhibition and the Reduction of vascular Events (SPIRE) Lipid Lowering and SPIRE Cardiovascular Outcomes Trials.

BACKGROUND: Although statins significantly reduce vascular event rates, residual cholesterol risk remains high in many patient groups, including those with known vascular disease as well as in the setting of high-risk primary prevention. Bococizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9), prolongs the half-life of hepatic low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors, and reduces circulating atherogenic cholesterol levels. DESIGN: The SPIRE program comprises 6 lipid-lowering studies and 2 cardiovascular outcomes trials, each comparing bococizumab (150 mg subcutaneously every 2 weeks) to matching placebo. The 6 SPIRE lipid-lowering studies include 3 parallel 12-month assessments of bococizumab on atherogenic lipids among statin-treated individuals at high residual risk (SPIRE-HR, SPIRE-LDL, SPIRE-LL), one 12-month study of bococizumab among individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia (SPIRE-FH), one 6-month study of bococizumab among those with statin intolerance (SPIRE-SI), and one 3-month study of bococizumab delivery using an auto-injector device (SPIRE-AI). The SPIRE-1 and SPIRE-2 event-driven cardiovascular outcome trials will assess the efficacy and safety of bococizumab in the prevention of incident vascular events in high-risk populations with and without clinically evident cardiovascular disease who have directly measured entry LDL cholesterol levels ≥70 mg/dL (SPIRE-1, n = 17,000) or ≥100 mg/dL (SPIRE-2, n = 11,000). SUMMARY: The SPIRE trials, inclusive of more than 30,000 participants worldwide, will ascertain the magnitude of reduction in atherogenic lipids that accrue with bococizumab and determine whether the addition of this PCSK9 inhibitor to standard treatment significantly reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in high-risk patients, including those without a history of clinical cardiovascular events.

Tiotropium in patients with moderate COPD naive to maintenance therapy: a randomised placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The benefits of pharmacotherapy with tiotropium HandiHaler 18 µg for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been previously demonstrated. However, few data exist regarding the treatment of moderate disease (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage II). AIMS: To determine whether tiotropium improves lung function/patient-reported outcomes in patients with GOLD stage II COPD naive to maintenance therapy. METHODS: A randomised 24-week double-blind placebo-controlled trial of tiotropium 18 µg once daily (via HandiHaler) was performed in maintenance therapy-naive patients with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio <0.7 and post-bronchodilator FEV1 ≥50 and <80%. RESULTS: A total of 457 patients were randomised (238 tiotropium, 219 placebo; mean age 62 years; FEV1 1.93 l (66% predicted)). Tiotropium was superior to placebo in mean change from baseline in post-dose FEV1 area under the curve from 0 to 3 h (AUC0-3h) at week 24 (primary endpoint): 0.19 vs. -0.03 l (least-squares mean difference 0.23 l, P<0.001). FVC AUC0-3h, trough and peak FEV1 and FVC were significantly improved with tiotropium versus placebo (P<0.001). Compared with placebo, tiotropium provided numerical improvements in physical activity (P=NS). Physician's Global Assessment (health status) improved (P=0.045) with less impairment on the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire (P=0.043) at week 24. The incidence of exacerbations, cough, bronchitis and dyspnoea was lower with tiotropium than placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Tiotropium improved lung function and patient-reported outcomes in maintenance therapy-naive patients with GOLD stage II COPD, suggesting benefits in initiating maintenance therapy early.

Reduction in cardiovascular risk using a proactive multifactorial intervention is consistent among patients residing in Pacific Asian and non-Pacific Asian regions: a CRUCIAL trial subanalysis.

BACKGROUND: Few trials have compared different approaches to cardiovascular disease prevention among Pacific Asian (PA) populations. The Cluster Randomized Usual Care versus Caduet Investigation Assessing Long-term-risk (CRUCIAL) trial demonstrated that a proactive multifactorial intervention (PMI) approach (based on single-pill amlodipine/atorvastatin) resulted in a greater reduction in calculated Framingham 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk compared with usual care (UC) among hypertensive patients with additional risk factors. One-third of CRUCIAL patients resided in the PA region. The aim of this subanalysis was to compare two approaches to cardiovascular risk factor management (PMI versus UC) among patients residing in PA and non-PA regions. METHODS: This subanalysis of the CRUCIAL trial compared treatment-related changes in calculated CHD risk among patients residing in PA and non-PA regions. Sensitivity analyses were conducted among men and women and those with and without diabetes. RESULTS: Overall, 448 patients (31.6%) resided in the PA region and 969 patients (68.4%) resided in non-PA regions. The PMI approach was more effective in reducing calculated CHD risk versus UC in both PA (-37.1% versus -3.5%; P<0.001) and non-PA regions (-31.1% versus -4.2%; P<0.001); region interaction P=0.131. PA patients had slightly greater reductions in total cholesterol compared with non-PA patients. PA patients without diabetes had slightly greater reductions in CHD risk compared with non-PA patients. Treatment effects were similar in men and women and those with diabetes. CONCLUSION: The PMI approach was more effective in reducing calculated Framingham 10-year CHD risk compared with UC among men and women with and without diabetes residing in the PA and non-PA region.

Proactive multifactorial intervention strategy reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease estimated with region-specific risk assessment models in Pacific Asian patients participating in the CRUCIAL trial.

Despite race, ethnic, and regional differences in cardiovascular disease risk, many worldwide hypertension management guidelines recommend the use of the Framingham coronary heart disease (CHD) risk equation to guide treatment decisions. This subanalysis of the recently published CRUCIAL trial compared the treatment-related reductions in calculated CHD and stroke risk among Pacific Asian (PA) patients using a variety of region-specific risk assessment models. As a result, greater reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides were observed in the proactive multifactorial intervention (PMI) arm compared with the usual care arm at Week 52 for PA patients. The relative percentage change in 10-yr CHD risk between baseline and Week 52 in the PMI versus usual care arms was greatest using the NIPPON DATA80 fatal CHD model (LS [least square] mean difference -42.6%), and similar in the SCORE fatal CHD and Framingham total CHD models (LS mean difference -29.4% and -30.8%, respectively). The single-pill based PMI approach is consistently effective in reducing cardiovascular disease risk, evaluated using a variety of risk assessment models. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00407537).

Effects of varenicline on smoking cessation in adults with stably treated current or past major depression: a randomized trial.

UNLABELLED: Chinese translation BACKGROUND: Depression is overrepresented in smokers. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate smoking abstinence and changes in mood and anxiety levels in smokers with depression treated with varenicline versus placebo. DESIGN: Phase 4, multicenter, parallel, 1:1 allocation, double-blind, randomization trial. Randomization, stratified by antidepressant use and depression score at baseline, was blocked in sizes of 4. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01078298). SETTING: 38 centers in 8 countries. PARTICIPANTS: 525 adult smokers with stably treated current or past major depression and no recent cardiovascular events. INTERVENTION: Varenicline, 1 mg twice daily, or placebo for 12 weeks, with 40-week nontreatment follow-up. MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcome was carbon monoxide-confirmed continuous abstinence rate (CAR) for weeks 9 to 12. Other outcomes included CARs assessed during nontreatment follow-up and ratings of mood, anxiety, and suicidal ideation or behavior. RESULTS: 68.4% versus 66.5% of the varenicline and placebo groups, respectively, completed the study. Varenicline-treated participants had higher CARs versus placebo at weeks 9 to 12 (35.9% vs. 15.6%; odds ratio [OR], 3.35 [95% CI, 2.16 to 5.21]; P < 0.001), 9 to 24 (25.0% vs. 12.3%; OR, 2.53 [CI, 1.56 to 4.10]; P < 0.001), and 9 to 52 (20.3% vs. 10.4%; OR, 2.36 [CI, 1.40 to 3.98]; P = 0.001). There were no clinically relevant differences between groups in suicidal ideation or behavior and no overall worsening of depression or anxiety in either group. The most frequent adverse event was nausea (varenicline, 27.0%; placebo, 10.4%). Two varenicline-group participants died during the nontreatment phase. LIMITATIONS: Some data were missing, and power to detect differences between groups was low in rare events. Smokers with untreated depression, with co-occurring psychiatric conditions, or receiving mood stabilizers and antipsychotics were not included. CONCLUSION: Varenicline increased smoking cessation in smokers with stably treated current or past depression without exacerbating depression or anxiety. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Pfizer.