Placebo-controlled Phase Research Articles

Review of the fluoropyrimidine antidote uridine triacetate.

In 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved uridine triacetate to treat overdose and severe toxicity of the fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy agents 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and its oral prodrug capecitabine. Uridine triacetate is as an oral prodrug of uridine that competes with cytotoxic fluoropyrimidine metabolites for incorporation into nucleotides. Two million people worldwide start fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy each year, with 20-30% developing severe or life-threatening adverse effects, often attributable to a genetic predisposition such as dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency. Whilst genetic prescreening is recommended prior to starting fluoropyrimidine agents, this only prevents 20-30% of early-onset life-threatening toxicity and so does not obviate the need for an antidote. Initial in-human studies established that uridine triacetate more than doubles the maximum tolerated weekly 5-FU bolus dose. A lack of clinical equipoise meant a placebo-controlled phase III trial was not ethical and so the phase III trials used historical controls. These found that uridine triacetate improved survival in those with fluoropyrimidine overdose and severe toxicity from 16% to 94%, with 34% able to resume chemotherapy within 30 days. Five case reports of delayed fluoropyrimidine toxicity demonstrate improvement following uridine triacetate treatment 120-504 h after last fluoropyrimidine administration, suggesting efficacy beyond the FDA licencing indications. Mechanistically uridine triacetate would be expected to be effective for overdose and severe toxicity of tegafur (a 5-FU prodrug), but there are no published case reports describing this. Uridine triacetate is available internationally through an expanded access scheme and has been available in the UK since 2019 on a named patient basis.

The regulatory T cell-selective interleukin-2 receptor agonist rezpegaldesleukin in the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases: two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1b trials

Regulatory T cell (Treg) impairment is implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases, but relatively little is known about the therapeutic potential of Treg restoration. Here we present clinical evidence for the Treg-selective interleukin-2 receptor agonist rezpegaldesleukin (REZPEG) in two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1b trials in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) (NCT04081350) or chronic plaque psoriasis (PsO) (NCT04119557). Key inclusion criteria for AD included an Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score ≥ 16 and a validated Investigator Global Assessment for Atopic Dermatitis (vIGA-AD) ≥ 3, and for PsO included a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score of ≥ 12 and a static Physician’s Global Assessment (sPGA) score of ≥ 3. REZPEG is safe and well-tolerated and demonstrates consistent pharmacokinetics in participants receiving subcutaneous doses of 10 to 12 µg/kg or 24 µg/kg once every 2 weeks for 12 weeks, meeting the primary and secondary objectives, respectively. AD patients receiving the higher dose demonstrate an 83% improvement in EASI score after 12 weeks of treatment. EASI improvement of ≥ 75% (EASI-75) and vIGA-AD responses are maintained for 36 weeks after treatment discontinuation in 71% and 80% of week 12 responders, respectively. These exploratory clinical improvements are accompanied by sustained increases in CD25bright Tregs. REZPEG thus represents a homeostatic approach to cutaneous disease therapy and holds clinical potential in providing long-term, treatment-free disease control.

Safety and Immunogenicity of an Adjuvanted Clostridioides difficile Vaccine Candidate in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Phase 1 Study.

This study investigated the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity in healthy subjects of a Clostridioides difficile vaccine candidate with/without adjuvant, targeting toxins A and B. In this first-in-human, phase 1, observer-blind study, subjects aged 18-45 years were randomized to receive F2 antigen (n = 10) or placebo (n = 10), and subjects aged 50-70 years to receive F2 antigen plus AS01 adjuvant (n = 45), F2 antigen (n = 45), or placebo (n = 30) in 2 doses 1 month apart. A subcohort (n = 40) received a third dose 15 months later. Solicited adverse events (AEs) were recorded for 7 days and unsolicited AEs for 30 days after each dose. Immunogenicity was assessed at baseline and after each dose. Solicited AEs were transient and most frequent in subjects receiving F2 antigen plus AS01. No serious AEs were considered related to study vaccine. Immunogenicity was substantially higher in subjects receiving F2 antigen plus AS01 than subjects receiving F2 antigen alone. A third dose increased the immune response in subjects with baseline neutralization titers below the assay lower limit of quantitation. The GSK C. difficile vaccine candidate was immunogenic, especially when given with AS01, and was well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile. NCT04026009.

Upadacitinib in Adolescents With Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis

The Measure Up 1, Measure Up 2, and AD Up studies demonstrated the efficacy and adverse events of upadacitinib through 52 weeks in adults and adolescents with atopic dermatitis (AD); however, longer-term outcomes (longer than 1 year) in adolescents have not previously been available. To evaluate the efficacy and adverse events of upadacitinib in adolescent patients with moderate to severe AD through 76 weeks. The Measure Up 1, Measure Up 2, and AD Up trials are ongoing double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 randomized clinical trials including adolescents (aged 12 to 17 years) with moderate to severe AD. Data were collected from August 2018 to April 2022, and data were analyzed from June 2022 to September 2023. Adolescents were randomized 1:1:1 to receive once-daily oral upadacitinib, 15 mg; upadacitinib, 30 mg; or placebo, either alone (Measure Up 1 and Measure Up 2 trials) or with topical corticosteroids (AD Up). At week 16, placebo-treated patients were rerandomized to receive upadacitinib, 15 mg, or upadacitinib, 30 mg, daily. Coprimary end points assessing efficacy included achievement of 75% reduction or more in the Eczema Area and Severity Index Score (EASI-75) from baseline, Validated Investigator Global Assessment for Atopic Dermatitis (vIGA-AD) score of clear (0) or almost clear (1) with 2 grades or more of improvement, and Worst Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (WP-NRS) improvement of 4 points or greater through week 76 for participants with a WP-NRS score of 4 points or higher at baseline. From all studies, 542 adolescents were included; of these, 284 (52.4%) were female. At week 76, among patients in the Measure Up 1, Measure Up 2, and AD Up trials, EASI-75 was achieved by 89.1%, 84.4%, and 87.8% of adolescents taking upadacitinib, 15 mg, respectively, and by 96.1%, 93.6%, and 82.7% of adolescents taking upadacitinib, 30 mg, indicating maintenance or improvement of EASI-75 across 76 weeks with upadacitinib. Efficacy measured by achievement of vIGA-AD score of 0 or 1 and WP-NRS improvement of 4 points or more from baseline was similarly maintained or improved through week 76 for adolescents taking upadacitinib, 15 mg or 30 mg. Long-term outcomes in Measure Up 1, Measure Up 2, and AD Up participants were consistent with the known adverse event profile of upadacitinib (herpetic infection: 4.0, 1.9, and 1.1 events per 100 patient-years, respectively; creatine kinase elevation: 11.6, 11.0, and 7.1 events per 100 patient-years); no new signals were observed with either dose. In this study assessing 3 randomized clinical trials, long-term treatment of adolescents with moderate to severe AD with upadacitinib demonstrated a favorable benefit-risk profile, with sustained efficacy responses through 76 weeks. Measure Up 1 trial: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03569293; Measure Up 2 trial: NCT03607422; AD Up trial: NCT03568318.

Long-term management of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis with lebrikizumab and concomitant topical corticosteroids: a 68-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial in Japan (ADhere-J).

Moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) impacts patients' quality of life (QOL). More treatment options are urgently needed to manage this chronic disease. Lebrikizumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds to IL-13, a key mediator in AD pathogenesis. In Japanese patients, lebrikizumab has been evaluated through week (W) 16 in the randomized, placebo-controlled, phase III ADhere-J study. To evaluate long-term efficacy and safety of lebrikizumab in combination with topical corticosteroids (TCS) in the ADhere-J study. Patients aged ≥12 years and weighing ≥40 kg with moderate-to-severe AD, and receiving either subcutaneous lebrikizumab 250 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W)/every 4 weeks (Q4W) or placebo during the 16-week induction period, were evaluated during the long-term maintenance period from W16 to W68. Responders achieved co-primary endpoints at W16: Investigator's Global Assessment score of 0 or 1 (IGA [0,1]) with ≥2-point improvement from baseline, and/or ≥75% improvement from baseline in Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI 75). In this analysis, W16 responders received lebrikizumab 250 mg Q2W or Q4W combined with TCS during the maintenance period (maintenance primary population; MPP); W16 per-protocol nonresponders received lebrikizumab Q2W with TCS (maintenance escape population; MEP). Major endpoints included IGA (0,1) with ≥2-point improvement from baseline and EASI 75 through W68. Other outcomes included QOL, itch, and serum thymus and activation-regulated chemokine. At W68, 66-81% of 103 patients in the MPP and 32-38% of 168 patients in the MEP achieved IGA (0,1) with ≥2-point improvement from baseline. EASI 75 was maintained by 83-89% of patients in the MPP, while 71-80% of patients in the MEP achieved this outcome by W68. Across treatment arms, patients in the MPP tended to maintain improvements recorded at W16, while patients in the MEP steadily improved across the maintenance period. No new safety signals were reported, and most treatment-emergent adverse events were mild or moderate in severity in both populations. Safety outcomes were consistent with previous reports for lebrikizumab treatment in global studies. These results support the use of lebrikizumab in combination with TCS for moderate-to-severe AD in the Japanese population over the long term. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04760314).

A Multicenter, Open-Label Study to Evaluate the Long-term Safety and Efficacy of Adjunctive Brexpiprazole 2 mg Daily in Japanese Patients with Major Depressive Disorder.

Inadequate response to antidepressant monotherapy is common among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The efficacy and safety of adjunctive brexpiprazole 2 mg/day has recently been confirmed during the 6-week, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2/3 (BLESS) study, which evaluated brexpiprazole at 1 mg/day and 2 mg/day versus placebo as adjunctive therapy to antidepressant therapies in 740 Japanese patients with MDD and an inadequate response to antidepressant monotherapy. This study evaluated the long-term safety and efficacy of adjunctive fixed-dose brexpiprazole 2 mg/day in Japanese patients with MDD. An open-label, 52-week study enrolled rollover patients who completed the 6-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2/3 BLESS study (NCT03697603), and de novo patients aged ≥ 65 years. Patients were titrated to fixed-dose brexpiprazole 2 mg/day from Week 1. Safety assessments included treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs; primary outcome) and clinical and laboratory variables. Efficacy was assessed using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale(MADRS), Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) 17-item total score, and Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) score. In total, 247 patients [rollover, n = 216; de novo (previously unexposed), n = 31] were included in the safety/efficacy populations, and 138 (rollover, n = 132; de novo, n = 6; 55.9%) completed the study. Common TEAEs (incidence ≥ 10%) were weight gain [33.2% (n = 82)], akathisia [23.5% (n = 58)], nasopharyngitis [21.1% (n = 52)], and somnolence [10.5% (n = 26)]. TEAEs leading to treatment discontinuation occurred in 26.7% of patients receiving brexpiprazole and 58.1% of de novo patients. The mean (SD) increase in body weight from baseline to Week 52 [observed cases (OC)] was 4.2 (6.5) kg (n = 138); 44.5% (n = 110) had weight gain ≥ 7% at any postbaseline visit. There were no cases of tardive dyskinesia and no AEs related to suicide/suicide attempts. One death occurred (unknown cause), which was unrelated to study treatment. Improvements in the MADRS total score were observed from baseline over the course of the 52-week study [mean (SD) change at Week 52 (OC): - 7.3 (8.7)] for all patients receiving brexpiprazole. The overall MADRS response rate and remission rate in patients receiving brexpiprazole was 41.3% (n = 57) and 34.8% (n = 48), respectively, at Week 52 (OC). Improvements in CGI-S, HAM-D 17 item total score, and SDS mean scores were also observed from baseline over the 52-week study, with a mean (SD) change from baseline at Week 52 (OC) of - 0.8 (1.0), - 5.9 (6.3), and - 1.0 (2.2), respectively, indicating a sustained improvement in symptoms with long-term brexpiprazole treatment. This is the first study to evaluate the safety profile of brexpiprazole 2 mg/day in Japanese patients with MDD, including older adults, which is similar to previous reports, with no new safety risks, and continued efficacy over 52 weeks. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03737474; registered on 29 July 2018).

Clinical development and proof of principle testing of new regenerative vascular endothelial growth factor-D therapy for refractory angina: rationale and design of the phase 2 ReGenHeart trial

BackgroundDespite tremendous therapeutic advancements, a significant proportion of coronary artery disease patients suffer from refractory angina pectoris, that is, quality-of-life-compromising angina that is non-manageable with established pharmacological and interventional treatment...

Corticosteroid Use in Randomized Clinical Trials of Biologics and Small Molecules in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review aims to elucidate the use of corticosteroids in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating biologics and small molecules for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We analyzed corticosteroid use during both the induction and maintenance phases, highlighting areas needing standardization and improvement in clinical research. We selected placebo-controlled phase 3 RCTs involving adults with moderate to severe IBD. These studies included detailed reports on corticosteroid use during induction and maintenance phases, with clinical remission and/or corticosteroid-free clinical remission (CSF-CR) as primary endpoints. Initially, 324 studies were identified and refined to 26 RCTs after screening. Analysis revealed variability in corticosteroid administration. Over time, corticosteroid use showed a decreasing trend (Spearman ρ = -0.42, P = .045). Studies allowing higher corticosteroid doses (up to 40mg/day of prednisone or equivalent) reported a higher proportion of corticosteroid users (51.8%, range: 42.9%-61%) compared to those excluding patients on doses >20mg/day (37.5%, range: 31.6%-51.8%; P = .007) or >30mg/day (41.1%, range: 29.6%-53.7%; P=.023). Trials with mandatory tapering protocols showed a narrower gap between overall clinical remission and CSF-CR rates, with an average difference of 6% in the group without mandatory tapering and 1.2% in the group with forced tapering (T-test P=.038; Cohen's d ≈ 1.1). This review highlights the variability in corticosteroid use across RCTs and its impact on evaluating new IBD therapies. Standardizing tapering protocols and defining CSF-CR are essential for accurate outcomes.

Baseline characteristics of Ghanaian children and adults enrolled in PIVOT, a randomised clinical trial of hydroxyurea in HbSC disease in sub-Saharan Africa.

HbSC disease is a common form of sickle cell disease with significant morbidity and early mortality. Whether hydroxyurea is beneficial for HbSC disease is unknown. Prospective Identification of Variables as Outcomes for Treatment (PIVOT, Trial ID PACTR202108893981080) is a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase II trial of hydroxyurea for people with HbSC, age 5-50 years, in Ghana. After screening, participants were randomised to placebo (standard of care) or hydroxyurea. The primary outcome is the cumulative incidence of haematological toxicities during 12 months of blinded treatment; secondary outcomes include multiple laboratory and clinical assessments. Between April 2022 and June 2023, 112 children and 102 adults were randomised, including 44% females and average age 21.6 ± 14.5 years. Participants had substantial morbidity including previous hospitalisations (93%), vaso-occlusive events (86%), malaria (79%), often received transfusions (20%), with baseline haemoglobin 11.0 ± 1.2 g/dL and foetal haemoglobin 1.8% ± 1.5%. The spleen was palpable in six children and one adult, and ultrasonographic volumes were collected. Proliferative sickle retinopathy was common (30% children, 75% adults), but proteinuria was less common (3% children, 8% adults). Whole blood viscosity, ektacytometry, point-of-sickling, transcranial Doppler, near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS), 6-minute walk, and quality of life were also measured. Now fully enrolled, PIVOT will document the safety and potential benefits of hydroxyurea on clinical and laboratory outcomes in HbSC disease.

StratosPHere 2: study protocol for a response-adaptive randomised placebo-controlled phase II trial to evaluate hydroxychloroquine and phenylbutyrate in pulmonary arterial hypertension caused by mutations in BMPR2

BackgroundPulmonary arterial hypertension is a life-threatening progressive disorder characterised by high blood pressure (hypertension) in the arteries of the lungs (pulmonary artery). Although treatable, there is no known cure for this rare disorder, and its exact cause is unknown. Mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type-2 (BMPR2) are the most common genetic cause of familial pulmonary arterial hypertension. This study represents the first-ever trial of treatments aimed at directly rescuing the BMPR2 pathway, repurposing two drugs that have shown promise at restoring levels of BMPR2 signalling: hydroxychloroquine and phenylbutyrate.MethodsThis three-armed phase II precision medicine study will investigate BMPR2 target engagement and explore the efficacy of two repurposed therapies in pulmonary arterial hypertension patients with BMPR2 mutations. Patients will be stratified based on two BMPR2 mutation classes: missense and haploinsufficient mutations. Eligible subjects will be randomised to one of the three arms (two active therapy arms and a placebo arm, all plus standard of care) following a Bayesian response-adaptive design implemented independently in each stratum and updated in response to a novel panel of primary biomarkers designed to assess biological modification of the disease.DiscussionThe results of this trial will provide the first randomised evidence of the efficacy of these therapies to rescue BMPR2 function and will efficiently explore the potential for a differential response of these therapies per mutation class to address causes rather than consequences of this rare disease.Trial registrationThe study has been registered with ISRCTN (ISRCTN10304915, 22/09/2023).

DESIGN AND SET UP OF A RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF MEDICINAL CANNABINOIDS IN RECURRENT GLIOBLASTOMA - THE ARISTOCRAT TRIAL

Abstract AIMS ARISTOCRAT is a unique, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II trial of cannabinoids (nabixo- mols) alongside temozolomide in patients with MGMT-methylated recurrent GBM and is open to recruitment in 12 centres across the UK. It was rapidly funded through a crowdfunding campaign organised by The Brain Tumour Charity during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD This pragmatic phase II randomised trial was designed and set up by a multi-disciplinary team of co-applicants and trial management group (TMG) members comprising of clinicians, statisticians, trialists, Patient & Public Involvement (PPI), pharmacists and quality of life (QoL) researchers. The protocol randomises on a 2:1 ratio between nabiximols or matched placebo with standard dose temozolomide in patients at first recurrence of IDH wild-type GBM. Unique aspects include self-titration of nabiximols based on individual tolerance, and fully blinded randomisation with matched placebo. The primary outcome measure is overall survival time with key secondary outcomes including survival at 6, 12 and 24 months, progression-free survival time, health-related QoL and adverse events. Intermediate assessment of feasibility to confirm safety, compliance and achievability of recruitment will be undertaken after 40 patients are randomised. PPI input has been critical in the trial and patient-facing information design. RESULTS The trial has promoted a high level of patient and public interest, including press coverage. The trial aims to recruit a total of 234 patients over an 18 month period. CONCLUSION ARISTOCRAT will provide unique, robust clinical data on the role of nabiximols (combined with temozolomide) in improving overall survival and the impact on QoL for patients with recurrent GBM and is the first of its kind in cancer patients.

Exeporfinium chloride (XF-73) nasal gel significantly reduces Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in cardiac surgery patients throughout surgery and the early recovery period: results from a randomized placebo-controlled Phase 2 study.

Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriers were randomized (1:1) to XF-73 or placebo nasal gel, administered 5x over ∼24hrs pre-cardiac surgery. S. aureus burden rapidly decreased after 2 doses (-2.2log10 CFU/mL; placebo -0.01log10 CFU/mL) and was maintained to 6 days post-surgery. Among XF-73 patients, 46.5% received post-operative anti-staphylococcal antibiotics versus 70% in placebo (P = 0.045).

Octreotide subcutaneous depot for acromegaly: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial, ACROINNOVA 1.

Acromegaly, characterized by excessive growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), impacts quality of life (QoL) and mortality. Standard of care (SoC; octreotide long-acting repeatable or lanreotide autogel) treatment typically requires healthcare provider administration. CAM2029, a novel subcutaneous octreotide depot with increased bioavailability using FluidCrystal technology, enables self-administration and room-temperature storage. Assess superiority of CAM2029 versus placebo for biochemical control in patients with controlled acromegaly. 24-week, multinational, randomized, double-blind, phase 3 trial (NCT04076462). 45 sites; ten countries. 72 patients on SoC with biochemical control at screening (IGF-1 ≤upper limit of normal [ULN]; mean GH <2.5 μg/L). Patients were randomized 2:1 to once-monthly CAM2029 (n=48) or placebo (n=24). Primary endpoint was proportion of patients with IGF-1 ≤ULN (Week 22/24 mean), with dose-reduced patients classified as non-responders; first key secondary endpoint was the same, including dose-reduced responders. Second key secondary endpoint was proportion of patients with IGF-1 ≤ULN (Week 22/24) and mean GH <2.5 μg/L (Week 24). At Week 22/24 (intention-to-treat analysis), CAM2029-treated patients demonstrated superior response rates versus placebo for IGF-1 (72.2% versus 37.5%; risk difference: 34.6, 95% confidence interval: 11.3, 57.9; p=0.0018), and combined IGF-1/GH (70.0% versus 37.5%; p=0.0035). CAM2029-treated patients had well-controlled symptoms, improved QoL and treatment satisfaction versus placebo and baseline. CAM2029 was well tolerated; safety was consistent with SoC. CAM2029 provides a convenient and effective treatment option for acromegaly, with superior biochemical control versus placebo. Symptom control, QoL and satisfaction were improved from baseline SoC.

Comparative Efficacy and Safety of the β3-Adrenoceptor Agonist Vibegron for Urgency and Mixed Urinary Incontinence: A Post Hoc Analysis of a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 3 Study

Comparative Efficacy and Safety of the β3-Adrenoceptor Agonist Vibegron for Urgency and Mixed Urinary Incontinence: A Post Hoc Analysis of a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 3 Study

Efficacy and safety of a fixed-dose combination of dapagliflozin and linagliptin (AJU-A51) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A multicentre, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled phase III study.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of add-on dapagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) who had inadequate glycaemic control with metformin and linagliptin. A total of 235 patients with inadequate response to metformin (≥1000 mg/day) plus linagliptin (5 mg/day) were randomized to receive either dapagliflozin/linagliptin fixed-dose combination (FDC [AJU-A51]) 10/5 mg/day (n = 117) or linagliptin 5 mg plus placebo (n = 118) for 24 weeks. After the main treatment period, patients who received linagliptin plus placebo were treated with AJU-A51 for an additional 28 weeks. Change in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) from baseline to Week 24 was the primary endpoint. AJU-A51 significantly reduced HbA1c levels (from 7.93% ± 0.82% to 7.11% ± 0.61%) compared with linagliptin plus placebo (from 7.80% ± 0.71% to 7.87% ± 0.94%), with a least squares mean difference of -0.88% (95% confidence interval -1.07 to -0.68; p < 0.0001) at 24 weeks. The AJU-A51 group had a significantly higher proportion of patients who achieved HbA1c <7.0% at Week 24 than the control group (44.8% vs. 18.6%; p < 0.001). The AJU-A51 group maintained glycaemic efficacy up to 52 weeks, whereas the control group showed a substantial reduction in HbA1c after switching to AJU-A51 in the extension study period. Both groups had similar incidence of treatment-emergent and serious adverse events, and no cases of symptomatic hypoglycaemia were reported. Dapagliflozin and linagliptin FDC (AJU-A51) showed potent glucose-lowering effects, with good tolerability, in patients with T2D who had poor glycaemic control on metformin and linagliptin (ClinicalTrials.gov [NCT06329674]).

6519 BCG Clinical Trial Programs in Advanced Type 1 Diabetes - 2024 Update

Abstract Disclosure: W.M. Kühtreiber: None. B. Thach: None. H. Hayashi: None. L. Adams: None. N. Hullavarad: None. D.A. Mounier: None. K. Le: None. E. Bulczynski: None. J.L. Dorsey: None. N. Kartsounis: None. J. Braley: None. H. Zheng: None. D.L. Faustman: None. The bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, originally developed a century ago to prevent tuberculosis infection, has today advanced in multiple clinical trials for the treatment of the type 1 diabetes (T1D), other forms of autoimmunity and infectious disease. At our institution, over 500 individuals with type 1 diabetes have been enrolled in ongoing BCG clinical protocols to test BCG’s ability to lower HbA1c, reduce insulin requirements and stabilize day-to-day fluctuations in blood sugars; 300 have been treated with BCG. In a completed randomized, placebo-controlled Phase I trial in adults with established T1D, long-term follow up continues to show that HbA1c values are durably lowered for 8+ years after multi-dose BCG treatment. In two open-label clinical trials in adults with juvenile-onset diabetes, a 10-15% reduction of HbA1c was observed after multi-dose BCG treatment. A randomized, double-blinded Phase II trial in adults with longstanding T1D has followed all patients in the BCG-treated (n=100) and placebo groups (n=50) for five years and is pending read-out. The primary outcome of all the trials is HbA1c lowering. Two new, randomized, double-blinded pediatric trials are testing the potential benefits of BCG vaccination with active enrollment ongoing. One is testing BCG in children ages 12 to 18 with more than 2 years since T1D diagnosis. The other is enrolling children ages 8 to 18 with less than 1 year since T1D diagnosis. BCG vaccine therapy may provide a safe and affordable medical intervention in individuals with longstanding T1D and works decades after disease onset by changing glucose metabolism within lymphocytes, independently of the pancreas. Presentation: 6/3/2024

8000 Intestinimonas Butyriciproducens As A New Preventive Therapy For Type 2 Diabetes: a Proof Of Concept Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Disclosure: V. Antoniotti: None. M. Caputo: None. E. Mollero: None. A. Antonioli: None. S. Tini: None. M. Manfredi: None. S. Gul: None. N. Bui: None. J. Seegers: None. W. De Vos: None. G. Aimaretti: None. F. Prodam: None. Background. The incidence of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) is increasing worldwide. Prevention is possible by changing lifestyle but it’s not effective alone in real life, due to poor compliance over time. New strategies are necessary, mostly for high-risk individuals. Therapeutic microbiology is a further proposed target, and butyrate-producing bacteria can improve metabolic parameters in obese patients. Our study aims to evaluate the effect of Intestinimonas butyriciproducens as a preventive therapy for T2D in prediabetes thanks to its effects in decreasing Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs), converting sugars and proteins in butyrate, and increasing insulin sensitivity.Methods. The trial is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled (phase 1) and open-label pilot study with two different doses (phase 2) of 26 weeks. I. butyriciproducens (105 CFU/day) or placebo were given for 12 weeks, then subjects in placebo will start the treatment (105 CFU/day), and the other group will increase the dose (108 CFU/day) for 14 weeks. Overweight or obese patients with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) were included. Patients were assessed for clinical, biochemical, and microbiota parameters at the time of recruitment (V1), after phase 1 (V7) and phase 2 (V10), during which the eating and lifestyle habits were also evaluated. No dietary advice was given. Results. Nineteen have completed the study. Treated patients during the first phase had a significant improvement in glucose-insulin metabolism demonstrated through the HOMA Disposition Index (p= 0.0075). Lipid profile also ameliorates in patients treated at a low dose and then at a high dose, particularly decreasing triglycerides (phase 1: p= 0.0212; phase 2: p= 0.0261). The weight and BMI of patients were stable throughout the period of study. Data from Flash glucose Monitoring (FGM) show a more stable glucose, mainly at the end of the study. Serum AGE concentrations showed a trend towards a decrease in treated patients, whereas IL-10 slowly increased without changes in IL-6 and IL-17.Lastly, 10 out of 19 patients after 26 weeks of treatment had a remission in IFG or IGT (52.6%). Conclusions. Intestinimonas butyriciproducens seems to improve insulin sensitivity and triglycerides in treated patients. Intestinimonas butyriciproducens could be a new strategy in the work-up of T2D prevention. Presentation: 6/1/2024

7425 Biochemical Response, Symptom Control, and Safety of Oral Octreotide Capsules Treatment in Acromegaly: A Post Hoc Analysis of a Large Pooled Database from Three Phase 3 Clinical Trials

Abstract Disclosure: M. Fleseriu: Consulting Fee; Self; Novo Nordisk, Amryt Pharma Holdings Ltd, Ascend Therapeutics (A Besins Healthcare company). Speaker; Self; Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc., RECORDATI_RARE_DISEASES_INC., Ipsen Pharma SAS. S.L. Samson: Advisory Board Member; Self; Amryt. Research Investigator; Self; Amryt. N. Biermasz: Advisory Board Member; Self; Recordati, Pfizer Global R&amp;D. Grant Recipient; Self; Macro Registry Grant, Amryt. C.J. Strasburger: Advisory Board Member; Self; Sandoz, Ipsen, Recordati. Consulting Fee; Self; Ascendis, Amryt, Novo Nordisk, Merck, Sandoz, Recordati. Speaker; Self; Ipsen, Novo Nordisk, HRA-Pharma. S. Fuchs Orenbach: Employee; Self; Chiesi Global Rare Diseases. J.A. Crompton: Employee; Self; Chiesi Global Rare Diseases. S. Melmed: Advisory Board Member; Self; Ionis, Crinetics. Consulting Fee; Self; Ipsen. Grant Recipient; Self; Pfizer. Background: Treatment with oral octreotide capsules (OOC) was evaluated in three phase 3 trials (CH-ACM-01, OPTIMAL, MPOWERED) in patients with acromegaly who previously tolerated and responded to the injectable somatostatin receptor ligands (iSRLs) octreotide and lanreotide. Results demonstrated efficacy and safety despite differences in trial design. Pooling data from all three trials can provide further insight into the biochemical response, symptom improvement, and safety profile of OOC. Objective: Analyze the biochemical changes, symptom control, and safety of OOC through a pooled analysis of phase 3 clinical trial datasets. Methods: Patients included were aged ≥18 years with acromegaly and responded biochemically to iSRL therapy before the initiation of OOC (defined as IGF-I &amp;lt;1.3 × ULN and mean integrated GH &amp;lt;2.5 ng/mL for CH-ACM-01 and MPOWERED, and IGF-I ≤1.0 × ULN for OPTIMAL). Data analyzed were from the following periods: baseline until the end of the double-blind placebo-controlled phase of OPTIMAL (36 weeks); the run-in phase of MPOWERED (26 weeks); end of dose escalation (2-5 months; efficacy data) and end of fixed dose phase (up to 7 months, safety data) for CH-ACM-01. Effect of prior iSRL dose was analyzed using a random effects meta-analysis. Symptom severity was scored using the Acromegaly Index of Severity (AIS) tool. Results: Efficacy, symptom, and safety data were available for 318, 194, and 329 patients, respectively. The overall response rate was 65% with no effect of prior iSRL dose (p&amp;gt;0.05). Mean (SD) IGF-I change from baseline was +0.17 (0.32; n=214), +0.19 (0.39; n=81), and +0.22 (0.57; n=23) for patients with baseline IGF-I levels ≤1 × ULN, 1 to &amp;lt;1.3 × ULN, and ≥1.3 × ULN. Twenty percent (16/81) and 35% (8/23) of patients with baseline IGF-I of 1 to &amp;lt;1.3 x ULN and ≥1.3 x ULN shifted to an improved category of response. There was a median decrease of one symptom per patient (p&amp;lt;0.05) and a mean decrease of 0.8 in AIS (p&amp;lt;0.05). The proportion of OOC responders reporting ≤1, 2, or 3 moderate/severe acromegaly symptoms at baseline and month 6 decreased from 56% to 39%, 32% to 20%, and 20% to 12%. At month 6, improvement was seen for all individual symptoms (joint pain, swelling, sweating, fatigue, headache) of moderate/severe grade and was significant for joint pain (36% to 22%) and swelling (15% to 10%) (p&amp;lt;0.02). Most adverse events (AEs) were gastrointestinal (GI) in nature (54%, n=179/329) with a median onset and duration of 15 and 12 days for first reported GI events. Conclusion: Pooled analysis confirms overall maintenance of biochemical control in patients previously responding to iSRL therapy, with decreased symptom burden in OOC responders. OOC was generally well tolerated with no new safety signals. GI-related AEs were largely transient. These results support OOC as a therapeutic option for treating acromegaly. Presentation: 6/3/2024

INTEGRATE IIa Phase III Study: Regorafenib for Refractory Advanced Gastric Cancer.

Treatment options for refractory advanced gastric and esophagogastric junction cancer (AGOC) are limited. Regorafenib, an oral multikinase inhibitor, prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) versus placebo in the INTEGRATE I phase II trial. INTEGRATE IIa was designed to examine whether regorafenib improved overall survival (OS). A double-blind placebo-controlled phase III trial compared regorafenib and best supportive care (BSC) versus placebo and BSC for participants with confirmed evaluable metastatic/advanced AGOC who failed ≥two prior therapies on a 2:1 random assignment, stratified by tumor location, geographic region (Asia v rest of world), and prior vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors. The primary end point was OS. Treatment efficacy on OS was first tested in the pooled INTEGRATE I + INTEGRATE IIa cohort and, if significant, then in the INTEGRATE IIa cohort. Secondary end points were PFS, objective response rate, safety, and quality of life (QoL). INTEGRATE IIa enrolled 251 participants: 157 from Asia and 94 from rest of world and 169 received regorafenib and 82 received placebo. No significant heterogeneity was observed between INTEGRATE I and INTEGRATE IIa studies on OS. Pooled OS analysis hazard ratio (HR) was 0.70 (95% CI, 0.56 to 0.87; P = .001; 361 events). INTEGRATE IIa alone OS HR was 0.68 (95% CI, 0.52 to 0.90; P = .006; 238 events), the median OS was 4.5 months versus 4.0 months, and 12-month survival rates were 19% and 6%, for regorafenib versus placebo, respectively. After a preplanned adjustment for multiplicity, there were no statistically significant differences across regions or other prespecified subgroups. Regorafenib improved PFS (HR, 0.53 [95% CI, 0.40 to 0.70]; P < .0001) and delayed deterioration in global QoL (HR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.52 to 0.89]; P = .0043). The toxicity profile was consistent with that of previous reports. Regorafenib improves survival compared with placebo in refractory AGOC.

Cadonilimab plus platinum-based chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab as first-line treatment for persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer (COMPASSION-16): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial in China

Cadonilimab is a bispecific antibody targeting PD-1 and CTLA-4, which has shown substantial clinical benefits in advanced cervical cancer. In the COMPASSION-16 trial, we aimed to evaluate the addition of cadonilimab to first-line standard chemotherapy in persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer. In this randomised, double-blind, multicentre, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial, women aged 18-75 years across 59 clinical sites in China with previously untreated persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive cadonilimab (10 mg/kg) or placebo plus platinum-based chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab every 3 weeks for six cycles, followed by maintenance therapy every 3 weeks for up to 2 years. Randomisation was performed centrally through an interactive web-response system. Stratification factors were the use of bevacizumab (yes or no) and previous concurrent chemoradiotherapy (yes or no). The dual primary outcomes were progression-free survival as assessed by blinded independent central review and overall survival in the full analysis set. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04982237; the study has completed enrolment and is ongoing for treatment and follow-up. 445 eligible women were enrolled between Sept 11, 2021, and June 23, 2022. Median progression-free survival was 12·7 months (95% CI 11·6-16·1) in the cadonilimab group and 8·1 months (7·7-9·6) in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·62 [95% CI 0·49-0·80], p<0·0001); median overall survival was not reached (27·0 months to not estimable) versus 22·8 months (17·6-29·0), respectively (hazard ratio 0·64 [0·48-0·86], p=0·0011). The most common grade 3 or higher adverse events were decreased neutrophil count, decreased white blood cell count, and anaemia. The addition of cadonilimab to first-line standard chemotherapy significantly improved progression-free survival and overall survival with a manageable safety profile in participants with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer. The data support the use of cadonilimab plus chemotherapy as an efficacious first-line therapy in persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer. Akeso Biopharma.