Safety Studies Research Articles

Diagnosis and treatment of dyslipidemia in children and adolescents

Background: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, including in South Korea. Dyslipidemia is an independent risk factor for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. There is strong evidence that atherosclerosis begins early in life and that elevated lipid levels in childhood predict elevated lipid levels into adulthood.Current Concepts: A universal approach for cholesterol screening in all children is recommended. Lipid profiles should be studied for all children aged 9 to 11 years and then for those aged 17 to 21 years, as cholesterol levels may vary after puberty. The non-fasting lipid profile can be as useful in detecting severe genetic dyslipidemias as the fasting lipid profile and thus can be used as a first-line screening in children. The initial treatment for dyslipidemia in a child always begins with a 6-month trial of lifestyle modifications, such as improvements in dietary and physical activity patterns. Statins are as effective in children as in adults and can lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels by up to 50%. Therefore, they are considered first-line therapy for children who meet the criteria for pharmacological therapy.Discussion and Conclusion: Statins and non-statin lipid-lowering agents can lower cholesterol levels with minimal adverse effects in children and adolescents with hypercholesterolemia. However, limited data is currently available on the long-term safety and efficacy of lipid-lowering agents in the pediatric population. Furthermore, non-statin lipid-lowering agents are used far less frequently in children. Therefore, further long-term safety and efficacy studies on lipid-lowering agents in pediatric populations and clinical trials with non-statin lipid-lowering agents are required.

Efficacy and safety study of targeted small-molecule drugs in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus

BackgroundTargeted small-molecule drugs in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have attracted increasing attention from clinical investigators. However, there is still a lack of evidence on the difference in the efficacy and safety of different targeted small-molecule drugs. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of different targeted small-molecule drugs for SLE.MethodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) on targeted small-molecule drugs in the treatment of SLE in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched as of April 25, 2023. Risk of bias assessment was performed for included studies using the Cochrane’s tool for evaluating the risk of bias. The primary outcome indicators were SRI-4 response, BICLA response, and adverse reaction. Because different doses and courses of treatment were used in the included studies, Bayesian network meta-regression was used to investigate the effect of different doses and courses of treatment on efficacy and safety.ResultsA total of 13 studies were included, involving 3,622 patients and 9 targeted small-molecule drugs. The results of network meta-analysis showed that, in terms of improving SRI-4, Deucravacitinib was significantly superior to that of Baricitinib (RR = 1.32, 95% CI (1.04, 1.68), P < 0.05). Deucravacitinib significantly outperformed the placebo in improving BICLA response (RR = 1.55, 95% CI (1.20, 2.02), P < 0.05). In terms of adverse reactions, targeted small-molecule drugs did not significantly increase the risk of adverse events as compared to placebo (P > 0.05).ConclusionBased on the evidence obtained in this study, the differences in the efficacy of targeted small-molecule drugs were statistically significant as compared to placebo, but the difference in the safety was not statistically significant. The dose and the course of treatment had little impact on the effect of targeted small-molecule drugs. Deucravacitinib could significantly improve BICLA response and SRI-4 response without significantly increasing the risk of AEs. Therefore, Deucravacitinib is very likely to be the best intervention measure. Due to the small number of included studies, more high-quality clinical evidence is needed to further verify the efficacy and safety of targeted small-molecule drugs for SLE.

Clinical manifestations of EVALI in adolescents and the impact of e-cigarettes on the respiratory disease

In recent years there has been a significant increase in the popularity of electronic cigarettes among adolescents and young adults worldwide. E-cigarettes have reached the market without the extensive preclinical toxicology testing or long-term safety studies required for conventional therapeutics and medical devices. Their effectiveness as a smoking cessation intervention, their impact at the population level and whether they are less harmful than combustible tobacco products are highly controversial. Studies show measurable adverse biological effects on organ and cell health in humans, animals and in vitro. E-cigarette use also increases the risk of respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. There is a serious risk of complications associated with e-cigarette use, such as EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury) - serious lung damage associated with, especially for adolescents. This paper reviews the effects of e-cigarettes on respiratory health.

Phase 1 study of safety and preliminary efficacy of intranasal transplantation of human neural stem cells (ANGE-S003) in Parkinson’s disease

BackgroundIntranasal transplantation of ANGE-S003 human neural stem cells showed therapeutic effects and were safe in preclinical models of Parkinson’s disease (PD). We investigated the safety and tolerability of this treatment...

RLS-0071, a novel anti-inflammatory agent, significantly reduced inflammatory biomarkers in a randomised human evaluation of mechanisms and safety study

BackgroundThis study was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study intended to establish the translatability of the RLS-0071 mechanisms of action from animal disease models to humans by inhibiting neutrophil-mediated inflammation at the tissue level and major inflammatory biomarkers. We hypothesized that RLS-0071 inhibits a temporary neutrophil-mediated inflammation in the lungs induced by inhalation of low-dose LPS in healthy participants.MethodsParticipants were randomised to one of three arms to receive inhaled LPS followed by three doses of either low-dose (10 mg·kg−1) or high-dose (120 mg·kg−1loading dose followed by 2 doses of 40 mg·kg−1) RLS-0071 IV or placebo (saline) every 8 h (Q8H). Biomarkers evaluating inflammatory responses, with absolute neutrophil counts in induced sputum as the primary endpoint, were collected before and at 6 and 24 h after LPS challenge.ResultsActive treatment with RLS-0071 showed a similar safety profile to participants receiving placebo. RLS-0071 significantly decreased the numbers of neutrophils in sputum at 6 h post LPS by approximately half (p=0.04). Neutrophil effectors myeloperoxidase, neutrophil elastase, and Interleukin-1β in sputum were also significantly decreased at 6 h for RLS-0071 compared with placebo. Several biomarkers showed trends suggesting sustained decreases for RLS-0071versusplacebo at 24 h.Discussion/ConclusionThis clinical trial demonstrated that RLS-0071 was safe and well tolerated and modulated neutrophil-mediated inflammation in humans after inhaled LPS challenge, consistent with results from prior animal model studies.

Post hoc subgroup analysis of Asian children with paediatric GHD from the global phase 3 efficacy and safety study of once-weekly somatrogon vs. once-daily somatropin.

Somatrogon is a long-acting recombinant human growth hormone used to treat patients with paediatric growth hormone deficiency (pGHD). This global phase 3 study compared the efficacy and safety of once-weekly somatrogon with once-daily somatropin in children with GHD. Prepubertal patients were randomized 1:1 to once-weekly somatrogon (0.66 mg/kg/week) or once-daily somatropin (0.24 mg/kg/week) for 12 months. The primary endpoint was height velocity (HV) at month 12; secondary endpoints included HV at month 6 and change in height standard deviation score (SDS) at months 6 and 12 and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) SDS. This post hoc subgroup analysis focused specifically on Asian children (somatrogon: n=24 and mean age=7.76 years; somatropin: n=21 and mean age=8.10 years) across eight countries. Mean HV at month 12 was 10.95 cm/year (somatrogon) and 9.58 cm/year (somatropin); the treatment difference of 1.38 cm/year favoured somatrogon. The lower bound of the two-sided 95 % CI of the treatment difference (somatrogon-somatropin) was -0.20, similar to the overall study population (-0.24). Compared with the somatropin group, the somatrogon group had numerically higher HV at month 6 (8.31 vs. 11.23 cm/year); a similar trend was observed for height SDS and IGF-1 SDS at months 6 and 12. Safety and tolerability were similar between treatment groups; adverse events occurred in 83 % of somatrogon-treated children and 76 % of somatropin-treated children. This subgroup analysis demonstrated that somatrogon efficacy and safety in Asian children were consistent with the overall study population, where once-weekly somatrogon was non-inferior to once-daily somatropin. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02968004.

CAR T cell resistance to oncogenic transformation.

In this commentary we discuss the investigation into reports of T-cell malignancies following CAR T-cell therapy. We argue that while these cases should be thoroughly examined, current data suggests that such risks with autolgous CAR T cells are remarkably low compared to other cancer treatments. We also emphasize the importance of continued research, transparent reporting, and participation in post-authorization safety studies.

CHAMPAIN study: Initial results from a phase II study of efficacy, safety and tolerability of modified-release hydrocortisones: Chronocort® (Efmody®) versus Plenadren®, in primary adrenal insufficiency

CHAMPAIN study: Initial results from a phase II study of efficacy, safety and tolerability of modified-release hydrocortisones: Chronocort® (Efmody®) versus Plenadren®, in primary adrenal insufficiency

Sequential administration of peripheral nerve blocks andonabotulinumtoxinA for the treatment of chronic migraine andother headache disorders-A retrospective tolerability and safety study.

To determine the tolerability and safety of concurrent peripheral nerve blocks and onabotulinumtoxinA treatment during a single outpatient clinic procedure visit. Procedural interventions are available for the treatment of headache disorders. OnabotulinumtoxinA and peripheral nerve blocks are used as alternatives or in addition to oral therapies to reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks. There is currently a lack of safety data focusing on the sequential administration of local anesthetic via peripheral nerve blocks and onabotulinumtoxinA during a single clinical encounter for the treatment of headache. The primary aim of the study was to determine the safety and tolerability of concurrent peripheral nerve blockade and onabotulinumtoxinA injections during a single outpatient clinic procedure visit. We hypothesized that the dual intervention would be safe and well tolerated by patients with chronic migraine and other headache disorders. A retrospective chart review was performed using clinical data from patients seen by multiple providers over a 16-month timeframe at one outpatient headache clinic. Patients were identified by procedure codes and those receiving peripheral nerve block(s) and onabotulinumtoxinA injections during a single encounter within the study period were eligible for inclusion. Inclusion criteria were (1) patients 18 years and older who were (2) receiving both peripheral nerve blocks and onabotulinumtoxinA injections for the treatment of chronic migraine. Patients were excluded if they were under age 18, received their procedure outside of the clinic (emergency room, inpatient ward), or were receiving sphenopalatine ganglion blocks. Age- and sex-matched patients who received one procedure, either peripheral nerve blocks or onabotulinumtoxinA, were used for control. The primary outcome of this safety study was the number of adverse events that occurred in the dual intervention group compared to the single intervention control arms. Information regarding adverse events was gathered via retrospective chart review. If an adverse event was recorded, it was then graded by the reviewer utilizing the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events ranging from Grade 1 Mild Event to Grade 5 Death. Additionally, it was noted whether the adverse event led to treatment discontinuation. In total, 375 patients were considered eligible for inclusion in the study. After age and sex matching of controls, 131 patients receiving dual intervention were able to be compared to 131 patients receiving onabotulinumtoxinA alone and 104 patients receiving dual intervention were able to be compared to 104 patients receiving peripheral nerve block(s) alone. The primary endpoint analysis showed no significant difference in total adverse events between dual intervention compared to nerve blocks alone or onabotulinumtoxinA alone. The number of adverse events that led to treatment discontinuation approached but did not reach statistical significance for those receiving dual intervention versus onabotulinumtoxinA alone in the number of adverse events that led to treatment termination (4.6%, 6/131 vs. 0.8%, 1/131, p = 0.065); however, the number of patients who discontinued therapy was not significantly different between those groups (2.3%, 3/131 vs. 0.8%, 1/131; p = 0.314; odds ratio 0.3 [0-3.2]; p = 0.338). In this retrospective chart review, there was no significant difference in adverse events or therapy discontinuation between patients receiving sequential peripheral nerve block(s) and onabotulinumtoxinA injections versus those receiving either peripheral nerve block(s) or onabotulinumtoxinA injections alone. As a result, we concluded that the combination procedure is likely safe and well tolerated in routine clinical practice.

Abstract PO4-04-07: Efficacy, safety and translational study of pyrotinib combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel as firstline treatment of HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer

Abstract Objective: Breast Cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women. HER-2 is a driver gene for poor prognosis in breast cancer. Anti-HER-2 drugs have significantly improved the prognosis of patients with HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer. There is still a lack of exploration of first-line anti-HER2 treatment options and translational studies only for patients with metastases after adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy. This study is based on our previous clinical trial of pyrotinib in combination with albumin-bound paclitaxel in first line for patients with HER-2-positive metastatic breast cancer after adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy, with the aim of exploring the efficacy and adverse events in the enrolled patients. And to explore the markers associated with Progression Free Survival (PFS) by using Olink technique to detect blood samples from patients. To provide a better screening of the benefit population and provide guidance for the treatment of HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer. Methods: From December 2019 to July 2023, our previous clinical trial prospectively enrolls 27 patients with HER-2-positive metastatic breast cancer after adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy. Pyrotinib (400 mg, po, qd) combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel (200 mg, ivdrip, d1, d8, q21d) was used as the first-line treatment regimen. Patients were evaluated for efficacy. Survival analysis was performed by using the Kaplan-Meier method. Blood samples were collected during treatment. We selected 21 blood samples from patients, and dynamically detected plasma protein changes by Olink technique. Differential protein analysis between groups according to hormone receptor status, trastuzumab primary/secondary resistance, and the presence of visceral metastases. And the proteins associated with PFS were analyzed. Results: Among the 27 patients whose efficacy had been evaluated, 7 patients were evaluated as CR, 18 patients as PR, and 2 patients as SD. The objective response rate was 92.6%, and the disease control rate was 100%. The median follow-up was 17.8 months and the median PFS has not yet been reached. Diarrhea is the most common adverse event. Grade 3 or higher adverse events include diarrhea, leukocytopenia, neutropenia, and hand-foot syndrome. The progression free survival was significantly worse in patients with visceral metastases (P=0.01). Results of Olink protein dynamic assay showed a significant downregulation of CEACAM5, TXLNA, PVRL4and ERBB2. Differential proteins between groups showed that there were no significant differential proteins between the hormone receptor-positive and negative groups at the baseline node, but 7 proteins were upregulated in the hormone receptor-positive group compared with the negative group at the progression node, with EMS-1, WIF-1, and hK14 being the most significant. Compared to primary resistance, trastuzumab secondary resistance appeared 4 proteins upregulated at the baseline node, with hK14 and CYR61 being the most significantly; and 33 proteins were upregulated at the progression node, with CYR61, CXL17, FURIN, and ABL1 being the most significantly. Patients with high expression of TLR3 and low expression of RET at the baseline node had longer PFS. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that pyrotinib in combination with albumin-bound paclitaxel as a first-line treatment regimen shows good efficacy and a manageable safety for patients with HER-2-positive metastatic breast cancer after adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy. PFS was shorter in patients with visceral metastases. TLR3 and RET were the proteins that significantly associated with PFS in patients. Citation Format: Huihui Li, Xiaochu Man, Sha Yin, Dongdong Zhou, Baoxuan Zhang, Shu Fang, Fangchao Zheng, Chao Li, Xinzhao Wang, Wei Huang, Linlin Wang, Qingqing He, Hui Fu, Yan Zhang, Changrui Liu, Lin Dong, Xianguang Zhao, Liang Xu, Xiao Sun, Bingjie Fan, Lihua Song, Zhengbo Zhou, Qiaorui Tan, Jinming Yu. Efficacy, safety and translational study of pyrotinib combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel as firstline treatment of HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO4-04-07.

Discovery of BIO-8169─A Highly Potent, Selective, and Brain-Penetrant IRAK4 Inhibitor for the Treatment of Neuroinflammation.

Interleukin receptor associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) plays an important role in innate immune signaling through Toll-like and interleukin-1 receptors and represents an attractive target for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and cancer. We previously reported the development of a potent, selective, and brain-penetrant imidazopyrimidine series of IRAK4 inhibitors. However, lead molecule BIO-7488 (1) suffered from low solubility which led to variable PK, compound accumulation, and poor in vivo tolerability. Herein, we describe the discovery of a series of pyridone analogs with improved solubility which are highly potent, selective and demonstrate desirable PK profiles including good oral bioavailability and excellent brain penetration. BIO-8169 (2) reduced the in vivo production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, was well tolerated in safety studies in rodents and dog at margins well above the predicted efficacious exposure and showed promising results in a mouse model for multiple sclerosis.

Abstract PO5-18-06: On-going phase 1A clinical trial of A01, a chimerized monoclonal antibody to Progranulin/Glycoprotein 88 (GP88) in patients with advanced malignancy

Abstract Progranulin (PGRN/GP88) is an 88 kDa glycoprotein characterized by seven and a half double cysteine rich repeats which is the largest member of the granulin-epithelin protein family. PGRN/GP88 has been demonstrated as a biological driver of tumorigenesis, survival, and drug resistance in several cancers including breast cancer (BC), lung prostate, ovarian and digestive cancers. PGRN/GP88 tissue expression is an independent prognostic factor of recurrence in breast, lung cancers while elevated serum PGRN/GP88 level in metastatic breast, lung, ovarian and prostate cancer patients. Elevated PGRN/GP88 levels are associated with poor outcomes such as progression and shortened survival. An anti-human PGRN/GP88 monoclonal antibody able to inhibit the the in vitro and in vivo action of human PGRN/GP88 has been developed, chimerized and expressed in CHO cells. All IND enabling activities including pharmacology, GMP manufacturing, formulation and GLP toxicology studies have been conducted. The IND application has been filed and cleared by the Food and Drug Administration. A first-in-human, first-in-class phase 1 safety and efficacy clinical study of AG01 in patients with solid tumors and advanced disease with special focus on patients with breast, lung and ovarian cancers has been initiated and is on-going at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center. The trial is registered as NCT05627960 to clinicaltrials.gov site. The presentation will provide an update on the number of patients enrolled in this on-going phase 1A trial. Supported by grants R44CA162629 and R44CA224718 from the National Cancer Institute to GS. Citation Format: Katherine Tkaczuk, Paula Rosenblatt, Ranee Mehra, Katherine Scilla, Nancy Tait, Binbin Yue, Ginette Serrero. On-going phase 1A clinical trial of A01, a chimerized monoclonal antibody to Progranulin/Glycoprotein 88 (GP88) in patients with advanced malignancy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-18-06.

Abstract PO1-05-08: Enhanced ER+ tumor growth inhibition of fulvestrant from effective oral delivery yielding elevated plasma concentrations

Abstract Fulvestrant has been a backbone of endocrine therapy (ET) for ER+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (mBC) for over 20 years due to its nanomolar potency, purely antagonistic behavior, and well-tolerated adverse event (AE) profile. It remains the only selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) approved in ER+/HER2- mBC regardless of ESR1 mutation status. While ESR1 mutations reduce fulvestrant binding affinity, they do not implicitly lead to acquired resistance as with aromatase inhibitors (AIs) and can be overcome by increasing exposure.1 Further, preclinical evidence suggests that higher exposure to fulvestrant correlates with higher efficacy in rodents.2 Unfortunately, fulvestrant is currently delivered at its maximum feasible dose due to its poor solubility and a lack of effective drug delivery technologies. In response, several novel oral SERDs have been brought into clinical development to improve upon the efficacy of fulvestrant. However, multiple have failed to prove superior to fulvestrant in its intramuscular (IM) injection formulation and improvements from elacestrant (EMERALD) and camizestrant (SERENA-2) are largely attributed to patients with ESR1 mutations after prior ETs. Therefore, enabling higher exposure of fulvestrant could prolong progression-free survival and improve quality of life for ET-naïve mBC patients and those that have progressed on ETs. VeraMorph has leveraged a proprietary oral drug delivery technology to overcome the limitations of fulvestrant’s poor solubility and potentially help mitigate acquired resistance by improving exposure via daily oral dosing. The oral dosages, which consist of a novel polymer-based soft gummy, stabilize fulvestrant in simulated intestinal media up to 5 mg/mL without influencing fulvestrant permeability or causing cytotoxic effects. Pharmacokinetic (PK) studies of oral fulvestrant in rodents have demonstrated maximum plasma concentrations up to 450 ng/mL, a level roughly 20 times that of the average exposure from the monthly IM formulation in clinical settings. PK studies also demonstrated that oral exposure increased with a roughly dose-proportional relationship, with a reduction in AUC from day 1 to day 8 upon repeat dosing. In a cell-derived xenograft (CDX) study utilizing ER+ MCF-7 tumors implanted in athymic nude mice, once daily dosing via oral gavage of oral fulvestrant at 125 mg/kg was able to achieve a statistically significant 55% reduction in tumor growth by day 42 relative to a 50 mg/kg dose of the IM formulation delivered subcutaneously once per week, which was determined to create an equivalent exposure to the monthly IM human dose in separate studies. Oral fulvestrant yielded no observed adverse effects up to 125 mg/kg in both the 42-day CDX study in mice or an 8-day safety study in rats. Further, onset of action and acquired resistance are being tested by monitoring cell viability (via the MTT assay) with MCF-7 cells exposed to time profiles of fulvestrant exposure resembling oral and monthly intramuscular delivery. The study demonstrated that oral dosing reaches minimal cell viability 1-2 weeks faster than IM dosing. Also, preliminary data suggests that the onset of acquired resistance (as demonstrated by a resumption of cell growth) may occur faster from the steady exposure of IM dosing relative to the modulation of daily oral dosing. These results suggest that oral fulvestrant has the potential to finally realize the full potential of fulvestrant as an effective ET for metastatic breast cancer with a well-tolerated AE profile, enhanced efficacy, and reduced susceptibility to acquired resistance with applicability across all mBC patients. 1 Brett JO, Spring LM, Bardia A, Wander SA (2021) Breast Cancer Research, 23(1):1–15. 2 Wardell SE, et. al. (2020) Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 179(1):67–77. Citation Format: Doug Godfrin, Matthew Butchbach. Enhanced ER+ tumor growth inhibition of fulvestrant from effective oral delivery yielding elevated plasma concentrations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-05-08.

Risk of acute pancreatitis among new users of empagliflozin compared to sulfonylureas in patients with type 2 diabetes: A post-authorization safety study.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the potential risk of acute pancreatitis with empagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) newly initiating empagliflozin. Data from two large US claims databases were analyzed in an observational study of patients with T2D receiving metformin who were newly prescribed empagliflozin versus sulfonylurea (SU). Because dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists have been associated with the risk of acute pancreatitis in some studies, patients on these agents were excluded. Using pooled analyses of data from the two databases (2014-2021), patients initiating empagliflozin were matched 1:1 within database to patients initiating SU using propensity scores (PS) that incorporated relevant demographic and clinical characteristics. Prespecified sensitivity analyses were performed for design parameters. The analyses identified 72 661 new users of empagliflozin and 422 018 new users of SUs, with both patient groups on concurrent metformin therapy. Baseline characteristics within treatment groups appeared to be similar across the 72 621 matched pairs. After mean follow-up of ~6 months, incidence rates of acute pancreatitis in the pooled matched cohort were 10.30 (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.29-11.39) events per 1000 patient-years (PY) for empagliflozin and 11.65 (95% CI 10.59-12.77) events per 1000 PY for SUs. On a background of metformin, patients newly initiating empagliflozin did not have an increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared with those initiating an SU (pooled PS matched hazard ratio 0.88 [0.76-1.02]) across 75621.42 PY of follow-up. The results of this voluntary post-approval safety study provide additional evidence that the use of empagliflozin for the treatment of T2D is not associated with an increased risk of acute pancreatitis.

A Functional RNA-Origami as Direct Thrombin Inhibitor with Fast-acting and Specific Single-Molecule Reversal Agents in vivo model

Injectable anticoagulants are widely used in medical procedures to prevent unwanted blood clotting. However, many lack safe, effective reversal agents. Here, we present new data on a previously described RNA origami-based, direct thrombin inhibitor (HEX01). We describe a new, fast-acting, specific, single-molecule reversal agent (antidote) and present in vivo data for the first time, including efficacy, reversibility, preliminary safety, and initial biodistribution studies. HEX01 contains multiple thrombin-binding aptamers appended on an RNA origami. It exhibits excellent anticoagulation activity in vitro and in vivo. The new single-molecule, DNA antidote (HEX02) reverses anticoagulation activity of HEX01 in human plasma within 30 seconds in vitro and functions effectively in a murine liver laceration model. Biodistribution studies of HEX01 in whole mice using ex vivo imaging show accumulated mainly in the liver over 24 hours and with 10-fold lower concentrations in the kidneys. Additionally, we show that the HEX01/HEX02 system is non-cytotoxic to epithelial cell lines and non-hemolytic in vitro. Furthermore, we found no serum cytokine response to HEX01/HEX02 in a murine model. HEX01 and HEX02 represent a safe and effective coagulation control system with a fast-acting, specific reversal agent showing promise for potential drug development.

A Safety and Feasibility Single-Arm Study of a Novel Catheter Thrombectomy Device for the Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism (ENGULF)

A Safety and Feasibility Single-Arm Study of a Novel Catheter Thrombectomy Device for the Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism (ENGULF)

Re-discover the value of protein binding assessments in hepatic and renal impairment studies and its contributions in drug labels and dose decisions.

One of the key pharmacokinetic properties of most small molecule drugs is their ability to bind to serum proteins. Unbound or free drug is responsible for pharmacological activity while the balance between free and bound drug can impact drug distribution, elimination, and other safety parameters. In the hepatic impairment (HI) and renal impairment (RI) clinical studies, unbound drug concentration is often assessed; however, the relevance and impact of the protein binding (PB) results is largely limited. We analyzed published clinical safety and pharmacokinetic studies in subjects with HI or RI with PB assessment up to October 2022 and summarized the contribution of PB results on their label dose recommendations. Among drugs with HI publication, 32% (17/53) associated product labels include PB results in HI section. Of these, the majority (9/17, 53%) recommend dose adjustments consistent with observed PB change. Among drugs with RI publication, 27% (12/44) of associated product labels include PB results in RI section with the majority (7/12, 58%) recommending no dose adjustment, consistent with the reported absence of PB change. PB results were found to be consistent with a tailored dose recommendation in 53% and 58% of the approved labels for HI and RI section, respectively. We further discussed the interpretation challenges of PB results, explored treatment decision factors including total drug concentration, exposure-response relationships, and safety considerations in these case examples. Collectively, comprehending the alterations in free drug levels in HI and RI informs treatment decision through a risk-based approach.

Fecal microbiota transplantation for Parkinson’s disease (FMT4PD): A safety and feasibility pilot study

Fecal microbiota transplantation for Parkinson’s disease (FMT4PD): A safety and feasibility pilot study

Effects of Repeated Doses of the Vero Cell Vaccine (SARS-Cov-2 Inactivated Vaccine) on Renal Functions in Balb/C Albino Mice.

Many of the vaccines developed for COVID-19 have been approved for clinical emergency use before their safety and preclinical studies have been completed. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus vaccine (Vero cells) on renal function in Balb/C Albino mice. 21 healthy, 6-8 week old BALB/c male mice were divided into three equal groups, and 0.10 mL of intramuscular saline equal to the vaccine dose volume was administered to the first group. To the second group, a single dose of 0.10 mL 120 U of Vero cell inactive SARS COV-2 vaccine was administered intramuscularly. Group 3 received two consecutive doses of 0.10 mL 120 U intramuscular Vero cell inactive SARS COV-2 vaccine, 14 days apart. After administration, the clinical status, fecal and urine status, nutritional status and kidney histopathology of the mice were evaluated. It was determined that no acute toxic symptoms were observed in the mice administered the vaccine, they were in good condition, and there was no significant stimulatory reaction related to the vaccine in the tissues of the injected local area. There was no difference in feed consumption, water consumption, and body weight gains between the control group, the groups that received a single dose of vaccine, and the groups that received two doses of vaccine (p>0.05). No difference was found between the groups when urine and feces amounts were compared (p>0.05). No difference was found between the groups when urinary urea, creatinine, and serum BUN, creatinine levels were compared (p>0.05). No difference was found in the histopathological evaluation of the kidneys between the groups (p>0.05). In conclusion, single or repeated injections of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (Vero cells) into mice were found to have no adverse effects on the animals' overall clinical health, performance abilities and kidneys.

Experimental road safety study of the actual driver reaction to the street ads using eye tracking, multiple linear regression and decision trees methods

The article describes the results of a naturalistic driving study done in Kuwait performed by 34 participants wearing a mobile eye tracker to monitor the effect of roadside advertisements on user attention. Eye-tracking (fixations) are the main dependent variable and examined as a function of driving/roadside characteristics, particularly billboards, speed, and so forth. The results obtained were analyzed using traditional statistics (ANOVA test and multiple linear regression) and machine learning (decision tree estimation methods). From the results, it was found that road advertisements negatively affect driver attention and thus road safety. How the level of safety varies with the type and size of advertisement was also investigated. As a consequence, all of the estimates revealed that different aspects of advertising have a detrimental impact on drivers' behavior, and that the duration of fixation and the rate of acceleration before viewing an ad are impacted by advertising type and size, respectively.