Exposure and response analysis of aleglitazar on cardiovascular risk markers and safety outcomes: An analysis of the AleCardio trial.

AIMS: The AleCardio trial aimed to characterize the efficacy and safety of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-αγ agonist aleglitazar in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and acute coronary syndrome. The trial terminated early because of futility and safety signals. We evaluated whether the safety signals could be attributed to increased exposure to aleglitazar. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The AleCardio trial enrolled 7226 patients to receive aleglitazar 150 µg or matching placebo on top of standard care. A population pharmacokinetic analysis was conducted in a pharmacokinetic substudy to identify covariates that explained interindividual variability in exposure. Subsequently, the effect of these covariates on surrogate and clinical outcomes was assessed in the full patient population. RESULTS: Concomitant administration of clopidogrel was identified as a covariate that influenced the apparent clearance of aleglitazar. Patients using clopidogrel had a mean predicted area under the plasma-concentration-time curve (AUC0-24 ) of 174.7 ng h/mL (SD: ±112.9 ng h/mL) versus 142.2 ng h/mL (SD: ±92.6 ng h/mL) in patients without clopidogrel. The effect of aleglitazar compared with placebo on HbA1c, haemoglobin, serum creatinine and adiponectin was modified by concomitant clopidogrel use (P for interaction 0.007, 0.002, <0.001 and < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant use of clopidogrel was identified as a covariate that explained interindividual variability in exposure to aleglitazar. Patients using clopidogrel showed an additional lowering of HbA1c, at the expense of an additional decrease in haemoglobin, and an increase in serum creatinine and adiponectin. Clopidogrel is a moderate inhibitor of CYP2C8. Because aleglitazar is metabolized by CYP2C8, a pharmacokinetic interaction could explain differences in exposure and response to aleglitazar.

Model-based approach for methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta drug development in paediatric patients with anaemia of chronic kidney disease.

AIMS: Methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (continuous erythropoietin receptor activator, C.E.R.A.) is used for the treatment of anaemia in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Patients treated with shorter-acting erythropoiesis-stimulating agents up to three times weekly can be switched to once-monthly C.E.R.A.. Doses can be adjusted on a monthly basis based on haemoglobin (Hb) levels during the preceding period. A model-based approach was applied to optimise C.E.R.A. development, more specifically the confirmatory trial of the paediatric plan. METHODS: Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data from a phase II paediatric study and phase II and III adult studies were analysed together using modelling and simulation to determine the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic characteristics of C.E.R.A. in a broad population. Model-based simulations of C.E.R.A. treatment outcomes in paediatric patients were performed, notably when administered subcutaneously and compared to clinical and real-world data. RESULTS: Age and body weight explained differences in pharmacokinetics, while the pharmacodynamic characteristics of C.E.R.A. were similar between adult and paediatric populations. Simulated Hb levels (mean and 95% prediction interval 10.9 [10.6, 11.2] g dL-1 ) and C.E.R.A. doses (median and 95% prediction interval 105 [72, 159] µg) 20 weeks after switching to subcutaneous C.E.R.A. were confirmed by observed real-world data from International Pediatric Dialysis Network registries (mean Hb was 10.8 g dL-1 and median C.E.R.A. dose was 100 µg). CONCLUSIONS: These analyses have facilitated optimisation of the C.E.R.A. development programme in paediatric patients with anaemia of CKD to provide this patient population with faster access to the drug while avoiding unnecessary clinical trial exposure and related monitoring burden in children.

Adiponectin, Free Fatty Acids, and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Acute Coronary Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: In observational cohorts, adiponectin is inversely associated and free fatty acids (FFAs) are directly associated with incident coronary heart disease (CHD). Adiponectin tends to be reduced and FFAs elevated in type 2 diabetes. We investigated relationships of adiponectin and FFA and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and death in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and type 2 diabetes using data from the AleCardio (Effect of Aleglitazar on Cardiovascular Outcomes After Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus) trial, which compared the PPAR-α/γ agonist aleglitazar with placebo. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Using Cox regression adjusted for demographic, laboratory, and treatment variables, we determined associations of baseline adiponectin and FFAs, or the change in adiponectin and FFAs from baseline, with MACEs (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) and death. RESULTS: A twofold higher baseline adiponectin (n = 6,998) was directly associated with risk of MACEs (hazard ratio [HR] 1.17 [95% CI 1.08-1.27]) and death (HR 1.53 [95% CI 1.35-1.73]). A doubling of adiponectin from baseline to month 3 (n = 6,325) was also associated with risk of death (HR 1.20 [95% CI 1.03-1.41]). Baseline FFAs (n = 7,038), but not change in FFAs from baseline (n = 6,365), were directly associated with greater risk of MACEs and death. There were no interactions with study treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to prior observational data for incident CHD, adiponectin is prospectively associated with MACEs and death in patients with type 2 diabetes and ACS, and an increase in adiponectin from baseline is directly related to death. These findings raise the possibility that adiponectin has different effects in patients with type 2 diabetes and ACS than in populations without prevalent cardiovascular disease. Consistent with prior data, FFAs are directly associated with adverse outcomes.

Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance and Survival in Patients With Diabetes and Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Objective: Insulin resistance has been linked to development and progression of atherosclerosis and is present in most patients with type 2 diabetes. Whether the degree of insulin resistance predicts adverse outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is uncertain. Design: The Effect of Aleglitazar on Cardiovascular Outcomes after Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus trial compared the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α/γ agonist aleglitazar with placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes and recent ACS. In participants not treated with insulin, we determined whether baseline homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR; n = 4303) or the change in HOMA-IR on assigned study treatment (n = 3568) was related to the risk of death or major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke) in unadjusted and adjusted models. Because an inverse association of HOMA-IR with N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has been described, we specifically examined effects of adjustment for the latter. Results: In unadjusted analysis, twofold higher baseline HOMA-IR was associated with lower risk of death [hazard ratio (HR): 0.79, 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.91, P = 0.002]. Adjustment for 24 standard demographic and clinical variables had minimal effect on this association. However, after further adjustment for NT-proBNP, the association of HOMA-IR with death was no longer present (adjusted HR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.83 to 1.19, P = 0.94). Baseline HOMA-IR was not associated with major adverse cardiovascular events, nor was the change in HOMA-IR on study treatment associated with death or major adverse cardiovascular events. Conclusions: After accounting for levels of NT-proBNP, insulin resistance assessed by HOMA-IR is not related to the risk of death or major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes and ACS.

Effect of aleglitazar on cardiovascular outcomes after acute coronary syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: the AleCardio randomized clinical trial.

IMPORTANCE: No therapy directed against diabetes has been shown to unequivocally reduce the excess risk of cardiovascular complications. Aleglitazar is a dual agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors with insulin-sensitizing and glucose-lowering actions and favorable effects on lipid profiles. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the addition of aleglitazar to standard medical therapy reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and a recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: AleCardio was a phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted in 720 hospitals in 26 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions. The enrollment of 7226 patients hospitalized for ACS (myocardial infarction or unstable angina) with type 2 diabetes occurred between February 2010 and May 2012; treatment was planned to continue until patients were followed-up for at least 2.5 years and 950 primary end point events were positively adjudicated. INTERVENTIONS: Randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive aleglitazar 150 µg or placebo daily. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary efficacy end point was time to cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. Principal safety end points were hospitalization due to heart failure and changes in renal function. RESULTS: The trial was terminated on July 2, 2013, after a median follow-up of 104 weeks, upon recommendation of the data and safety monitoring board due to futility for efficacy at an unplanned interim analysis and increased rates of safety end points. A total of 3.1% of patients were lost to follow-up and 3.2% of patients withdrew consent. The primary end point occurred in 344 patients (9.5%) in the aleglitazar group and 360 patients (10.0%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.83-1.11]; P = .57). Rates of serious adverse events, including heart failure (3.4% for aleglitazar vs 2.8% for placebo, P = .14), gastrointestinal hemorrhages (2.4% for aleglitazar vs 1.7% for placebo, P = .03), and renal dysfunction (7.4% for aleglitazar vs 2.7% for placebo, P < .001) were increased. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Among patients with type 2 diabetes and recent ACS, use of aleglitazar did not reduce the risk of cardiovascular outcomes. These findings do not support the use of aleglitazar in this setting with a goal of reducing cardiovascular risk. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01042769.

Evaluation of the dual peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α/γ agonist aleglitazar to reduce cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus: rationale and design of the AleCardio trial.

BACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) regulate transcription of genes involved in glucose uptake, lipid metabolism, and inflammation. Aleglitazar is a potent dual PPAR agonist with insulin-sensitizing and glucose-lowering actions and favorable effects on lipid profiles and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk. The AleCardio trial examines whether the addition of aleglitazar to standard medical therapy reduces the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and recent acute coronary syndrome. STUDY DESIGN: AleCardio is a phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. A total of 7,228 patients were randomized to aleglitazar 150 µg or placebo daily in addition to standard medical therapy. The primary efficacy end point is time to the first event of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Principal safety end points are hospitalization due to heart failure and changes in renal function. Treatment will continue until 7,000 patients are followed up for at least 2.5 years and 950 primary end point events are adjudicated. CONCLUSIONS: AleCardio will establish whether the PPAR-α/γ agonist aleglitazar improves cardiovascular outcomes in patients with diabetes and high-risk coronary disease.