A tutorial for model-based evaluation and translation of cardiovascular safety in preclinical trials.

Assessment of drug-induced effects on the cardiovascular (CV) system remains a critical component of the drug discovery process enabling refinement of the therapeutic index. Predicting potential drug-related unintended CV effects in the preclinical stage is necessary for first-in-human dose selection and preclusion of adverse CV effects in the clinical stage. According to the current guidelines for small molecules, nonclinical CV safety assessment conducted via telemetry analyses should be included in the safety pharmacology core battery studies. However, the manual for quantitative evaluation of the CV safety signals in animals is available only for electrocardiogram parameters (i.e., QT interval assessment), not for hemodynamic parameters (i.e., heart rate, blood pressure, etc.). Various model-based approaches, including empirical pharmacokinetic-toxicodynamic analyses and systems pharmacology modeling could be used in the framework of telemetry data evaluation. In this tutorial, we provide a comprehensive workflow for the analysis of nonclinical CV safety on hemodynamic parameters with a sequential approach, highlight the challenges associated with the data, and propose respective solutions, complemented with a reproducible example. The work is aimed at helping researchers conduct model-based analyses of the CV safety in animals with subsequent translation of the effect to humans seamlessly and efficiently.

Long-term safety and efficacy of olokizumab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and inadequate response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitor therapy in phase II studies.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of olokizumab (OKZ), an anti-interleukin (IL)-6 monoclonal antibody, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inadequate response to tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors. METHODS: Eligible patients completed study RA0056, which tested several doses of OKZ, placebo (PBO), and tocilizumab (TCZ) plus methotrexate (MTX) in Western countries, and RA0083 included several doses of OKZ and PBO plus MTX in Asian countries. Both studies were followed by open-label extension (OLE) studies with OKZ 120 mg every 2 weeks, RA0057 and RA0089, respectively. Safety assessments were reported up to 124 weeks in RA0057 and 92 weeks in RA0089. Efficacy assessments were reported up to week 60 in RA0057 and week 52 in RA0089. No formal statistical hypothesis testing was performed, and missing data were not imputed. RESULTS: A total of 190 patients in RA0057 and 103 patients in RA0089 received OKZ with median treatment duration of 14.1 and 10.1 months, respectively. Serious adverse events (SAEs) were reported in 44 patients (23.2%, 32.7 events per 100 patient-years [PY]) in RA0057 and in 13 patients (12.6%, 23.6 events per 100 PY) in RA0089. Among treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), including SAEs, infections were the most common events. TEAEs leading to withdrawal were reported in 33 (17.4%) patients in RA0057 and in 7 (6.8%) patients in RA0089. Disease activity score 28-joint count on the basis of C-reactive protein level, clinical disease activity index, and simplified disease activity index, as well as the American College of Rheumatology 20%, 50%, and 70% response rates were maintained during the OLE studies, including in those who switched from PBO or TCZ. Improvements in patient-reported outcomes were maintained in OLEs as well. CONCLUSION: In the 2 long-term studies, OKZ treatment demonstrated a safety profile expected for IL-6 blocking agents without new safety signals and led to sustained improvements in RA symptoms, physical function, and quality of life.

Frontiers in urethra regeneration: current state and future perspective.

Despite the positive achievements attained, the treatment of male urethral strictures and hypospadiases still remains a challenge, particularly in cases of severe urethral defects. Complications and the need for additional interventions in such cases are common. Also, shortage of autologous tissue for graft harvesting and significant morbidity in the location of harvesting present problems and often lead to staged treatment. Tissue engineering provides a promising alternative to the current sources of grafts for urethroplasty. Since the first experiments in urethral substitution with tissue engineered grafts, this topic in regenerative medicine has grown remarkably, as many different types of tissue-engineered grafts and approaches in graft design have been suggested and testedin vivo. However, there have been only a few clinical trials of tissue-engineered grafts in urethral substitution, involving hardly more than a hundred patients overall. This indicates that the topic is still in its inception, and the search for the best graft design is continuing. The current review focuses on the state of the art in urethral regeneration with tissue engineering technology. It gives a comprehensive overview of the components of the tissue-engineered graft and an overview of the steps in graft development. Different cell sources, types of scaffolds, assembling approaches, options for vascularization enhancement and preclinical models are considered.

Bladder Organoids and Spheroids: Potential Tools for Normal and Diseased Tissue Modelling.

Bladder-related diseases are among the most common and costly to the healthcare system, and therefore require new approaches to treatment. Organoids and spheroids are 3D cultures that mimic organ features ex vivo and offer novel approaches for diagnostic and therapeutic assessment. The aim of this article was to provide a systematic review of the literature related to bladder organoids and spheroids, applied to disease diagnosis, characterization, and treatment. PubMed and Web of Science were utilized in March 2018 to compile 191 articles satisfying search criteria related to bladder organoids or spheroids and 58 articles were included in the final review. Finally, cell types and techniques utilized for spheroid and organoid manufacture were characterized. The applications of bladder carcinoma spheroids and organoids followed three themes: cancer characterization, diagnosis, and treatment. Tumor characterization studies included a focus on extracellular matrix, microenvironment, genetics, and growth of tumor cells. Diagnostic studies explored the use of endogenous fluorophores and white light for photodiagnosis. Treatment studies investigated cancer chemotherapy, immunotherapy, oncolytic viruses, and gene therapy. Ten studies explored hypericin as a tool for diagnostics and photodynamic therapy. Additionally, two studies applied organoids to urinary tract infections.

Risk factors for urethral stricture and/or bladder neck contracture after monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVE:: To identify risk factors for urethral stricture and/or bladder neck contracture after transurethral resection of benign prostatic hyperplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: We performed a retrospective analysis of 402 patients, which underwent a monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate in the urology clinic of Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University for prostatic hyperplasia during the period 2011-2014. Urethral stricture and (or) bladder neck contracture in the postoperative period were diagnosed in 61 (15.27%) patients; 34 patients (8.6%) had urethral stricture, 20 (4.97%) bladder neck contracture, and 7 (1.7%) had a combination of urethral stricture and bladder neck contracture. In 341 of cases (84.73%), no late postoperative complications were observed. A total of 106 of the 341 patients met the inclusion criteria, hence, containing all the information necessary for analysis such as the volume of the prostate, the duration of the surgery, the size of the endoscope, data on concomitant diseases, analysis prostatic secretion, and so on. Thus, two groups were formed. Group 1 (106 patients) is the control group in which urethral strictures and/or bladder neck contractures did not occur in the long-term postoperative period and group 2 (61 patients), in which was observed the formation of these complications. To calculate the statistical significance of the differences for categorical data, Fisher criterion was used. For quantitative variables, in the case of normal data distribution, an unpaired t-test or one-way analysis of variance was used; for data having a distribution different from normal, a Mann-Whitney rank test was used. RESULTS:: Regression analysis established the significance of the influence of four factors on the development of scar-sclerotic changes of urethra and bladder neck: the tool diameter 27 Fr ( p < 0.0001), presence of prostatitis in past medical history ( p < 0.0001), prostate volume ( p = 0.003), and redraining of the bladder ( p = 0.0162). CONCLUSION:: The relationship between the diameter of the instrument, presence of chronic prostatitis in anamnesis, increased volume of the prostate, and repeated drainage of the bladder using the urethral catheter with the risk of developing scar-sclerotic changes in the urethra and/or bladder neck are statistically reliable and confirmed as a result of regression analysis.

Efficacy and Safety of Ixabepilone and Capecitabine in Patients With Advanced Triple-negative Breast Cancer: a Pooled Analysis From Two Large Phase III, Randomized Clinical Trials.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ixabepilone plus capecitabine in patients with metastatic or locally advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a pooled analysis of patients with TNBC enrolled in 2 phase III trials (NCT00080301 and NCT00082433), pretreated or resistant to an anthracycline and a taxane. In each study, patients were randomized to receive ixabepilone 40 mg/m2 (3-hour intravenous infusion, day 1), plus oral capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 twice daily (days 1-14), or capecitabine alone 1250 mg/m2 twice daily (days 1-14), every 3 weeks. Treatment was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. RESULTS: In the subset of patients with TNBC (N = 443), the addition of ixabepilone to capecitabine compared with capecitabine alone prolonged median progression-free survival from 1.7 months to 4.2 months (hazard ratio [HR], 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52-0.78; P < .0001), and doubled the objective response rate from 15% (95% CI, 10.4%-20.5%) to 31% (95% CI, 24.4%-38.0%). The median overall survival was similar (9.0 vs. 10.4 months; HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.72-1.08; P = .1802). A similar pattern of efficacy between arms was observed in the overall pooled population (N = 1973). The safety profile was comparable between the pooled TNBC subset and the overall pooled population. Adverse events observed with combination therapy were generally manageable and consistent with the safety profiles of the individual agents. CONCLUSION: Adding ixabepilone to capecitabine is effective in prolonging progression-free survival and improving objective response rate compared with capecitabine alone in patients with advanced TNBC previously treated with anthracyclines and taxanes.