Drug-induced blood pressure increase - recommendations for assessment in clinical and non-clinical studies.

INTRODUCTION: Changes in blood pressure (BP) are now proactively examined throughout the drug development process as an integral aspect of safety monitoring. This is because hypertension is a very strong risk factor for cardiovascular events and drug-induced increases in BP have attracted increased regulatory attention. However, there is currently no guidance from regulatory agencies on the minimum BP data required for submissions, and there are no specific criteria for what constitutes a safety signal for increased BP in non clinical studies. Areas covered: Evaluation of BP increases through the drug discovery and development process. Expert opinion: Research into the effects of drugs should begin before clinical development is initiated and continue throughout the clinical trial program. Non clinical studies should inform a benefit-risk analysis that will aid decision-making of whether to enter the drug into Phase I development. The degree of acceptable risk will vary according to the therapy area, treatment indication and intended population for the new drug, and the approach to BP assessment and risk mitigation should be tailored accordingly. However, BP monitoring should always be included in clinical trials, and data collected from multiple studies, to convincingly prove or refute a suspicion of BP effects.

Postoperative Melagatran/Ximelagatran for the Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism following Major Elective Orthopaedic Surgery : Effects of Timing of First Dose and Risk Factors for Thromboembolism and Bleeding Complications on Efficacy and Safety.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the influence of timing of postoperative initiation of subcutaneous melagatran followed by oral ximelagatran, and of risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE; including deep vein thrombosis [DVT] and pulmonary embolism [PE]) and bleeding complications, on the efficacy and safety of this regimen, compared with preoperative enoxaparin sodium, following total hip replacement (THR) or total knee replacement (TKR) surgery. DESIGN: Statistical analyses of efficacy and safety in subgroups of the METHRO III intention-to-treat population. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Main efficacy outcome measures were major VTE (proximal DVT, PE or VTE-related death) and total VTE (distal or proximal DVT, fatal or non-fatal PE). The main safety outcome measures were blood transfusion, severe bleeding events, blood loss, bleeding-related adverse events and need for reoperation. RESULTS: In the combined THR and TKR population, melagatran initiated 4 - <8 hours postoperatively was non-inferior to enoxaparin sodium with respect to the risks of total VTE (absolute risk reduction [ARR] 0; 95% confidence interval [CI] -4.4, 4.4) and major VTE (ARR -0.63; 95% CI -2.94, 1.67). The rate of major VTE was unaffected by the different risk factors. In the combined THR and TKR population, blood transfusion requirements were lower with melagatran/ximelagatran than enoxaparin sodium (odds ratio 0.83; 95% CI 0.71, 0.96; p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Melagatran/ximelagatran initiated 4 - <8 hours postoperatively provided a comparable level of protection against total and major VTE to preoperative enoxaparin sodium. Major VTE rates and safety were consistent across different patient subgroups. Subcutaneous melagatran followed by fixed-dose oral ximelagatran offers an alternative to the standard European low molecular-weight heparin regimen in a wide range of patients.

The effects of the spleen tyrosine kinase inhibitor fostamatinib on ambulatory blood pressure in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis: results of the OSKIRA-ABPM (ambulatory blood pressure monitoring) randomized trial.

Clinical trials of fostamatinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis showed blood pressure (BP) elevation using clinic measurements. The OSKIRA-ambulatory BP monitoring trial assessed the effect of fostamatinib on 24-hour ambulatory systolic BP (SBP) in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. One hundred thirty-five patients were randomized to fostamatinib 100 mg twice daily (bid; n = 68) or placebo bid (n = 67) for 28 days. Ambulatory, clinic, and home BPs were measured at baseline and after 28 days of therapy. Primary end point was change from baseline in 24-hour mean SBP. Fostamatinib increased 24-hour mean SBP by 2.9 mm Hg (P = .023) and diastolic BP (DBP) by 3.5 mm Hg (P < .001) versus placebo. Clinic/home-measured BPs were similar to those observed with ambulatory BP monitoring. After treatment discontinuation (1 week), clinic BP values returned to baseline levels. Fostamatinib induced elevations in 24-hour mean ambulatory SBP and DBP. BP elevations resolved with fostamatinib discontinuation.

Safety and tolerability of an immediate-release formulation of theoral direct thrombin inhibitor AZD0837 in the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation.

AZD0837 is an investigational oral anticoagulant which is converted to the active form, AR-H067637, a selective direct thrombin inhibitor. The present study, a multicentre, randomised, parallel-group, dose-guiding study, assessed the safety and tolerability of an immediate-release formulation of AZD0837 compared with dose-adjusted warfarin in the prevention of stroke and systemic embolic events in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Two hundred fifty AF patients with at least one additional risk factor for stroke were randomised to receive either immediate-release AZD0837 (150mg twice daily [bid] or 350mg bid, blinded treatment) or dose-adjusted warfarin (international normalised ratio 2.0-3.0, open treatment) for three months. The safety and tolerability of 150mg bid AZD0837 appeared to be as good as that of warfarin. Total bleeding events were six with 150mg bid AZD0837, 15 with 350mg bid AZD0837 and eight with warfarin. Alanine aminotransferase elevations (>3xupper limit of normal) were infrequent, without apparent differences between treatment groups. A numerically higher incidence of serious adverse events was observed with 350mg bid AZD0837 compared with 150mg bid, with six of 13 being cardiac related, all with different diagnoses. An increase in mean serum creatinine of approximately 10% was observed in both AZD0837 groups, which returned to baseline after completion of therapy. There were no strokes, transient ischaemic attacks or cerebral haemorrhages with any of the treatments. In conclusion, the safety and tolerability of 150mg bid immediate-release AZD0837 appeared to be as good as that of dose-adjusted warfarin. However, larger studies will be needed to define the safety profile of AZD0837.

Assessment of bleeding after concomitant administration of antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents in lower limb arthroplasty.

In an analysis of the Melagatran Thrombosis Prophylaxis in Orthopedic Surgery (METHRO) III study, we evaluated whether concomitant administration of aspirin (ASA) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with the direct thrombin inhibitor melagatran/ximelagatran or the low-molecular-weight heparin enoxaparin increased bleeding in patients undergoing major joint surgery. Further objectives were to compare the influence of the timing of initial postoperative administration of melagatran/ximelagatran on bleeding in orthopedic patients receiving ASA/NSAIDs and in comparison with the preoperative administration of enoxaparin. ASA or NSAIDs in conjunction with melagatran/ximelagatran or enoxaparin did not increase bleeding. Bleeding rates were not significantly different, irrespective of the timing of the initial postoperative dose of melagatran/ximelagatran (4-8 vs. 4-12 h) when compared with preoperative (12 h) administration of enoxaparin. Transfusion rates were significantly lower with administration of melagatran/ximelagatran compared with enoxaparin.