Efficacy and safety of peficitinib (ASP015K) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to methotrexate: results of a phase III randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (RAJ4) in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor peficitinib versus placebo in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In this multicentre, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled phase III study, patients with RA and inadequate response to methotrexate (MTX) were randomised 1:1:1 to placebo, peficitinib 100 mg once daily or peficitinib 150 mg once daily with MTX for 52 weeks. Based on baseline randomisation, at week 12, non-responders receiving placebo were switched to peficitinib until the end of treatment; the remaining patients were switched to peficitinib at week 28. Primary efficacy variables were American College of Rheumatology (ACR)20 response rate at week 12/early termination (ET) and change from baseline in van der Heijde-modified total Sharp score (mTSS) at week 28/ET. RESULTS: 519 patients were randomised and treated. Significantly more (p<0.001) peficitinib (58.6%, 100 mg; 64.4%, 150 mg) than placebo (21.8%) recipients achieved ACR20 response at week 12/ET. Significantly lower (p<0.001) mean changes from baseline in mTSS at week 28/ET occurred in peficitinib (1.62, 100 mg; 1.03, 150 mg) than placebo (3.37) recipients. Peficitinib was associated with haematological and biochemical parameter changes, and increased incidence of serious infections and herpes zoster-related disease. One death from suicide occurred in a patient in the placebo group after switching to peficitinib 100 mg. CONCLUSIONS: In Japanese patients with RA and inadequate response to MTX, peficitinib demonstrated significant superiority versus placebo in reducing RA symptoms and suppressing joint destruction. Peficitinib had an acceptable safety and tolerability profile, with no new safety signals compared with other JAK inhibitors. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02305849.

Efficacy and safety of peficitinib (ASP015K) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to conventional DMARDs: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial (RAJ3).

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy and safety of peficitinib, an oral Janus kinase inhibitor, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In this double-blind phase III study, patients with RA and an inadequate response to prior disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were randomised to peficitinib 100 mg once daily, peficitinib 150 mg once daily, placebo or open-label etanercept for 52 weeks' treatment; placebo-treated patients were switched at week 12 to peficitinib 100 or 150 mg once daily. The primary endpoint was American College of Rheumatology (ACR)20 response at week 12/early termination (ET). Secondary endpoints (assessed throughout) included ACR20, ACR50 and ACR70 response, changes from baseline in disease activity scores (DAS)28 and ACR core parameters, adverse events (AEs) and changes in clinical or laboratory measurements. RESULTS: In total, 507 patients received treatment. ACR20 response rates at week 12/ET were significantly higher in the peficitinib 100 mg (57.7%) and 150 mg (74.5%) groups versus placebo (30.7%) (p<0.001). ACR50/70 response rates were also higher for both peficitinib doses versus placebo. Improvements in ACR response were maintained until week 52. Changes from baseline in DAS28-C-reactive protein/erythrocyte sedimentation rate and the ACR core set were significantly greater for both peficitinib doses versus placebo at week 12/ET (p<0.001). AE incidence was similar across treatment arms. Incidence of serious infection and herpes zoster-related disease was higher with peficitinib versus placebo, but with no clear dose-dependent increase. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with RA and inadequate response to DMARDs, peficitinib 100 mg once daily or 150 mg once daily was efficacious in reducing RA symptoms and was well tolerated compared with placebo. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02308163.

Evaluation of Drug Lags in Development Initiation, New Drug Application and Approval Between Japan and the USA and the Impact of Local Versus Multi-regional Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND: Drug time lags occur between the date that new drugs are first approved, often in the USA, and approval is granted in other countries. Multi-regional clinical trials (MRCTs) are a key strategy for simultaneous global development and regulatory submission of new drugs. However, no studies have evaluated the impact of MRCT versus local development on key time points in the drug development lifecycle between the USA and Japan. It is important for pharmaceutical companies planning drug development in Japan to understand when they can start development, when they can catch up in case of development initiation delay, length of time the development period might take, and amount of time that market exclusivity is lost, if Japan does not participate in the MRCT. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate differences in drug lag in development initiation, New Drug Application (NDA) submission and drug approval, as well as differences in the development and review periods, by local trials and MRCTs between Japan and the USA. We also assessed the advantages and disadvantages of MRCTs for these lags in Japan. METHODS: We analyzed drug approvals in Japan between 2016 and 2020 and divided them into local and MRCT groups. Lags in development initiation, NDA submission, and approval of new drugs were calculated by subtracting each date in Japan from the corresponding date in the USA. Our study period was divided into three periods based on the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) E17 guideline, published in 2017, and the guideline for the Phase I trials in the Japanese population prior to MRCTs, published in 2014. In addition, subgroup analyses by therapeutic area, regulatory background, modality, capital style, and sales ranking (2020) were conducted. RESULTS: We analyzed 174 approvals in Japan and the USA. The differences in the drug lags for development initiation, NDA submission, and approval between the local and MRCT groups were 4.9, 3.5, and 3.2 years, respectively. All three lag times were shorter for the MRCT group than the local group. A development initiation lag in the local group has expanded since publication of the guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: For the people of Japan, important drug lags were identified in development initiation, NDA submission, and drug approval dates between local trials and MRCTs that include Japan. It is difficult to recover fully from the delay caused by local development, and it is important to understand the further expansion of drug lags, in cases where Japan is not involved in the MRCT.

Safety and Effectiveness of Peficitinib (ASP015K) in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Final Results (32 Months of Mean Peficitinib Treatment) From a Long-Term, Open-Label Extension Study in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

INTRODUCTION: This final analysis of a long-term extension (LTE) study assessed the safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of peficitinib (ASP015K), a pan-Janus kinase inhibitor, in Asian patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Patients had previously completed the 12-week phase 2b (RAJ1), or 52-week phase 3 (RAJ3 and RAJ4) peficitinib studies in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, and received oral peficitinib 50 or 100 mg/day. Dose increase to 150 mg/day or reduction to 50 mg/day was permitted. Efficacy endpoints included American College of Rheumatology (ACR)20/50/70 response rates, 28-joint Disease Activity Score with C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP), and ACR components. Safety endpoints included treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), and incidence rates (IRs) of adverse events of special interest per 100 patient-years (PY). RESULTS: Overall, 843 patients received peficitinib for a mean 32.0 months (maximum 85.2 months), and most (64.4%) received peficitinib 100 mg/day as a maximum dose. Respective ACR20/50/70 response rates were maintained from baseline (week 0 of LTE; 71.6, 52.1, and 34.7%) to end of treatment (78.7, 63.3, and 44.1%); continuous improvements in ACR components and DAS28-CRP were observed from the baselines of preceding studies and throughout the LTE. Overall, 796/843 (94.4%) patients experienced TEAEs; most were severity grade 1/2. Most common TEAEs were nasopharyngitis (47.0%) and herpes zoster (17.3%). Drug-related TEAEs leading to permanent discontinuation occurred in 140 (16.6%) patients, and IRs (95% confidence interval) per 100 PY of serious infections, herpes zoster-related disease, and malignancies were 2.7 (2.1, 3.4), 7.3 (6.2, 8.6), and 1.2 (0.9, 1.8), respectively. Two deaths occurred during the study; one each from diffuse large B cell lymphoma and pneumonia, which were, respectively considered probably and possibly related to study drug. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in effectiveness variables were maintained during this long-term study of peficitinib in Asian patients with RA; peficitinib was generally well tolerated over a mean 32 months' duration. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT01638013, retrospectively registered on 11 July 2012 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01638013 .

Safety and effectiveness of peficitinib (ASP015K) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: interim data (22.7 months mean peficitinib treatment) from a long-term, open-label extension study in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Peficitinib (ASP015K), a novel oral Janus kinase inhibitor, has demonstrated efficacy and safety for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in randomized, controlled trials of up to 52 weeks' duration. However, safety and effectiveness after long-term treatment have not been assessed. METHODS: This was an interim analysis of an ongoing open-label, multicenter extension study in RA patients who completed phase 2b (RAJ1; 12 weeks) and phase 3 (RAJ3 and RAJ4; 52 weeks) peficitinib studies in Asia (mainly Japan). Eligible patients (n = 843) received oral peficitinib once daily (100 mg, or 50 mg for patients transferring from RAJ1). The peficitinib dose could be increased (up to 150 mg) or reduced (to 50 mg) at the discretion of the investigator. Efficacy variables assessed included American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response rates, ACR components, and disease activity score in 28 joints based on C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP). RESULTS: Results up to May 2018 are summarized. Mean peficitinib duration of exposure was 22.7 months and the maximum dose was 100 mg in most (66.5%) patients. ACR responses were maintained during the extension study, with ACR20/50/70 response rates of 71.6%, 52.1%, and 34.7% at week 0 and 78.9%, 61.4%, and 42.7% at end of treatment, respectively. ACR components and DAS28-CRP showed improvements from baselines of the preceding studies and continued to show improvements during the extension study. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were reported in 757/843 (89.8%) patients, the most common being nasopharyngitis (39.7%) and herpes zoster (11.7%). The majority of TEAEs were severity grade 1/2. Drug-related TEAEs leading to permanent study drug discontinuation occurred in 55/843 (6.5%) patients. Regarding AEs of special interest, the incidence per 100 patient-years of serious infections was 2.3 (95% CI 1.6 - 3.1), herpes zoster-related disease 6.8 (95% CI, 5.6 - 8.3), and malignancies 1.1 (95% CI, 0.7 - 1.8). One death from diffuse large B cell lymphoma during the study and one death from uterine sarcoma after the study were considered probably and possibly related to study drug, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of peficitinib was maintained or improved during long-term administration and treatment up to 6 years was well tolerated in Asian patients with RA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01638013, registered retrospectively 11 July 2012.

Correction to: Safety and effectiveness of peficitinib (ASP015K) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: interim data (22.7 months mean peficitinib treatment) from a long-term, open-label extension study in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Endovascular stent-grafting for infected iliac artery pseudoaneurysms.

We report two cases of acutely infected pseudoaneurysms of the iliac arteries, successfully treated with endovascular stent-grafting. Two patients underwent stent-graft treatment for erosive rupture of the iliac artery caused by surrounding infection. The first case is that of a 61-year-old man who had undergone Miles' operation for an advanced rectal cancer. Postoperatively, he developed intrapelvic abscess formation, from which methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was cultured, followed by rupture of the right external iliac artery. The second case is that of a 60-year-old man who had a pseudoaneurysm of the left common iliac artery, which was contiguous with a left psoas muscle abscess, from which Streptococcus agalactiae was cultured. Both patients were successfully treated with only a stent-graft and antibiotic therapy, and remained symptom-free 12 months and 10 months later. Although endovascular stent-grafting should not be considered standard therapy for infected aneurysms, our cases suggest that it can result in repair of infected aneurysms even in the uncontrolled active stage.