Efficacy and Safety of Elafibranor in Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

BACKGROUND: Primary biliary cholangitis is a rare, chronic cholestatic liver disease characterized by the destruction of interlobular bile ducts, leading to cholestasis and liver fibrosis. Whether elafibranor, an oral, dual peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α and δ agonist, may have benefit as a treatment for primary biliary cholangitis is unknown. METHODS: In this multinational, phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned (in a 2:1 ratio) patients with primary biliary cholangitis who had had an inadequate response to or unacceptable side effects with ursodeoxycholic acid to receive once-daily elafibranor, at a dose of 80 mg, or placebo. The primary end point was a biochemical response (defined as an alkaline phosphatase level of <1.67 times the upper limit of the normal range, with a reduction of ≥15% from baseline, and normal total bilirubin levels) at week 52. Key secondary end points were normalization of the alkaline phosphatase level at week 52 and a change in pruritus intensity from baseline through week 52 and through week 24, as measured on the Worst Itch Numeric Rating Scale (WI-NRS; scores range from 0 [no itch] to 10 [worst itch imaginable]). RESULTS: A total of 161 patients underwent randomization. A biochemical response (the primary end point) was observed in 51% of the patients (55 of 108) who received elafibranor and in 4% (2 of 53) who received placebo, for a difference of 47 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], 32 to 57; P<0.001). The alkaline phosphatase level normalized in 15% of the patients in the elafibranor group and in none of the patients in the placebo group at week 52 (difference, 15 percentage points; 95% CI, 6 to 23; P = 0.002). Among patients who had moderate-to-severe pruritus (44 patients in the elafibranor group and 22 in the placebo group), the least-squares mean change from baseline through week 52 on the WI-NRS did not differ significantly between the groups (-1.93 vs. -1.15; difference, -0.78; 95% CI, -1.99 to 0.42; P = 0.20). Adverse events that occurred more frequently with elafibranor than with placebo included abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with elafibranor resulted in significantly greater improvements in relevant biochemical indicators of cholestasis than placebo. (Funded by GENFIT and Ipsen; ELATIVE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04526665.).

An Open Label, Randomized, Multicenter Study of Elafibranor in Children With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

OBJECTIVES: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common chronic liver disease in children. Elafibranor, a dual peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α/δ agonist, has been proposed as a treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The aims were to (1) describe pharmacokinetics (PK), safety, and tolerability of oral elafibranor at 2 doses (80 and 120 mg) in children 8-17 years and (2) assess changes in aminotransferases. METHODS: Children with NASH were randomized to open-label elafibranor 80 mg or 120 mg daily for 12 weeks. The intent-to-treat analysis included all participants who received at least 1 dose. Standard descriptive statistics and PK analyses were performed. RESULTS: Ten males [mean 15.1 years, standard deviation (SD) 2.2] with NASH were randomized to 80 mg (n = 5) or 120 mg (n = 5). Baseline mean alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was 82 U/L (SD 13) and 87 U/L (SD 20) for 80 mg and 120 mg groups, respectively. Elafibranor was rapidly absorbed and well tolerated. Elafibranor plasma exposure increased between the 80 mg and 120 mg dose with a 1.9- and 1.3-fold increase in median Cmax and AUC 0-24 , respectively. End of treatment mean ALT was 52 U/L (SD 20) for the 120 mg group, with a relative mean ALT change from baseline of -37.4% (SD 23.8%) at 12 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Once daily dosing of elafibranor was well tolerated in children with NASH. There was a 37.4% relative reduction from mean baseline ALT in the 120 mg group. Decreasing ALT may be associated with improvement in liver histology, thus could be considered a surrogate for histology in early phase trials. These results may support further exploration of elafibranor in children with NASH.

The acyclic CB1R inverse agonist taranabant mediates weight loss by increasing energy expenditure and decreasing caloric intake.

Cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) inverse agonists are emerging as a potential obesity therapy. However, the physiological mechanisms by which these agents modulate human energy balance are incompletely elucidated. Here, we describe a comprehensive clinical research study of taranabant, a structurally novel acyclic CB1R inverse agonist. Positron emission tomography imaging using the selective CB1R tracer [(18)F]MK-9470 confirmed central nervous system receptor occupancy levels ( approximately 10%-40%) associated with energy balance/weight-loss effects in animals. In a 12-week weight-loss study, taranabant induced statistically significant weight loss compared to placebo in obese subjects over the entire range of evaluated doses (0.5, 2, 4, and 6 mg once per day) (p < 0.001). Taranabant treatment was associated with dose-related increased incidence of clinical adverse events, including mild to moderate gastrointestinal and psychiatric effects. Mechanism-of-action studies suggest that engagement of the CB1R by taranabant leads to weight loss by reducing food intake and increasing energy expenditure and fat oxidation.

Human abuse potential and cognitive effects of taranabant, a cannabinoid 1 receptor inverse agonist: a randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled, crossover study in recreational polydrug users.

INTRODUCTION: Taranabant is a cannabinoid 1 receptor inverse agonist that was in development for treatment of obesity. Because of central nervous system effects, the study was performed to assess the abuse potential and cognitive effects of taranabant in recreational polydrug users compared with phentermine, dronabinol, and placebo. METHODS: Stimulant- and cannabis-experienced polydrug users (N = 30) were randomized in a double-blind crossover study to receive taranabant 2, 4, 10, and 20 mg; phentermine 45 and 90 mg; dronabinol 20 mg; and placebo. Subjective and neurocognitive measures were administered for 24 hours, and peak/peak change from baseline effects were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model. RESULTS: Phentermine 45 and 90 mg showed abuse-related subjective effects versus placebo, including drug liking, overall drug liking, and other positive/stimulant effects, whereas dronabinol 20 mg showed abuse-related positive, cannabis-like, and sedative effects. Taranabant was not significantly different from placebo on most of the subjective measures other than negative/dysphoric effects at the highest dose, and its effects were significantly less pronounced relative to phentermine and dronabinol on most measures. Phentermine improved cognitive/motor performance and dronabinol impaired motor/cognitive performance on some measures, whereas taranabant 4 and 20 mg had minor impairment effects on manual tracking. CONCLUSIONS: The phentermine and dronabinol results demonstrate the validity and sensitivity of the study. Taranabant did not consistently show stimulant/cannabis-like effects or abuse potential in recreational polydrug users, indicating that cannabinoid 1 receptor inverse agonists/antagonists are unlikely to be recreationally abused.

Neuropeptide Y5 receptor antagonism does not induce clinically meaningful weight loss in overweight and obese adults.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a potent orexigenic neuropeptide, and antagonism of NPY Y1 and NPY Y5 receptors (NPYxR) is considered a potentially important anti-obesity drug target. We tested the hypothesis that blockade of the NPY5R will lead to weight loss in humans using MK-0557, a potent, highly selective, orally active NPY5R antagonist. The initial series of experiments reported herein, including a multiple-dose positron-emission tomography study and a 12 week proof-of concept/dose-ranging study, suggested an optimal MK-0557 dose of 1 mg/day. The hypothesis was then tested in a 52 week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 1661 overweight and obese patients. Although statistically significant at 52 weeks, the magnitude of induced weight loss was not clinically meaningful. These observations provide the first clinical insight into the human NPY-energy homeostatic pathway and suggest that solely targeting the NPY5R in future drug development programs is unlikely to produce therapeutic efficacy.

Metabolism and excretion of [14C]taranabant, a cannabinoid-1 inverse agonist, in humans.

Taranabant (N-[(1S,2S)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(3-cyanophenyl)-1-methylpropyl]-2-methyl-2-{[5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridin-2-yl]oxy}propanamide or MK-0364) is an orally active inverse agonist of the cannabinoid 1 (CB-1) receptor that was under development for the management of obesity. The metabolism and excretion of taranabant were investigated following a single oral dose of 5 mg/201 µCi [14C]taranabant to six healthy male subjects. The overall excretion recovery of the administered radioactivity was nearly quantitative (∼92%), with the majority of the dose (∼87%) excreted into faeces and a much smaller fraction (∼5%) into urine. Taranabant was absorbed rapidly, with C(max) of radioactivity attained at 1-2-h postdose. The parent compound and its monohydroxylated metabolite, M1, were the major radioactive components circulating in plasma and comprised ∼12-24% and 33-42%, respectively, of the plasma radioactivity for up to 48 h. A second monohydroxylated metabolite, designated as M1a, represented ∼10-12% of the radioactivity in the 2- and 8-h postdose plasma profiles. Metabolite profiles of the faeces samples consisted mainly of the (unabsorbed) parent compound and multiple diastereomeric carboxylic acid derivatives derived from oxidation of the geminal methyl group of the parent compound and of the hydroxylated metabolite/s. These data suggest that, similar to rats and monkeys, taranabant is primarily eliminated in humans via oxidative metabolism and excretion of metabolites via the biliary/faecal route.

Single-dose administration of MK-0657, an NR2B-selective NMDA antagonist, does not result in clinically meaningful improvement in motor function in patients with moderate Parkinson's disease.

The glutamatergic system is thought to contribute to the motor disturbances observed in Parkinson's disease. Blockade of glutamatergic activity by a selective antagonist of the NR2B subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is associated with improvement in motor symptoms in a preclinical model of Parkinson's disease. A randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, 3-period crossover study was conducted in patients with moderate Parkinson's disease to evaluate the pharmacologic activity of MK-0657, an NR2B-selective NMDA receptor antagonist. Patients (n=16) received single oral doses of MK-0657 7 mg, carbidopa/levodopa 25/250 mg (LD) as a positive control, and placebo, after which motor function was serially evaluated by means of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-Motor Examination (UPDRS-ME). LD administration resulted in significant improvement in the UPDRS-ME relative to placebo (P=.025), confirming the sensitivity of the test paradigm; however, the UPDRS-ME change following MK-0657 administration showed no improvement compared with placebo (P=.110) despite exceeding the target MK-0657 plasma concentration of 400 nM. Although the administration of MK-0657 was generally well tolerated, it was associated with increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure relative to placebo. The results of this study do not support ongoing clinical development of MK-0657 as a novel monotherapy for Parkinson's disease.

Safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamic properties of taranabant, a novel selective cannabinoid-1 receptor inverse agonist, for the treatment of obesity: results from a double-blind, placebo-controlled, single oral dose study in healthy volunteers.

Taranabant is a novel cannabinoid CB-1 receptor (CB1R) inverse agonist in clinical development for the treatment of obesity. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, single oral dose study evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of taranabant (0.5-600 mg) in 24 healthy male volunteers. Single-dose AUC(0-infinity) and C(max) values for taranabant increased approximately linearly with dose up to 200 mg, with slightly less than dose-proportional increases in AUC(0-infinity) and C(max) values for doses >200 mg. Plasma taranabant had a biphasic disposition, with a median t(max) of 1 to 2.5 hours and a terminal elimination t((1/2)) of 38 to 69 hours. Coadministration of taranabant with a high-fat meal led to a 14% increase in C(max) and a 74% increase in AUC(0-infinity). Clinical adverse experiences associated with single doses of taranabant were generally mild and transient. Of the 198 clinical adverse experiences reported, the most common drug-related ones were nausea (36), headache (22), drowsiness (14), abdominal discomfort/abdominal pain/stomachache (14), hiccups (9), dizziness (8), decreased appetite (7), increased bowel movement (7), mood change (6), tiredness (4), vomiting (4), and sweating increased (4). Taranabant has pharmacokinetic characteristics suitable for a once-daily dosing regimen.

Multiple-dose pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of taranabant, a novel selective cannabinoid-1 receptor inverse agonist, in healthy male volunteers.

Taranabant is a cannabinoid-1 receptor inverse agonist for the treatment of obesity. This study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of taranabant (5, 7.5, 10, or 25 mg once daily for 14 days) in 60 healthy male subjects. Taranabant was rapidly absorbed, with a median t(max) of 1.0 to 2.0 hours and a t(1/2) of approximately 74 to 104 hours. Moderate accumulation was observed in C(max) (1.18- to 1.40-fold) and AUC(0-24 h) (1.5- to 1.8-fold) over 14 days for the 5-, 7.5-, and 10-mg doses, with an accumulation half-life ranging from 15 to 21 hours. Steady state was reached after 13 days. After multiple-dose administration, plasma AUC(0-24 h) and C(max) of taranabant increased dose proportionally (5-10 mg) and increased somewhat less than dose proportionally for 25 mg. Taranabant was generally well tolerated up to doses of 10 mg and exhibited multiple-dose pharmacokinetics consistent with once-daily dosing.

Value-based health insurance design: how much does socioeconomic status matter?

Socioeconomic status (SES), an important determinant of individual health status, has not been widely incorporated into employer benefits strategies. Recent research has characterized significant differences in healthcare utilization patterns and cost among workers in different wage categories, raising the possibility that SES does influence individual healthcare utilization behaviors. In particular, SES may have appreciable impact on the effectiveness of benefits tactics, including value-based insurance design (VBID). This paper sets forth a hypothesis that low wage status negatively influences individual receptivity to VBID offerings, which may blunt the impact of current VBID initiatives. In contrast, high-wage earners may already be compliant with recommended care, and implementation of a VBID design may not yield incremental increases in their treatment compliance. As a result, wage status may be a significant predictor of a favorable response to VBID. Based on these considerations, the authors offer suggestions for employer actions, including evaluation of benefits enrollee response to VBID tactics by employee wage band as an initial step. Employers may also wish to engage benefits enrollees via survey or focus group activities to understand barriers to a more impactful VBID response and consider some of the included benefits design considerations that may result in more equitable and impactful use of VBID. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between SES and response to VBID offerings.

Association of Wage With Employee Participation in Health Assessments and Biometric Screening.

PURPOSE: To understand differences in health risk assessment (HRA) and biometric screening participation rates among benefits-enrolled employees in association with wage category. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of employee eligibility file and health benefits (wellness and claims) data. SETTING: Data from self-insured employers participating in the RightOpt private exchange (Conduent HR Services) during 2014. PARTICIPANTS: Active employees from 4 companies continuously enrolled in health insurance for which wage data were available. MEASURES: Measures included HRA and biometric screening participation rates and wage status, with employee age, sex, employer, job tenure, household income, geographic location, and health benefits deductible as a percentage of total wages serving as covariates. ANALYSIS: Employees were separated into 5 groups based on wage status. Logistic regression analysis incorporated other measures as covariates to adjust for differences between groups, with HRA and biometric screening participation rates determined as binary outcomes. RESULTS: Participation rates for HRA and biometric screening were 90% and 87%, respectively, in the highest wage category, decreasing to 67% and 60%, respectively, among the lowest wage category. CONCLUSION: Employee wage status is associated with significant differences in HRA and biometric participation rates. Generalizing the results generated by modest participation in these offerings to entire populations may risk misinterpretation of results based on variable participation rates across wage categories.

High intensity lifestyle intervention and long-term impact on weight and clinical outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Obesity increases the risk for diabetes and cardiovascular events, with a corresponding growth in medical costs. High intensity lifestyle intervention (HILI) is the cornerstone for weight management. We assessed the effectiveness of clinic-based HILI on weight loss and associated clinical outcomes by duration of program participation and comorbid conditions. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who enrolled in HILI weight management programs at Health Management Resources (HMR) clinics located across the U.S. Patients completed health risk assessments (HRA) and were enrolled for up to 24 months at the time of follow-up HRA. HMR programs provide weekly group coaching to achieve reduced calorie intake, increased fruit/vegetable intake, and physical activity ≥2,000 kcal/wk. A Markov model predicted avoidance of diabetes and cardiovascular events and projected cost savings due to weight loss. RESULTS: Of the 500 patients included in the analysis, 67% were female and mean age was 54.1 years (s.d. 11.6). The baseline weight and BMI were 243.5 lbs (range 144.0-545.0) and 38.8 kg/m2 (range 25.4-85.0), respectively. Overall, patients lost an average of 47.4 lbs (18.9% of initial body weight [IBW]); the amount of weight loss was consistent among those with diabetes/pre-diabetes (50%), high/moderate risk for dyslipidemia (60%), hypertension/pre-hypertension (86%), and severe obesity (37%). The mean IBW lost was 16.4%, 19.3%, 20.7% for ≤6 months (n = 165), 7-12 months (n = 140), 13-24 months (n = 195) of program participation, respectively. The simulation model estimated 22 diabetes and 30 cardiovascular events and $1,992,370 medical costs avoided over 5 years in the 500 patients evaluated. CONCLUSION: Patients in the HMR clinic-based HILI program achieved substantial weight loss regardless of duration of program participation, risk profile and comorbid status. The HMR program could be an effective strategy to prevent costly diabetes and cardiovascular events, particularly in high risk patients.

Health Care Use And Spending Patterns Vary By Wage Level In Employer-Sponsored Plans.

Employees face an increasing financial burden for health services as health care costs increase relative to earnings. Yet little is known about health care utilization patterns relative to employee wages. To better understand this association and the resulting implications, we examined patterns of health care use and spending by wage category during 2014 among 42,936 employees of four self-insured employers enrolled in a private health insurance exchange. When demographics and other characteristics were controlled for, employees in the lowest-wage group had half the usage of preventive care (19 percent versus 38 percent), nearly twice the hospital admission rate (31 individuals per 1,000 versus 17 per 1,000), more than four times the rate of avoidable admissions (4.3 individuals per 1,000 versus 0.9 per 1,000), and more than three times the rate of emergency department visits (370 individuals per 1,000 versus 120 per 1,000) relative to top-wage-group earners. Annual total health care spending per patient was highest in both the lowest-wage ($4,835) and highest-wage ($5,074) categories relative to the middle two wage groups ($3,952 and $3,987, respectively). These findings provide new insights about wage-associated variations in health care use and spending in employer-sponsored plans. For policy makers, these findings can inform employer benefit design strategies and research priorities, to encourage effective use of health care services.

Single and multiple dose pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of omarigliptin, a novel, once-weekly dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, in healthy Japanese men.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Omarigliptin is a novel, potent, long-acting oral dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor being developed as a once-weekly (q.w.) treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, with 25 mg and 12.5 mg tablets recently being approved as market formulations in Japan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a two-part, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study in healthy Japanese men to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of omarigliptin after single dose (5-100 mg) and multiple dose (1-50 mg q.w. for 3 weeks) administration. RESULTS: Omarigliptin was rapidly absorbed with a time to maximum concentration of 0.5-4 h. The pharmacokinetic profile was biphasic with a long terminal half-life >100 h. The area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 168 h, maximum concentration and the concentration at 168 h post-dose increased dose-dependently after 3 weeks of once-weekly dosing for doses ranging 1-50 mg, with accumulation ratios ranging 1.03-1.35 and 0.87-1.36 for the area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 168 h and maximum concentration, respectively. Plasma dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition levels 1 week post-dose increased with dose, ranging 79.2-94.0% after 5-100 mg single dose administration and 51.3-90.2% after 1-50 mg multiple once-weekly dose administration. Administration with food did not meaningfully alter the pharmacokinetics of omarigliptin. Omarigliptin was generally well tolerated, with no hypoglycemia being reported. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study in healthy Japanese men showed that omarigliptin was well tolerated and had a pharmacokinetic and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition profile that supports once-weekly dosing in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Acetyl CoA Carboxylase Inhibition Reduces Hepatic Steatosis but Elevates Plasma Triglycerides in Mice and Humans: A Bedside to Bench Investigation.

Inhibiting lipogenesis prevents hepatic steatosis in rodents with insulin resistance. To determine if reducing lipogenesis functions similarly in humans, we developed MK-4074, a liver-specific inhibitor of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC1) and (ACC2), enzymes that produce malonyl-CoA for fatty acid synthesis. MK-4074 administered to subjects with hepatic steatosis for 1 month lowered lipogenesis, increased ketones, and reduced liver triglycerides by 36%. Unexpectedly, MK-4074 increased plasma triglycerides by 200%. To further investigate, mice that lack ACC1 and ACC2 in hepatocytes (ACC dLKO) were generated. Deletion of ACCs decreased polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations in liver due to reduced malonyl-CoA, which is required for elongation of essential fatty acids. PUFA deficiency induced SREBP-1c, which increased GPAT1 expression and VLDL secretion. PUFA supplementation or siRNA-mediated knockdown of GPAT1 normalized plasma triglycerides. Thus, inhibiting lipogenesis in humans reduced hepatic steatosis, but inhibiting ACC resulted in hypertriglyceridemia due to activation of SREBP-1c and increased VLDL secretion.

Effects of Age, Sex, and Obesity on the Single-Dose Pharmacokinetics of Omarigliptin in Healthy Subjects.

Omarigliptin is being developed as a potent, once-weekly, oral dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study evaluated the effects of age, sex, and obesity on the pharmacokinetics of omarigliptin in healthy subjects. A single oral dose of omarigliptin 10 mg (n = 6/panel) or placebo (n = 2/panel) was administered in the fasted state to elderly nonobese men and women, young obese (30 ≤ body mass index [BMI] ≤ 35 kg/m(2) ) men and women, and young nonobese women of nonchildbearing potential. Plasma was collected at selected postdose times for evaluation of omarigliptin concentrations. Pharmacokinetic parameters were compared with historical data from a previously-conducted single-dose study in young, healthy, nonobese men. There were no clinically significant differences in omarigliptin AUC0-∞ , the primary pharmacokinetic parameter for assessing efficacy and safety, based on age, sex, or BMI (pooled nonobese elderly versus pooled nonobese young, young nonobese female versus young nonobese male, and pooled young obese versus pooled young nonobese). There were no serious adverse events or hypoglycemic events attributable to omarigliptin administration. Demographic factors and BMI had no meaningful effect on omarigliptin pharmacokinetics, suggesting that dose adjustment based on age, sex, or obesity is not required.

Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Effects of Multiple-dose Administration of Omarigliptin, a Once-weekly Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor, in Obese Participants With and Without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

PURPOSE: Omarigliptin (MK-3102) is a potent, oral, long-acting dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitor approved in Japan and in global development as a once-weekly treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) effects of omarigliptin in obese participants with and without T2DM. METHODS: This was a Phase I, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-dose study of 50-mg omarigliptin administered once weekly for 4 weeks. Participants included 24 obese but otherwise healthy subjects (panel A; omarigliptin, n = 18; placebo, n = 6) and 8 obese patients with T2DM (treatment naive, hemoglobin A1c ≥ 6.5% and ≤ 10.0% [panel B]; omarigliptin, n = 6; placebo, n = 2). Participants were 45 to 65 years of age with a body mass index of ≥ 30 and ≤ 40 kg/m(2). Blood sampling occurred at select time points, depending on the study panel, to evaluate the PK properties of omarigliptin, DPP-4 activity, active glucagon-like peptide 1 levels, and plasma glucose concentrations. Body weight was an exploratory end point. Due to sparse sampling in panel A, a thorough PK analysis was performed in obese patients with T2DM (panel B) only. PD analyses were performed in the overall study population (pooled panels A and B). FINDINGS: PK profiles in obese participants with and without T2DM were similar to those observed in nonobese reference subjects (historical data). Steady state was achieved after 1 or 2 weekly doses in obese participants with and without T2DM. In obese patients with T2DM, omarigliptin was rapidly absorbed, with a median Tmax of 1 to 2.5 hours (days 1 and 22). Compared with those in reference subjects, the geometric mean ratios (95% CI) (Obese T2DM/reference) for steady-state plasma AUC0-168h, Cmax, and C168h were 0.80 (0.65-0.98), 0.86 (0.53-1.41), and 1.08 (0.88-1.33), respectively. Trough DPP-4 activity was inhibited by ~90%; postprandial (PP) 4-hour weighted mean active GLP-1 concentrations were increased ~2-fold; and PP glucose was significantly reduced with omarigliptin versus placebo in the pooled population. Omarigliptin was generally well-tolerated in the pooled population, and there were no hypoglycemic events. Consistent with other DPP-4 inhibitors, omarigliptin had no effect on body weight in this short-duration study. IMPLICATIONS: The administration of omarigliptin was generally well-tolerated in obese participants with and without T2DM, and the favorable PK and PD profiles support once-weekly dosing. Omarigliptin may provide an important once-weekly treatment option for patients with T2DM. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01088711.

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Omarigliptin, a Once-Weekly Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP-4) Inhibitor, After Single and Multiple Doses in Healthy Subjects.

The pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of omarigliptin, a novel once-weekly DPP-4 inhibitor, were assessed following single and multiple doses in healthy subjects. Absorption was rapid, and food did not influence single-dose PK. Accumulation was minimal, and steady state was reached after 2 to 3 weeks. Weekly (area under the curve) AUC and Cmax displayed dose proportionality within the dose range studied at steady state. The average renal clearance of omarigliptin was ∼2 L/h. DPP-4 inhibition ranged from ∼77% to 89% at 168 hours following the last of 3 once-weekly doses over the dose range studied. Omarigliptin resulted in ∼2-fold increases in weighted average postprandial active GLP-1. Omarigliptin acts by stabilizing active GLP-1, which is consistent with its mechanism of action as a DPP-4 inhibitor. Administration of omarigliptin was generally well tolerated in healthy subjects, and both the PK and PD profiles support once-weekly dosing. A model-based assessment of QTc interval risk from the single ascending dose study predicted a low risk of QTc prolongation within the likely clinical dose range, a finding later confirmed in a thorough QT trial.

Recombinant methionyl human leptin administration to achieve high physiologic or pharmacologic leptin levels does not alter circulating inflammatory marker levels in humans with leptin sufficiency or excess.

A role for high leptin levels in the proinflammatory state associated with obesity has been proposed on the basis of observational studies, but a recent interventional study employing administration of long-acting pegylated leptin resulting in very high pharmacologic levels in obese subjects did not support this idea. These interventional studies have not yet been independently confirmed, however, and varying levels and duration of hyperleptinemia as well as the presence of comorbidities such as diabetes have not yet been investigated as potential effect modifiers. We performed three interventional studies involving administration of recombinant methionyl human leptin (r-metHuLeptin) to lean, otherwise healthy obese, and obese diabetic subjects to investigate whether increasing circulating leptin levels over a wide spectrum of values (from low physiologic to high pharmacologic) would alter serum levels of inflammatory markers and other cytokines important in the T helper cell response. Increasing leptin levels from low physiologic to high physiologic in lean men and from higher physiologic to low pharmacologic in obese men over 3 d did not alter serum interferon-gamma, IL-10, TNF-alpha, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, or soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1. In obese subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus, the administration of r-metHuLeptin for 4 or 16 wk, resulting in high pharmacologic leptin levels, did not activate the TNF-alpha system or increase cytokines or inflammatory markers, including IL-10, IL-6, C-reactive protein, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1. These findings do not support an etiopathogenic role for leptin in proinflammatory states associated with leptin excess such as obesity and have direct relevance for the potential future therapeutic use of r-metHuLeptin in humans.

Plasma adiponectin concentrations in relation to endometrial cancer: a case-control study in Greece.

Adiponectin is a hormone secreted exclusively by adipocytes, and obesity is an established risk factor for endometrial cancer. We have, thus, evaluated the association of adiponectin with the occurrence of endometrial cancer. Questionnaire information and blood samples were taken before treatment from 84 women with newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed endometrial cancer and 84 control women who were admitted for minor gynecologic problems, mainly pelvic prolapse. Adiponectin levels were measured by immunoassay. The results were analyzed through multiple logistic regression and controlled for known risk factors for endometrial cancer, leptin, as well as major components of the IGF system (IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGF-binding protein 3). Among control women, there was no significant association of adiponectin with age or parity. Although there was no association of adiponectin with endometrial cancer among women 65 yr or older, there was an inverse, fairly strong, and statistically significant inverse association among younger women. Among women younger than 65 yr, an increase of adiponectin by 1 SD was associated with a more than 50% reduction of the risk for endometrial cancer [odds ratio (OR) 0.44; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24-0.81], even after controlling for body mass index and other potential confounders. Among all women, the adjusted OR for a 1 SD increase in adiponectin was not significant (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.56-1.10) but was significant for a one quintile increase in adiponectin (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56-0.97). In women younger than 65 yr, among whom obesity represents a powerful risk factor for endometrial cancer, adiponectin is inversely and significantly related to the risk of this disease. This association is independent of possible effects of major components of the IGF system, leptin, body mass index, sociodemographic variables, and known endometrial cancer risk factors. Future studies are needed to prove causality and provide insight on both the mechanism of action of this hormone and its potential role in endometrial cancer.