Association Between Acoustic Features and Neuropsychological Test Performance in the Framingham Heart Study: Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Human voice has increasingly been recognized as an effective indicator for the detection of cognitive disorders. However, the association of acoustic features with specific cognitive functions and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has yet to be evaluated in a large community-based population. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association between acoustic features and neuropsychological (NP) tests across multiple cognitive domains and evaluate the added predictive power of acoustic composite scores for the classification of MCI. METHODS: This study included participants without dementia from the Framingham Heart Study, a large community-based cohort with longitudinal surveillance for incident dementia. For each participant, 65 low-level acoustic descriptors were derived from voice recordings of NP test administration. The associations between individual acoustic descriptors and 18 NP tests were assessed with linear mixed-effect models adjusted for age, sex, and education. Acoustic composite scores were then built by combining acoustic features significantly associated with NP tests. The added prediction power of acoustic composite scores for prevalent and incident MCI was also evaluated. RESULTS: The study included 7874 voice recordings from 4950 participants (age: mean 62, SD 14 years; 4336/7874, 55.07% women), of whom 453 were diagnosed with MCI. In all, 8 NP tests were associated with more than 15 acoustic features after adjusting for multiple testing. Additionally, 4 of the acoustic composite scores were significantly associated with prevalent MCI and 7 were associated with incident MCI. The acoustic composite scores can increase the area under the curve of the baseline model for MCI prediction from 0.712 to 0.755. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple acoustic features are significantly associated with NP test performance and MCI, which can potentially be used as digital biomarkers for early cognitive impairment monitoring.

Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir for 8, 12, or 24 Weeks in Hepatitis C Patients Undergoing Dialysis for End-Stage Renal Disease.

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated 8, 12, or 24 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir in patients with hepatitis C virus and end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis. METHODS: Primary efficacy end point was sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment. Primary safety end point was treatment discontinuation because of adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: Ninety-four percent (89/95) achieved sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment. Six patients died during treatment (n = 4) or before study completion (n = 2); no deaths were related to treatment. No patients discontinued treatment because of AEs. Thirteen percent had serious AEs; none were related to treatment. DISCUSSION: Treatment with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir was safe and effective in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis.

Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir with or without ribavirin for 8 or 12 weeks for the treatment of HCV genotype 4 infection: results from a randomised phase III study in Egypt.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir alone and with ribavirin for 8 and 12 weeks in Egyptian patients with and without cirrhosis, who were infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 4, including those who had failed previous treatment with sofosbuvir regimens. DESIGN: In this open-label, multicentre, phase III study, treatment-naive patients were randomised to receive 8 or 12 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir±ribavirin. Interferon treatment-experienced patients were randomised to receive 12 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir±ribavirin, while sofosbuvir-experienced or ledipasvir/sofosbuvir-experienced patients received 12 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir+ribavirin. Randomisation was stratified by cirrhosis status. The primary endpoint was sustained virological response 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12). RESULTS: We enrolled 255 patients from four centres in Egypt. Among treatment-naive patients, SVR12 rates were 95% and 90% for those receiving 8 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir alone and with ribavirin, respectively, and 98% for those receiving 12 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir both alone and with ribavirin. Among interferon-experienced patients, SVR rates were 94% for those receiving 12 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir and 100% for those receiving 12 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir plus ribavirin. All patients previously treated with sofosbuvir regimens who received ledipasvir/sofosbuvir plus ribavirin achieved SVR12. The most common adverse events, headache and fatigue, were more common among patients receiving ribavirin. CONCLUSION: Among non-cirrhotic treatment-naive patients with HCV genotype 4, 8 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir±ribavirin was highly effective. Twelve weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir±ribavirin was highly effective regardless of presence of cirrhosis or prior treatment experience, including previous treatment with sofosbuvir or ledipasvir/sofosbuvir. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02487030.

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for 12 weeks in hepatitis C virus-infected patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although off-label use of sofosbuvir-containing regimens occurs regularly in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection undergoing dialysis for severe renal impairment or end-stage renal disease (ESRD), these regimens are not licensed for this indication, and there is an absence of dosing recommendations in this population. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir in patients with HCV infection with ESRD undergoing dialysis. METHODS: In this phase II, single-arm study, 59 patients with genotype 1-6 HCV infection with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis received open-label sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (400 mg/100 mg) once daily for 12 weeks. Patients were HCV treatment naive or treatment experienced without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis. Patients previously treated with any HCV NS5A inhibitor were not eligible. The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving sustained virologic response (SVR) 12 weeks after discontinuation of treatment (SVR12). The primary safety endpoint was the proportion of patients who discontinued study drug due to adverse events. RESULTS: Overall, 56 of 59 patients achieved SVR12 (95%; 95% CI 86-99%). Of the 3 patients who did not achieve SVR12, 2 patients had virologic relapse determined at post-treatment Week 4 (including 1 who prematurely discontinued study treatment), and 1 patient died from suicide after achieving SVR through post-treatment Week 4. The most common adverse events were headache (17%), fatigue (14%), nausea (14%), and vomiting (14%). Serious adverse events were reported for 11 patients (19%), and all were deemed to be unrelated to sofosbuvir/velpatasvir. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for 12 weeks was safe and effective in patients with ESRD undergoing dialysis. LAY SUMMARY: Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir is a combination direct-acting antiviral that is approved for treatment of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Despite the lack of dosing recommendations, sofosbuvir-containing regimens (including sofosbuvir/velpatasvir) are frequently used for HCV-infected patients undergoing dialysis. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for 12 weeks in patients with HCV infection who were undergoing dialysis. Treatment with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir was safe and well tolerated, resulting in a cure rate of 95% in patients with HCV infection and end-stage renal disease. Clinical Trial Number: NCT03036852.

Efficacy of Sofosbuvir, Velpatasvir, and GS-9857 in Patients With Genotype 1 Hepatitis C Virus Infection in an Open-Label, Phase 2 Trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The best regimen to re-treat patients who do not respond to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and the feasibility of further shortening regimens is unclear. We assessed the efficacy and safety of the combination of the nucleotide polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir, the NS5A inhibitor velpatasvir, and the NS3/4A protease inhibitor GS-9857 in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection. METHODS: We performed an open-label trial at 32 sites in the United States and at 2 sites in New Zealand of 197 patients with genotype 1 hepatitis C virus infection, with or without compensated cirrhosis, who were treatment-naive or were treated previously with a DAA. Between March 2, 2015, and September 1, 2015, patients received sofosbuvir-velpatasvir (400 mg/100 mg in a fixed-dose combination) plus GS-9857 (100 mg) once daily for 6-12 weeks, plus ribavirin for 1 treatment group consisting of treatment-naive patients with cirrhosis. The primary end point was sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12). RESULTS: Among treatment-naive patients without cirrhosis, 71% (24 of 34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 53-85) achieved SVR12 after 6 weeks of treatment and 100% (36 of 36; 95% CI, 90%-100%) achieved SVR12 after 8 weeks of treatment. Among treatment-naive patients with cirrhosis, 94% (31 of 33; 95% CI, 80-99) achieved SVR12 after 8 weeks of treatment and 81% (25 of 31; 95% CI, 63-93) achieved SVR12 after 8 weeks of treatment with ribavirin. Among DAA-experienced patients treated for 12 weeks, 100% without cirrhosis (31 of 31; 95% CI, 89-100) and 100% with cirrhosis (32 of 32; 95% CI, 89-100) achieved SVR12. The most common adverse events were headache, diarrhea, fatigue, and nausea. One patient (<1%) discontinued treatment because of adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: In a phase 2 open-label trial, we found 8 weeks of treatment with sofosbuvir-velpatasvir plus GS-9857 to be safe and effective in treatment-naive patients; 12 weeks was safe and effective in patients previously treated with DAAs. The combination was safe and effective in patients with or without compensated cirrhosis. Clinicaltrials.gov no: NCT02378935.

Efficacy of Sofosbuvir, Velpatasvir, and GS-9857 in Patients With Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 2, 3, 4, or 6 Infections in an Open-Label, Phase 2 Trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Studies are needed to determine the optimal regimen for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2, 3, 4, or 6 infections whose prior course of antiviral therapy has failed, and the feasibility of shortening treatment duration. We performed a phase 2 study to determine the efficacy and safety of the combination of the nucleotide polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir, the NS5A inhibitor velpatasvir, and the NS3/4A protease inhibitor GS-9857 in these patients. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, open-label trial at 32 sites in the United States and 2 sites in New Zealand from March 3, 2015 to April 27, 2015. Our study included 128 treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients (1 with HCV genotype 1b; 33 with HCV genotype 2; 74 with HCV genotype 3; 17 with genotype HCV 4; and 3 with HCV genotype 6), with or without compensated cirrhosis. All patients received sofosbuvir-velpatasvir (400 mg/100 mg fixed-dose combination tablet) and GS-9857 (100 mg) once daily for 6-12 weeks. The primary end point was sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12). RESULTS: After 6 weeks of treatment, SVR12s were achieved by 88% of treatment-naïve patients without cirrhosis (29 of 33; 95% confidence interval, 72%-97%). After 8 weeks of treatment, SVR12s were achieved by 93% of treatment-naïve patients with cirrhosis (28 of 30; 95% CI, 78%-99%). After 12 weeks of treatment, SVR12s were achieved by all treatment-experienced patients without cirrhosis (36 of 36; 95% CI, 90%-100%) and 97% of treatment-experienced patients with cirrhosis (28 of 29; 95% CI, 82%-100%). The most common adverse events were headache, diarrhea, fatigue, and nausea. Three patients (1%) discontinued treatment due to adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: In a phase 2 open-label trial, we found sofosbuvir-velpatasvir plus GS-9857 (8 weeks in treatment-naïve patients or 12 weeks in treatment-experienced patients) to be safe and effective for patients with HCV genotype 2, 3, 4, or 6 infections, with or without compensated cirrhosis. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02378961.

Efficacy and Safety of Radiotherapy Plus Relugolix in Men With Localized or Advanced Prostate Cancer.

Importance: Combination androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with radiotherapy is commonly used for patients with localized and advanced prostate cancer. Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of the oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist relugolix with radiotherapy for treating prostate cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter post hoc analysis of patients with localized and advanced prostate cancer receiving radiotherapy in 2 randomized clinical trials (a phase 2 trial of relugolix vs degarelix, and a subset of the phase 3 HERO trial of relugolix vs leuprolide acetate) included men who were receiving radiotherapy and short-term (24 weeks) ADT (n = 103) from 2014 to 2015 and men receiving radiotherapy and longer-term (48 weeks) ADT (n = 157) from 2017 to 2019. The data were analyzed in November 2022. Interventions: Patients receiving short-term ADT received relugolix, 120 mg, orally once daily (320-mg loading dose) or degarelix, 80 mg, 4-week depot (240-mg loading dose) for 24 weeks with 12 weeks of follow-up. Patients receiving longer-term ADT received relugolix, 120 mg, orally once daily (360-mg loading dose) or leuprolide acetate injections every 12 weeks for 48 weeks, with up to 90 days of follow-up. Main Outcomes and Measures: Castration rate (testosterone level <50 ng/dL [to convert to nmol/L, multiply by 0.0347) at all scheduled visits between weeks 5 and 25 for patients receiving short-term ADT and weeks 5 and 49 for patients receiving longer-term ADT. Results: Of 260 patients (38 Asian [14.6%], 23 Black or African American [8.8%], 21 Hispanic [8.1%], and 188 White [72.3%] individuals), 164 (63.1%) received relugolix. Relugolix achieved castration rates of 95% (95% CI, 87.1%-99.0%) and 97% (95% CI, 90.6%-99.0%) among patients receiving short-term and longer-term ADT, respectively. Twelve weeks post-short-term relugolix, 34 (52%) achieved testosterone levels to baseline or more than 280 ng/dL. Ninety days post longer-term ADT, mean (SD) testosterone levels were 310.5 (122.4) (106.7) ng/dL (relugolix; n = 15) vs 53.0 ng/dL (leuprolide acetate; n = 8) among the subset assessed for testosterone recovery. Castration resistance-free survival was not statistically different between the relugolix and leuprolide acetate cohorts (hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.35-2.72; P = .62). Adverse events grade 3 or greater for short-term or longer-term relugolix (headache, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation) were uncommon (less than 5%). Conclusions and Relevance: The results of these 2 randomized clinical trials suggest that relugolix rapidly achieves sustained castration in patients with localized and advanced prostate cancer receiving radiotherapy. No new safety concerns were identified when relugolix was used with radiotherapy.

Testosterone Recovery for Relugolix Versus Leuprolide in Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer: Results from the Phase 3 HERO Study.

BACKGROUND: In the HERO study, relugolix demonstrated sustained testosterone suppression superior to that of leuprolide acetate (97% vs 89%; difference 7.9% [95% confidence interval, 4.1-12%; p < 0.001]). OBJECTIVE: To analyze testosterone recovery in a prespecified subset of men from the HERO study not indicated to continue androgen deprivation therapy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Men (N = 934) were randomized (2:1) to receive relugolix 120 mg orally daily or leuprolide acetate injections every 12 wk for 48 wk. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Testosterone recovery was assessed in 184 men who completed 48 wk of treatment. During the 90-d recovery period, assessments included time to testosterone recovery (>280 ng/dl; ≥80% of baseline testosterone), serum levels of prostate-specific antigen and pituitary hormones, and adverse events. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: The cumulative incidence rate of testosterone recovery to >280 ng/dl at 90 d following drug discontinuation was significantly higher in the relugolix cohort (n = 137) than in the leuprolide acetate cohort (n = 47; 54% vs 3.2%; nominal p = 0.002). The median time to testosterone recovery was faster following relugolix treatment than with leuprolide acetate treatment (86.0 d vs 112.0 d). Compared with leuprolide acetate, more men treated with relugolix achieved ≥80% of baseline testosterone levels (39% vs 2.1%). Men ≤65 yr and those with baseline testosterone greater than the median had a higher incident rate of testosterone recovery. Adverse events were generally similar between treatment groups. One limitation is the short testosterone recovery follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Oral relugolix had faster and more complete recovery of testosterone to normal levels after treatment discontinuation than leuprolide acetate in a subset of men from the HERO study. The clinical implications of a faster testosterone recovery with relugolix may be significant for men being treated with androgen deprivation therapy and influence treatment decisions. PATIENT SUMMARY: The male hormone testosterone is reduced during androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Reduced testosterone levels cause side effects, impacting patient quality of life. When treatment is stopped, the side effects lessen over time as the levels of testosterone come back to pretreatment range (testosterone recovery). In this study, we found that the time to testosterone recovery was faster with relugolix than with leuprolide acetate.

Bitter taste sensitivity, cruciferous vegetable intake, obesity, and diabetes in American adults: a cross-sectional study of NHANES 2013-2014.

Objective: To examine the associations between bitter taste sensitivity, cruciferous vegetable consumption, and likelihood of obesity and diabetes among American adults. Research design and method: Cross-section observation of 2129 adults aged 40-80 years of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014. Bitter taste sensitivity was estimated by the generalized labeled magnitude scale (gLMS) rating for bitterness (non-tasters: the lowest 25%, the others were tasters). Consumption of cruciferous vegetables was recorded by the 2 day 24 hours dietary records. Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg m-2. Diabetes was defined as self-reported physician-diagnosed diabetes, or who reported taking diabetes medication or individuals with a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥ 126 mg dL-1 or Hemoglobin A1c ≥ 6.5%. Results: The proportion of participants who ate cruciferous vegetables over the two days was 29.5% among bitter tasters, significantly lower than that (35.7%) among non-tasters (P = 0.04) after adjustment of age, gender, race/ethnicity, dietary energy intake, physical activity, education, smoking and income levels. Among participants who ate cruciferous vegetables, bitter tasters on average consumed 15.5 g (±7.0) grams less cruciferous vegetables per day compared to non-tasters. The multi-variates adjusted odds ratio of obesity was 1.29 (95% confident interval (CI): 0.76-2.17), 1.40 (95% CI: 0.90-2.18) and 1.68 (95% CI: 1.05-2.67) among bitter tasters who ate cruciferous vegetables, among non-tasters who did not ate cruciferous vegetables, and among bitter tasters who did not eat cruciferous vegetables, respectively, as compared with non-tasters who ate cruciferous vegetables. The prevalence of diabetes was 17.3% and 13.0% among bitter tasters and non-tasters, respectively, with a multi-adjusted odds ratio of 1.32 (95% CI: 1.02-1.69, P = 0.033) for diabetes comparing bitter tasters with non-tasters, which was attenuated to 1.26 (95% CI: 0.95-1.67, P = 0.108) by further adjustment of cruciferous vegetables consumption and obesity, with a mediation effect of 17.8% (95% CI: 2.9%-60.9%; P = 0.069). Conclusion: Bitter taste sensitivity was associated with less consumption of cruciferous vegetables and a high likelihood of obesity, which may mediate its association with diabetes.

Establishing cognitive baseline in three generations: Framingham Heart Study.

Introduction: Generational changes warrant recalibrating normative cognitive measures to detect changes indicative of dementia risk within each generation. Methods: We performed linear regressions to compare eight neuropsychological (NP) tests among three-generation cohorts at baseline in Framingham Heart Study (FHS, n = 4787) and conducted Cox regressions to investigate the relationships of NP tests with generation-specific dementia risk. Results: The FHS second and third generations performed better than the first generation for seven NP tests (0.14-0.81 standard deviation improvement, P ≤ .001) while the second and third generations performed similarly for six of eight NP tests (P > .05). One standard deviation better performance was associated with a higher reduction in incident dementia risk in the second than the first generation (35% vs. 24%, P interaction = .02) for the similarities test. Discussion: Our findings suggest cohort-based norms are needed for cognitive assessment for the diagnosis of cognitive impairment and dementia.

Impact of Concomitant Cardiovascular Therapies on Efficacy and Safety of Relugolix vs Leuprolide: Subgroup Analysis from HERO Study in Advanced Prostate Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular (CV) events are the leading cause of death in prostate cancer. Men with prostate cancer are likely to have CV risk factors and use CV-related concomitant medications. In the phase 3 HERO study, a 54% lower incidence of major adverse cardiac events was reported in men treated with the oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist, relugolix, vs leuprolide. Herein, we characterize the impact of concomitant CV therapies on efficacy and safety in the HERO study. METHODS: In HERO, 930 men with advanced prostate cancer (APC) were randomized 2:1 and treated with relugolix (120 mg orally once daily; after single 360 mg loading dose) or leuprolide (injections every 3 months) for 48 weeks. Subgroups analyzed included men who received antihypertensives, antithrombotics, or lipid-modifying therapies (LMAs), as well as the most common drug classes (> 10%) and single most common agent within each class. Assessments included sustained testosterone suppression to castrate levels (< 50 ng/dL) through 48 weeks and safety. RESULTS: Antihypertensives, antithrombotics, and LMAs were utilized by 52.7%, 39.1%, and 39.6% of men in HERO, respectively. In the main subgroups, point estimates for sustained castration rates were generally consistent with overall estimates of relugolix and leuprolide observed in the overall population. Sustained castration rates were also mostly consistent for men taking the most common drug classes and individual agents in each class (losartan [n = 103]: relugolix, 95.4% vs leuprolide, 80.6%; amlodipine [n = 229]: 97.2% vs 85.5%; metoprolol [n = 88]: 95.7% vs 86.9%; acetylsalicylic acid [n = 259]: 97.0% vs 92.1%; clopidogrel [n = 43]: 96.4% vs 86.7%; simvastatin [n = 78]: 98.0% vs 87.3%). Incidence and types of adverse events (AEs) among men who received these medications were mostly consistent with overall population results, with some increases in grade ≥ 3 and fatal AEs. CONCLUSION: Relugolix suppressed testosterone and was generally well tolerated when given with concomitant CV agents. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trial ID NCT03085095. PRIOR PRESENTATION: Data presented at 15th Annual Genitourinary Cancers Symposium; February 17-19, 2022, San Francisco, CA, USA [Abstract 101, Poster board E11]. The published abstract from this presentation can be found at https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.2022.40.6_suppl.101 .

Association Between Acoustic Features and Brain Volumes: the Framingham Heart Study.

Introduction: Although brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a valuable tool for investigating structural changes in the brain associated with neurodegeneration, the development of non-invasive and cost-effective alternative methods for detecting early cognitive impairment is crucial. The human voice has been increasingly used as an indicator for effectively detecting cognitive disorders, but it remains unclear whether acoustic features are associated with structural neuroimaging. Methods: This study aims to investigate the association between acoustic features and brain volume and compare the predictive power of each for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a large community-based population. The study included participants from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) who had at least one voice recording and an MRI scan. Sixty-five acoustic features were extracted with the OpenSMILE software (v2.1.3) from each voice recording. Nine MRI measures were derived according to the FHS MRI protocol. We examined the associations between acoustic features and MRI measures using linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, and education. Acoustic composite scores were generated by combining acoustic features significantly associated with MRI measures. The MCI prediction ability of acoustic composite scores and MRI measures were compared by building random forest models and calculating the mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 10-fold cross-validation. Results: The study included 4,293 participants (age 57 ± 13 years, 53.9% women). During 9.3±3.7 years follow-up, 106 participants were diagnosed with MCI. Seven MRI measures were significantly associated with more than 20 acoustic features after adjusting for multiple testing. The acoustic composite scores can improve the AUC for MCI prediction to 0.794, compared to 0.759 achieved by MRI measures. Discussion: We found multiple acoustic features were associated with MRI measures, suggesting the potential for using acoustic features as easily accessible digital biomarkers for the early diagnosis of MCI.

A Phase I Clinical Trial Evaluating the Safety and Dosing of Relugolix with Novel Hormonal Therapy for the Treatment of Advanced Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a cornerstone of prostate cancer treatment, is commonly co-prescribed as combination therapy. OBJECTIVE: To better understand the safety and tolerability profile of relugolix, an oral non-peptide gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist, in combination with abiraterone acetate (abiraterone) and apalutamide, a phase I study was undertaken. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is an ongoing, 52-week, open-label, parallel cohort study of relugolix in combination with abiraterone in men with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) or metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) [Part 1] and apalutamide in men with mCSPC or non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) [Part 2]. Eligible patients treated with leuprolide acetate or degarelix with abiraterone or apalutamide prior to baseline, at which time they were transitioned to relugolix. Assessments included reporting of adverse events, clinical laboratory tests, vital sign measurements, electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters, and testosterone serum concentrations. In this interim report, patients completing ≥12 weeks were included. RESULTS: Overall, 15 men were enrolled in Part 1 and 10 in Part 2. Adverse events were mostly mild-to-moderate in intensity and were consistent with the known safety profiles of the individual medications. No transition (from prior ADT treatment)- or time-related trends in clinical laboratory tests, vital sign measurements, or ECG parameters were observed. Mean testosterone concentrations remained below castration levels. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy of relugolix and abiraterone or apalutamide was associated with a favorable safety and tolerability profile consistent with the known profiles of the individual medications. Castration levels of testosterone were maintained after transitioning to relugolix from other ADTs. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04666129.

Relugolix vs. Leuprolide Effects on Castration Resistance-Free Survival from the Phase 3 HERO Study in Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer.

Background: Relugolix is an oral GnRH receptor antagonist approved for men with advanced prostate cancer. Relugolix treatment has demonstrated an ability to lower testosterone to sustained castration levels in the phase 4 HERO study. Herein, we describe the results of a secondary endpoint of castration resistance-free survival (CRFS) during 48 weeks of treatment and profile patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Methods: Subjects were 2:1 randomized to either relugolix 120 mg orally once daily (after a single 360 mg loading dose) or 3-monthly injections of leuprolide for 48 weeks. CRFS, defined as the time from the date of first dose to the date of confirmed prostate-specific antigen progression while castrated or death due to any reason was conducted in the metastatic disease population and the overall modified intention-to-treat (mITT) populations. Results: The CRFS analysis (mITT population) included 1074 men (relugolix: n = 717; leuprolide: n = 357) with advanced prostate cancer as well as 434 men (relugolix: n = 290; leuprolide: n = 144) with metastatic prostate cancer. In the metastatic disease populations, CRFS rates were 74.3% (95% CI: 68.6%, 79.2%) and 75.3% (95% CI: 66.7%, 81.9%) in the relugolix and leuprolide groups, respectively (hazard ratio: 1.03 [0.68, 1.57]; p = 0.84) at week 48. Results in the overall mITT population were similar to the metastatic population. No new safety findings were identified. Conclusions: In men with metastatic disease or in the overall population of the HERO study, CRFS assessed during the 48-week treatment with relugolix was not significantly different than standard-of-care leuprolide. Relugolix had similar efficacy for men with/without CRFS progression events.

Impact of Concomitant Prostate Cancer Medications on Efficacy and Safety of Relugolix Versus Leuprolide in Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: To characterize the impact of concomitant prostate cancer treatments with the use of relugolix, the oral GnRH receptor antagonist, in advanced prostate cancer, a subgroup and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analyses of the HERO study was undertaken. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Overall, 934 patients were randomized 2:1 to receive relugolix 120 mg orally once daily or leuprolide injections every 12 weeks for 48 weeks. In the setting of rising PSA, patients could receive enzalutamide or docetaxel 2 months after study initiation. Assessments included sustained testosterone suppression to castrate levels (<50 ng/dL) through 48 weeks and safety parameters. Subgroups analyzed included patients with or without concomitant enzalutamide or docetaxel. A sensitivity analysis of the primary endpoint was performed excluding patients who received concomitant therapies that may affect testosterone. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analyses of 20 participants in the relugolix treatment group assessed the net effect of enzalutamide on exposure to relugolix. RESULTS: Overall, 125 patients (13.4%) took concomitant therapies that could impact testosterone levels. Enzalutamide (n = 23) was the most frequently used therapy in the relugolix (2.7%) and leuprolide groups (1.9%). Docetaxel (n = 13) was used by 1.3% and 1.6% of patients in the relugolix and leuprolide groups, respectively. All other relevant concomitant therapy were used in <1% of population. Sensitivity analysis showed concomitant therapy did not impact the testosterone levels. Castration rates were similar with and without concomitant use of enzalutamide or docetaxel. No clinically relevant differences in adverse events were observed between subgroups in either treatment group. No differences in relugolix Ctrough or testosterone concentrations were observed, suggesting that any induction or inhibition properties of enzalutamide on relugolix metabolism result in a neutral net effect on relugolix exposure and testosterone suppression. CONCLUSION: Treatment with relugolix was associated with similar efficacy and safety profiles with and without concomitant enzalutamide or docetaxel. Standard-of-care use of relugolix in combination with these agents is supported by these data.

Proteins as Mediators of the Association Between Diet Quality and Incident Cardiovascular Disease and All-Cause Mortality: The Framingham Heart Study.

Background Biological mechanisms underlying the association of a healthy diet with chronic diseases remain unclear. Targeted proteomics may facilitate the understanding of mechanisms linking diet to chronic diseases. Methods and Results We examined 6360 participants (mean age 50 years; 54% women) in the Framingham Heart Study. The associations between diet and 71 cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related proteins were examined using 3 diet quality scores: the Alternate Healthy Eating Index, the modified Mediterranean-style Diet Score, and the modified Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet score. A mediation analysis was conducted to examine which proteins mediated the associations of diet with incident CVD and all-cause mortality. Thirty of the 71 proteins were associated with at least 1 diet quality score (P<0.0007) after adjustment for multiple covariates in all study participants and confirmed by an internal validation analysis. Gene ontology analysis identified inflammation-related pathways such as regulation of cell killing and neuroinflammatory response (Bonferroni corrected P<0.05). During a median follow-up of 13 years, we documented 512 deaths and 488 incident CVD events. Higher diet quality scores were associated with lower risk of CVD (P≤0.03) and mortality (P≤0.004). After adjusting for multiple potential confounders, 4 proteins (B2M [beta-2-microglobulin], GDF15 [growth differentiation factor 15], sICAM1 [soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1], and UCMGP [uncarboxylated matrix Gla-protein]) mediated the association between at least 1 diet quality score and all-cause mortality (median proportion of mediation ranged from 8.6% to 25.9%). We also observed that GDF15 mediated the association of the Alternate Healthy Eating Index with CVD (median proportion of mediation: 8.6%). Conclusions Diet quality is associated with new-onset CVD and mortality and with circulating CVD-related proteins. Several proteins appear to mediate the association of diet with these outcomes.

A phase 1 trial of lipid-encapsulated mRNA encoding a monoclonal antibody with neutralizing activity against Chikungunya virus.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection causes acute disease characterized by fever, rash and arthralgia, which progresses to severe and chronic arthritis in up to 50% of patients. Moreover, CHIKV infection can be fatal in infants or immunocompromised individuals and has no approved therapy or prevention. This phase 1, first-in-human, randomized, placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept trial conducted from January 2019 to June 2020 evaluated the safety and pharmacology of mRNA-1944, a lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated messenger RNA encoding the heavy and light chains of a CHIKV-specific monoclonal neutralizing antibody, CHKV-24 ( NCT03829384 ). The primary outcome was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of escalating doses of mRNA-1944 administered via intravenous infusion in healthy participants aged 18-50 years. The secondary objectives included determination of the pharmacokinetics of mRNA encoding for CHKV-24 immunoglobulin heavy and light chains and ionizable amino lipid component and the pharmacodynamics of mRNA-1944 as assessed by serum concentrations of mRNA encoding for CHKV-24 immunoglobulin G (IgG), plasma concentrations of ionizable amino lipid and serum concentrations of CHKV-24 IgG. Here we report the results of a prespecified interim analysis of 38 healthy participants who received intravenous single doses of mRNA-1944 or placebo at 0.1, 0.3 and 0.6 mg kg-1, or two weekly doses at 0.3 mg kg-1. At 12, 24 and 48 h after single infusions, dose-dependent levels of CHKV-24 IgG with neutralizing activity were observed at titers predicted to be therapeutically relevant concentrations (≥1 µg ml-1) across doses that persisted for ≥16 weeks at 0.3 and 0.6 mg kg-1 (mean t1/2 approximately 69 d). A second 0.3 mg kg-1 dose 1 week after the first increased CHKV-24 IgG levels 1.8-fold. Adverse effects were mild to moderate in severity, did not worsen with a second mRNA-1944 dose and none were serious. To our knowledge, mRNA-1944 is the first mRNA-encoded monoclonal antibody showing in vivo expression and detectable ex vivo neutralizing activity in a clinical trial and may offer a treatment option for CHIKV infection. Further evaluation of the potential therapeutic use of mRNA-1944 in clinical trials for the treatment of CHIKV infection is warranted.

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for the treatment of HCV: excellent results from a phase-3, open-label study in Russia and Sweden.

BACKGROUND: In both Russia and Sweden, the dominant hepatitis C virus (HCV) is genotype 1, but around one-third of patients have genotype 3 infection. For such countries, HCV genotype testing is recommended prior to therapy. An effective pangenotypic therapy may potentially eliminate the need for genotyping. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for 12 weeks in patients from Russia and Sweden. METHODS: In an open-label, single-arm phase-3 study, patients could have HCV genotype 1-6 infection and were treatment-naïve or interferon treatment-experienced. All patients received sofosbuvir/velpatasvir, once daily for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was sustained virologic response 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12). RESULTS: Of 122 patients screened, 119 were enrolled and treated. Overall, half (50%) were male, 18% had cirrhosis, and 24% had failed prior interferon-based therapy. In total, 66% of patients were infected with HCV genotype 1 (59% 1b and 7% 1a), 6% with genotype 2, and 29% with genotype 3. The overall SVR12 rate was 99% (118/119, 95% confidence interval 95-100%). One treatment-experienced patient infected with HCV genotype 3 experienced virologic relapse after completing treatment. The most common adverse events were headache (16%) and fatigue (7%). Serious adverse events were observed in four patients, but none were related to treatment. No patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events. CONCLUSION: Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir as a pangenotypic treatment for 12 weeks was highly effective in patients from Russia and Sweden infected with HCV genotypes 1, 2, or 3. Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir was safe and well-tolerated. Clinical trial number: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02722837.

Sofosbuvir-velpatasvir single-tablet regimen administered for 12 weeks in a phase 3 study with minimal monitoring in India.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In clinical studies, sofosbuvir-velpatasvir has demonstrated high cure rates and favorable tolerability in patients chronically infected with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) of any genotype. We evaluated the effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir-velpatasvir administered with minimal medical monitoring to patients in India. METHODS: At 16 sites in India, 129 adult patients with chronic HCV infection of any genotype initiated 12 weeks of once-daily sofosbuvir-velpatasvir (400-100 mg). Patients with compensated cirrhosis or prior treatment experience could be included in the study. Study drug was dispensed monthly, but there were no on-treatment study assessments. The primary efficacy endpoint was rate of sustained virologic response (HCV RNA < 15 IU/mL) 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12), which was compared to a pre-specified performance goal of 85%. RESULTS: The majority of patients had HCV genotype 3 infection (70%), followed by HCV genotype 1 (22%). The SVR12 rate was 93% (120/129; 95% CI, 87% to 97%) (p = 0.009 compared with the 85% performance goal). Of the nine patients who did not achieve SVR12, 1 experienced virologic failure, 2 relapsed after treatment, 1 withdrew consent after treatment, and 5 were lost to follow-up (1 during and 4 after treatment). Sofosbuvir-velpatasvir was well-tolerated, and no patients discontinued treatment because of an adverse event. The most frequently reported adverse events were headache (3% of patients), upper abdominal pain (2%), and pyrexia (2%). CONCLUSIONS: In this study conducted at multiple sites in India, sofosbuvir-velpatasvir administered without genotype restriction or on-treatment safety assessments was well-tolerated and highly effective.

Sofosbuvir-velpatasvir for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in Asia: a single-arm, open-label, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Treatment with combined sofosbuvir and velpatasvir has resulted in high sustained virological response rates in patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) with genotypes 1-6 in clinical trials and real-world settings, but its efficacy and safety has not been assessed in Asia, a region with diverse HCV genotypes. METHODS: In this single-arm, open-label, phase 3 trial, we recruited patients from 38 sites across China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia, who were chronically infected with HCV genotypes 1-6, and were HCV treatment-naive or treatment-experienced, either without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis. Patients self-administered a combined sofosbuvir (400 mg) and velpatasvir (100 mg) tablet once daily for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was sustained virological response, defined as HCV RNA less than 15 IU/mL at 12 weeks after completion of treatment (SVR12), assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study drug. The primary safety endpoint was the proportion of adverse events leading to premature discontinuation of study drug. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02671500, and is completed. FINDINGS: Between April 14, 2016, and June 30, 2017, 375 patients were enrolled in the study, of whom 374 completed the full treatment course and one discontinued treatment. Overall, 362 (97% [95% CI 94-98]) of 375 patients achieved SVR12. Among 42 patients with HCV genotype 3b, all of whom had baseline resistance-associated substitutions in NS5A, 25 (89% [95% CI 72-98]) of 28 patients without cirrhosis and seven (50% [23-77]) of 14 patients with cirrhosis achieved SVR12. The most common adverse events were upper respiratory tract infection (36 [10%] patients) and headache (18 [5%] patients). There were no discontinuations due to adverse events. Serious adverse events were reported in three (1%) patients, none of which was judged to be related to sofosbuvir-velpatasvir treatment. INTERPRETATION: Consistent with data from other phase 3 studies, single-tablet sofosbuvir-velpatasvir for 12 weeks is an efficacious and safe treatment for Asian patients with chronic HCV infection, but might have lower efficacy in those infected with HCV genotype 3b and with cirrhosis. FUNDING: Gilead Sciences.