A randomised, placebo- and active-controlled dose-finding study of aclidinium bromide administered twice a day in COPD patients.

This Phase IIb, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo- and active-comparator-controlled crossover study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01120093) assessed efficacy and safety of three doses of aclidinium bromide in patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Patients were randomised to one of five treatment sequences each consisting of twice-daily (BID) aclidinium 100 µg, 200 µg, 400 µg (via Genuair®*), formoterol 12 µg (via Aerolizer®) and matched placebo for 7 days, with a 5- to 9-day washout period. Primary endpoint was mean change from baseline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) normalised area under the curve (AUC)0-12 on Day 7. Secondary endpoints were: change from baseline in FEV1 normalised AUC12-24, FEV1 normalised AUC0-24 and morning pre-dose FEV1 on Day 7. Adverse events were monitored throughout the study. Of 79 randomised patients, 68 (86.1%) completed the study. After 7 days of treatment, aclidinium and formoterol produced statistically significantly greater changes from baseline in FEV1 normalised AUC0-12 vs placebo (p<0.0001). FEV1 normalised AUC12-24, FEV1 normalised AUC0-24, and morning pre-dose FEV1 were also statistically significantly greater with all aclidinium doses vs placebo (p<0.0001). Improvements in primary and secondary endpoints were statistically significantly greater with aclidinium 400 µg vs 100 µg. The safety profile of aclidinium was comparable to placebo. These results demonstrated that twice-daily aclidinium produced dose-dependent clinically meaningful improvements in FEV1 compared with placebo. This study also confirmed the use of an aclidinium BID dosing regimen and established aclidinium 200 µg and 400 µg as suitable doses for further investigation in Phase III trials.

Safety and pharmacokinetics of multiple doses of aclidinium bromide administered twice daily in healthy volunteers.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by progressive airway obstruction and increased cholinergic tone. The global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) guidelines recommend long-acting anticholinergics for COPD maintenance treatment. Aclidinium bromide is a novel, long-acting muscarinic antagonist developed for the treatment of COPD. A phase I, randomized, single-blind, multiple-dose clinical trial was conducted to assess the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of multiple doses of twice-daily (BID) aclidinium in healthy subjects. Thirty healthy male and female subjects received aclidinium 200 µg, 400 µg, 800 µg, or placebo twice daily for 7 days. Subjects were randomized to 1 of 3 cohorts and 10 subjects in each cohort were randomized (8:2) to either aclidinium or placebo groups. Safety was assessed via adverse events (AEs), laboratory evaluations, vital signs, and ECGs. Plasma samples were obtained at multiple time points throughout the study and analyzed for aclidinium and its inactive acid and alcohol metabolites using a fully validated method of liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 9 treatment-emergent AEs were reported (1, placebo; 3, aclidinium 400 µg; 5, aclidinium 800 µg), all of which were mild in severity. No serious AEs were reported. There were no clinically meaningful changes in laboratory parameters or vital signs. PK parameters on Day 7 following BID dosing of aclidinium showed that steady state was achieved for aclidinium and its metabolites. On Days 1 and 7, maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax) of aclidinium were generally observed at the first PK time point (5 min postdose) and rapidly declined, with plasma concentrations generally less than 10% of Cmax by 6 h postdose in all aclidinium groups. Mean effective t(½) after the evening dose on Day 7 ranged from 4.6 to 7.0 h for aclidinium 400 µg and 800 µg, similar to the terminal t(½) observed on Day 1 (4.5-5.9 h). Exposure for aclidinium and both metabolites increased with increasing dose, with the increase in exposure being less than dose proportional between the 400 µg and 800 µg doses. Overall, all doses of aclidinium were safe and well tolerated throughout the study. Pharmacokinetic steady state was reached for aclidinium and both metabolites within the 7-day treatment period for all doses tested. Aclidinium bromide exhibited time-independent PK following dosing to steady state, indicating that similar concentration versus time profiles will occur after repeated administration at the same dose and frequency.