A randomized clinical trial of the efficacy and safety of rivipansel for sickle cell vaso-occlusive crisis.

The efficacy and safety of rivipansel, a predominantly E-selectin antagonist, were studied in a phase 3, randomized, controlled trial for vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) requiring hospitalization (RESET). A total of 345 subjects (204 adults and 141 children) were randomized and 320 were treated (162 with rivipansel, 158 with placebo) with an IV loading dose, followed by up to 14 additional 12-hourly maintenance doses of rivipansel or placebo, in addition to standard care. Rivipansel was similarly administered during subsequent VOCs in the Open-label Extension (OLE) study. In the full analysis population, the median time to readiness for discharge (TTRFD), the primary end point, was not different between rivipansel and placebo (-5.7 hours, P = .79; hazard ratio, 0.97), nor were differences seen in secondary end points of time to discharge (TTD), time to discontinuation of IV opioids (TTDIVO), and cumulative IV opioid use. Mean soluble E-selectin decreased 61% from baseline after the loading dose in the rivipansel group, while remaining unchanged in the placebo group. In a post hoc analysis, early rivipansel treatment within 26.4 hours of VOC pain onset (earliest quartile of time from VOC onset to treatment) reduced median TTRFD by 56.3 hours, reduced median TTD by 41.5 hours, and reduced median TTDIVO by 50.5 hours, compared with placebo (all P < .05). A similar subgroup analysis comparing OLE early-treatment with early-treatment RESET placebo showed a reduction in TTD of 23.1 hours (P = .062) and in TTDIVO of 30.1 hours (P = .087). Timing of rivipansel administration after pain onset may be critical to achieving accelerated resolution of acute VOC. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02187003 (RESET), NCT02433158 (OLE).

Effect of Renal or Hepatic Impairment on the Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Tolerability of Intravenous Rivipansel.

Two studies evaluated the effects of renal and hepatic impairment on pharmacokinetics and safety of rivipansel (NCT02813798, NCT02871570). A single intravenous 840-mg rivipansel dose was administered to subjects with renal impairment or normal renal function in study 1005 and subjects with moderate hepatic impairment or normal hepatic function in study 1006. Plasma (both studies) and urine (study 1005) samples were collected for 96 hours postdose. All subjects in studies 1005 (n = 28) and 1006 (n = 16) completed all study procedures. Rivipansel exposure (AUCinf ) was 47%, 124%, and 437% higher and total clearance 30%, 57%, and 82% lower in the mild, moderate, and severe renal impairment groups, respectively, than in the normal renal function group. Overall rivipansel exposure was 20% lower and total clearance 31% higher in the moderate hepatic impairment group than in the normal hepatic function group. Ten treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in studies 1005 and 1006; no event was considered treatment related. As expected, clearance of rivipansel decreased with increasing renal impairment. The difference observed between rivipansel pharmacokinetics in subjects with moderate hepatic impairment and subjects with normal hepatic function was not considered clinically significant. Single doses of rivipansel were well tolerated in subjects with either renal or hepatic impairment.

Lack of Effect of Rivipansel on QTc Interval in Healthy Adult African American Male Subjects.

Rivipansel is a pan-selectin inhibitor in phase 3 development for the treatment of vaso-occlusive crises in patients with sickle cell disease. This single-dose, randomized, 3-period, 3-treatment (400 mg moxifloxacin open-label, 4 g rivipansel-blinded, and placebo-blinded) crossover study evaluated the effect of rivipansel on the QT/QTc interval in 48 healthy male African American subjects (age, 21-53 years; weight, 60-115 kg). Time-matched, placebo-adjusted change from baseline QT interval using Fridericia's correction method (QTcF) was determined using a repeated-measures mixed-effects model. The highest upper bound of the 2-sided 90% confidence interval (CI) for QTcF change was 3.22 milliseconds 3 hours postdose. Moxifloxacin showed the anticipated QTcF effect, indicating that the study had adequate sensitivity to detect changes in the QTcF interval. The study concluded that no QTcF effect was demonstrated with rivipansel compared with placebo, as the upper bound of the 2-sided 90%CI was less than 10 milliseconds at all times. Exposure-response modeling for rivipansel concentrations and change from baseline in QTcF data corroborated a lack of effect with rivipansel compared with placebo. Single doses of rivipansel 4 g by intravenous infusion over 20 minutes were well tolerated in this study.

Randomized phase III trial of paclitaxel/carboplatin with or without PF-3512676 (Toll-like receptor 9 agonist) as first-line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: This phase III study examined efficacy of the synthetic Toll-like receptor 9-activating oligodeoxynucleotide PF-3512676 in combination with standard paclitaxel/carboplatin chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Chemotherapy-naive patients with stage IIIB or IV NSCLC were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive up to six courses of paclitaxel/carboplatin (intravenous paclitaxel 200 mg/m(2) and carboplatin at area under the [concentration-time] curve 6 on day 1 of a 3-week cycle) alone (control arm) or in combination with 0.2 mg/kg subcutaneous PF-3512676 on days 8 and 15 (investigational arm). Primary end point was overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Baseline demographics were similar across arms (N = 828). Most patients (88%) had stage IV disease. Median OS and median progression-free survival (PFS) were similar (OS: investigational arm, 10.0 months v control arm, 9.8 months; P = .56; PFS: investigational arm, 4.8 months v control arm, 4.7 months; P = .79). Most commonly reported PF-3512676-related adverse events (AEs) were mild-to-moderate local injection site reactions, pyrexia, and flu-like symptoms. In the investigational arm, grades 3 to 4 AEs, including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia, were more frequent, and more patients had one or more sepsis-related AEs versus controls (17 v 3). At first interim analysis, the Data Safety Monitoring Committee recommended study discontinuation because of lack of incremental efficacy and more sepsis-related serious AEs in the PF-3512676 arm. Administration of PF-3512676, but not chemotherapy, was halted. CONCLUSION: Addition of PF-3512676 to paclitaxel/carboplatin did not improve OS or PFS versus paclitaxel/carboplatin alone for first-line treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC but did increase toxicity. This regimen cannot be recommended for treating patients with advanced NSCLC.

Randomized phase II trial of a toll-like receptor 9 agonist oligodeoxynucleotide, PF-3512676, in combination with first-line taxane plus platinum chemotherapy for advanced-stage non-small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: This study assessed the efficacy of the combination of standard taxane plus platinum chemotherapy with the synthetic Toll-like receptor 9-activating oligodeoxynucleotide PF-3512676 in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Chemotherapy-naive patients with stage IIIB to IV NSCLC were randomly assigned (one to two ratio) to receive four to six cycles of taxane/platinum chemotherapy alone or with 0.2 mg/kg of subcutaneous PF-3512676 on days 8 and 15 of each 3-week cycle. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR). RESULTS: Baseline demographics were similar between treatment arms, although significantly more patients in the PF-3512676 arm had stage IV disease (85% compared with 62% in the chemotherapy-alone arm). The modified intent-to-treat analysis (n = 111) demonstrated a 38% ORR (confirmed and unconfirmed) in the PF-3512676 arm (n = 74) and 19% in the chemotherapy-alone arm (n = 37) by investigator evaluation. Blinded, independent radiologic review for 90 patients showed a similar trend in confirmed response rate (19% and 11%, respectively). Median survival was 12.3 months in the PF-3512676 arm and 6.8 months in the chemotherapy-alone arm, and 1-year survival was 50% and 33%, respectively. Mild to moderate local injection site reactions and flu-like symptoms were the most common PF-3512676-related adverse events, but grade 3/4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia were all reported more commonly for patients in the PF-3512676 arm. CONCLUSION: The addition of PF-3512676 to taxane plus platinum chemotherapy for first-line treatment of NSCLC improves objective response and may improve survival. Confirmatory phase III trials are ongoing.

Nocturnal enuresis in sickle cell haemoglobinopathies

The prevalence of nocturnal enuresis (wet at least two nights a week) was investigated in children, aged 8, who were being followed up as part of a prospective cohort study. There were 175 children with homozygous sickle cell disease, 106 with sickle cell haemoglobin C disease, and 150 controls with a normal haemoglobin genotype. In homozygous sickle cell disease, 48 boys (52 percent) and 31 girls (38 percent) were enuretic, a significantly higher prevalence than in those with sickle cell haemoglobin C disease - five boys (10 percent) and 11 girls (20 percent) - or in normal children - 16 boys (22 percent) and 13 girls (17 percent). There was no significant difference between children with sickle cell haemoglobin C disease and the normal genotype. Boys with homozygous sickle cell disease were significantly more likely to be enuretic if they came from large families; there was a similar trend for girls with homozygous sickle cell disease, although it did not reach significance. Enuresis was more common in boys with homozygous sickle cell disease who had low concentrations of fetal haemoglobin and in girls with sickle cell haemoglobin C disease who had high mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentrations. Similar associations were not shown for girls with homozygous sickle cell disease or boys with sickle cell haemoglobin C disease. (AU)

Nocturnal enuresis in normal Jamaican children: implications for therapy

The prevalence of nocturnal enuresis has been investigated in 477 children (243 boys, 234 girls) attending government Basic Schools in Kingston, Jamaica. Enuresis, defined as wet at least 2 nights a week, occurred in 62 percent, 48 percent, 42 percent and 40 percent at 2, 3, 4 and 5 years of age, respectively. Enuresis, defined as wet at least one night a month, occurred in 68 percent, 58 percent, 53 percent and 52 percent, respectively. There was no significant difference between the sexes. Children with a family history of enuresis (first degree relatives wet beyound 8 years of age) were more likely to be enuretic than those with no family history, the difference reaching statistical significance for girls (<0.001) and for the sexes combined (p <0.001) but not for boys alone (p=0.06). The prevalence of nocturnal enuresis in Jamaican children is higher than reported for Black children elsewhere, which in turn is higher than in their White counterparts. Cultural attitudes to bed-wetting contribute to this variation and have implications for choice of therapy, both in Jamaica and elsewhere. (AU)