The Effect of Omecamtiv Mecarbil in Hospitalized Patients as Compared With Outpatients With HFrEF: An Analysis of GALACTIC-HF.

BACKGROUND: In the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac Outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC-HF) trial, omecamtiv mecarbil, compared with placebo, reduced the risk of worsening heart failure (HF) events, or cardiovascular death in patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction. The primary aim of this prespecified analysis was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of omecamtiv mecarbil by randomization setting, that is, whether participants were enrolled as outpatients or inpatients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients were randomized either during a HF hospitalization or as an outpatient, within one year of a worsening HF event (hospitalization or emergency department visit). The primary outcome was a composite of worsening HF event (HF hospitalization or an urgent emergency department or clinic visit) or cardiovascular death. Of the 8232 patients analyzed, 2084 (25%) were hospitalized at randomization. Hospitalized patients had higher N-terminal prohormone of B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations, lower systolic blood pressure, reported more symptoms, and were less frequently treated with a renin-angiotensin system blocker or a beta-blocker than outpatients. The rate (per 100 person-years) of the primary outcome was higher in hospitalized patients (placebo group = 38.3/100 person-years) than in outpatients (23.1/100 person-years); adjusted hazard ratio 1.21 (95% confidence interval 1.12-1.31). The effect of omecamtiv mecarbil versus placebo on the primary outcome was similar in hospitalized patients (hazard ratio 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.78-1.01) and outpatients (hazard ratio 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.86-1.02) (interaction P = .51). CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalized patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction had a higher rate of the primary outcome than outpatients. Omecamtiv mecarbil decreased the risk of the primary outcome both when initiated in hospitalized patients and in outpatients.

Association Between Achieved Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels and Long-Term Cardiovascular and Safety Outcomes: An Analysis of FOURIER-OLE.

BACKGROUND: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a well-established risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, the optimal achieved LDL-C level with regard to efficacy and safety in the long term remains unknown. METHODS: In FOURIER (Further Cardiovascular Outcomes Research With PCSK9 Inhibition in Subjects With Elevated Risk), 27 564 patients with stable atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease were randomized to evolocumab versus placebo, with a median follow-up of 2.2 years. In the open-label extension (FOURIER-OLE), 6635 of these patients were transitioned to open-label evolocumab regardless of initial treatment allocation in the parent trial and were followed for an additional median of 5 years. In this prespecified analysis, we examined the relationship between achieved LDL-C levels (an average of the first 2 LDL-C levels measured) in FOURIER-OLE (available in 6559 patients) and the incidence of subsequent cardiovascular and safety outcomes. We also performed sensitivity analyses evaluating cardiovascular and safety outcomes in the entire FOURIER and FOURIER-OLE patient population. Multivariable modeling was used to adjust for baseline factors associated with achieved LDL-C levels. RESULTS: In FOURIER-OLE, 1604 (24%), 2627 (40%), 1031 (16%), 486 (7%), and 811 (12%) patients achieved LDL-C levels of <20, 20 to <40, 40 to <55, 55 to <70, and ≥70 mg/dL, respectively. There was a monotonic relationship between lower achieved LDL-C levels-down to very low levels <20 mg/dL-and a lower risk of the primary efficacy end point (composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, hospital admission for unstable angina or coronary revascularization) and the key secondary efficacy end point (composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) that persisted after multivariable adjustment (adjusted Ptrend<0.0001 for each end points). No statistically significant associations existed in the primary analyses between lower achieved LDL-C levels and increased risk of the safety outcomes (serious adverse events, new or recurrent cancer, cataract-related adverse events, hemorrhagic stroke, new-onset diabetes, neurocognitive adverse events, muscle-related events, or noncardiovascular death). Similar findings were noted in the entire FOURIER and FOURIER-OLE cohort up to a maximum follow-up of 8.6 years. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, long-term achievement of lower LDL-C levels, down to <20 mg/dL (<0.5 mmol/L), was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular outcomes with no significant safety concerns. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique identifier: NCT01764633.

A First-in-Human Study of AMG 986, a Novel Apelin Receptor Agonist, in Healthy Subjects and Heart Failure Patients.

PURPOSE: AMG 986 is a novel apelin receptor (APJ) agonist that improves cardiac contractility in animal models without adversely impacting hemodynamics. This phase 1b study evaluated the safety/tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of AMG 986 in healthy subjects and patients with heart failure (HF). METHODS: Healthy adults (Parts A/B) and HF patients (Part C) aged 18-85 years were randomized 3:1 to single-dose oral/IV AMG 986 or placebo (Part A); multiple-dose oral/IV AMG 986 or placebo (Part B); or escalating-dose oral AMG 986 or placebo (Part C). PRIMARY ENDPOINT: treatment-emergent adverse events, laboratory values/vital signs/ECGs; others included AMG 986 pharmacokinetics, left ventricular (LV) function. RESULTS: Overall, 182 subjects were randomized (AMG 986/healthy: n = 116, placebo, n = 38; AMG 986/HF: n = 20, placebo, n = 8). AMG 986 had acceptable safety profile; no clinically significant dose-related impact on safety parameters up to 650 mg/day was observed. AMG 986 exposures increased nonlinearly with increasing doses; minimal accumulation was observed. In HF with reduced ejection fraction patients, there were numerical increases in percent changes from baseline in LV ejection fraction and stroke volume by volumetric assessment with AMG 986 vs placebo (stroke volume increase not recapitulated by Doppler). CONCLUSIONS: In healthy subjects and HF patients, short-term AMG 986 treatment was well tolerated. Consistent with this observation, clinically meaningful pharmacodynamic effects in HF patients were not observed. Changes in ejection fraction and stroke volume in HF patients suggest additional studies may be needed to better define the clinical utility and optimal dosing for this molecule. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03276728. DATE OF REGISTRATION: September 8, 2017.

Long-Term Evolocumab in Patients With Established Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.

BACKGROUND: In FOURIER (Further Cardiovascular Outcomes Research With PCSK9 Inhibition in Subjects With Elevated Risk), the proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 inhibitor evolocumab reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and risk of cardiovascular events and was safe and well tolerated over a median of 2.2 years of follow-up. However, large-scale, long-term data are lacking. METHODS: The parent FOURIER trial randomized 27 564 patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and LDL-C ≥70 mg/dL on statin to evolocumab versus placebo. Patients completing FOURIER at participating sites were eligible to receive evolocumab in 2 open-label extension studies (FOURIER-OLE [FOURIER Open-Label Extension]) in the United States and Europe; primary analyses were pooled across studies. The primary end point was the incidence of adverse events. Lipid values and major adverse cardiovascular events were prospectively collected. RESULTS: A total of 6635 patients were enrolled in FOURIER-OLE (3355 randomized to evolocumab and 3280 to placebo in the parent study). Median follow-up in FOURIER-OLE was 5.0 years; maximum exposure to evolocumab in parent plus FOURIER-OLE was 8.4 years. At 12 weeks in FOURIER-OLE, median LDL-C was 30 mg/dL, and 63.2% of patients achieved LDL-C <40 mg/dL on evolocumab. Incidences of serious adverse events, muscle-related events, new-onset diabetes, hemorrhagic stroke, and neurocognitive events with evolocumab long term did not exceed those for placebo-treated patients during the parent study and did not increase over time. During the FOURIER-OLE follow-up period, patients originally randomized in the parent trial to evolocumab versus placebo had a 15% lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or hospitalization for unstable angina or coronary revascularization (hazard ratio, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.75-0.96]; P=0.008); a 20% lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.68-0.93]; P=0.003); and a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.60-0.99]; P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term LDL-C lowering with evolocumab was associated with persistently low rates of adverse events for >8 years that did not exceed those observed in the original placebo arm during the parent study and led to further reductions in cardiovascular events compared with delayed treatment initiation. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique identifiers: NCT02867813 and NCT03080935.

Effects of omecamtiv mecarbil in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction according to blood pressure: the GALACTIC-HF trial.

AIM: Patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and low systolic blood pressure (SBP) have high mortality, hospitalizations, and poorly tolerate evidence-based medical treatment. Omecamtiv mecarbil may be particularly helpful in such patients. This study examined its efficacy and tolerability in patients with SBP ≤100 mmHg enrolled in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC-HF). METHODS AND RESULTS: The GALACTIC-HF enrolled patients with baseline SBP ≥85 mmHg with a primary outcome of time to cardiovascular death or first heart failure event. In this analysis, patients were divided according to their baseline SBP (≤100 vs. >100 mmHg). Among the 8232 analysed patients, 1473 (17.9%) had baseline SBP ≤100 mmHg and 6759 (82.1%) had SBP >100 mmHg. The primary outcome occurred in 715 (48.5%) and 2415 (35.7%) patients with SBP ≤100 and >100 mmHg, respectively. Patients with lower SBP were at higher risk of adverse outcomes. Omecamtiv mecarbil, compared with placebo, appeared to be more effective in reducing the primary composite endpoint in patients with SBP ≤100 mmHg [hazard ratio (HR), 0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.70-0.94] compared with those with SBP >100 mmHg (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.88-1.03; P-value for interaction = 0.051). In both groups, omecamtiv mecarbil did not change SBP values over time and did not increase the risk of adverse events, when compared with placebo. CONCLUSION: In GALACTIC-HF, risk reduction of heart failure outcomes with omecamtiv mecarbil compared with placebo was large and significant in patients with low SBP. Omecamtiv mecarbil did not affect SBP and was well tolerated independent of SBP values.

Pharmacokinetic Drug-Drug Interaction Study of Omecamtiv Mecarbil With Omeprazole, a Proton Pump Inhibitor, in Healthy Subjects.

Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a novel cardiac myosin activator in development for the treatment of heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction. OM is administered as a 25-, 37.5-, or 50-mg modified-release formulation in patients with HF. Proton pump inhibitors are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in this patient population. Given the potential for coadministration of both drugs in patients with HF, we evaluated the potential for omeprazole to affect the pharmacokinetics of OM in an open-label study in 14 healthy subjects. Subjects received a single 50-mg dose of OM on day 1, followed by 40-mg once-daily doses of omeprazole on days 4 to 8. On day 9, a single 40-mg dose of omeprazole was administered first and immediately followed by 50-mg of OM. Blood samples were collected up to 144 hours after dosing following administration of OM on days 1 and 9 to characterize plasma concentrations of OM. The ratios of the geometric least-square means (90% confidence intervals) of OM coadministered with omeprazole compared to OM alone were 94.5% (81.7%-109.3%), 94.3% (81.5%-109.1%), and 101.2% (95.4%-107.3%) for area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time 0 to infinity, area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time 0 to the last measurable concentration, and maximum observed plasma concentration, respectively. Coadministration of OM with omeprazole was not associated with any clinically significant pharmacokinetic drug interactions. Single doses of OM were safe and well tolerated when coadministered with omeprazole.

Pharmacokinetic Drug-Drug Interaction Study of Omecamtiv Mecarbil With Amiodarone and Digoxin in Healthy Subjects.

Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM), a novel cardiac myosin activator, is being evaluated for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. In vitro studies demonstrate OM as a substrate and inhibitor of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which can result in drug-drug interactions. Two phase 1, open-label studies assessed the effect of coadministration of OM (50-mg single dose) on the pharmacokinetics of digoxin (0.5-mg single dose; N = 15), a P-gp substrate, and the effect of coadministration of amiodarone (600-mg single dose), a P-gp inhibitor, on the pharmacokinetics of OM (50-mg single dose; N = 14) in healthy subjects. The ratios of the geometric least squares mean (90% confidence interval [CI]) of digoxin coadministered with OM vs digoxin alone for area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) from time 0 to infinity, AUC from time 0 to the time of the last quantifiable concentration, and maximum observed plasma concentration were 1.06 (90%CI, 0.99-1.14), 1.06 (90%CI, 0.98-1.14), and 1.08 (90%CI, 0.92-1.26), respectively. The ratios of the geometric least squares mean of OM coadministered with amiodarone vs OM alone for AUC from time 0 to infinity, AUC from time 0 to the time of the last quantifiable concentration, and maximum observed plasma concentration were 1.21 (90%CI, 1.08-1.36), 1.21 (90%CI, 1.07-1.36), and 1.08 (90%CI, 0.96-1.22), respectively. In conclusion, OM coadministered with digoxin or amiodarone did not result in any clinically relevant pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions.

Omecamtiv mecarbil does not prolong QTc intervals at therapeutic concentrations.

AIMS: Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a novel selective cardiac myosin activator under investigation for the treatment of heart failure. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of therapeutic concentrations of OM on electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters and exclude a clinically concerning effect on the rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval. METHODS: In part A, 70 healthy subjects received a 25 mg oral dose of OM, and pharmacokinetics were assessed. Only subjects with maximum observed plasma concentration ≤ 350 ng/mL (n = 60) were randomized into part B, where they received a single oral dose of placebo, 50 mg OM and 400 mg moxifloxacin in a 3-period, 3-treatment, 6-sequence crossover study with continuous ECG collection. RESULTS: After a 50-mg dose of OM, mean placebo-corrected change from baseline QTcF (∆∆QTcF; Fridericia correction) ranged from -6.7 ms at 1 hour postdose to -0.8 ms at 4 hours postdose. The highest upper bound of the 1-sided 95% confidence interval (CI) was 0.7 ms (4 h postdose). Moxifloxacin resulted in a clear increase in mean ∆∆QTcF, with a peak value of 13.1 ms (90% CI: 11.71-14.57) at 3 hours; lower bound of the 1-sided 95% CI was > 5 ms at all of the 3 prespecified time points. Based on a concentration-QTc analysis, an effect on ∆∆QTcF exceeding 10 ms can be excluded up to OM plasma concentrations of ~800 ng/mL. There were no serious or treatment-emergent adverse events leading to discontinuation from the study. CONCLUSION: OM does not have a clinically relevant effect on the studied ECG parameters.

Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of the CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 Drug-Drug Interaction and CYP3A4 Induction Potential of Omecamtiv Mecarbil: Two Open-Label Studies in Healthy Subjects.

Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a cardiac myosin activator under development for the treatment of heart failure. The effect of CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 inhibition on OM pharmacokinetics and the potential for OM to induce CYP3A4 was assessed in 2 studies. Study 1, part A, assessed the effect of ketoconazole 200 mg on the pharmacokinetics of OM 10 mg in CYP2D6 extensive metabolizers (EMs; n = 8) or poor metabolizers (PMs; n = 8). Study 1, part B, assessed the effect of diltiazem 240 mg on the pharmacokinetics of OM 10 mg (EM; n = 8). Study 2 assessed the effect of OM 25 mg on the pharmacokinetics of midazolam 5 mg (n = 14). Coadministration with ketoconazole led to 51% and 31% increases in OM AUCinf in EM and PM subjects, respectively, whereas OM Cmax remained similar (3% higher and 14% lower for EM and PM subjects, respectively). No changes in OM pharmacokinetics were observed in EM subjects following coadministration with diltiazem. Midazolam AUCinf and Cmax decreased by 18% and 10%, respectively, when coadministered with OM. In conclusion, CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 inhibitors are unlikely to have a clinically significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of OM. In addition, OM is unlikely to have a clinically relevant effect on the pharmacokinetics of CYP3A4 substrates.

Assessment of Omecamtiv Mecarbil for the Treatment of Patients With Severe Heart Failure: A Post Hoc Analysis of Data From the GALACTIC-HF Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is a progressive clinical syndrome, and many patients' condition worsen over time despite treatment. Patients with more severe disease are often intolerant of available medical therapies. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of omecamtiv mecarbil for the treatment of patients with severe heart failure (HF) enrolled in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac Outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC-HF) randomized clinical trial. Design, Setting, and Participants: The GALACTIC-HF study was a global double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 randomized clinical trial that was conducted at multiple centers between January 2017 and August 2020. A total of 8232 patients with symptomatic HF (defined as New York Heart Association symptom class II-IV) and left ventricular ejection fraction of 35% or less were randomized to receive omecamtiv mecarbil or placebo and followed up for a median of 21.8 months (range, 15.4-28.6 months). The current post hoc analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of omecamtiv mecarbil therapy among patients classified as having severe HF compared with patients without severe HF. Severe HF was defined as the presence of all of the following criteria: New York Heart Association symptom class III to IV, left ventricular ejection fraction of 30% or less, and hospitalization for HF within the previous 6 months. Interventions: Participants were randomized at a 1:1 ratio to receive either omecamtiv mecarbil or placebo. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was time to first HF event or cardiovascular (CV) death. Secondary end points included time to CV death and safety and tolerability. Results: Among 8232 patients enrolled in the GALACTIC-HF clinical trial, 2258 patients (27.4%; mean [SD] age, 64.5 [11.6] years; 1781 men [78.9%]) met the specified criteria for severe HF. Of those, 1106 patients were randomized to the omecamtiv mecarbil group and 1152 to the placebo group. Patients with severe HF who received omecamtiv mecarbil experienced a significant treatment benefit for the primary end point (hazard ratio [HR], 0.80; 95% CI, 0.71-0.90), whereas patients without severe HF had no significant treatment benefit (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.91-1.08; P = .005 for interaction). For CV death, the results were similar (HR for patients with vs without severe HF: 0.88 [95% CI, 0.75-1.03] vs 1.10 [95% CI, 0.97-1.25]; P = .03 for interaction). Omecamtiv mecarbil therapy was well tolerated in patients with severe HF, with no significant changes in blood pressure, kidney function, or potassium level compared with placebo. Conclusions and Relevance: In this post hoc analysis of data from the GALACTIC-HF clinical trial, omecamtiv mecarbil therapy may have provided a clinically meaningful reduction in the composite end point of time to first HF event or CV death among patients with severe HF. These data support a potential role of omecamtiv mecarbil therapy among patients for whom current treatment options are limited. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02929329.

Pharmacokinetics, Tolerability, and Safety of Single and Multiple Omecamtiv Mecarbil Doses in Healthy Japanese and Caucasian Subjects.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a cardiac myosin activator under development for the treatment of heart failure. The pharmacokinetics of single and multiple doses of OM were investigated in healthy Japanese subjects in two clinical studies. METHODS: Study 1 (n = 36) evaluated the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics after intravenous infusion (15 mg/h for 4 h) and an oral modified release (MR) tablet in healthy Japanese and Caucasian subjects using 25 mg single and multiple doses and 50 mg single dose. Study 2 (n = 50) evaluated the pharmacokinetics of OM with multiple oral doses of 25 mg MR tablets twice a day (BID) followed by up-titration to either 37.5 mg or 50 mg BID in healthy Japanese subjects. RESULTS: In Study 1, the maximum observed plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) from time 0 to infinity (AUCinf) in Japanese subjects after a single oral dose of 50 mg were twice that at the 25 mg dose, consistent with that observed in Caucasian subjects. Following single oral doses of 25 mg and 50 mg, absolute bioavailability was 56.5% and 59.2% for Japanese subjects and 63.1 and 83.6% for Caucasian subjects, respectively. No ethnic differences were observed in the pharmacokinetics of OM and its metabolites following single and multiple doses of 25 mg and 50 mg. In Study 2, the mean accumulation ratios based on AUC from 0 to 12 h (AUC12) were approximately four-fold from day 1 to day 8 and from day 20 to day 27 across ethnic groups. The mean ratios of Cmax to predose concentrations (Cpredose) ranged from 1.25 to 1.38 across subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: OM showed consistent and predictable pharmacokinetics after multiple dosing in Japanese subjects.

Evaluation of drug-drug interaction potential between omecamtiv mecarbil and rosuvastatin, a BCRP substrate, with a clinical study in healthy subjects and using a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model.

Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a novel cardiac myosin activator in development for the treatment of heart failure. In vitro, OM is an inhibitor of BCRP. Rosuvastatin, a BCRP substrate, is one of the most commonly prescribed medications in patients with heart failure. The potential for a pharmacokinetic (PK) drug-drug interaction (DDI) was investigated, specifically to determine whether a single 50 mg dose of OM would impact the PKs of a single 10 mg dose of rosuvastatin in an open-label study in 14 healthy subjects. The ratios of the geometric least-square means (90% confidence intervals [CIs]) of rosuvastatin co-administered with OM compared to rosuvastatin alone were 127.1% (90% CI 113.8-141.9), 132.8% (90% CI 120.7-146.1), and 154.2% (90% CI 132.8-179.1) for area under the plasma-concentration time curve from time zero to infinity (AUCinf ), area under the plasma-concentration time curve from time zero to time of last quantifiable concentration (AUClast ), and maximum observed plasma concentration (Cmax ), respectively. Whereas the DDI study with rosuvastatin was conducted with the co-administration of a single dose of OM, in the clinical setting, patients receive OM at doses of 25, 37.5, or 50 mg twice daily (b.i.d.). Hence, to extrapolate the results of the DDI study to a clinically relevant scenario of continuous b.i.d. dosing with OM, physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling was performed to explore the potential of BCRP inhibition following continuous b.i.d. dosing of OM at the highest 50 mg dose. Modeling results indicated that following 50 mg b.i.d. dosing of OM, the predicted ratios of the geometric means (90% CIs) for rosuvastatin AUCinf and Cmax were 1.18 (90% CI 1.16-1.20) and 2.04 (90% CI 1.99-2.10), respectively. Therefore, these results suggest that OM, following multiple dose administration, is a weak inhibitor of BCRP substrates and is in accordance with that observed in the single dose OM DDI clinical study.

Effect of Omecamtiv Mecarbil on the Pharmacokinetics of Metformin, a Probe Substrate for MATE1/MATE2-K, in Healthy Subjects.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a novel cardiac myosin activator in development for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential for OM to affect the pharmacokinetics of metformin. METHODS: This was an open-label, fixed-sequence study in 14 healthy subjects. On Day 1, subjects received an 850 mg oral dose of metformin. From Days 4 to 9, subjects received twice-daily 25 mg oral doses of OM tablets. On Day 10, subjects received an 850 mg oral dose of metformin and a single 25 mg tablet of OM. Blood and urine samples were collected up to 36 h post-dose following administration of metformin on Days 1 and 10 to characterize concentrations of metformin in plasma and urine. RESULTS: The ratios of the geometric least square means of metformin coadministered with OM compared to metformin alone were 98.7%, 99.3%, and 110.2% for AUCinf, AUClast, and Cmax, respectively. The mean renal clearance of metformin was similar following metformin administered alone (34.2 L/h) compared to metformin coadministered with OM (32.9 L/h). All adverse events were mild in severity and resolved prior to the end of the study. No serious adverse events or treatment-emergent adverse events led to discontinuation from the study. CONCLUSIONS: There was no clinically relevant effect of OM on the pharmacokinetics of metformin in healthy subjects.

Switchability and minimal effect of food on pharmacokinetics of modified release tablet strengths of omecamtiv mecarbil, a cardiac myosin activator.

Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a cardiac myosin activator in clinical development for the treatment of heart failure. The effect of food on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of 25, 37.5, and 50 mg strength modified release (MR) tablets and the bioequivalence of two 25 mg tablets versus one 50 mg MR tablet were evaluated in two open-label, randomized, cross-over studies in healthy subjects. Subjects received two 25 mg tablets or one 50 mg OM MR tablet under fed or fasted states in Study 1 (n = 39), and single oral doses of 25 and 37.5 mg OM MR tablets and to assess its relative bioavailability to the 25 mg MR tablet, a 25 mg oral solution under fed or fasted states in Study 2 (n = 34). The area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and the maximum observed concentration (Cmax ) of 25, 37.5, or 50 mg OM MR tablets were approximately 13%-22% higher and 31%-40% higher, respectively, when taken with food. The two 25 mg and one 50 mg OM MR tablets were bioequivalent (90% confidence intervals) of the geometric mean ratios for Cmax and AUC of OM were within 0.8-1.25 under the fasted or fed state. OM was well tolerated and all treatment-emergent events were mild in severity and resolved by the end of the study. In conclusion, these studies demonstrated that the effect of food on the PK of OM was minimal at all three studied strengths of the MR tablets, and two 25 mg MR tablets may be switched for one 50 mg MR tablet (EudraCT Number: 2019-003683-44).

Effect of Varying Degrees of Hepatic Impairment on the Pharmacokinetics of Omecamtiv Mecarbil.

Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a novel selective cardiac myosin activator under investigation for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. OM is primarily eliminated via metabolism mediated by multiple cytochrome P450 enzymes. This phase 1 single-dose, multicenter, open-label, nonrandomized study evaluated the pharmacokinetics (PK) of OM and major metabolites M3 and M4, safety, and tolerability following oral administration of a single dose of 25-mg MR tablet in subjects with mild (n = 6) or moderate (n = 6) hepatic impairment (according to Child-Pugh classification) versus subjects with normal hepatic function (n = 6). Relative to subjects with normal hepatic function, for subjects with mild or moderate hepatic impairment, OM AUCinf was 103.2% (90%CI, 58.0%-183.6%) and 94.8% (90%CI, 54.7%-164.1%), respectively, and OM Cmax was 126.8% (90%CI, 85.7%-187.7%) and 117.3% (90%CI, 80.7%-170.5%), respectively. Exposures to M3 were similar across groups, whereas slightly lower exposures were observed for M4 with worsening hepatic function. The OM, M3, and M4 tmax and t1/2 values were similar between groups. There were no serious adverse events (AEs) or treatment-related treatment-emergent AEs. Overall, OM, M3, and M4 PK were not meaningfully affected by mild or moderate hepatic impairment, suggesting the same dosing strategy can be used in subjects with mild or moderate hepatic impairment.

Effect of Ejection Fraction on Clinical Outcomes in Patients Treated With Omecamtiv Mecarbil in GALACTIC-HF.

BACKGROUND: In GALACTIC-HF (Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure) (n = 8,256), the cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, significantly reduced the primary composite endpoint (PCE) of time-to-first heart failure event or cardiovascular death in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (EF) (≤35%). OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of baseline EF on the therapeutic effect of omecamtiv mecarbil. METHODS: Outcomes in patients treated with omecamtiv mecarbil were compared with placebo according to EF. RESULTS: The risk of the PCE in the placebo group was nearly 1.8-fold greater in the lowest EF (≤22%) compared with the highest EF (≥33%) quartile. Amongst the pre-specified subgroups, EF was the strongest modifier of the treatment effect of omecamtiv mecarbil on the PCE (interaction as continuous variable, p = 0.004). Patients receiving omecamtiv mecarbil had a progressively greater relative and absolute treatment effect as baseline EF decreased, with a 17% relative risk reduction for the PCE in patients with baseline EF ≤22% (n = 2,246; hazard ratio: 0.83; 95% confidence interval: 0.73 to 0.95) compared with patients with EF ≥33% (n = 1,750; hazard ratio: 0.99; 95% confidence interval: 0.84 to 1.16; interaction as EF by quartiles, p = 0.013). The absolute reduction in the PCE increased with decreasing EF (EF ≤22%; absolute risk reduction, 7.4 events per 100 patient-years; number needed to treat for 3 years = 11.8), compared with no reduction in the highest EF quartile. CONCLUSIONS: In heart failure patients with reduced EF, omecamtiv mecarbil produced greater therapeutic benefit as baseline EF decreased. These findings are consistent with the drug's mechanism of selectively improving systolic function and presents an important opportunity to improve the outcomes in a group of patients at greatest risk. (Registrational Study With Omecamtiv Mecarbil/AMG 423 to Treat Chronic Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction [GALACTIC-HF]; NCT02929329).

Effect of Varying Degrees of Renal Impairment on the Pharmacokinetics of Omecamtiv Mecarbil.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Omecamtiv mecarbil is a novel selective cardiac myosin activator (myotrope) under investigation for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. The objective of this clinical study was to estimate the effect of varying degrees of renal impairment on the pharmacokinetics of omecamtiv mecarbil single dose (50 mg) under fasted conditions. METHODS: This phase I, open-label, non-randomized, parallel-group study evaluated the pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of a single oral dose of omecamtiv mecarbil 50 mg in individuals with normal renal function or mild, moderate, and severe renal impairment, including end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis. Geometric least-squares mean ratios of maximum observed concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) and 90% confidence intervals were derived for comparisons of renal impairment vs normal renal function. Participants were monitored for adverse events. RESULTS: Thirty-one participants received treatment and completed the study. Geometric mean exposures were similar for participants with renal impairment (AUC∞ range, 2550-3220 h*ng/mL; Cmax range, 78.9-107 ng/mL) and participants with normal renal function (AUC∞, 2790 h*ng/mL; Cmax, 92.6 ng/mL), with geometric least-squares mean ratios of 85.2-125.9. Exposure was similar on dialysis vs non-dialysis days in participants with end-stage renal disease (AUC0-24, 1650 vs 1700 h*ng/mL; Cmax, 100.0 vs 107.0 ng/mL). Four participants (12.9%) reported four treatment-emergent adverse events. No deaths, treatment-emergent adverse events leading to discontinuation, or serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Omecamtiv mecarbil pharmacokinetics were not meaningfully affected by renal function or hemodialysis, suggesting the same dosing strategy can be used in individuals with normal renal function or renal impairment. Oral administration of omecamtiv mecarbil was not associated with major tolerability findings. This study supports omecamtiv mecarbil for the treatment of heart failure in individuals with or without renal impairment.

The impact of heart failure on patients and caregivers: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure is rising in prevalence but relatively little is known about the experiences and journey of patients and their caregivers. The goal of this paper is to present the symptom and symptom impact experiences of patients with heart failure and their caregivers. METHODS: This was a United States-based study wherein in-person focus groups were conducted. Groups were audio recorded, transcribed and a content-analysis approach was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Ninety participants (64 patients and 26 caregivers) were included in the study. Most patients were female (52.0%) with mean age 59.3 ± 8 years; 55.6% were New York Heart Association Class II. The most commonly reported symptoms were shortness of breath (81.3%), fatigue/tiredness (76.6%), swelling of legs and ankles (57.8%), and trouble sleeping (50.0%). Patients reported reductions in social/family interactions (67.2%), dietary changes (64.1%), and difficulty walking and climbing stairs (56.3%) as the most common adverse disease impacts. Mental-health sequelae were noted as depression and sadness (43.8%), fear of dying (32.8%), and anxiety (32.8%). Caregivers (mean age 55.5 ± 11.2 years and 52.0% female) discussed 33 daily heart failure impacts, with the top three being reductions in social/family interactions (50.0%); being stressed, worried, and fearful (46.2%); and having to monitor their "patience" level (42.3%). CONCLUSIONS: There are serious unmet needs in HF for both patients and caregivers. More research is needed to better characterize these needs and the impacts of HF along with the development and evaluation of disease management toolkits that can support patients and their caregivers.

Cardiac Myosin Activation with Omecamtiv Mecarbil in Systolic Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: The selective cardiac myosin activator omecamtiv mecarbil has been shown to improve cardiac function in patients with heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction. Its effect on cardiovascular outcomes is unknown. METHODS: We randomly assigned 8256 patients (inpatients and outpatients) with symptomatic chronic heart failure and an ejection fraction of 35% or less to receive omecamtiv mecarbil (using pharmacokinetic-guided doses of 25 mg, 37.5 mg, or 50 mg twice daily) or placebo, in addition to standard heart-failure therapy. The primary outcome was a composite of a first heart-failure event (hospitalization or urgent visit for heart failure) or death from cardiovascular causes. RESULTS: During a median of 21.8 months, a primary-outcome event occurred in 1523 of 4120 patients (37.0%) in the omecamtiv mecarbil group and in 1607 of 4112 patients (39.1%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86 to 0.99; P = 0.03). A total of 808 patients (19.6%) and 798 patients (19.4%), respectively, died from cardiovascular causes (hazard ratio, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.92 to 1.11). There was no significant difference between groups in the change from baseline on the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire total symptom score. At week 24, the change from baseline for the median N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level was 10% lower in the omecamtiv mecarbil group than in the placebo group; the median cardiac troponin I level was 4 ng per liter higher. The frequency of cardiac ischemic and ventricular arrhythmia events was similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with heart failure and a reduced ejection, those who received omecamtiv mecarbil had a lower incidence of a composite of a heart-failure event or death from cardiovascular causes than those who received placebo. (Funded by Amgen and others; GALACTIC-HF ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02929329; EudraCT number, 2016-002299-28.).

Association of plasma adiponectin with pulmonary hypertension, mortality and heart failure in African Americans: Jackson Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: Adiponectin is a polypeptide hormone related to obesity, and a known modulator of pulmonary vascular remodeling. Association between plasma adiponectin levels and pulmonary hypertension (PH) has not been studied in African Americans (AAs) who are disproportionately affected by obesity. The relationship between adiponectin and heart failure (HF) and mortality, outcomes associated with PH, is unclear. METHODS: We performed cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis to examine if there is an association between plasma adiponectin and PH and associated clinical outcomes, in participants of Jackson Heart Study (JHS). JHS is a prospective observational cohort study of heart disease in AAs from Jackson, Mississippi. RESULTS: Of the 3161 participants included in the study, mean age (SD) was 56.38 (12.61) years, 1028 were men (32.5%), and mean (SD) BMI was 31.42 (7.05) kg/m2. Median (IQR) adiponectin was 4516.82 (2799.32-7065.85) ng/mL. After adjusting for potential confounders including BMI, higher adiponectin levels were associated with increased odds of PH (adjusted odds ratio per log increment in adiponectin, (1.81; 95% CI, 1.41-2.32). High adiponectin levels were also associated with associated HF admissions (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] per log increment in adiponectin, 1.63, 95% CI, 1.24-2.14) and mortality (adjusted HR per log increment in adiponectin, 1.20; 95% CI 1.02-1.41). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated plasma adiponectin levels are associated with PH, HF admissions and mortality risk in AAs. High adiponectin levels may help identify an at-risk population that could be evaluated for targeted prevention and management strategies in future studies.