Vedolizumab, Adalimumab, and Methotrexate Combination Therapy in Crohn's Disease (EXPLORER).

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although biologics have revolutionized the treatment of Crohn's disease (CD), an efficacy ceiling has been reached. Combining biologic therapies may improve remission rates. METHODS: EXPLORER, a phase 4, single-arm, open-label study, evaluated triple combination therapy with vedolizumab (300 mg on day 1, weeks 2 and 6, and then every 8 weeks), adalimumab (160 mg on day 2, 80 mg at week 2, then 40 mg every 2 weeks), and methotrexate (15 mg weekly) in biologic-naïve patients with newly diagnosed, moderate- to high-risk CD. Endoscopic remission at week 26 (primary end point; Simple Endoscopic Score for CD ≤2), clinical remission at weeks 10 and 26 (secondary end point; Crohn's Disease Activity Index <150), and incidences of adverse events and serious adverse events were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 55 enrolled patients, the mean CD duration was 0.4 years, the mean baseline Simple Endoscopic Score for CD was 12.6, and the mean baseline Crohn's Disease Activity Index was 265.5. At week 26, 19 patients (34.5%) were in endoscopic remission. At weeks 10 and 26, 34 (61.8%) and 30 patients (54.5%), respectively, were in clinical remission. Post hoc Bayesian analysis showed that the probabilities that triple combination therapy produced a higher endoscopic remission rate (33.5%; 95% credible interval, 22.4-45.7) than placebo (14%), vedolizumab monotherapy (27%), or adalimumab monotherapy (30%) were 99.9% or higher, 86.3%, and 71.4%, respectively. Six patients had serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy resulted in endoscopic and clinical remission at week 26 in 34.5% and 54.5% of patients, respectively, with no safety signal related to the treatment regimen. This supports further evaluation of combination therapy in CD. CLINICALTRIALS: gov number: NCT02764762.

Impact of Concomitant 5-Aminosalicylic Acid Therapy on Vedolizumab Efficacy and Safety in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Post Hoc Analyses of Clinical Trial Data.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The benefit of continuing 5-aminosalicylic acid [5-ASA] treatment when escalating to advanced therapies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] is unclear. Vedolizumab is a gut-selective monoclonal anti-α4ß7-integrin antibody used to treat moderate to severe IBD. Clinical trial data were analysed post hoc to assess the impact of 5-ASA co-treatment on vedolizumab efficacy and safety in patients with IBD. METHODS: Data were analysed from patients aged 18-80 years with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis [UC]/Crohn's disease [CD] receiving intravenous [IV]/subcutaneous [SC] vedolizumab. Efficacy data were from four studies [GEMINI 1 and 2 and VISIBLE 1 and 2]; safety data were from seven studies [GEMINI 1‒3 and long-term, VISIBLE 1, 2, and open-label extension]. The impact of 5-ASA co-treatment on clinical and endoscopic outcomes at Weeks 6 and 52 was assessed using multivariate analysis (adjusted odds ratios [aORs] with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in UC clinical remission [Mayo score ≤2, no subscore >1] rates with vs without 5-ASA at Week 6 [20.7% vs 20.4%, respectively; aOR 0.77, 95% CI 0.43-1.38] or at Week 52 [45.1% vs 40.6%; aOR 1.14, 0.70-1.86], and in CD clinical remission [CD activity index score ≤150] rates at Week 6 [41.4% vs 35.1%; 1.26, 0.86-1.85] or at Week 52 [49.6% vs 37.8%; 1.35, 0.91-1.99]. The incidence of enteric and all infections in vedolizumab IV/SC-treated patients was low with and without 5-ASA. CONCLUSION: Continuation of concomitant oral 5-ASA after starting vedolizumab had no significant impact on clinical and endoscopic outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL IDENTIFIERS: GEMINI 1: NCT00783718, EudraCT 2008-002782-32; GEMINI 2: NCT00783692, EudraCT 2008-00278-33; GEMINI 3: NCT01224171, EudraCT 2009-016488-12; GEMINI long-term safety study: NCT00790933, EudraCT 2008-002784-14; VISIBLE 1: NCT02611830, EudraCT 2015-000480-14; VISIBLE 2: NCT02611817, EudraCT 2015-000481-58; VISIBLE open-label extension: NCT02620046, EudraCT 2015-000482-31.

Oral Orexin Receptor 2 Agonist in Narcolepsy Type 1.

BACKGROUND: Narcolepsy type 1 is caused by severe loss or lack of brain orexin neuropeptides. METHODS: We conducted a phase 2, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of TAK-994, an oral orexin receptor 2-selective agonist, in patients with narcolepsy type 1. Patients with confirmed narcolepsy type 1 according to clinical criteria were randomly assigned to receive twice-daily oral TAK-994 (30 mg, 90 mg, or 180 mg) or placebo. The primary end point was the mean change from baseline to week 8 in average sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) on the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (range, 0 to 40 minutes; normal ability to stay awake, ≥20 minutes). Secondary end points included the change in the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score (range, 0 to 24, with higher scores indicating greater daytime sleepiness; normal, <10) and the weekly cataplexy rate. RESULTS: Of the 73 patients, 17 received TAK-994 at a dose of 30 mg twice daily, 20 received 90 mg twice daily, 19 received 180 mg twice daily, and 17 received placebo. The phase 2 trial and an extension trial were terminated early owing to hepatic adverse events. Primary end-point data were available for 41 patients (56%); the main reason for missing data was early trial termination. Least-squares mean changes to week 8 in average sleep latency on the MWT were 23.9 minutes in the 30-mg group, 27.4 minutes in the 90-mg group, 32.6 minutes in the 180-mg group, and -2.5 minutes in the placebo group (difference vs. placebo, 26.4 minutes in the 30-mg group, 29.9 minutes in the 90-mg group, and 35.0 minutes the 180-mg group; P<0.001 for all comparisons). Least-squares mean changes to week 8 in the ESS score were -12.2 in the 30-mg group, -13.5 in the 90-mg group, -15.1 in the 180-mg group, and -2.1 in the placebo group (difference vs. placebo, -10.1 in the 30-mg group, -11.4 in the 90-mg group, and -13.0 in the 180-mg group). Weekly incidences of cataplexy at week 8 were 0.27 in the 30-mg group, 1.14 in the 90-mg group, 0.88 in the 180-mg group, and 5.83 in the placebo group (rate ratio vs. placebo, 0.05 in the 30-mg group, 0.20 in the 90-mg group, and 0.15 in the 180-mg group). A total of 44 of 56 patients (79%) receiving TAK-994 had adverse events, most commonly urinary urgency or frequency. Clinically important elevations in liver-enzyme levels occurred in 5 patients, and drug-induced liver injury meeting Hy's law criteria occurred in 3 patients. CONCLUSIONS: In a phase 2 trial involving patients with narcolepsy type 1, an orexin receptor 2 agonist resulted in greater improvements on measures of sleepiness and cataplexy than placebo over a period of 8 weeks but was associated with hepatotoxic effects. (Funded by Takeda Development Center Americas; TAK-994-1501 and TAK-994-1504 ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT04096560 and NCT04820842.).

Pharmacokinetics, Safety and Efficacy of Intravenous Vedolizumab in Paediatric Patients with Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's Disease: Results from the Phase 2 HUBBLE Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To date, there are no systematic pharmacokinetic [PK] data on vedolizumab in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. We report results from HUBBLE, a dose-ranging, phase 2 trial evaluating the PK, safety and efficacy of intravenous vedolizumab for paediatric IBD. METHODS: Enrolled patients [aged 2-17 years] with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis [UC] or Crohn's disease [CD] and body weight ≥10 kg were randomized by weight to receive low- or high-dose vedolizumab [≥30 kg, 150 or 300 mg; <30 kg, 100 or 200 mg] on Day 1 and Weeks 2, 6 and 14. Week 14 assessments included PK, clinical response and exposure-response relationship. Safety and immunogenicity were assessed. RESULTS: Randomized patients weighing ≥30 kg [UC, n = 25; CD, n = 24] and <30 kg [UC, n = 19; CD, n = 21] had a baseline mean [standard deviation] age of 13.5 [2.5] and 7.6 [3.2] years, respectively. In almost all indication and weight groups, area under the concentration curve and average concentration increased ~2-fold from low to high dose; the trough concentration was higher in each high-dose arm compared with the low-dose arms. At Week 14, clinical response occurred in 40.0-69.2% of patients with UC and 33.3-63.6% with CD in both weight groups. Clinical responders with UC generally had higher trough concentration vs non-responders, while this trend was not observed in CD. Fourteen per cent [12/88] of patients had treatment-related adverse events and 6.8% [6/88] had anti-drug antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: Vedolizumab exposure increased in an approximate dose-proportional manner. No clear dose-response relationship was observed in this limited cohort. No new safety signals were identified.

Vedolizumab Concentrations in Breast Milk: Results from a Prospective, Postmarketing, Milk-Only Lactation Study in Nursing Mothers with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The safety of inflammatory bowel disease medications during lactation is of significant relevance to women of childbearing potential. Available data regarding the transfer of biologic agents for inflammatory bowel disease via breast milk are limited to case reports. The objective of this prospective postmarketing lactation study was to assess vedolizumab concentrations in breast milk from lactating vedolizumab-treated women with inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS: Breast milk was serially collected throughout the dosing interval from 11 patients receiving established intravenous vedolizumab 300-mg maintenance therapy every 8, 6, or 4 weeks. Maternal safety was also assessed. RESULTS: Vedolizumab was detectable in ~90% of milk samples collected from all patients. Following the day 1 dose, vedolizumab milk concentrations increased with a median of 3-4 days to peak concentration, and subsequently decreased exponentially. For the nine patients receiving vedolizumab every 8 weeks, the average relative infant dose was 20.9%. Using a mean trough serum concentration of 11.2 µg/mL from historical studies, the ratio of mean vedolizumab milk-to-serum concentration was ~ 0.4 to 2.2%, consistent with published data on vedolizumab and other monoclonal antibody therapeutics for inflammatory bowel disease. The maternal safety profile was similar to that observed in previous vedolizumab studies. Published vedolizumab studies also showed no adverse findings for infants breastfed by vedolizumab-treated mothers. CONCLUSIONS: Vedolizumab was present in human breast milk at a low level. The decision to use vedolizumab should balance the benefit of therapy to the mother and the potential risks to the infant. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02559713; registered 24 September, 2015.

Assessment of Vedolizumab Disease-Drug-Drug Interaction Potential in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

Disease-drug-drug interactions (DDDIs) have been identified in some inflammatory diseases in which elevated proinflammatory cytokines can downregulate the expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, potentially increasing systemic exposure to drugs metabolized by CYPs. Following anti-inflammatory treatments, CYP expression may return to normal, resulting in reduced drug exposure and diminished clinical efficacy. Vedolizumab has a well-established positive benefit-risk profile in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD) and has no known systemic immunosuppressive activity. A stepwise assessment was conducted to evaluate the DDDI potential of vedolizumab to impact exposure to drugs metabolized by CYP3A through cytokine modulation. First, a review of published data revealed that patients with UC or CD have elevated cytokine concentrations relative to healthy subjects; however, these concentrations remained below those reported to impact CYP expression. Exposure to drugs metabolized via CYP3A also appeared comparable between patients and healthy subjects. Second, serum samples from patients with UC or CD who received vedolizumab for 52 weeks were analyzed and compared with healthy subjects. Cytokine concentrations and the 4ß-hydroxycholesterol-to-cholesterol ratio, an endogenous CYP3A4 biomarker, were comparable between healthy subjects and patients both before and during vedolizumab treatment. Finally, a medical review of postmarketing DDDI cases related to vedolizumab from the past 6 years was conducted and did not show evidence of any true DDDIs. Our study demonstrated the lack of clinically meaningful effects of disease or vedolizumab treatment on the exposure to drugs metabolized via CYP3A through cytokine modulation in patients with UC or CD.