Similarity of insulin detemir pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability profiles in healthy caucasian and Japanese american subjects.

The objective of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetics of insulin detemir in three ascending doses in healthy Japanese and Caucasian subjects. This was an open-label, single-center, parallel-group design evaluating 30 subjects (15 Japanese and 15 Caucasians). Subjects received a total of three subcutaneous injections (one injection per visit) of insulin detemir (0.19, 0.38, 0.75 U/kg [1 U = 24 nmol]) in ascending order. Following drug administration, subjects received intravenous glucose in 0.5-mg/kg/min increments every 30 minutes, followed by a constant rate of 2.0 mg/kg/min for up to 12 hours. For pharmacokinetic evaluations, serial blood sampling was performed over a period of 30 hours after dosing. Of the subjects, 36 were enrolled, and 30 completed the study. There was a linear dose-response relationship between the three ascending insulin detemir doses and serum insulin detemir AUC values for both the Japanese and Caucasian subjects. The two dose-response regression lines had equivalent slopes but slightly different intercepts (although not statistically significant). This difference may be due to variation in AUC, body weight differences, or chance. Six subjects discontinued the study, 2 as a result of adverse events (blood draw-related ecchymosis and hypoglycemia). The most frequent treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAE) were headache, dizziness, and reactions related to blood draws/infusion sites. All TEAEs were mild to moderate in severity. The results show that an increase in insulin detemir dose will result in a similar increase in insulin detemir concentration in the two ethnic groups. Therefore, therapeutic dosing of insulin detemir is expected to be similar in both ethnic groups, with no special dose adjustment or algorithm based on race. Insulin detemir at 0.19, 0.38, and 0.75 U/kg was generally well tolerated in both Japanese and Caucasian subjects.

A phase 2 randomised study of ramucirumab (IMC-1121B) with or without dacarbazine in patients with metastatic melanoma.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ramucirumab (IMC-1121B; LY3009806), a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, alone and in combination with dacarbazine in chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic melanoma (MM). METHODS: Eligible patients received ramucirumab (10mg/kg) + dacarbazine (1000 mg/m(2)) (Arm A) or ramucirumab only (10mg/kg) (Arm B) every 3 weeks. The primary end-point was progression-free survival (PFS); secondary end-points included overall survival (OS), overall response and safety. FINDINGS: Of 106 randomised patients, 102 received study treatment (Arm A, N=52; Arm B, N=50). Baseline characteristics were similar in both arms. Median PFS was 2.6 months (Arm A) and 1.7 months (Arm B); median 6-month PFS rates were 30.7% and 17.9% and 12-month PFS rates were 23.7% and 15.6%, respectively. In Arm A, 9 (17.3%) patients had partial response (PR) and 19 (36.5%), stable disease (SD); PR and SD in Arm B were 2 (4.0%) and 21 (42.0%), respectively. Median OS was 8.7 months in Arm A and 11.1 months in Arm B. Patients in both arms tolerated the treatment with limited Grade 3/4 toxicities. INTERPRETATION: Ramucirumab alone or in combination with dacarbazine was associated with an acceptable safety profile in patients with MM. Although the study was not powered for comparison between treatment arms, PFS appeared greater with combination therapy. Sustained disease control was observed on both study arm.