No abstract

This is a repository copy of Efficacy and safety of osilodrostat in patients with Cushing's disease (LINC 3) : a multicentre phase III study with a doubleblind, randomised withdrawal phase.

The effects of a very prolonged treatment with octreotide (OC)-long-acting repeatable (LAR) were retrospectively evaluated in 110 patients with acromegaly, showing a GH/IGF-I decrease of at least 20% vs. baseline after a short-term (6-month) OC-LAR challenge. OC-LAR was given (20 mg, im, every 28 d for 3 injections, then individually tailored) as adjuvant treatment (AT) in 59. The other 51 [primary treatment (PT)] were naive or previously treated by pharmacotherapy. IGF-I normalized in 83 patients [75%; from 770 +/- 26 (mean +/- SE) to 276 +/- 15 micro g/liter; P < 0.0001; median follow-up, 30 months; range, 18-54 months). A progressive increase in the rate of IGF-I normalization was observed. GH fell to less than 2.5 micro g/liter in 72% and to less than 1 micro g/liter in 27% (from 20.7 +/- 2.4 to 2.2 +/- 0.2 micro g/liter; P < 0.0001). PT and AT patients achieved similar final GH/IGF-I levels and rates of normalization. Patients attaining safe GH and normal IGF-I had GH levels below 5 micro g/liter after 3 months and IGF-I levels below 550 micro g/liter after 6 months. No tachyphylaxis was observed. The up-titration to 30 mg improved IGF-I suppression. Elderly patients had greater sensitivity. Tumor shrank in 46% of assessable patients, in 77% of PT patients, and in 91% of naive patients. The powerful suppression of GH/IGF-I levels without tachyphylaxis, the finding of progressive increase in the rate of IGF-I normalization and of superimposable effects in PT and AT patients, and the predictive value of short-term results support the role of PT of acromegaly with OC-LAR in at least some patients.

Acromegaly is a severe slow-developing disease associated with a poor prognosis for cardiovascular disease. To evaluate the impact of age and gender on the severity of the disease, 151 de novo patients with acromegaly (79 women, 72 men, age range 19-77 yr) were included in this open retrospective multi-center cohort study. Basal GH and IGF-I levels, GH response after glucose load and maximal tumor diameter at MRI were measured in all patients at diagnosis. Fasting GH levels and maximal tumor diameter were similar in women and men, while serum IGF-I levels were lower (664.9+/-24.9 vs 755.9+/-32 microg/l; p=0.02) and GH nadir after glucose load was higher (27.5+/-3.7 vs 18.5+/-2.2 microg/l; p=0.04) in women than in men. In both sexes, patients' age was negatively correlated with basal and nadir GH, IGF-I levels and tumor size; fasting GH levels were positively correlated with IGF-I levels and nadir GH after glucose. No interaction between age and gender was found on biochemical and morphological parameters. At diagnosis, elderly patients with acromegaly have lower GH and IGF-I levels, lower GH nadir after glucose load and smaller adenomas than young patients. Women have lower IGF-I levels but higher GH nadir after glucose load than men. These age and gender differences should be considered to appropriately evaluate the activity of acromegaly throughout a life-span.

Context Cushing’s disease, a chronic hypercortisolism disorder, is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Normalizing cortisol production is the primary treatment goal. Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of osilodrostat, a potent, orally available 11β­hydroxylase inhibitor, compared with placebo in patients with Cushing’s disease. Design, setting, intervention, and participants LINC 4 was a Phase III, multicenter trial comprising an initial 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled (osilodrostat:placebo, 2:1) period followed by a 36-week, open-label treatment period (NCT02697734). Adult patients (aged 18–75 years) with confirmed Cushing’s disease and mean urinary free cortisol (mUFC) excretion ≥1.3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) were eligible. Main outcome measures The primary endpoint was the proportion of randomized patients with mUFC≤ULN at week 12. The key secondary endpoint was the proportion achieving mUFC≤ULN at week 36 (after 24 weeks’ open-label osilodrostat). Results 73 patients (median age, 39 years [range, 19–67]; mean/median mUFC, 3.1×ULN/2.5×ULN) received randomized treatment with osilodrostat (n=48) or placebo (n=25). At week 12, significantly more osilodrostat (77%) than placebo (8%) patients achieved mUFC≤ULN (odds ratio 43.4; 95% CI 7.1, 343.2; P&lt;0.0001). Response was maintained at week 36, when 81% (95% CI 69.9, 89.1) of all patients achieved mUFC≤ULN. The most common adverse events during the placebo-controlled period (osilodrostat vs placebo) were decreased appetite (37.5% vs 16.0%), arthralgia (35.4% vs 8.0%), and nausea (31.3% vs 12.0%). Conclusions Osilodrostat rapidly normalized mUFC excretion in most patients with Cushing’s disease and maintained this effect throughout the study. The safety profile was favorable.