SummaryBackgroundWe report clinical safety and biochemical efficacy from a dose-ranging study of intravenously administered AVI-4658 phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMO) in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.MethodWe undertook an open-label, phase 2, dose-escalation study (0·5, 1·0, 2·0, 4·0, 10·0, and 20·0 mg/kg bodyweight) in ambulant patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy aged 5–15 years with amenable deletions in DMD. Participants had a muscle biopsy before starting treatment and after 12 weekly intravenous infusions of AVI-4658. The primary study objective was to assess safety and tolerability of AVI-4658. The secondary objectives were pharmacokinetic properties and the ability of AVI-4658 to induce exon 51 skipping and dystrophin restoration by RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and immunoblotting. The study is registered, number NCT00844597.Findings19 patients took part in the study. AVI-4658 was well tolerated with no drug-related serious adverse events. AVI-4658 induced exon 51 skipping in all cohorts and new dystrophin protein expression in a significant dose-dependent (p=0·0203), but variable, manner in boys from cohort 3 (dose 2 mg/kg) onwards. Seven patients responded to treatment, in whom mean dystrophin fluorescence intensity increased from 8·9% (95% CI 7·1–10·6) to 16·4% (10·8–22·0) of normal control after treatment (p=0·0287). The three patients with the greatest responses to treatment had 21%, 15%, and 55% dystrophin-positive fibres after treatment and these findings were confirmed with western blot, which showed an increase after treatment of protein levels from 2% to 18%, from 0·9% to 17%, and from 0% to 7·7% of normal muscle, respectively. The dystrophin-associated proteins α-sarcoglycan and neuronal nitric oxide synthase were also restored at the sarcolemma. Analysis of the inflammatory infiltrate indicated a reduction of cytotoxic T cells in the post-treatment muscle biopsies in the two high-dose cohorts.InterpretationThe safety and biochemical efficacy that we present show the potential of AVI-4658 to become a disease-modifying drug for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.FundingUK Medical Research Council; AVI BioPharma.

Objective To examine the benefits of adding salmeterol compared with increasing dose of inhaled corticosteroids. Design Systematic review of randomised, double blind clinical trials. Independent data extraction and validation with summary data from study reports and manuscripts. Fixed and random effects analyses. Setting EMBASE, Medline, and GlaxoWellcome internal clinical study registers. Main outcome measures Efficacy and exacerbations.Results Among 2055 trials of treatment with salmeterol, there were nine parallel group trials of >12 weeks with 3685 symptomatic patients aged >12 years taking inhaled steroid in primary or secondary care. Compared with response to increased steroids, in patients receiving salmeterol morning peak expiratory flow was greater at three months (difference 22.4 (95% confidence interval 15.0 to 30.0) litre/min, P < 0.001) and six months (27.7 (19.0 to 36.4) litre/min, P < 0.001). Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1 ) was also increased at three months (0.10 (0.04 to 0.16) litres, P < 0.001) and six months (0.08 (0.02 to 0.14) litres, P < 0.01), as were mean percentage of days and nights without symptoms (three months: days-12% (9% to 15%), nights-5% (3% to 7%); six months: days-15% (12% to 18%), nights-5% (3% to 7%); all P < 0.001) and mean percentage of days and nights without need for rescue treatment (three months: days-17% (14% to 20%), nights-9% (7% to 11%); six months: days-20% (17 to 23%), nights-8% (6% to 11%); all P < 0.001). Fewer patients experienced any exacerbation with salmeterol (difference 2.73% (0.43% to 5.04%), P = 0.02), and the proportion of patients with moderate or severe exacerbations was also lower (2.42% (0.24% to 4.60%), P = 0.03). Conclusions Addition of salmeterol in symptomatic patients aged 12 and over on low to moderate doses of inhaled steroid gives improved lung function and increased number of days and nights without symptoms or need for rescue treatment with no increase in exacerbations of any severity.

The 4-actuation delivery was well tolerated and provided systemic levels of DHE and 8'OH-DHE slightly lower than IV administration and predicted levels.

Objective.-To provide a narrative review of clinical development programs for non-oral, non-injectable formulations of dihydroergotamine (DHE) for the treatment of migraine.Background.-Dihydroergotamine was one of the first "synthetic drugs" developed in the 20th century for treating migraine. It is effective and recommended for acute migraine treatment. Since oral DHE is extensively metabolized, it must be given by a non-oral route. Intravenous DHE requires healthcare personnel to administer, subcutaneous/intramuscular injection is challenging to self-administer, and the approved nasal spray formulation exhibits low bioavailability and high variability that limits its efficacy. Currently there are several attempts underway to develop non-oral, non-injected formulations of DHE.Method.-A systematic search of MEDLINE/PubMed and Clini calTr ials.gov databases, then narrative review of identified reports, focusing on those published in the last 10 years. Results.-Of 1881 references to DHE from a MEDLINE/PubMed search, 164 were from the last 10 years and were the focus of this review. Further cross reference was made to ClinicalTrials.gov for 19 clinical studies, of which some results have not yet been published, or are studies that are currently underway. Three nasal DHE products are in clinical development, reawakening interest in this route of delivery for migraine. Other routes of DHE administration have been, or are being, explored.Conclusion.-There is renewed appreciation for DHE and the need for non-oral, non-injected delivery is now being addressed.

Objective Investigate the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of INP104, intranasal dihydroergotamine mesylate (DHE) administered via a Precision Olfactory Delivery (POD®) device, (Impel NeuroPharma, Seattle, WA) vs intravenous (IV) DHE and DHE nasal spray (Migranal®) in healthy adult subjects. Methods This was a Phase 1, open‐label, randomized, single‐dose, 3‐period, 3‐way crossover study. Subjects received a single dose of A) INP104 1.45 mg (a drug‐device combination product composed of DHE and the I123 POD device); B) DHE 45® Injection (IV) 1.0 mg; and C) DHE by Migranal® Nasal Spray 2.0 mg. Plasma levels of DHE and the major bioactive metabolite, 8′OH‐DHE, were measured, and PK parameters were determined for both. Comparative bioavailability (BA) was assessed by calculating the ratio of the geometric means between treatments for Cmax and AUC0‐inf on the ln‐transformed data. Safety was assessed from adverse events, vital signs, electrocardiograms, and clinical laboratory values. Results Thirty‐eight subjects were enrolled, 36 were dosed with at least 1 IP and 27 were included in the evaluation of PK and comparative BA. DHE plasma levels following INP104 1.45 mg administration reached 93% of Cmax by 20 minutes and were comparable to IV DHE 1.0 mg by 30 minutes (1219 ng/mL for INP104 vs 1224 ng/mL for IV DHE), which was the Tmax for INP104. From 30 minutes onward, DHE levels for INP104 closely matched those of IV DHE to 48 hours, the last time point measured. In comparison, the Cmax for Migranal was 299.6 pg/mL (approximately 4‐fold less than INP104) and occurred at 47 minutes, 17 minutes later than INP104. Plasma DHE AUC0‐inf were 6275, 7490, and 2199 h*pg/mL for INP104, IV DHE, and Migranal, respectively. Variability (coefficient of variation [CV%]) for Cmax and AUC0‐inf for INP104 compared to Migranal indicated more consistent delivery with INP104. In the BA comparison using the PK population (subjects who had received all 3 treatments), the ratios of geometric means (percent) for Cmax and AUC0‐inf were 7.9% and 74.2%, respectively, for INP104: IV DHE, and 445% and 308% for INP104: Migranal. Mean plasma concentration profiles for 8′‐OH‐DHE were proportionately lower and followed a similar profile to the parent compound, regardless of route of administration (IN vs IV) or delivery system (Migranal vs INP104). Treatment emergent AEs (TEAEs), of mostly mild intensity, were reported by 15/31 (48.4%), 21/32 (65.6%), and 14/34 (41.2%) subjects after INP104, IV DHE, and Migranal, respectively. Treatment‐related TEAEs occurred in 6/31 (19.4%), 16/32 (50.0%), and 4/34 (11.8%) subjects after INP104, IV DHE, and Migranal, respectively. Conclusion INP104 met the predefined statistical criteria for comparative bioavailability with IV DHE and Migranal. The shorter time to reach Cmax and at 4 times the plasma concentration of DHE in comparison to Migranal combined with a favorable tolerability profile support further investigation of INP104 as an effective, well tolerated, and non‐invasive treatment for acute episodic migraine.