Background Roxadustat, an orally administered hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, is being evaluated for treatment of anaemia of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods This randomised, open-label, active-controlled phase 3 study compared roxadustat versus darbepoetin alfa (DA) in non–dialysis-dependent (NDD) CKD patients with anaemia for ≤104 weeks. Doses were titrated to correct and maintain haemoglobin within 10.0–12.0 g/dL. The primary endpoint was haemoglobin response in the full analysis set (FAS), defined as haemoglobin ≥11.0 g/dL and haemoglobin change from baseline (CFB) ≥1.0 g/dL in patients with baseline haemoglobin >8.0 g/dL or CFB ≥2.0 g/dL in patients with baseline haemoglobin ≤8.0 g/dL during the first 24 weeks of treatment without rescue therapy (noninferiority margin, -15%). Key secondary endpoints included change in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), time to first intravenous iron use, change in mean arterial pressure (MAP), and time to hypertension occurrence. Adverse events were assessed. Results Of 616 randomised patients (roxadustat, 323; DA, 293), 424 completed treatment (roxadustat, 215; DA, 209). Haemoglobin response with roxadustat was noninferior to DA (roxadustat: 256/286, 89.5% vs. DA: 213/273, 78.0%, difference 11.51%, 95% confidence interval, 5.66-17.36%). Roxadustat maintained haemoglobin for up to 2 years. Roxadustat was noninferior to DA for change in MAP and time to occurrence of hypertension and superior for change in LDL and time to first intravenous iron use. Safety profiles were comparable between groups. Findings suggest that there was no difference between groups regarding the composite endpoints major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and MACE + (MACE: 0.81 [0.52, 1.25], P = 0.339; MACE+: 0.90 [0.61, 1.32], P = 0.583). Conclusion Roxadustat is a viable option to treat anaemia in NDD CKD patients maintaining haemoglobin levels for up to 104 weeks.

Background Roxadustat is an orally active hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (HIF-PHI) for the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) anemia. Methods This phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study examined patients with stage 3-5 CKD not on dialysis (NCT01887600). Patients were randomized (2:1) to oral roxadustat or placebo three times weekly for 52-104 weeks. This study examined two primary efficacy endpoints: European Union (EMA) - hemoglobin (Hb) response, defined as Hb ≥ 11.0 g/dL that increased from baseline by ≥ 1.0 g/dL in patients with Hb > 8.0 g/dL or ≥ 2.0 g/dL in patients with baseline Hb ≤ 8.0 g/dL, without rescue therapy, during the first 24 weeks of treatment; United States (FDA) - change in Hb from baseline to the average Hb level during Weeks 28-52, regardless of rescue therapy. Secondary efficacy endpoints and safety were examined. Results A total of 594 patients were analyzed (roxadustat: 391; placebo: 203). Superiority of roxadustat versus placebo was demonstrated for both primary efficacy endpoints: Hb response (odds ratio: 34.74 [95% CI: 20.48, 58.93]) and change in Hb from baseline (roxadustat - placebo: +1.692 [95% CI: 1.52, 1.86]; both P<0.001). Superiority of roxadustat was demonstrated for LDL cholesterol change from baseline, and time to first use of rescue medication (both P<0.001). The incidences of treatment-emergent adverse events were comparable between groups (roxadustat: 87.7%, placebo: 86.7%). Conclusions Roxadustat demonstrated superior efficacy versus placebo both in terms of Hb response rate and change in Hb from baseline. The safety profiles of roxadustat and placebo were comparable.

Two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are reported that had the objective to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of ASP015K (peficitinib), a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, in healthy subjects. The single-dose study included 7 male groups (3-300 mg) and 2 female groups (30 or 200 mg), n = 8/group (6 on ASP015K and 2 on placebo in each group). The multiple-dose study included 1 female and 3 male groups, n = 12/group (9 on ASP015K and 3 on placebo in each group), who received ASP015K (30 mg) or placebo every 12 hours (twice a day) for 14 days. In the single-dose study, plasma ASP015K concentration increased dose-proportionally. Food increased ASP015K exposure (AUC ) by 27%. Mean peak JAK inhibition increased with dose, from 6% at 4 hours (median) following ASP015K 3 mg to 93% (range, 89%-98%) at 2 hours (median) after ASP015K 300 mg. In the multiple-dose study, ASP015K plasma exposure reached steady state by day 3. On day 14, mean ASP015K peak concentration was 38%-65% higher than after the first dose; peak JAK inhibition following 100 or 200 mg twice daily was >85%. The most common adverse events (AEs) were neutropenia, headache, and abdominal pain; no serious AEs occurred. The safety findings at pharmacologically effective doses of ASP015K support further clinical development.

SKYLIGHT 4 (Study to Find Out How Safe Long-term Treatment With Fezolinetant is in Women With Hot Flashes Going Through Menopause) demonstrates the 52-week safety and tolerability of fezolinetant and its use for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause.

Introduction: Roxadustat is an orally administered hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor being developed for the treatment of anemia of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This European, phase 3, randomized, open-label, active-controlled study investigated efficacy and safety of roxadustat in patients with endstage kidney disease on dialysis for at least 4 months. Methods: Patients were randomized to switch from an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) (epoetin alfa or darbepoetin alfa) to roxadustat three times/week or to continue their previous ESA. Roxadustat and ESA doses were adjusted to maintain hemoglobin within 10.0-12.0 g/dL during the treatment period (day 1 up to 52--104 weeks). Primary endpoints were hemoglobin change from baseline (CFB) to the average of weeks 28-36 without rescue therapy and hemoglobin CFB to the average of weeks 28-52 regardless of rescue therapy. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were assessed descriptively. Results: Of 1081 screened patients, 836 were randomized and received treatment (roxadustat, n = 415; ESA, n = 421). The least squares means (95% CI) of the treatment difference (roxadustat -ESA) for hemoglobin CFB to weeks 28-36 (without rescue therapy) and CFB to weeks 28-52 (regardless of rescue therapy) were 0.235 (0.132, 0.339) g/dL and 0.171 (0.082, 0.261) g/dL, respectively, demonstrating noninferiority of roxadustat to ESA (non-inferiority margin of -0.75 g/dL). The proportions of patients who achieved target hemoglobin without rescue therapy during weeks 28-36 were 84.2% (roxadustat) and 82.4% (ESA).

This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics (PK), efficacy, safety, and tolerability of bleselumab – a fully‐human anti‐CD40 monoclonal recombinant IgG4. Patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis were randomized on day 1 to receive bleselumab or placebo on days 1, 15 and 29 in a dose‐escalation of bleselumab at 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 or 3.0 mg/kg. The safety‐analysis set (SAF) and full‐analysis set (FAS) included all patients who received bleselumab or placebo, and the PK‐analysis set (PKAS) included patients in the SAF with ≥1 quantifiable serum bleselumab concentration. Serial blood samples were collected after each dose, and the bleselumab serum concentration was measured. After each dose, the area‐under‐the‐concentration–time curve over 336 hours (AUC336) and the maximum serum concentration (Cmax), and dose proportionality of AUC336 and Cmax were determined. The psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score, the physician static global assessment (PSGA) score, the percentage body surface area (%BSA) affected with psoriasis, adverse events and laboratory parameters were assessed. Sixty patients were randomized and included in the SAF/FAS (bleselumab, n = 49; placebo, n = 11); 48 formed the PKAS. Bleselumab Cmax and AUC336 were more than dose proportional in the range 0.1–3.0 mg/kg, suggesting nonlinear PK after single/multiple doses. No clinically significant infusion reactions, cytokine‐release syndrome, or thromboembolic events were reported. Bleselumab did not improve the PASI scores, PSGA scores, or %BSA versus placebo. Transient elevation of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels by >3 × upper limit of normal were observed in four (8.2%) and two (4.1%) patients, respectively, in the 1.0 or 3.0 mg/kg groups. Patients with liver function test increases had no concurrent changes in bilirubin. Bleselumab demonstrated nonlinear PK after single and multiple doses, with few adverse reactions.

Background and Aims Roxadustat is an orally administered hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor for the treatment of anaemia in patients (pts) with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Efficacy and safety of roxadustat compared with darbepoetin alfa (DA) for the treatment of anaemia in CKD pts not on dialysis (NDD) was assessed in a randomised, open-label, active-controlled phase 3 study. Results from a protocol-specified interim analysis, performed after pts had either completed ≥36 weeks of treatment or had withdrawn from the study, are presented here. Method This study (CL-0610) enrolled pts with NDD CKD stages 3-5 and anaemia (haemoglobin [Hb] ≤10.5 g/dL) and randomised them to receive roxadustat or DA. Following prescribed initial doses (weight-based), dose adjustments were permitted, with the goal of correcting and maintaining Hb. The primary endpoint was Hb response, defined as Hb ≥11.0 g/dL and an Hb increase from baseline (BL) of ≥1.0 g/dL in pts with BL Hb >8.0 g/dL, or an increase of ≥2.0 g/dL in pts with BL Hb ≤8.0 g/dL, during the first 24 weeks of treatment without rescue therapy. Key secondary endpoints included change in serum lipids, time to first IV iron use, change in mean arterial pressure (MAP), and occurrence of hypertension. Noninferiority of roxadustat to DA was declared if the lower bound of the two-sided 95% confidence interval (CI; roxadustat – DA) for change in Hb was >-0.15. Adverse events (AEs) were assessed across the study and are presented as events/100 patient exposure years (PEY) unless otherwise specified. The full analysis set (FAS) included pts who received ≥1 dose of study drug and had ≥1 post-dose Hb assessment. The per protocol set (PPS) included FAS pts who did not meet exclusion criteria. The safety analysis set (SAF) included pts who received ≥1 dose of study drug. Results As of 15 June 2018, 616 pts were randomised to receive roxadustat (n=323) or DA (n=293); of these 616 pts, 395 pts (roxadustat, n=194; DA, n=201) were still receiving treatment and 89 pts had completed ≥2 years of treatment (roxadustat, n=55; DA, n=34). In the PPS, 89.5% (n=256) of roxadustat pts responded in the first 24 weeks compared with 78.0% (n=213) of DA pts, for a difference of 11.51% (95% CI: 5.66%, 17.36%), thereby establishing roxadustat’s noninferiority to DA. Noninferiority of roxadustat to DA was also demonstrated for MAP and time to occurrence of hypertension. In the FAS, superiority of roxadustat to DA was demonstrated for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and time to first IV iron use. (Table) In the SAF, overall incidence of AEs was comparable between roxadustat and DA (85.8% and 84.6%, respectively). Conclusion This analysis demonstrates that roxadustat was noninferior to DA in correction of Hb levels during the first 24 weeks of treatment in pts with NDD CKD stages 3-5 and anaemia. Safety profiles were comparable between groups. Final analysis of this study’s data will be presented at the congress.

Background Methotrexate is frequently used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Peficitinib (ASP015K; Smyraf ®), an oral Janus kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, may be coadministered with methotrexate. Objective The objective of this study was to investigate potential drug-drug interactions of peficitinib with methotrexate and the short-term safety of coadministration. Patients and Methods This phase I, open-label, single-sequence study included patients with rheumatoid arthritis taking a stable dose of methotrexate. Patients received their prescribed methotrexate dose (Day 1) and then peficitinib (100 mg) twice daily from Day 3 until the morning of Day 9; a second methotrexate dose was coadministered with peficitinib on Day 8. Serial blood samples were collected for methotrexate concentration after dosing on Days 1 (methotrexate alone) and 8 (methotrexate plus peficitinib) and for peficitinib concentration after dosing on Days 7 (peficitinib alone) and 8 (methotrexate plus peficitinib). Pre-dose concentrations of peficitinib were measured (Days 3-8). Results Peficitinib concentrations reached steady state on Day 5. Administration of peficitinib did not result in changes to methotrexate area under the concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity or maximum observed concentration following a methotrexate dose (15-25 mg), and there was no significant effect of methotrexate (15-25 mg) on peficitinib area under the concentration-time curve within a 12-hour dosing interval. There were no new tolerability or safety signals after coadministration of peficitinib and methotrexate. One patient experienced two serious adverse events and withdrew from the study without receiving peficitinib. Conclusions Pharmacokinetic results showed no significant interactions between peficitinib and methotrexate. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01754805.