Background: Desidustat (ZYAN1) is an oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (HIF-PHI) that stimulates erythropoiesis. Stabilizing HIF via PHI is developing as a new therapeutic approach to treat anemia secondary to chronic kidney disease (CKD). This trial evaluated the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of Desidustat in adult CKD patients with anemia, who were not on dialysis. Methods: This was a Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, 6-week, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging, safety and efficacy study. A total of 117 eligible patients were randomized to 4 arms: 100, 150, 200 mg, or placebo. The investigational product was administered every alternate day for 6 weeks in fasting conditions. The primary endpoint was change in hemoglobin (Hb) from baseline to week 6. Results: Baseline demographics were well balanced among all the treatment arms. In the modified intent-to-treat (mITT) population, a mean Hb increase of 1.57, 2.22, and 2.92 g/dL in Desidustat 100, 150, and 200 mg arms, respectively, was observed post 6 weeks treatment. The responder rate (≥1 g/dL increase) was 66% in 100 mg, 75% in 150 mg, and 83% in 200 mg treatment arms, in the mITT population. Eighteen patients had at least one treatment emergent adverse event (TEAE), and 5 patients reported at least one drug-related mild TEAE. No death or serious adverse event was reported during the trial. Conclusion: There was dose-related increase in Hb across all doses compared to placebo in mITT and per-protocol populations. Desidustat also increased pharmacokinetic parameters Cmax and AUC in dose-related manner. There was no significant change in vital signs, electrocardiographic parameters, or safety laboratory values. Clinical Trial Registration Number CTRI/2017/05/008534 (registered on May 11, 2017).

Background and ObjectivesDyslipidaemia is a major cardiovascular risk factor associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Saroglitazar (ZYH1) is a novel peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonist with predominant PPARα and moderate PPARγ activity. It has been developed for the treatment of dyslipidaemia and has favourable effects on glycaemic parameters in type 2 diabetes mellitus. The objective of this phase 1 study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerability of saroglitazar in healthy human subjects.MethodsThis was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-centre, phase I study in healthy human volunteers, and was performed in two parts; part I evaluated single ascending oral doses of saroglitazar (0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 mg) in healthy subjects, and part II measured the effects of food and sex on the pharmacokinetics of 1 mg saroglitazar, the human equivalent efficacy dose derived from pre-clinical studies. A total of 96 subjects were enrolled in the study, which included 88 healthy male subjects in part I and 16 healthy subjects (8 males from part I of the study and 8 females) in part II.ResultsSaroglitazar was rapidly and well absorbed across all doses in the single-dose pharmacokinetic study, with a median time to the peak plasma concentration (tmax) of less than 1 h (range 0.63–1 h) under fasting conditions across the doses studied. The maximum plasma concentration ranged from 3.98 to 7,461 ng/mL across the dose range. The area under the plasma concentration–time curve increased in a dose-related manner. The average terminal half-life of saroglitazar was 5.6 h. Saroglitazar was not eliminated via the renal route. There was no effect of sex on the pharmacokinetics of saroglitazar, except for the terminal half-life, which was significantly shorter in females than in males. Food had a small effect on the pharmacokinetics; however, it was not consistent in males and females. Single oral doses of saroglitazar up to 128 mg were well tolerated. No serious adverse events were reported. Adverse events were generally mild and moderate in nature. Saroglitazar did not show any clinically relevant findings in clinical laboratory investigations, physical examinations, vital signs and electrocardiograms.ConclusionThe highest dose of saroglitazar evaluated in this study was 128 mg, several times the estimated therapeutic doses (1–4 mg). The pharmacokinetics of saroglitazar support a once daily dosage schedule. Saroglitazar was found to be safe and well tolerated in this study.

ObjectiveThis phase I study of ZYAN1 was conducted to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics following oral administration in healthy volunteers.MethodsThe study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I study carried out in two parts in addition to a third part involving an open-label study to evaluate the food/sex effect. A total of 100 subjects were enrolled into the study as follows: part I—single-dose study with ZYAN1 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 300 mg (n = 56); part II—multiple-dose study with every other day dosing of ZYAN1 100, 150, 200, and 300 mg (n = 32); and part III—sex and food effect study with ZYAN1 150 mg (n = 12; open-label).ResultsZYAN1 was well-tolerated after single and multiple oral ascending doses. No drug-related serious adverse events were reported. Following a single ascending dose of ZYAN1, the maximum concentration (C max) ranged from 566.47 ± 163.03 to 17,858.33 ± 2899.19 ng/mL and the median time to C max (t max) was approximately 2.5 h for the studied 30-fold oral doses of ZYAN1. Regardless of single or multiple doses, mean C max and area under the concentration–time curve from time zero to time t (AUCt) values generally showed a dose-proportional increase. The mean elimination half-life (t ½) of ZYAN1 ranged from 6.9 to 13 h with negligible accumulation. Following a single dose of ZYAN1, the mean serum erythropoietin (EPO) C max values showed dose response (i.e., 6.6 and 79.9 mIU/L for 10 and 300 mg ZYAN1 doses, respectively), while the time to mean maximal serum EPO concentrations ranged from 10 to 72 h.ConclusionOral single (10–300 mg) and multiple dosing (100–300 mg) of ZYAN1 in healthy subjects was found to be safe and well-tolerated. With increasing ZYAN1 dose, there was almost a proportional increase in mean C max and AUCt. The mean serum EPO concentrations showed a trend of dose response. Based on the t ½, pharmacodynamic activity, and lack of drug accumulation, a once every 2 days dosing regimen of ZYAN1 was appropriate for phase II study. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry trial ID ACTRN12614001240639.

ZYIL1 is a nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain, leucine rich repeat and pyrin domain‐containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome inhibitor, which prevents NLRP3‐induced apoptosis‐associated speck‐like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain oligomerization, thus inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. We investigated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic profiles of ZYIL1 after single and multiple doses in healthy subjects. The subjects aged 18–55 years were enrolled in 2 different studies: single and multiple ascending dose. Blood/urine samples were collected at designated time points for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analysis. In the single‐ascending‐dose study, 30 subjects were enrolled (6 subjects each in 5 dose groups). One adverse event was reported during the study. ZYIL1 was well absorbed with median time to maximum plasma concentration at 1–1.5 hours. The exposures were dose proportional across the dose ranges. ZYIL1 is excreted as an unchanged form via the renal route. The mean elimination half‐life was 6–7 hours. In the multiple‐ascending‐dose study, 18 subjects were enrolled (6 subjects each in 3 dose groups). Eleven adverse events were reported by 6 subjects during the study. The accumulation index at steady state for area under the plasma concentration–time curve indicated that ZYIL1 has a marginal accumulation upon repeated dosing. Dose‐proportional exposure was observed across the dose ranges. All subjects showed >90% interleukin (IL)‐1β inhibition in all dose groups for both studies. Inhibition in IL‐1β and IL‐18 was observed throughout the 14 days of treatment in the multiple‐dose study. The safety profile, rapid absorption, marginal accumulation, and significant inhibition of IL‐1β and IL‐18 level support its development for the management of inflammatory disorders.

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