Summary-level longitudinal data on the clinical efficacy of drugs for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are available in the literature. This information can be used to optimize the clinical development of new drugs for RA. The aim of this study was twofold: first, to quantify the time course of the ACR20 score across approved drugs and patient populations, and second, to apply this knowledge in the decision-making process for a specific compound, canakinumab. The integrated analysis included data from 37 phase II-III studies describing 13,474 patients. It showed that, with the tested doses/regimens of canakinumab, there was only a low probability that this drug would be better than the most effective current treatments. This finding supported the decision not to continue with clinical development of canakinumab in RA. This paper presents the first longitudinal model-based meta-analysis of ACR20. The framework can be applied to any other compound targeting RA, thereby supporting internal and external decision making at all clinical development stages.

This work is devoted to mathematical modelling of erythropoiesis. We propose a new multi-scale model, in which we bring together erythroid progenitor dynamics and intracellular regulatory network that determines erythroid cell fate. All erythroid progenitors are divided into several sub-populations according to their maturity. Two intracellular proteins, Erk and Fas, are supposed to be determinant for regulation of self-renewal, differentiation and apoptosis. We consider two growth factors, erythropoietin and glucocorticoids, and describe their dynamics. Several feedback controls are introduced in the model. We carry out computer simulations of anaemia and compare the obtained results with available experimental data on induced anaemia in mice. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the roles of the feedback controls in order to provide more insights into the regulation of erythropoiesis. Feedback by Epo on apoptosis is shown to be determinant in the early stages of the response to anaemia, whereas regulation through intracellular regulatory network, based on Erk and Fas, appears to operate on a long-term scale.

Background Cipargamin (KAE609) is a potent antimalarial in a phase II trial. Here we report efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and resistance marker analysis across a range of cipargamin doses. These were secondary endpoints from a study primarily conducted to assess the hepatic safety of cipargamin (hepatic safety data are reported elsewhere). Methods This phase II, multicenter, randomized, open-label, dose-escalation trial was conducted in sub-Saharan Africa in adults with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Cipargamin monotherapy was given as single doses up to 150 mg or up to 50 mg once daily for 3 days, with artemether-lumefantrine as control. Key efficacy endpoints were parasite clearance time (PCT), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–corrected and uncorrected adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) at 14 and 28 days. Pharmacokinetics and molecular markers of drug resistance were also assessed. Results All single or multiple cipargamin doses ≥50 mg were associated with rapid parasite clearance, with median PCT of 8 hours versus 24 hours for artemether-lumefantrine. PCR-corrected ACPR at 14 and 28 days was >75% and 65%, respectively, for each cipargamin dose. A treatment-emerging mutation in the Pfatp4 gene, G358S, was detected in 65% of treatment failures. Pharmacokinetic parameters were consistent with previous data, and approximately dose proportional. Conclusions Cipargamin, at single doses of 50 to 150 mg, was associated with very rapid parasite clearance, PCR-corrected ACPR at 28 days of >65% in adults with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria, and recrudescent parasites frequently harbored a treatment-emerging mutation. Cipargamin will be further developed with a suitable combination partner. Clinical Trials Registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03334747).