BACKGROUND: In a phase 2 trial, selexipag, an oral selective IP prostacyclin-receptor agonist, was shown to be beneficial in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. METHODS: In this event-driven, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned 1156 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension to receive placebo or selexipag in individualized doses (maximum dose, 1600 μg twice daily). Patients were eligible for enrollment if they were not receiving treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension or if they were receiving a stable dose of an endothelin-receptor antagonist, a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, or both. The primary end point was a composite of death from any cause or a complication related to pulmonary arterial hypertension up to the end of the treatment period (defined for each patient as 7 days after the date of the last intake of selexipag or placebo). RESULTS: A primary end-point event occurred in 397 patients--41.6% of those in the placebo group and 27.0% of those in the selexipag group (hazard ratio in the selexipag group as compared with the placebo group, 0.60; 99% confidence interval, 0.46 to 0.78; P<0.001). Disease progression and hospitalization accounted for 81.9% of the events. The effect of selexipag with respect to the primary end point was similar in the subgroup of patients who were not receiving treatment for the disease at baseline and in the subgroup of patients who were already receiving treatment at baseline (including those who were receiving a combination of two therapies). By the end of the study, 105 patients in the placebo group and 100 patients in the selexipag group had died from any cause. Overall, 7.1% of patients in the placebo group and 14.3% of patients in the selexipag group discontinued their assigned regimen prematurely because of adverse events. The most common adverse events in the selexipag group were consistent with the known side effects of prostacyclin, including headache, diarrhea, nausea, and jaw pain. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, the risk of the primary composite end point of death or a complication related to pulmonary arterial hypertension was significantly lower with selexipag than with placebo. There was no significant difference in mortality between the two study groups. (Funded by Actelion Pharmaceuticals; GRIPHON ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01106014.).

Laila Hübbert vid avdelningen för kardiovaskulär medicin samt Kardiologiska kliniken US, tillhör "GRIPHON Investigators".

NCT00685373 (clinicaltrials.gov).

Patients with connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH-CTD) have a poor prognosis compared with other aetiologies. The underlying CTD can influence treatment response and outcomes. We characterised the GRIPHON study PAH-CTD subgroup and evaluated response to selexipag.Of 334 patients with PAH-CTD, PAH was associated with systemic sclerosis (PAH-SSc) in 170, systemic lupus erythematosus (PAH-SLE) in 82 and mixed CTD/CTD-other in 82. For the primary composite endpoint of morbidity/mortality, hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CI were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models.Compared with the overall GRIPHON population, the CTD subgroup was slightly older with a greater proportion of females and shorter time since diagnosis. Patients with PAH-SSc appeared to be more impaired at baseline, with a more progressive disease course. The converse was observed for PAH-SLE. Selexipag reduced the risk of composite morbidity/mortality events in patients with PAH-CTD by 41% (HR 0.59; 95% CI 0.41–0.85). Treatment effect was consistent irrespective of baseline PAH therapy or CTD subtype (interaction p=0.87 and 0.89, respectively). Adverse events were predominately prostacyclin-related and known for selexipag treatment.GRIPHON has allowed the comprehensive characterisation of patients with PAH-CTD. Selexipag delayed progression of PAH and was well-tolerated among PAH-CTD patients, including those with PAH-SSc and PAH-SLE.

BackgroundIn pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), combination therapy is an important treatment strategy. Although randomized controlled trial data are available to support the combination of two therapies, data regarding triple combination therapy are few.ObjectiveThe phase III GRIPHON trial enrolled 1156 patients with PAH, including 376 receiving background double combination therapy. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of selexipag as a third agent in these patients and further analyzed this subgroup according to symptom burden at baseline as indicated by World Health Organization (WHO) functional class (FC).MethodsIn this post hoc analysis, hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using Cox proportional-hazard models to determine response to selexipag versus placebo on the composite primary endpoint of morbidity/mortality. Baseline characteristics and adverse events were summarized descriptively.ResultsOf 376 patients receiving background endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor (PDE-5i) therapy, 115 had WHO FC II symptoms and 255 had WHO FC III symptoms at baseline. The impact on the primary endpoint of adding selexipag versus placebo to double combination therapy was consistent with the effect in the overall population (HR 0.63; 95% CI 0.44–0.90) as well as in patients with WHO FC II and III symptoms. Compared with the overall population, discontinuations due to an adverse event were higher when selexipag was added to background double combination therapy; no safety concerns were identified.ConclusionThe addition of selexipag to background double combination therapy with an ERA and PDE-5i provides an incremental benefit similar to that seen in the overall population, including in patients with WHO FC II or III symptoms at baseline.ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT01106014.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s40256-017-0262-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundCanakinumab is a fully human anti-interleukin IL-1beta monoclonal antibody, being investigated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This multicenter, phase II, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, dose-finding study investigated the efficacy and safety of canakinumab in patients with active RA despite ongoing therapy at stable doses of methotrexate.MethodsPatients were randomized to receive one of four regimens, in addition to methotrexate, for 12 weeks: canakinumab 150 mg subcutaneously (SC) every 4 weeks (q4wk), canakinumab 300 mg SC (2 injections of 150 mg SC) every 2 weeks, a 600 mg intravenous loading dose of canakinumab followed by 300 mg SC every 2 weeks', or placebo SC every 2 weeks.ResultsAmong 274 patients with evaluable efficacy data, the percentage of responders according to American College of Rheumatology 50 criteria (the primary endpoint, based on a 28-joint count) was significantly higher with canakinumab 150 mg SC q4wk than with placebo (26.5% vs. 11.4%, respectively; p = 0.028). Compared to placebo, this dosage of canakinumab was also associated with significantly more favorable responses at week 12 with respect to secondary endpoints including the Disease Activity Score 28, scores on the Health Assessment Questionnaire and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue, swollen 28-joint count, and patient's and physician's global assessments of disease activity. No safety concerns were raised with canakinumab therapy, particularly with regard to infections. Few injection-site reactions occurred.ConclusionThe addition of canakinumab 150 mg SC q4wk improves therapeutic responses among patients who have active RA despite stable treatment with methotrexate.Trial Registration(ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00784628)