Background and Aims: There is a high unmet need for the treatment of gastroparesis and studies of NK1-R antagonists suggest potential benefit in reducing the symptoms of nausea and vomiting. We hypothesized that tradipitant, an NK1-R antagonist, would be effective in treating patients with idiopathic or diabetic gastroparesis.
Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study across 47 U.S. sites, 152 gastroparesis patients were randomized to receive oral 85mg BID tradipitant (n=77) or placebo (n=75) daily for four weeks. Symptoms were assessed using a daily symptom dairy, Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI), and other patient reported questionnaires.
Results: Patients receiving tradipitant had a significant decrease in nausea score at Week 4 compared to placebo (-1.2 improvement vs -0.7, respectively, p=0.0099), and a significant increase in nausea-free days (28.8% increase on tradipitant vs 15.0% on placebo p=0.0160). Patients with both nausea and vomiting at baseline (n=101) showed an even greater decrease in nausea score (-1.4 improvement on tradipitant vs -0.4 on placebo p<0.0001) and an increase in nausea free days (32.3% improvement on tradipitant vs 7.6% on placebo p=0.0003). 32.9% of patients treated with tradipitant were nausea responders (average nausea score ≤ 1 at week 4) compared to 11.8% of patients on placebo (p=0.0013). 46.6% of patients treated with tradipitant had a greater than 1-point improvement in GCSI score compared to 23.5% of patients on placebo (p=0.0053).
Conclusions: Tradipitant treatment resulted in statistically and clinically meaningful improvements in nausea and overall gastroparesis symptoms. These robust efficacy results suggest tradipitant has the potential to become a useful pharmacological treatment for gastroparesis.
INTRODUCTION:
A Phase II multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with gastroparesis subjects demonstrating delayed gastric emptying and moderate to severe nausea were randomized to receive oral 85 mg tradipitant bid or placebo (1:1) for four weeks. Of the 152 patients enrolled, 60% of patients had idiopathic and 40% had diabetic gastroparesis.
METHODS:
The primary outcome was change in average nausea score from baseline, measured using the 5-point Gastroparesis Core Symptom Daily Diary (GCSDD). Overall gastroparesis symptoms were evaluated using the Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI), and Patient Assessment of Gastrointestinal Disorders Symptom Severity Index (PAGI-SYM).
RESULTS:
A statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in nausea and overall gastroparesis symptoms was observed in patients on tradipitant. Subjects receiving tradipitant had a significant decrease in their average nausea score compared to placebo with LS mean difference (95% CI) of -0.53 (-0.92, -0.13, P = 0.0099) as well as a significant increase in nausea free days (28.8% increase on tradipitant compared to 15.0% increase on placebo, P = 0.0160). A complete nausea response as defined by a nausea severity score ≤1 at week 4 was found to occur in 33% of patients on tradipitant compared to 12% of patients on placebo (P = 0.0013). A clinically meaningful response in overall gastroparesis defined as a 1-point or more improvement on the GCSI total score was observed in 46.6% of patients on tradipitant compared to 23.5% of patients on placebo (P = 0.0053).
CONCLUSION:
Tradipitant treatment resulted in statistically and clinically meaningful improvements in nausea and overall gastroparesis symptoms. Tradipitant was well tolerated with comparable rates of adverse events between tradipitant and placebo groups. These robust efficacy results suggest tradipitant has the potential to become a first line pharmacological treatment for gastroparesis.
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