Integrating a Collaborative Management Model into a Project Scorecard for efficient Cross-Company Project Management

Proceedings of the 2008 AIPM Project Management Conference 12-15 October, 2008, National Convention Centre, Canberra, ACT, Australi

The discovery of rivaroxaban: translating preclinical assessments into clinical practice

Direct oral anticoagulants that target a single coagulation factor (such as factor Xa or thrombin) have been developed in recent years in an attempt to address some of the limitations of traditional anticoagulants. Rivaroxaban is an oral, direct factor Xa inhibitor that inhibits free and clot-bound factor Xa and factor Xa in the prothrombinase complex. Preclinical studies demonstrated a potent anticoagulant effect of rivaroxaban in plasma as well as the ability of this agent to prevent and treat venous and arterial thrombosis in animal models. These studies led to an extensive phase I clinical development program that investigated the pharmacological properties of rivaroxaban in humans. In these studies, rivaroxaban was shown to exhibit predictable pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and to have no clinically relevant interactions with many commonly prescribed co-medications. The pharmacodynamic effects of rivaroxaban (for example, inhibition of factor Xa and prolongation of prothrombin time) were closely correlated with rivaroxaban concentrations in plasma. The encouraging findings from preclinical and early clinical studies were expanded upon in large, randomized phase III studies, which demonstrated the clinical efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban in a broad spectrum of patients. This article provides an overview of the discovery and development of rivaroxaban, describing the pharmacodynamic profile established in preclinical studies and the optimal translation to clinical studies in healthy subjects and patient populations

Clinical Use of Rivaroxaban: Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Rationale for Dosing Regimens in Different Indications

Target-specific oral anticoagulants have become increasingly available as alternatives to traditional agents for the management of a number of thromboembolic disorders. To date, the direct Factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban is the most widely approved of the new agents. The dosing of rivaroxaban varies and adheres to specific schedules in each of the clinical settings in which it has been investigated. These regimens were devised based on the results of phase II dose-finding studies and/or pharmacokinetic modeling, and were demonstrated to be successful in randomized, phase III studies. In most cases, the pharmacodynamic profile of rivaroxaban permits once-daily dosing. A once-daily dose is indicated for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery, the long-term prevention of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, and the long-term secondary prevention of recurrent VTE. Twice-daily dosing is required in the acute phase of treatment in patients with VTE and in the combination of rivaroxaban with standard single or dual antiplatelet therapy for secondary prevention after acute coronary syndrome events. This article reviews the empirical and clinical rationale supporting the dose regimens of rivaroxaban in each clinical setting

Feed training of juvenile giant trahira under different light intensities

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of light intensity on the feed training of juvenile giant trahiras (Hoplias lacerdae). A completely randomized design with four light treatments and three replicates was used, and the following light intensities were tested: 204.9; 177.58; 54.64 and 0.00 lux. Juvenile giant trahiras (length = 3.0 ± 0.4 cm and weight = 0.5 ± 0.05 g) were stocked at 6 fish L-1 in 12 rectangular tanks (24 × 20 × 14 cm) containing six liters of water, and subjected to feed training to accept dry diets. At the end of the experiment (21 days), weight gain, length gain, survival, cannibalism, and mortality rates were evaluated. Data were subjected to regression analysis at 5% probability. Different light intensities did not affect growth, survival, mortality, or cannibalism rates in juvenile giant trahiras during the feed training. Therefore, this species can be trained to accept dry diets in the presence or absence of light

A phase I open-label study evaluating the cardiovascular safety of sorafenib in patients with advanced cancer

Purpose: To characterize the cardiovascular profile of sorafenib, a multitargeted kinase inhibitor, in patients with advanced cancer. Methods: Fifty-three patients with advanced cancer received oral sorafenib 400 mg bid in continuous 28-day cycles in this open-label study. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was evaluated using multigated acquisition scanning at baseline and after 2 and 4 cycles of sorafenib. QT/QTc interval on the electrocardiograph (ECG) was measured in triplicate with a Holter 12-lead ECG at baseline and after 1 cycle of sorafenib. Heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were obtained in duplicate at baseline and after 1 and 4 cycles of sorafenib. Plasma pharmacokinetic data were obtained for sorafenib and its 3 main metabolites after 1 and 4 cycles of sorafenib. Results: LVEF (SD) mean change from baseline was -0.8 ($\pm$8.6) LVEF(%) after 2 cycles (n=31) and -1.2 $\pm$7.8) LVEF(%) after 4 cycles of sorafenib (n=24). The QT/QTc mean changes from baseline observed at maximum sorafenib concentrations ($t_{max}$) after 1 cycle (n=31) were small (QTcB: 4.2 ms; QTcF: 9.0 ms). Mean changes observed after 1 cycle in BP (n=31) and HR (n=30) at maximum sorafenib concentrations ($t_{max}$) were moderate (up to 11.7 mm Hg and -6.6 bpm, respectively). No correlation was found between the AUC and ($C_{max}$) of sorafenib and its main metabolites and any cardiovascular parameters. Conclusions: The effects of sorafenib on changes in QT/QTc interval on the ECG, LVEF, BP, and HR were modest and unlikely to be of clinical significance in the setting of advanced cancer treatment

Safety and efficacy of rivaroxaban in pediatric cerebral venous thrombosis (Einstein-Jr CVT)

Anticoagulant treatment of pediatric cerebral venous thrombosis has not been evaluated in randomized trials. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of rivaroxaban and standard anticoagulants in the predefined subgroup of children with cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) who participated in the EINSTEIN-Jr trial. Children with CVT were randomized (2:1), after initial heparinization, to treatment with rivaroxaban or standard anticoagulants (continued on heparin or switched to vitamin K antagonist). The main treatment period was 3 months. The primary efficacy outcome, symptomatic recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), and principal safety outcome, major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding,were centrally evaluated by blinded investigators. Sinus recanalization on repeat brain imaging was a secondary outcome. Statistical analyses were exploratory. In total, 114 children with confirmed CVT were randomized. All children completed the follow-up. None of the 73 rivaroxaban recipients and 1 (2.4%; CVT) of the 41 standard anticoagulant recipients had symptomatic, recurrent VTE after 3 months (absolute difference, 2.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 22.6% to 13.5%). Clinically relevant bleeding occurred in 5 (6.8%; all nonmajor and noncerebral) rivaroxaban recipients and in 1 (2.5%; major [subdural] bleeding) standard anticoagulant recipient (absolute difference, 4.4%; 95% CI, 26.7% to 13.4%). Complete or partial sinus recanalization occurred in 18 (25%) and 39 (53%) rivaroxaban recipients and in 6 (15%) and 24 (59%) standard anticoagulant recipients, respectively. In summary, in this substudy of a randomized trial with a limited sample size, children with CVT treated with rivaroxaban or standard anticoagulation had a low risk of recurrent VTE and clinically relevant bleeding. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02234843.</p