pirfenidone in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and more advanced lung function impairment

Abstract Background Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) demonstrate a range of lung function impairment. However, the efficacy of antifibrotics compared with placebo has not been assessed in patients with more advanced disease. This post-hoc analysis investigated the efficacy and safety of pirfenidone versus placebo in patients with IPF and more advanced lung function impairment, defined as percent predicted forced vital capacity (%FVC)  Methods Patients randomised to pirfenidone 2,403 mg/day or placebo in the ASCEND (NCT01366209) and CAPACITY (NCT00287716; NCT00287729) trials with more advanced baseline lung function impairment (pirfenidone, n = 90; placebo, n = 80) were included. Mortality, lung function, hospitalisation, exercise capacity and dyspnoea were investigated over 52 weeks. Results At Week 52 versus placebo, pirfenidone was associated with significantly lower risks of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 0.28; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09–0.86; p=0.0180), ≥10% absolute %FVC decline or all-cause mortality (HR 0.40; 95% CI 0.23–0.69; p=0.0006) and ≥10% absolute %FVC decline or respiratory-related hospitalisation or all-cause mortality (HR 0.46; 95% CI 0.28–0.76; p=0.0018). At Week 52, median treatment differences favouring pirfenidone were 36.7 m for 6-min walk distance and −8.0 points for the University of California—San Diego Shortness of Breath Questionnaire total score. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) led to discontinuation in 14.4% and 21.3% of patients with pirfenidone and placebo, respectively. Conclusion Pirfenidone demonstrated clinically relevant benefits across multiple domains in patients with IPF and more advanced disease without an increased risk of discontinuation due to TEAEs. Clinical trials registration clinicaltrials. gov (ASCEND: NCT01366209; CAPACITY: NCT00287716; NCT00287729)

Correction to: Cardiovascular Risks, Bleeding Risks, and Clinical Events from 3 Phase III Trials of Pirfenidone in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

In the Original Publication the colors of Figure 2 have been switched. The correct figures are given below

Cardiovascular Risks, Bleeding Risks, and Clinical Events from 3 Phase III Trials of Pirfenidone in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

This study assessed baseline cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, concomitant CV medication use, risk of major adverse cardiac events-plus (MACE-plus), and bleeding adverse events (AEs) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in three randomized, placebo-controlled phase III trials of pirfenidone. Patients in the pirfenidone phase III trials were included. Patients with unstable or deteriorating cardiac disease within 6 months before enrollment were ineligible. Medical history at baseline and concomitant CV medication use during treatment were reported. A retrospective, blinded review of AE preferred terms was conducted to identify MACE-plus and bleeding events. Subgroup analyses examined the impact of concomitant CV medication use on how pirfenidone treatment affected clinical outcomes. In total, 1247 patients were included [n = 623 pirfenidone (2403 mg/day) and n = 624 placebo]. The median age was 68 years, 74% were male, and 65% were current/former smokers. Commonly reported CV risk factors included hypertension (52%), obesity (44%), hypercholesterolemia (23%), and hyperlipidemia (23%). Pre-existing cardiac disorders included coronary artery disease (16%), myocardial infarction (5%), and atrial fibrillation (5%). Lipid-modifying agents (60%), antithrombotic agents (54%), and renin-angiotensin inhibitors (39%) were commonly used concomitant CV medications. The incidences of MACE-plus and bleeding events were similar between the pirfenidone and placebo groups (1.8% and 2.9% for MACE-plus events and 3.7% and 4.3% for bleeding events, respectively). Except for patients receiving heparin, pirfenidone had a beneficial effect compared with placebo on efficacy outcomes regardless of concomitant CV medications. CV risk factors and comorbidities and use of concomitant CV medications are common in patients with IPF. Pirfenidone did not appear to increase the risk of CV or bleeding events. Use of several concomitant CV medications, including warfarin, did not appear to adversely impact pirfenidone's beneficial effect on efficacy outcomes. NCT00287716, NCT00287729, and NCT01366209. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. and Genentech, Inc

Pirfenidone in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and more advanced lung function impairment

BACKGROUND: Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) demonstrate a range of lung function impairment. However, the efficacy of antifibrotics compared with placebo has not been assessed in patients with more advanced disease. This post-hoc analysis investigated the efficacy and safety of pirfenidone versus placebo in patients with IPF and more advanced lung function impairment, defined as percent predicted forced vital capacity (%FVC) < 50% and/or percent predicted carbon monoxide diffusing capacity <35%. METHODS: Patients randomised to pirfenidone 2,403 mg/day or placebo in the ASCEND (NCT01366209) and CAPACITY (NCT00287716; NCT00287729) trials with more advanced baseline lung function impairment (pirfenidone, n = 90; placebo, n = 80) were included. Mortality, lung function, hospitalisation, exercise capacity and dyspnoea were investigated over 52 weeks. RESULTS: At Week 52 versus placebo, pirfenidone was associated with significantly lower risks of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 0.28; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09-0.86; p=0.0180), ≥10% absolute %FVC decline or all-cause mortality (HR 0.40; 95% CI 0.23-0.69; p=0.0006) and ≥10% absolute %FVC decline or respiratory-related hospitalisation or all-cause mortality (HR 0.46; 95% CI 0.28-0.76; p=0.0018). At Week 52, median treatment differences favouring pirfenidone were 36.7 m for 6-min walk distance and -8.0 points for the University of California-San Diego Shortness of Breath Questionnaire total score. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) led to discontinuation in 14.4% and 21.3% of patients with pirfenidone and placebo, respectively. CONCLUSION: Pirfenidone demonstrated clinically relevant benefits across multiple domains in patients with IPF and more advanced disease without an increased risk of discontinuation due to TEAEs. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials. gov (ASCEND: NCT01366209; CAPACITY: NCT00287716; NCT00287729).status: publishe

Efficacy of Pirfenidone in the Context of Multiple Disease Progression Events in Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Declines in percent predicted FVC (% predicted FVC), declines in 6-min walk distance (6MWD), and respiratory hospitalizations are events associated with disease progression and mortality in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The incidence of multiple events in the same patient over 12 months of pirfenidone treatment is unknown. Patients who received pirfenidone 2,403 mg/d (n = 623) or placebo (n = 624) in the ASCEND (study 016; NCT01366209) and CAPACITY (studies 004 and 006; NCT00287716 and NCT00287729) phase III trials were included in this post hoc analysis. Disease progression events were defined as relative decline in % predicted FVC ≥ 10%, absolute decline in 6MWD ≥ 50 m, respiratory hospitalization, or death from any cause. The incidence of disease progression events over 12 months was assessed. The most frequent disease progression events were declines in % predicted FVC (pirfenidone vs placebo; 202 vs 304 events) and declines in 6MWD (pirfenidone vs placebo; 265 vs 348 events). Fewer patients who received pirfenidone had more than one progression event compared with placebo (17.0% vs 30.1%; P < .0001). Death following one or more progression event occurred less frequently in the pirfenidone group than in the placebo group (2.1% vs 6.3%; P = .0002). Pirfenidone significantly reduced the incidence of multiple progression events and death after a progression event over 12 months of treatment compared with placebo. These findings suggest that continued treatment with pirfenidone confers a benefit despite the occurrence of any single disease progression event. ClinicalTrials.gov; Nos. NCT01366209, NCT00287716, and NCT00287729; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov