An adaptive design for identifying the dose with the best efficacy/tolerability profile with application to a crossover dose-finding study

Proof-of-concept in clinical trials has traditionally focused on identification of a maximum tolerated dose with the assumption that the higher doses provide better efficacy. However adverse events associated with a maximum tolerated dose may have a negative effect on efficacy. We present an efficient adaptive dose-finding strategy which concentrates patient assignments at and around the dose which has the best efficacy/tolerability profile based on a utility function. The strategy is applied within the setting of a crossover design. While the strategy may also be applied to parallel studies, a crossover design provides more power for a given sample size for comparisons between the optimal dose versus placebo and/or active control when it is reasonable to assume no carryover effects

Phase II Proof-of-Concept Trial of the Orexin Receptor Antagonist Filorexant (MK-6096) in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder.

BackgroundWe evaluated the orexin receptor antagonist filorexant (MK-6096) for treatment augmentation in patients with major depressive disorder.MethodsWe conducted a 6-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, Phase II, proof-of-concept study. Patients with major depressive disorder (partial responders to ongoing antidepressant therapy) were randomized 1:1 to once-daily oral filorexant 10 mg or matching placebo.ResultsDue to enrollment challenges, the study was terminated early, resulting in insufficient statistical power to detect a prespecified treatment difference; of 326 patients planned, 129 (40%) were randomized and 128 took treatment. There was no statistically significant difference in the primary endpoint of change from baseline to week 6 in Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale total score; the estimated treatment difference for filorexant-placebo was -0.7 (with negative values favoring filorexant) (P=.679). The most common adverse events were somnolence and suicidal ideation.ConclusionsThe interpretation of the results is limited by the enrollment, which was less than originally planned, but the available data do not suggest efficacy of orexin receptor antagonism with filorexant for the treatment of depression. (Clinical Trial Registry: clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01554176)

Phase II Proof-of-Concept Trial of the Orexin Receptor Antagonist Filorexant (MK-6096) in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder.

BackgroundWe evaluated the orexin receptor antagonist filorexant (MK-6096) for treatment augmentation in patients with major depressive disorder.MethodsWe conducted a 6-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, Phase II, proof-of-concept study. Patients with major depressive disorder (partial responders to ongoing antidepressant therapy) were randomized 1:1 to once-daily oral filorexant 10 mg or matching placebo.ResultsDue to enrollment challenges, the study was terminated early, resulting in insufficient statistical power to detect a prespecified treatment difference; of 326 patients planned, 129 (40%) were randomized and 128 took treatment. There was no statistically significant difference in the primary endpoint of change from baseline to week 6 in Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale total score; the estimated treatment difference for filorexant-placebo was -0.7 (with negative values favoring filorexant) (P=.679). The most common adverse events were somnolence and suicidal ideation.ConclusionsThe interpretation of the results is limited by the enrollment, which was less than originally planned, but the available data do not suggest efficacy of orexin receptor antagonism with filorexant for the treatment of depression. (Clinical Trial Registry: clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01554176)

A Phase II Dose-Ranging Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of the Orexin Receptor Antagonist Filorexant (MK-6096) in Patients with Primary Insomnia

BACKGROUND: Filorexant (MK-6096) is an orexin receptor antagonist; here, we evaluate the efficacy of filorexant in the treatment of insomnia in adults. METHODS: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, two 4-week-period, adaptive crossover polysomnography study was conducted at 51 sites worldwide. Patients (18 toyears) with insomnia received 1 of 4 doses of oral filorexant (2.5, 5, 10, 20mg) once daily at bedtime during one period and matching placebo in the other period in 1 of 8 possible treatment sequences. Polysomnography was performed on night 1 and end of week 4 of each period. The primary endpoint was sleep efficiency at night 1 and end of week 4. Secondary endpoints included wakefulness after persistent sleep onset and latency to onset of persistent sleep. RESULTS: A total of 324 patients received study treatment, 315 received ≥1 dose of placebo, and 318 ≥1 dose of filorexant (2.5mg, n=79; 5mg, n=78; 10mg, n=80; 20mg, n=81). All filorexant doses (2.5/5/10/20mg) were significantly superior to placebo in improving sleep among patients with insomnia as measured by sleep efficiency and wakefulness after persistent sleep onset on night 1 and end of week 4. The 2 higher filorexant doses (10/20mg) were also significantly more effective than placebo in improving sleep onset as measured by latency to onset of persistent sleep at night 1 and end of week 4. Filorexant was generally well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Orexin receptor antagonism by filorexant significantly improved sleep efficiency in nonelderly patients with insomnia. Dose-related improvements in sleep onset and maintenance outcomes were also observed with filorexant

Suvorexant in Patients with Insomnia: Pooled Analyses of Three-Month Data from Phase-3 Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials.

Study objectivesSuvorexant is an orexin receptor antagonist approved for treating insomnia at a maximum dose of 20 mg. Phase-3 trials evaluated two age-adjusted (non-elderly/elderly) dose-regimes of 40/30 mg and 20/15 mg with the primary focus on 40/30 mg. We report here results from pooled analyses of the 20/15 mg dose-regime, which was evaluated as a secondary objective in the trials.MethodsPrespecified analysis of pooled data from two identical randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, 3-month trials in non-elderly (18-64 years) and elderly (≥ 65 years) patients with insomnia. Patients were randomized to suvorexant 20/15 mg (non-elderly/elderly), suvorexant 40/30 mg (non-elderly/elderly), or placebo; by design, fewer patients were randomized to 20/15 mg. Efficacy was assessed by self-reported and polysomnography (PSG; subset of patients) sleep maintenance and onset endpoints.ResultsSuvorexant 20/15 mg (N = 493 treated) was effective compared to placebo (N = 767 treated) on patient-reported and PSG sleep maintenance and onset endpoints at Night-1 (PSG endpoints) / Week-1 (subjective endpoints), Month-1 and Month-3, except for effects on PSG sleep onset at Month-3. Suvorexant 20/15 mg was generally well tolerated, with 3% of patients discontinuing due to adverse events over 3 months vs. 5.2% on placebo. Somnolence was the most common adverse event (6.7% vs. 3.3% for placebo). There was no systematic evidence of rebound or withdrawal signs or symptoms when suvorexant was discontinued after 3 months of nightly use.ConclusionsSuvorexant 20/15 mg improved sleep onset and maintenance over 3 months of nightly treatment and was generally safe and well tolerated.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov trial registration numbers: NCT01097616, NCT01097629

Suvorexant in Elderly Patients with Insomnia: Pooled Analyses of Data from Phase III Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials

OBJECTIVE: Suvorexant is an orexin receptor antagonist approved for treating insomnia at doses of 10-20 mg. Previously reported phase III results showed that suvorexant was effective and well-tolerated in a combined-age population (elderly and nonelderly adults). The present analysis evaluated the clinical profile of suvorexant specifically in the elderly. METHODS: Prespecified subgroup analyses of pooled 3-month data from two (efficacy) and three (safety) randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trials. In each trial, elderly (≥65 years) patients with insomnia were randomized to suvorexant 30 mg, suvorexant 15 mg, and placebo. By design, fewer patients were randomized to 15 mg. Patient-reported and polysomnographic (subset of patients) sleep maintenance and onset endpoints were measured. RESULTS: Suvorexant 30 mg (N = 319) was effective compared with placebo (N = 318) on patient-reported and polysomnographic sleep maintenance, and onset endpoints at Night 1 (polysomnographic endpoints)/Week 1 (patient-reported endpoints), Month 1, and Month 3. Suvorexant 15 mg (N = 202 treated) was also effective across these measures, although the onset effect was less evident at later time points. The percentages of patients discontinuing because of adverse events over 3 months were 6.4% for 30 mg (N = 627 treated), 3.5% for 15 mg (N = 202 treated), and 5.5% for placebo (N = 469 treated). Somnolence was the most common adverse event (8.8% for 30 mg, 5.4% for 15 mg, 3.2% for placebo). CONCLUSION: Suvorexant generally improved sleep maintenance and onset over 3 months of nightly treatment and was well-tolerated in elderly patients with insomnia (clinicaltrials.gov; NCT01097616, NCT01097629, NCT01021813)

Suvorexant in Patients with Insomnia: Pooled Analyses of Three-Month Data from Phase-3 Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Suvorexant is an orexin receptor antagonist approved for treating insomnia at a maximum dose of 20 mg. Phase-3 trials evaluated two age-adjusted (non-elderly/elderly) dose-regimes of 40/30 mg and 20/15 mg with the primary focus on 40/30 mg. We report here results from pooled analyses of the 20/15 mg dose-regime, which was evaluated as a secondary objective in the trials. METHODS: Prespecified analysis of pooled data from two identical randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, 3-month trials in non-elderly (18–64 years) and elderly (≥ 65 years) patients with insomnia. Patients were randomized to suvorexant 20/15 mg (non-elderly/elderly), suvorexant 40/30 mg (non-elderly/elderly), or placebo; by design, fewer patients were randomized to 20/15 mg. Efficacy was assessed by self-reported and polysomnography (PSG; subset of patients) sleep maintenance and onset endpoints. RESULTS: Suvorexant 20/15 mg (N = 493 treated) was effective compared to placebo (N = 767 treated) on patient-reported and PSG sleep maintenance and onset endpoints at Night-1 (PSG endpoints) / Week-1 (subjective endpoints), Month-1 and Month-3, except for effects on PSG sleep onset at Month-3. Suvorexant 20/15 mg was generally well tolerated, with 3% of patients discontinuing due to adverse events over 3 months vs. 5.2% on placebo. Somnolence was the most common adverse event (6.7% vs. 3.3% for placebo). There was no systematic evidence of rebound or withdrawal signs or symptoms when suvorexant was discontinued after 3 months of nightly use. CONCLUSIONS: Suvorexant 20/15 mg improved sleep onset and maintenance over 3 months of nightly treatment and was generally safe and well tolerated. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov trial registration numbers: NCT01097616, NCT01097629. CITATION: Herring WJ, Connor KM, Snyder E, Snavely DB, Zhang Y, Hutzelmann J, Matzura-Wolfe D, Benca RM, Krystal AD, Walsh JK, Lines C, Roth T, Michelson D. Suvorexant in patients with insomnia: pooled analyses of three-month data from phase-3 randomized controlled clinical trials. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(9):1215–1225