Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of Nidufexor in Patients With Diabetic Nephropathy

A Randomized Patient-and-physician Blinded, Placebo-controlled, 24-week Study to Assess the Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of LMB763 in Patients With Diabetic Nephropathy

Nidufexor addresses fibrosis, oxidative stress, inflammation and cell death, and therefore has the potential to improve the management of diabetic kidney disease when added to the standard of care (SoC) (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB)).

This non-confirmatory Phase 2 study was designed to determine the safety, tolerability, efficacy, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nidufexor in combination with ACEI or ARB at a dose level that is SoC as judged by the study doctor in patients with type 2 diabetes and nephropathy.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Diabetic Nephropathy
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Nidufexor; Drug: Standard of Care (SoC); Other: Placebo

Detailed Description

This was a non-confirmatory, multicenter, patient- and investigator-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled, proof-of concept trial assessing nidufexor vs. placebo in patients receiving standard of care (optimal tolerated doses of ARB or ACEI) for diabetic nephropathy due to type 2 diabetes.

The study consisted of three distinct study periods:

Screening (Day -30 to Day-1): lasted up to a maximum of 30 days and comprised a screening / baseline assessment. This visit was used to confirm that the study inclusion and exclusion criteria were met and served as baseline assessment prior to randomization. Participant randomization occurred prior to day 1 as soon as participant eligibility was confirmed.

Treatment period (Day 1-168): Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive nidufexor 50 mg or placebo once daily for 24 weeks. Nidufexor and placebo were given in addition to SoC (optimal tolerated doses of ARB or ACEI).

End of Study (EOS) and Safety follow-up (Day 169 to Day 197): Study assessments were performed until the EOS visit (Day 169). Post Study Safety Contact occurred approximately 28 days after discontinuing study treatment until day 197.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 83
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Argentina
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina, C1120AAC
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Buenos Aires
    • Caba, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1407
      • Novartis Investigative Site
    • Caba, Buenos Aires, Argentina, C1056ABJ
      • Novartis Investigative Site
• Czechia
  • Praha, Czechia, 12808
    • Novartis Investigative Site
• Germany
  • Berlin, Germany, 10787
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Elsterwerda, Germany, 04910
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Nordrhine Westphalia
    • Essen, Nordrhine Westphalia, Germany, 45136
      • Novartis Investigative Site
• Jordan
  • Amman, Jordan, 11941
    • Novartis Investigative Site
• Lebanon
  • Ashrafieh, Lebanon
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Saida, Lebanon, 652
    • Novartis Investigative Site
• Turkey
  • Kocaeli, Turkey, 41380
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Talas / Kayseri, Turkey, 38039
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • TUR
    • Istanbul, TUR, Turkey, 34098
      • Novartis Investigative Site
• United States
  • Florida
    • Miami Lakes, Florida, United States, 33014
      • Novartis Investigative Site
  • New York
    • Albany, New York, United States, 12206
      • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Oklahoma
    • Norman, Oklahoma, United States, 73069
      • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Texas
    • El Paso, Texas, United States, 79935
      • Novartis Investigative Site
    • Sugar Land, Texas, United States, 77479
      • Novartis Investigative Site

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male/female patients, 18-75 years
• Written informed consent
• Diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, with diagnosis made at least 6 months prior to screening
• Diabetic nephropathy as evidenced by Urine albumin-Cr ratio (UACR) ≥300 mg/g Cr at screening while receiving a dose of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker that is the standard of care as judged by the study doctor.

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of type 1 diabetes mellitus
• Severe renal impairment manifesting as serum creatinine eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m^2 at screening
• Pregnant or nursing (lactating) women
• Women of child-bearing potential, unless they are using basic methods of contraception during dosing of study treatment
• Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus at screening
• History or current diagnosis of ECG abnormalities prior to first study dose
• History of kidney disease other than diabetic nephropathy at screening
• Uncontrolled hypertension at screening
• Use of prohibited medications, including but not limited to GLP-1 agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: LMB763; 50 mg LMB763 (two LMB763 25 mg capsules) were orally administered once daily for 24 weeks in addition to SoC.	Drug: Nidufexor; 50 mg (two 25 mg) LMB763 capsules for oral administration; Other Names: LMB763; Drug: Standard of Care (SoC); Optimal tolerated doses of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB)
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; Placebo was orally administered once daily for 24 weeks in addition to SoC.	Drug: Standard of Care (SoC); Optimal tolerated doses of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB); Other: Placebo; Placebo capsules for oral administration

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Ratio to Baseline in Urinary Albumin to Creatinine Ratio (UACR)	UACR is a ratio between albumin and creatinine, and it estimates 24-hour urine albumin excretion. UACR (mg/mmol) = urine albumin [mg/L] / urine creatinine [mmol/L]. UACR was analyzed on a log-scale fitting a repeated measures mixed model including treatment and visit as fixed effects and log of baseline as continuous covariate. Baseline is the last measurement prior to treatment administration. No methods for imputation of missing data were used. Values reported were back-transformed to original scale. A lower score in the ratio to baseline indicates improvement.	Baseline and days 14, 29, 57, 85, 113, 141 and 169
Ratio to Baseline in 24 Hour Urinary Albumin at Week 24 (Day 169)	Albuminuria describes the existence of albumin in the urine and the gold-standard to assess albuminuria is 24-hour urinary albumin excretion (milligram/24 hours). An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with treatment as the classification factor and log-transformed baseline as the covariate was conducted for log-transformed ratio to baseline 24-hour urinary albumin excretion. Baseline is the last measurement prior to treatment administration. No methods for imputation of missing data were used. Values reported were back-transformed to original scale. A lower score in the ratio to baseline indicates improvement.	Baseline and day 169
Number of Participants With Adverse Events (AEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)	Number of participants with AEs and SAEs including significant changes from baseline in vital signs, electrocardiograms and laboratory values qualifying and reported as AEs. The category Number of participants with AEs includes also the number of participants with SAEs. The number of participants in each category is reported in the table.	From the start of treatment to 28 days after end of treatment, assessed up to maximum duration of 197 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Ratio to Baseline in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR)	Estimate Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) calculates estimated GFR (eGFR) from serum creatinine levels to assess kidney function. eGFR (milliliter/minute) was analyzed on a log-scale fitting a repeated measures mixed model including treatment and visit as fixed effects and log of baseline as continuous covariate. Baseline is the last measurement prior to treatment administration. No methods for imputation of missing data were used. Values reported were back-transformed to original scale. A higher score in the ratio to baseline indicates improvement.	Baseline and days 14, 29, 57, 85, 113, 141 and 169
Maximum Peak Observed Concentration (Cmax) of LMB763	Pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters were calculated based on LMB763 blood concentrations determined by a validated liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Cmax was determined using non-compartmental methods. No methods for imputation of missing data were used.	pre-dose and 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours after LMB763 administration on Day 1 and Day 14
Time to Reach Maximum Blood Concentrations (Tmax) of LMB763	Pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters were calculated based on LMB763 blood concentrations determined by a validated liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Tmax was determined using non-compartmental methods. Actual time of sample collection was used (not the nominal time point as per scheduled assessment). No methods for imputation of missing data were used.	pre-dose and 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours after LMB763 administration on Day 1 and Day 14
Area Under the Blood Concentration-time Curve From Time Zero to the Last Quantifiable Concentration (AUClast) of LMB763	Pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters were calculated based on LMB763 blood concentrations determined by a validated liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. AUClast was determined using non-compartmental methods. No methods for imputation of missing data were used.	pre-dose and 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours after LMB763 administration on Day 1 and Day 14
Ratio to Baseline in Free Water Clearance	The free water clearance (mL/min) was calculated using the following formula: (Total Volume (mL) / Elapsed Date & Time (min)) * (1-24 hr Urine Osmolality (mOsmol/kg)/ Serum Osmolality (mOsmol/kg)) The result of free water clearance was rounded to one decimal place prior to statistical analysis. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with treatment as the classification factor and log-transformed baseline as the covariate was conducted for log-transformed ratio to baseline free water clearance. Baseline is the last measurement prior to treatment administration. No methods for imputation of missing data were used. Values reported were back-transformed to original scale. A higher score in the ratio to baseline indicates improvement.	Baseline and day 169
Ratio to Baseline in Lipoprotein A at Day 85	Lipoprotein A (gram/liter) is a component of the lipid profile which is a panel of blood tests used to find abnormalities in lipids. Ratio to baseline in Lipoprotein A was analyzed on a log-scale fitting a repeated measures mixed model including treatment and visit as fixed effects and log of baseline as continuous covariate. Baseline is the last measurement prior to treatment administration. No methods for imputation of missing data were used. Values reported were back-transformed to original scale. A lower score in the ratio to baseline indicates improvement.	Baseline and day 85
Ratio to Baseline in Lipoprotein A at Day 169	Lipoprotein A (gram/liter) is a component of the lipid profile which is a panel of blood tests used to find abnormalities in lipids. Ratio to baseline in Lipoprotein A was analyzed on a log-scale fitting a repeated measures mixed model including treatment and visit as fixed effects and log of baseline as continuous covariate. Baseline is the last measurement prior to treatment administration. No methods for imputation of missing data were used. Values reported were back-transformed to original scale. A lower score in the ratio to baseline indicates improvement.	Baseline and day 169
Percent Change From Baseline in Weight	Change from baseline in weight was analyzed on a log-scale fitting a repeated measures mixed model including treatment and visit as fixed effects and log of baseline as continuous covariate. Baseline is the last measurement prior to treatment administration. No methods for imputation of missing data were used. Values reported were back-transformed to original scale. A negative score in the percent change from baseline indicates improvement.	Baseline and days 14, 29, 57, 85, 113, 141 and 169
Percent Change From Baseline in Body Mass Index (BMI)	BMI was determined by height and weight measurements: Body weight (kg)/ [Height (m)]^2. Change from baseline in BMI was analyzed on a log-scale fitting a repeated measures mixed model including treatment and visit as fixed effects and log of baseline as continuous covariate. Baseline is the last measurement prior to treatment administration. No methods for imputation of missing data were used. Values reported were back-transformed to original scale. A negative score in the percent change from baseline indicates improvement.	Baseline and days 14, 29, 57, 85, 113, 141 and 169
Change From Baseline in Waist-to-hip Ratio	Waist-to-hip ratio was derived using waist circumference and hip circumference, which was measured at the greatest protrusion of the buttocks. Change from baseline in waist-to-hip ratio was analyzed on a log-scale fitting a repeated measures mixed model including treatment and visit as fixed effects and log of baseline as continuous covariate. Baseline is the last measurement prior to treatment administration. No methods for imputation of missing data were used. Values reported were back-transformed to original scale. A negative score in the change from baseline indicates improvement.	Baseline and days 14, 29, 57, 85, 113, 141 and 169

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• A Plain Language Trial Summary is available on novctrd.com

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 17, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 3, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): May 3, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 26, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 11, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): January 15, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 10, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 8, 2022
• Last Verified: August 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: diabetes
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urologic Diseases; Endocrine System Diseases; Diabetes Complications; Diabetes Mellitus; Kidney Diseases; Diabetic Nephropathies
• Other Study ID Numbers: CLMB763X2202; 2018-002491-40 (EudraCT Number)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Yes

IPD Plan Description

Novartis is committed to sharing access to patient-level data and supporting clinical documents from eligible studies with qualified external researchers. Requests are reviewed and approved by an independent review panel on the basis of scientific merit. All data provided is anonymized to protect the privacy of patients who have participated in the trial in line with applicable laws and regulations.

This trial data availability is according to the criteria and process described on www.clinicalstudydatarequest.com

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No