Towards a Quantitative Understanding of Aficamten Clinical Pharmacology: Pharmacokinetic-Cardiodynamic Modeling to Support Safety and Efficacy.
In the phase 3 study SEQUOIA-HCM (NCT05186818), aficamten, a next-in-class cardiac myosin inhibitor, was safe and efficacious in participants with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM). Using pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PKPD) modeling, we quantified the relationship between aficamten exposure and cardiodynamic measures of safety (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF]) and efficacy (post-Valsalva left ventricular outflow tract gradient [LVOT-G]), and used Clinical Trial Simulations (CTS) to predict cardiodynamics for a flexible dose regimen in a post-approval setting. PKPD relationships between aficamten average concentration over 24 h (Cavg,24) and LVEF or LVOT-G were well quantified. Within-subject variability for LVEF was low (CV = 7.6%), indicating that prior LVEF readings are highly predictive of future readings during stable therapy. A ~2% decrease in LVEF is expected per 100 ng/mL increase in Cavg,24. LVOT-G slope was ~10-fold steeper vs. LVEF, suggesting a relatively large therapeutic window. The commercial regimen allows for individualized flexible echocardiography-based dose titration (every 2-8 weeks) from 5 to 20 mg once daily and flexible maintenance dose monitoring. CTS demonstrated minimal differences in population progression of LVOT-G < 30 mmHg and LVEF < 50% between evaluated dose-titration frequencies (every 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks) over the first 6 months of treatment, supporting a 2-8 week window for dose titration. With maintenance doses, the probability of maintaining LVOT-G < 30 mmHg (~60%) was high and the probability of occurrences of LVEF < 50% (~3%) was low. Therefore, this regimen should maintain safe and efficacious cardiodynamics while increasing convenience and access for patients with oHCM.
Authors
Lutz Lutz, Wada Wada, Jacoby Jacoby, Heitner Heitner, Kupfer Kupfer, German German
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