Analysis compares results from confirmatory trial COBALT in PBC with real-world data from a pre-specified external control group utilizing the Komodo Health U.S. claims database
Findings include statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in death, liver transplant and hepatic decompensation in OCA-treated patients versus comparable non-OCA treated control arm
MORRISTOWN, N.J., Sept. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company and wholly owned subsidiary of Alfasigma S.p.A. focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics to treat rare and serious liver diseases, today announced the first peer-reviewed publication of “COBALT: A Confirmatory Trial of Obeticholic Acid in Primary Biliary Cholangitis With Placebo and External Controls” in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Importantly, the trial included a pre-specified external control (EC) analysis that found obeticholic acid (OCA) treatment significantly reduced the risk of negative clinical outcomes for people living with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).
“This analysis suggests that treatment with OCA can potentially improve clinical outcomes for patients with PBC and demonstrates the importance of pre-specified external control data in confirmatory trials,” said Dr. Kris V. Kowdley, Director of Liver Institute Northwest and Professor at the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University. “External control studies are particularly beneficial in clinical trials for rare diseases such as PBC, where patient recruitment and retention are challenging and using a placebo group could be considered unethical.”
COBALT is a phase 3b/4 double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) with supportive EC analyses designed to examine the association of OCA with clinical outcomes in a high-risk population of patients with PBC, namely those with baseline biomarker levels that are associated with more advanced disease or greater risk for progression.
As previously disclosed, the COBALT RCT was terminated early based on the recommendation of an independent data monitoring committee, and in agreement with regulatory authorities, given the inherent challenges of enrolling and maintaining patients in a placebo-controlled study in a rare disease when study drug is commercially available. The RCT analysis showed no statistically significant difference in the primary composite endpoint (time to first occurrence of death, liver transplant or serious liver-related events). The incidence of Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) in the COBALT study was consistent with the known safety profile of OCA.
In anticipation of feasibility concerns, the COBALT analysis plan included a pre-specified EC group as a second comparator arm to mitigate the challenges associated with inclusion of a long-term placebo arm in the study and to evaluate the efficacy of OCA vs. a real-world comparator. COBALT + EC assessed the effect of OCA treatment on time to first occurrence of PBC disease progression (hepatic decompensation), liver transplant or death of OCA-treated subjects in COBALT RCT compared to a non-OCA-treated EC group created from the Komodo Health U.S. claims database.
Key findings of the COBALT + EC analysis include:
- A statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in death, liver transplant and hepatic decompensation in OCA-treated patients vs. comparable untreated patients
- 17 (10.1%) events occurred in patients in the COBALT OCA arm, and 35.4 (21.5%) events occurred in patients from the weighted non-OCA-treated arm (HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.22–0.69; P=0.0010)
- Patients treated with OCA had an approximately 61% lower relative risk of negative outcomes than the non-treated control patients
The EC group, created from Komodo Health claims database, had to meet COBALT inclusion and exclusion criteria and were weighted using propensity score-derived standardized morbidity ratios (SMRs). The EC group was comparable to OCA-treated patients in COBALT on all measured baseline variables. Endpoints in this comparison were the same as in the primary analysis of the COBALT RCT to the extent possible; however certain variables, such as MELD (model for end-stage liver disease), were not available in the Komodo database and thus not included.
“Combined clinical trial and real-world data offer important evidence of the potential long-term clinical benefit of treatment with OCA,” said Sangeeta Sawhney, Senior Vice President, Head of U.S. Research and Development, Intercept. “Findings from this study are consistent with other real-world analyses and build on the totality of evidence providing greater insight into the impact of OCA on clinical outcomes in patients living with PBC.”
About Primary Biliary Cholangitis
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a rare, progressive, and chronic autoimmune disease that affects the bile ducts in the liver and is most prevalent (approximately 1 in 10,000) in women over the age of 40. PBC causes bile acid to build up in the liver, resulting in inflammation and scarring (fibrosis), which, if left untreated, can lead to cirrhosis, a liver transplant, or death.
About Intercept
Intercept is a biopharmaceutical company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Alfasigma S.p.A. focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics to treat rare and serious liver diseases, including primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (sAH). Intercept owns the commercial rights to Ocaliva in the U.S. market. For more information, please visit www.interceptpharma.com or connect with the Company on LinkedIn, Threads and X (formerly Twitter).
About Ocaliva® (obeticholic acid)
OCALIVA, a farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist, is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC)
- without cirrhosis or
- with compensated cirrhosis who do not have evidence of portal hypertension,
either in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) with an inadequate response to UDCA or as monotherapy in patients unable to tolerate UDCA.
This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on a reduction in alkaline phosphatase (ALP). An improvement in survival or disease-related symptoms has not been established. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
WARNING: HEPATIC DECOMPENSATION AND FAILURE IN PRIMARY BILIARY CHOLANGITIS PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS
- Hepatic decompensation and failure, sometimes fatal or resulting in liver transplant, have been reported with OCALIVA treatment in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) patients with either compensated or decompensated cirrhosis.
- OCALIVA is contraindicated in PBC patients with decompensated cirrhosis, a prior decompensation event, or with compensated cirrhosis who have evidence of portal hypertension.
- Permanently discontinue OCALIVA in patients who develop laboratory or clinical evidence of hepatic decompensation; have compensated cirrhosis and develop evidence of portal hypertension, or experience clinically significant hepatic adverse reactions while on treatment.
Contraindications
OCALIVA is contraindicated in patients with:
- decompensated cirrhosis (e.g., Child-Pugh Class B or C) or a prior decompensation event
- compensated cirrhosis who have evidence of portal hypertension (e.g., ascites, gastroesophageal varices, persistent thrombocytopenia)
- complete biliary obstruction
Warnings and Precautions
Hepatic Decompensation and Failure in PBC Patients with Cirrhosis
Hepatic decompensation and failure, sometimes fatal or resulting in liver transplant, have been reported with OCALIVA treatment in PBC patients with cirrhosis, either compensated or decompensated. Among post-marketing cases reporting it, median time to hepatic decompensation (e.g., new onset ascites) was 4 months for patients with compensated cirrhosis; median time to a new decompensation event (e.g., hepatic encephalopathy) was 2.5 months for patients with decompensated cirrhosis.
Some of these cases occurred in patients with decompensated cirrhosis when they were treated with higher than the recommended dosage for that patient population; however, cases of hepatic decompensation and failure have continued to be reported in patients with decompensated cirrhosis even when they received the recommended dosage.
Hepatotoxicity was observed in the OCALIVA clinical trials. A dose-response relationship was observed for the occurrence of hepatic adverse reactions including jaundice, worsening ascites, and primary biliary cholangitis flare with dosages of OCALIVA of 10 mg once daily to 50 mg once daily (up to 5-times the highest recommended dosage), as early as one month after starting treatment with OCALIVA in two 3-month, placebo-controlled clinical trials in patients with primarily early stage PBC.
Routinely monitor patients for progression of PBC, including hepatic adverse reactions, with laboratory and clinical assessments to determine whether drug discontinuation is needed. Closely monitor patients with compensated cirrhosis, concomitant hepatic disease (e.g., autoimmune hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease), and/or with severe intercurrent illness for new evidence of portal hypertension (e.g., ascites, gastroesophageal varices, persistent thrombocytopenia), or increases above the upper limit of normal in total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, or prothrombin time to determine whether drug discontinuation is needed. Permanently discontinue OCALIVA in patients who develop laboratory or clinical evidence of hepatic decompensation (e.g., ascites, jaundice, variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy), have compensated cirrhosis and develop evidence of portal hypertension (e.g., ascites, gastroesophageal varices, persistent thrombocytopenia), experience clinically significant hepatic adverse reactions, or develop complete biliary obstruction. If severe intercurrent illness occurs, interrupt treatment with OCALIVA and monitor the patient’s liver function. After resolution of the intercurrent illness, consider the potential risks and benefits of restarting OCALIVA treatment.
Severe Pruritus
Severe pruritus was reported in 23% of patients in the OCALIVA 10 mg arm, 19% of patients in the OCALIVA titration arm, and 7% of patients in the placebo arm in a 12-month double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial of 216 patients. Severe pruritus was defined as intense or widespread itching, interfering with activities of daily living, or causing severe sleep disturbance, or intolerable discomfort, and typically requiring medical interventions. Consider clinical evaluation of patients with new onset or worsening severe pruritus. Management strategies include the addition of bile acid binding resins or antihistamines, OCALIVA dosage reduction, and/or temporary interruption of OCALIVA dosing.
Reduction in HDL-C
Patients with PBC generally exhibit hyperlipidemia characterized by a significant elevation in total cholesterol primarily due to increased levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). Dose-dependent reductions from baseline in mean HDL-C levels were observed at 2 weeks in OCALIVA-treated patients, 20% and 9% in the 10 mg and titration arms, respectively, compared to 2% in the placebo arm. Monitor patients for changes in serum lipid levels during treatment. For patients who do not respond to OCALIVA after 1 year at the highest recommended dosage that can be tolerated (maximum of 10 mg once daily), and who experience a reduction in HDL-C, weigh the potential risks against the benefits of continuing treatment.
Adverse Reactions
The most common adverse reactions (≥5%) are: pruritus, fatigue, abdominal pain and discomfort, rash, oropharyngeal pain, dizziness, constipation, arthralgia, thyroid function abnormality, and eczema.
Drug Interactions
- Bile Acid Binding Resins
Bile acid binding resins such as cholestyramine, colestipol, or colesevelam adsorb and reduce bile acid absorption and may reduce the absorption, systemic exposure, and efficacy of OCALIVA. If taking a bile acid binding resin, take OCALIVA at least 4 hours before or 4 hours after taking the bile acid binding resin, or at as great an interval as possible. - Warfarin
The International Normalized Ratio (INR) decreased following coadministration of warfarin and OCALIVA. Monitor INR and adjust the dose of warfarin, as needed, to maintain the target INR range when co-administering OCALIVA and warfarin. - CYP1A2 Substrates with Narrow Therapeutic Index
Obeticholic acid may increase the exposure to concomitant drugs that are CYP1A2 substrates. Therapeutic monitoring of CYP1A2 substrates with a narrow therapeutic index (e.g., theophylline and tizanidine) is recommended when co-administered with OCALIVA. - Inhibitors of Bile Salt Efflux Pump
Avoid concomitant use of inhibitors of the bile salt efflux pump (BSEP) such as cyclosporine. Concomitant medications that inhibit canalicular membrane bile acid transporters such as the BSEP may exacerbate accumulation of conjugated bile salts including taurine conjugate of obeticholic acid in the liver and result in clinical symptoms. If concomitant use is deemed necessary, monitor serum transaminases and bilirubin.
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To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 1-844-782-ICPT or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
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