A Study to Assess the Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of IONIS-AGT-LRx in Participants With Chronic Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction (ASTRAAS-HF)

Ionis Pharmaceuticals

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Chronic Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction

Treatments: Drug: Placebo; Drug: IONIS-AGT-LRx

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Industry

Identifiers

NCT04836182

ISIS 757456-CS5

2020-005878-10 (EudraCT Number)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of IONIS-AGT-LRX weekly subcutaneous (SC) injection on plasma angiotensinogen (AGT) concentration from Baseline to Study Day 85 (Week 13) and to evaluate the effect of IONIS-AGT-LRx weekly SC injection on plasma AGT concentration and N-terminal prohormone of B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels at each scheduled visit in chronic heart failure participants with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Full description

This study will be a Phase 2, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study in up to 72 participants. Participants will be randomized in a 2:1 ratio to either IONIS-AGT-LRX or matching placebo and receive a once-weekly SC treatment. The length of participation in the study will be approximately 35 weeks, which includes an up to 10-week screening period, a 12-week treatment period, and a 13-week post-treatment period.

Enrollment: 72 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Females must be non-pregnant and non-lactating and of non- childbearing potential.
2. Males must be surgically sterile or, abstinent or, if engaged in sexual relations with a woman of child-bearing potential (WOCBP), she must be willing to use a highly effective contraceptive method
3. Screening NT-proBNP ≥ 600 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL) and less than (<) 8500 pg/mL
4. Established diagnosis of heart failure (HF) with reduced systolic function for at least 6 months prior to the screening visit (left ventricular ejection fraction, [LVEF] ≤ 40%
5. New York Heart Association class I-III

Participants should receive background standard of care for HFrEF. Therapy should have been individually optimized and stable for ≥ 4 weeks before randomization and include:

1. An angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor (ACEi), or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) or sacubitril/valsartan (mandatory)
2. A beta-blocker (unless contraindicated or not tolerated)
3. A mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA, unless contraindicated or not tolerated)

Exclusion criteria

1. HF due to restrictive cardiomyopathy, active myocarditis, chemotherapy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, primary cardiac valve disease, non-compaction cardiomyopathy, or takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

2. Acute decompensated HF requiring intravenous (IV) diuretics, IV inotropes or IV vasodilators with discharge date within 30 days of screening or acute mechanical support (e.g., intra-aortic balloon pump, endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, or any ventricular assist device) with discharge date within 90 days of screening.

3. Symptomatic hypotension or systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≤ 90 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) at screening.

4. Uncontrolled hypertension (HTN) (SBP > 160 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (BP) > 100 mmHg) prior to screening.

5. Heart transplant, and/or Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) prior to screening or anticipated heart transplant or LVAD during the study.

6. Implantation of a cardiac resynchronization therapy device (CRT) within 3 months prior screening or intent to implant a CRT within 3 months after screening.

7. Acute coronary syndrome, unstable angina, stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), coronary revascularization, cardiac device implantation, cardiac valve repair, carotid or other major surgery within 3 months of screening.

8. Coronary, valve or carotid artery disease likely to require surgical or percutaneous intervention within the 3 months after screening.

9. Severe pulmonary disease with any of the following:

   1. Requirement of continuous (home) oxygen or
   2. Known diagnosis of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (as defined by the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society) or severe restrictive lung disease, in the opinion of the investigator.

10. Screening laboratory results as follows, or any other clinically significant abnormalities in screening laboratory values that would render a participant unsuitable for inclusion in the opinion of the investigator.

    1. Alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST) > 2.0 × upper limit of normal (ULN).
    2. Total bilirubin ≥ 1.5 × ULN (participants with total bilirubin ≥ 1.5 × ULN may be allowed on study if indirect bilirubin only is elevated, ALT/AST is not greater than the ULN, and known to have Gilbert's disease).
    3. Platelets < 100,000/millimeter^3 (mm^3).
    4. Urine protein creatinine ratio (UPCR) ≥ 500 milligrams per gram (mg/g).
    5. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) > 9.5% or uncontrolled diabetes per investigator judgement.
    6. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 30 milliliters/ minute /1.73 m^2 (mL/min/1.73 meter^2) at screening.
    7. Abnormal thyroid function tests with clinical significance per investigator judgement.
    8. Serum potassium > 5.1 millimoles per liter (mmol/L) at screening.

11. Requirement of treatment with both ACEi and ARBs.

12. Previous history of intolerance to ACEi or ARBs or history of hyperkalemia.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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72 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

IONIS-AGT-LRx

Experimental group

Description:

IONIS-AGT-LRX by subcutaneous injection once-weekly

Treatment:

Drug: IONIS-AGT-LRx

Placebo

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Matching placebo by subcutaneous injection once-weekly

Treatment:

Drug: Placebo