A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Reldesemtiv in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) (COURAGE-ALS)

Cytokinetics

Status and phase: Terminated; Phase 3

Conditions: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Treatments: Drug: Placebo; Drug: Reldesemtiv

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Industry

Identifiers

NCT04944784

2020-004040-29 (EudraCT Number)

CY 5031

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of reldesemtiv versus placebo on functional outcomes in ALS.

Full description

COURAGE-ALS is a Phase 3, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of reldesemtiv in patients aged 18 to 80 with ALS.

The screening and qualification period for the trial will be no more than 21 days in duration. Approximately 555 eligible ALS patients will be randomized (2:1) to receive the following dose of reldesemtiv or placebo (stratified by riluzole use/non-use and edaravone use/non-use) for the first 24 weeks (double-blind, placebo-controlled period):

• 300 mg reldesemtiv twice a day for a 600 mg total daily dose (TDD)
• Placebo twice daily

At the end of the 24-week double-blind, placebo-controlled period, patients will transition to the active drug period, where all patients will receive the following dose of reldesemtiv for the next 24 weeks:

• 300 mg reldesemtiv twice a day for a 600 mg TDD for patients who were not down titrated during the 24 weeks of blinded dosing
• 150 mg reldesemtiv twice a day for a 300 mg TDD for patients who were down titrated during the 24 weeks of blinded dosing

Enrollment: 489 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Key Inclusion Criteria:

• Males or Females between the ages of 18 and 80 years of age, inclusive
• Diagnosis of familial or sporadic ALS (defined as meeting the laboratory-supported probable, probable, or definite criteria for ALS according to the World Federation of Neurology El Escorial criteria). Patients who meet the possible criteria are eligible if they have lower motor neuron findings; those who have purely upper motor neuron findings are ineligible.
• First symptom of ALS ≤ 24 months prior to screening. The qualifying first symptoms of ALS are limited to manifestations of weakness in extremity, bulbar, or respiratory muscles.
• ALSFRS-R total score ≤ 44 at screening. Patients with a total score of 45 or higher may be rescreened 60±7 days following the original screening date.
• Upright FVC ≥ 65.0% of predicted for age, height, sex and ethnicity at screening according to Global Lung Initiative equation
• Must be either on riluzole for ≥ 30 days prior to screening or have not taken it for at least 30 days prior to screening
• Must have completed at least 2 cycles of edaravone at the time of screening or have not received it for at least 30 days prior to screening
• Able to swallow whole tablets

Exclusion Criteria:

• eGFRCysC < 45.0 mL/min/1.73 m2 at screening
• Urine protein/creatinine ratio > 1 mg/mg (113 mg/mmol) at screening
• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≥ 3-times the upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Total bilirubin (TBL), direct or indirect bilirubin above the ULN.
• Cognitive impairment, related to ALS or otherwise that impairs the patient's ability to understand and/or comply with study procedures and provide informed consent
• Other medically significant neurological conditions that could interfere with the assessment of ALS symptoms, signs or progression.
• Has a tracheostomy

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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489 participants in 4 patient groups, including a placebo group

Reldesemtiv Group, Double-Blind Period

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm take 2 reldesemtiv 150 mg oral tablets twice a day for a 600 mg total daily dose from Day 1 until Week 24.

Treatment:

Drug: Reldesemtiv

Placebo Group, Double-Blind Period

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Participants in this arm take 2 placebo oral tablets twice a day from Day 1 until Week 24.

Treatment:

Drug: Placebo

Delayed Start Group, Active Drug Period

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm were those who received placebo in the double-blind period and reldesemtiv in the active drug period. Participants take 2 reldesemtiv 150 mg oral tablets twice a day for a 600 mg total daily dose from Week 24 until Week 48. Patients who were down-titrated for any reason during the 24 weeks of blinded dosing take 1 reldesemtiv 150 mg oral tablet twice a day for a 300 mg total daily dose from Week 24 until Week 48.

Treatment:

Drug: Reldesemtiv

Early Start Group, Active Drug Period

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm were those who received reldesemtiv in the double-blind and active drug periods. Participants take 2 reldesemtiv 150 mg oral tablets twice a day for a 600 mg total daily dose from Week 24 until Week 48. Patients who were down-titrated for any reason during the 24 weeks of blinded dosing take 1 reldesemtiv 150 mg oral tablet twice a day for a 300 mg total daily dose from Week 24 until Week 48.

Treatment:

Drug: Reldesemtiv