Efficacy and Safety of Ambrisentan in Children 8-18yrs

Hypertension, Pulmonary Clinical Trial

Official title: A Randomized, Open Label Study Comparing Safety and Efficacy Parameters for a High and a Low Dose of Ambrisentan (Adjusted for Body Weight) for the Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Paediatric Patients Aged 8 Years up to 18 Years

Status Terminated

Clinical Trial Summary

A 6-month (24-week), randomized, open label evaluation of the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of a high and low dose ambrisentan (adjusted for body weight) treatment group in subjects aged 8 years up to 18 years with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). An additional objective is to determine the ambrisentan population pharmacokinetics in the paediatric population. The study will include a screening/baseline period and a treatment period. The treatment period will be 24 weeks or until the subject's clinical condition deteriorates to the point that alternative/additional treatment is necessary. Patients who participate in the study and in whom continued treatment with ambrisentan is desired will be eligible to enrol into a long term follow-up study. The primary comparison will be the safety and tolerability of the two ambrisentan dose groups (Low vs. High) in the paediatric PAH population The secondary comparison will be the change from baseline for the efficacy parameters between the two treatment groups.

Clinical Trial Description

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare, progressive, highly debilitating disease characterized by vascular obstruction and the variable presence of vasoconstriction, leading to increased pulmonary vascular resistance and right-sided heart failure. If left untreated, PAH ultimately leads to right ventricular failure and death; adult subjects have a median survival of 2.8 years without treatment. Epidemiological estimates vary but prevalence in Europe is thought to be of the order of 15 cases per million. Large scale epidemiology studies of PAH in children have not been conducted and there is no or limited outcome data in pediatric PAH patients. A register in France (1995-1996) estimates the prevalence in children is as low as 3.7 cases per million. In a national, comprehensive country wide survey of the epidemiology of idiopathic PAH (IPAH) management and survival in the United Kingdom (UK) the incidence was 0.48 cases per million children per year and the prevalence was 2.1 cases per million children.

Ambrisentan (VOLIBRIS™ tablets) is an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) marketed in the European Union (EU) and some other countries by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and in the United States as LETAIRIS® by Gilead Sciences Inc. Ambrisentan is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with PAH to improve exercise capacity, decrease the symptoms of PAH, and delay clinical worsening.

The primary purpose of this paediatric study is to provide clinically relevant information on the safety and pharmacokinetic profile of ambrisentan in children with the most common causes of PAH in this age group. The design of the study is also intended to provide information to guide dose selection and supportive efficacy data in this age group. Despite the fact that none of the currently available adult treatments are licensed for use in children <12 yrs, (with the exception of bosentan which was recently approved for use in paediatric population from 2 years of age) they are widely used off label. This study will provide useful prescribing information to the medical community for treating this orphan disease in children in this environment of rapidly changing medical practice.

This study is part of a Paediatric Investigational Plan (PIP; EMEA-000434-PIP01-08) agreed with the European Medicines Agency's Paediatric Committee (PDCO). ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Hypertension
• Hypertension, Pulmonary

• NCT number: NCT01332331
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: GlaxoSmithKline
• Status: Terminated
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: January 4, 2011
• Completion date: November 12, 2013