First-in-Human Evaluation of Safety, Pharmacokinetics and Muscle Glycogen Lowering of a Novel Glycogen Synthase 1 Inhibitor for the Treatment of Pompe Disease.

Pompe disease is a rare glycogen storage disease caused by mutations in the enzyme acid α-glucosidase (GAA) resulting in pathological accumulation of glycogen in muscle tissues leading to progressive weakness and respiratory dysfunction. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with GAA is currently the sole treatment option for patients with Pompe disease. ERT burdens patients with frequent intravenous infusions while insufficiently halting disease progression due to incomplete ERT skeletal muscle distribution.

Effect of Hepatic Impairment on the Pharmacokinetics of Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir, the First Oral Protease Inhibitor for the Treatment of COVID-19.

Nirmatrelvir, a novel, potent, orally bioavailable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 main protease inhibitor, coadministered with ritonavir for pharmacokinetic (PK) enhancement is licensed for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in individuals at increased risk of progression to severe disease. Cytochrome P450 3A4 is the primary metabolic enzyme responsible for nirmatrelvir metabolism; however, when cytochrome P450 3A4 is inhibited by ritonavir, nirmatrelvir is primarily excreted, unchanged, in urine. Because of intended use of nirmatrelvir among individuals with hepatic impairment, this Phase 1 study (NCT05005312) evaluated the effects of hepatic impairment on nirmatrelvir PK parameters to assess the potential need for any dose adjustments in this population.

Pharmacokinetics of Oral Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir, a Protease Inhibitor for Treatment of COVID-19, in Subjects With Renal Impairment.

Nirmatrelvir coadministered with ritonavir is highly efficacious in reducing the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) adverse outcomes among patients at increased risk of progression to severe disease, including patients with chronic kidney disease. Because nirmatrelvir is eliminated by the kidneys when given with ritonavir, this phase I study evaluated the effects of renal impairment on pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. Participants with normal renal function (n = 10) or mild, moderate, or severe renal impairment (n = 8 each) were administered a single 100-mg nirmatrelvir dose with 100 mg ritonavir given 12 hours before, together with and 12 and 24 hours after the nirmatrelvir dose.

Very high-protein and low-carbohydrate enteral nutrition formula and plasma glucose control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized crossover trial.

Background And Objectives: Standard enteral nutrition (EN) formulas can  worsen hyperglycemia in diabetic patients. We hypothesized that altering the proportion of macronutrients in a formula; increasing protein while decreasing carbohydrate concentrations would improve glycemic response. The objective of this study was to demonstrate that an EN formula containing a very high concentration of protein (in the form of whey peptides) and low concentration of carbohydrate provide better control of postprandial blood glucose relative to a very high-protein/higher-carbohydrate formula.

Human placental membrane as a wound cover for chronic diabetic foot ulcers: a prospective, postmarket, CLOSURE study.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a chorioamniotic allograft, used as a wound cover for chronic foot ulcers, in patients with diabetes.

Methods: A multicentre, prospective, postmarket study where eligible patients received up to 11 weekly wound cover applications. Computerised planimetry was used to calculate the diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) area each week.

Comparison of long-term safety of fixed-dose combinations azilsartan medoxomil/chlorthalidone vs olmesartan medoxomil/hydrochlorothiazide.

This 52-week, randomized, open-label study evaluated long-term safety/tolerability of fixed-dose combination azilsartan medoxomil/chlorthalidone (AZL-M/CLD) vs fixed-dose combination olmesartan medoxomil/hydrochlorothiazide (OLM/HCTZ) in patients with essential hypertension (stage 2; clinic systolic blood pressure 160-190 mm Hg). Initial AZL-M/CLD 40/12.5 mg/d (n=418) or OLM/HCTZ 20/12.

Long-term safety of nebivolol and valsartan combination therapy in patients with hypertension: an open-label, single-arm, multicenter study.

Long-term safety of a free-tablet combination of nebivolol and valsartan was assessed in a Phase III, open-label trial (NCT01415505). Adults with hypertension entered a 4-week placebo run-in phase, followed by a 52-week treatment phase. Initial dosage (Neb/Val 5/160 mg/d) was titrated up to 20/320 mg/d to achieve blood pressure (BP) goal (JNC7 criteria), with the addition of hydrochlorothiazide (up to 25 mg/d) if needed.

Telmisartan in combination with hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg for the management of patients with hypertension.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of telmisartan 40 mg (T40) or 80 mg (T80) plus hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg (H12.5) single-pill combinations (SPCs) with telmisartan monotherapies, in a pooled analysis of patients with mild to moderate hypertension.

Effect of evolocumab or ezetimibe added to moderate- or high-intensity statin therapy on LDL-C lowering in patients with hypercholesterolemia: the LAPLACE-2 randomized clinical trial.

Importance: In phase 2 studies, evolocumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody to PCSK9, reduced LDL-C levels in patients receiving statin therapy.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of evolocumab when used in combination with a moderate- vs high-intensity statin.

Design, Setting, And Patients: Phase 3, 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo- and ezetimibe-controlled study conducted between January and December of 2013 in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia at 198 sites in 17 countries.

Anti-PCSK9 monotherapy for hypercholesterolemia: the MENDEL-2 randomized, controlled phase III clinical trial of evolocumab.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare biweekly and monthly evolocumab with placebo and oral ezetimibe in patients with hypercholesterolemia in a phase III trial.

Background: Evolocumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody against proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), significantly reduced LDL-C in phase II trials.

Methods: Patients 18 to 80 years of age with fasting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥100 and <190 mg/dl and Framingham risk scores ≤10% were randomized (1:1:1:1:2:2) to oral placebo and subcutaneous (SC) placebo biweekly; oral placebo and SC placebo monthly; ezetimibe and SC placebo biweekly; ezetimibe and SC placebo monthly; oral placebo and evolocumab 140 mg biweekly; or oral placebo and evolocumab 420 mg monthly.

Rationale and design of LAPLACE-2: a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo- and ezetimibe-controlled trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of evolocumab in subjects with hypercholesterolemia on background statin therapy.

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels are significantly associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk, and studies using interventions that lower LDL-C levels have been shown to reduce the risk of ASCVD events and mortality. Statin treatment is the current first-line therapy for lowering LDL-C and reducing ASCVD risk. However, many patients are still unable to reach recommended LDL-C goals on maximally tolerated statin therapy.

Adding Saxagliptin to Metformin Extended Release (XR) or Uptitration of Metformin XR: Efficacy on Daily Glucose Measures.

Introduction: Saxagliptin added to metformin extended release (XR) and uptitrated metformin XR were evaluated for their impact on daily glucose measurements and their tolerability in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) inadequately controlled with metformin monotherapy.

Methods: Patients aged 18-78 years on metformin 850-1,500 mg with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 7.5-11.

Hypertension management: rationale for triple therapy based on mechanisms of action.

An estimated 25% of patients will require 3 antihypertensive agents to achieve blood pressure (BP) control; combination therapy is thus an important strategy in hypertension treatment. This review discusses the triple-therapy combination of an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) or direct renin antagonist (DRI) with a calcium channel blocker (CCB) and a diuretic, with a focus on mechanisms of action. Multiple physiologic pathways contribute to hypertension.

Olmesartan medoxomil-based antihypertensive therapy evaluated by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring: efficacy in high-risk patient subgroups.

Hypertension affects approximately 26% of the world's adult population and is a recognized major risk factor for morbidity and mortality associated with cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and renal diseases. However, despite the availability of a range of effective antihypertensive agents and a growing awareness of the consequences of high blood pressure (BP), the treatment and control of hypertension remains suboptimal. A number of patient subgroups are categorized as 'high risk' and may have hypertension that is more difficult to treat, including obese individuals, patients with stage 2 hypertension, those with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), patients with coronary artery disease or a history of stroke, and Black patients.

Efficacy of amlodipine/olmesartan medoxomil ± HCTZ in obese patients uncontrolled on antihypertensive monotherapy.

Objective: BP-CRUSH (Blood Pressure Control in All Subgroups With Hypertension) was a phase IV, prospective, open-label, multicenter, single-arm, dose-titration study (N = 999). The present subgroup analysis reports the efficacy/safety of up to 20 weeks of treatment with amlodipine (AML)/olmesartan medoxomil (OM) ± hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in obese and non-obese patients with hypertension uncontrolled on antihypertensive monotherapy.

Research Design And Methods: Eligible obese (body mass index ≥30 kg/m(2); n = 505) and non-obese (<30 kg/m(2); n = 494) patients were switched to AML/OM 5/20 mg and uptitrated at 4-week intervals to AML/OM 5/40 mg, AML/OM 10/40 mg, AML/OM 10/40 mg + HCTZ 12.

Efficacy of olmesartan medoxomil and hydrochlorothiazide fixed-dose combination therapy in patients aged 65 years and older with stage 1 and 2 hypertension or isolated systolic hypertension.

Background: The incidence of hypertension, particularly isolated systolic hypertension, increases with increasing age, as does the risk of fatal cardiovascular disease. A combination antihypertensive therapy regimen may be required to reach recommended BP goals in older patients.

Objectives: This study set out to report blood pressure (BP) data in elderly patients across the subgroups of stage 1 and stage 2 hypertension (prespecified subgroup) and isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) [post hoc].

Single-pill combination of telmisartan/amlodipine in patients with severe hypertension: results from the TEAMSTA severe HTN study.

This 8-week, randomized, double-blind, controlled study compared efficacy and tolerability of telmisartan/amlodipine (T/A) single-pill combination (SPC) vs the respective monotherapies in 858 patients with severe hypertension (systolic/diastolic blood pressure [SBP/DBP] ≥180/95 mm Hg). At 8 weeks, T/A provided significantly greater reductions from baseline in seated trough cuff SBP/DBP (-47.5 mm Hg/-18.

Single-pill combination of telmisartan/amlodipine versus amlodipine monotherapy in diabetic hypertensive patients: an 8-week randomized, parallel-group, double-blind trial.

Background: Hypertensive patients with diabetes often require combination therapy to achieve a blood pressure (BP) goal, and evidence suggests that time to BP goal is crucial to decrease cardiovascular risk.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate whether the single-pill combination of telmisartan and amlodipine was superior to amlodipine alone as initial antihypertensive therapy in patients with diabetes and hypertension.

Methods: An 8-week, randomized, parallel-group, double-blind international trial comparing the once-daily single-pill combination of telmisartan 80 mg and amlodipine 10 mg (T/A; n = 352) with once-daily amlodipine 10 mg (A; n = 354) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and stage 1 or 2 hypertension (systolic BP [SBP] >150 mm Hg).

Seated cuff blood pressure-lowering efficacy of an olmesartan medoxomil-based treatment regimen in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Hypertension is a common co-morbidity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and well tolerated, effective therapies are needed to achieve guideline-recommended blood pressure (BP) goals in these patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to present the results of a prespecified analysis of key secondary endpoints from a 12-week, open-label, single-arm study evaluating the efficacy and safety of olmesartan medoxomil plus hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

Study Design And Methods: After a placebo run-in period, 192 patients received olmesartan medoxomil 20 mg/day for 3 weeks.

A comparison of the efficacy and safety of irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide combination therapy with irbesartan monotherapy in the treatment of moderate or severe hypertension in diabetic and obese hypertensive patients: a post-hoc analysis review.

Hypertension is difficult to treat in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or obesity. Combination therapies are often required to effectively lower blood pressure (BP) and attain BP goals. In this post-hoc analysis of 2 prospective, randomized, controlled studies in patients with uncontrolled or untreated moderate or severe hypertension, the efficacy and safety of treatment with irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) and irbesartan was assessed in 2 separate analyses: patients with diabetes (n=143) and by obesity status (n=1125).

A titrate-to-goal study of switching patients uncontrolled on antihypertensive monotherapy to fixed-dose combinations of amlodipine and olmesartan medoxomil ± hydrochlorothiazide.

In the prospective, open-label, titrate-to-goal Blood Pressure Control in All Subgroups With Hypertension (BP-CRUSH) study, 999 patients with hypertension uncontrolled on monotherapy (mean age, 55.6 ± 11.4 years; baseline blood pressure [BP], 153.

Management of hypertension in patients with diabetes using an amlodipine-, olmesartan medoxomil-, and hydrochlorothiazide-based titration regimen.

The safety and efficacy of an amlodipine/olmesartan medoxomil (OM)-based titration regimen was assessed in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension. After a 2- to 3-week placebo run-in period, 207 patients received amlodipine 5 mg and were uptitrated to amlodipine/OM 5/20, 5/40, and 10/40 mg and then amlodipine/OM 10/40 mg plus hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 and 25 mg in a step-wise manner at 3-week intervals if the seated blood pressure (BP) remained ≥120/70 mm Hg.

Long-term blood pressure control: what can we do?

There are unique problems associated with the long-term control of blood pressure (BP) in patients with hypertension. Many of these problems warrant specific discussion for the primary care physician. Up to one-third of high-risk patients are estimated to have uncontrolled hypertension.

An olmesartan medoxomil-based treatment algorithm is effective in achieving 24-hour BP control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, regardless of age, race, sex, or severity of hypertension: subgroup analysis of the BENIFICIARY study.

Background: Hypertension often occurs concomitantly with diabetes mellitus, such that >50% of adults with type 2 diabetes have hypertension. These individuals are at a greater risk of developing renal and cardiovascular disease. The currently recommended BP goal of <130/80 mmHg for patients with type 2 diabetes is achieved in only 37.

Efficacy and safety of irbesartan/HCTZ in severe hypertension according to cardiometabolic factors.

This post hoc analysis of a 7-week, randomized, double-blind trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of initial irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide treatment in 468 patients with severe, uncontrolled, hypertension (diastolic blood pressure [DBP] > or =100 mm Hg) at high cardiovascular risk. Systolic blood pressure (SBP)/DBP reductions ranged from 28.0 to 42.