Randomized dose-finding study of batefenterol via dry powder inhaler in patients with COPD

Courtney Crim,1 Michael L Watkins,1 Eric D Bateman,2 Gregory J Feldman,3 Isabelle Schenkenberger,4 Edward M Kerwin,5 Catriona Crawford,6 Krishna Pudi,7 Shuyen Ho,8 Charlotte Baidoo,9 Ramiro Castro-Santamaria10 1GSK, Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA; 2Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; 3S. Carolina Pharmaceutical Research, Spartanburg, SC, USA; 4Klinische Forschung Berlin GbR, Berlin, Germany; 5Clinical Trials Division, Crisor LLC, Clinical Research Institute, Medford OR, USA; 6GSK, Global Medical, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK; 7Upstate Pharmaceutical Research, Greenville, SC, USA; 8PAREXEL International, Durham, NC, USA; 9GSK, Clinical Statistics, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK; 10GSK, Research and Development, Collegeville, PA, USA Background: Batefenterol is a novel bifunctional muscarinic antagonist β2-agonist in development for COPD. The primary objective of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, active comparator, Phase IIb study was to model the dose–response of batefenterol and select a dose for Phase III development.Patients and methods: Patients aged ≥40 years with COPD and FEV1 ≥30% and ≤70% predicted normal were randomized equally to batefenterol 37.5, 75, 150, 300, or 600 µg, placebo, or umeclidinium/vilanterol (UMEC/VI) 62.5/25 µg once daily. The primary and secondary endpoints were weighted-mean FEV1 over 0–6 hours post-dose and trough FEV1, analyzed by Bayesian and maximum likelihood estimation Emax of dose–response modeling, respectively, on day 42.Results: In the intent-to-treat population (N=323), all batefenterol doses demonstrated statistically and clinically significant improvements from baseline vs placebo in the primary and secondary endpoints (191.1–292.8 and 182.2–244.8 mL, respectively), with a relatively flat dose–response. In the subgroup reversible to salbutamol, there were greater differences between batefenterol doses. Lung function improvements with batefenterol ≥150 µg were comparable with those with UMEC/VI. Batefenterol was well tolerated and no new safety signals were observed.Conclusion: Batefenterol 300 µg may represent the optimal dose for Phase III studies. Keywords: bifunctional, bronchodilator, dual-pharmacophore, dose–response, muscarinic antagonist β2-agonist