Effects of roflumilast in COPD patients receiving inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β2-agonist fixed-dose combination: RE2SPOND rationale and study design

Stephen I Rennard,1,2 Fernando J Martinez,3,4 Klaus F Rabe,5–7 Sanjay Sethi,8 Emilio Pizzichini,9 Andrew McIvor,10 Shahid Siddiqui,11 Antonio Anzueto,12 Haiyuan Zhu13 1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA; 2AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK; 3Joan and Sanford I Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell University, New York, NY, 4Department of Internal Medicine, Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; 5LungenClinic Grosshansdorf, Großhansdorf, 6Department of Medicine, University Kiel, Kiel, 7Airway Research Center North, German Center for Lung Research, Großhansdorf, Germany; 8Department of Medicine, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA; 9Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina, Brazil; 10Firestone Institute of Respiratory Health, St Joseph’s Healthcare, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 11AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, 12South Texas Veterans Health Care System at San Antonio, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 13Allergan plc, Jersey City, NJ, USA Background: Roflumilast, a once-daily, selective phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, reduces the risk of COPD exacerbations in patients with severe COPD associated with chronic bronchitis and a history of exacerbations. The RE2SPOND study is examining whether roflumilast, when added to an inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β2-agonist (ICS/LABA) fixed-dose combination (FDC), further reduces exacerbations. The methodology is described herein. Methods: In this Phase IV, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial, participants were randomized 1:1 (stratified by long-acting muscarinic antagonist use) to receive roflumilast or placebo, plus ICS/LABA FDC, for 52 weeks. Eligible participants had severe COPD associated with chronic bronchitis, had two or more moderate–severe exacerbations within 12 months, and were receiving ICS/LABA FDC for ≥3 months. The primary efficacy measure is the rate of moderate or severe COPD exacerbations per participant per year. The secondary efficacy outcomes include mean change in prebronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) over 52 weeks, rate of severe exacerbations, and rate of moderate, severe, or antibiotic-treated exacerbations. Additional assessments include spirometry, rescue medication use, the COPD assessment test, daily symptoms using the EXACT-Respiratory symptoms (E-RS) questionnaire, all-cause and COPD-related hospitalizations, and safety and pharmacokinetic measures. Results: Across 17 countries, 2,354 participants were randomized from September 2011 to October 2014. Enrollment goal was met in October 2014, and study completion occurred in June 2016. Conclusion: This study will further characterize the effects of roflumilast added to ICS/LABA on exacerbation rates, lung function, and health of severe–very severe COPD participants at risk of further exacerbations. The results will determine the clinical benefits of roflumilast combined with standard-of-care inhaled COPD treatment. Keywords: exacerbation, RE2SPOND, phosphodiesterase-4, ICS/LABA, methodology, study design