Phase 3 Study of Obeticholic Acid in Patients With Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

Phase 3

Completed

• Conditions: Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
• Interventions: Drug: Obeticholic Acid (OCA); Drug: Placebo

• Registration Number: NCT01473524
• Lead Sponsor: Intercept Pharmaceuticals

Brief Summary

The main objectives of the study were to assess the effects of Obeticholic Acid (OCA) on serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin, together as a composite endpoint and on safety in participants with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC).

Detailed Description

The study included 2 phases: a 12-month randomized, double-blind (DB), placebo-controlled, parallel group phase, followed by a long-term safety extension (LTSE) phase up to 5 years. Participants from the 12-month DB phase, including those who received placebo, were eligible to participate in the open-label LTSE phase. The Month 12 visit from the DB phase served as the Day 1 visit of the LTSE phase. After completion of the 12-month DB phase all participants were offered the opportunity to enter an open-label LTSE for up to 5 years beginning at 5 mg OCA.

Data for the LTSE phase is reported by the randomized dose group assigned in the DB phase.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2011-11-14
• Study First Submitted QC: 2011-11-16
• Study First Posted: 2011-11-17
• Study Start: 2012-01
• Primary Completion: 2013-12
• Results First Submitted: 2016-12-20
• Results First Submitted QC: 2016-12-20
• Results First Posted: 2017-02-13
• Study Completion: 2018-12-17
• Status Verified: 2021-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-04-09
• Last Update Posted: 2021-05-06

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 217

Inclusion Criteria

1. Definite or probable PBC diagnosis (consistent with American Association for the Study of Liver Disease [AASLD] and European Association for Study of the Liver [EASL] Practice Guidelines; [Lindor 2009; EASL 2009]), as demonstrated by the presence of ≥ 2 of the following 3 diagnostic factors:

   • History of elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels for at least 6 months
   • Positive antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) titer or if AMA negative or in low titer (<1:80) PBC specific antibodies (anti-GP210 and/or anti-SP100 and/or antibodies against the major M2 components (pyruvate dehydrogenase complex-E2 [PDC-E2], 2-oxo-glutaric acid dehydrogenase complex)
   • Liver biopsy consistent with PBC

2. At least 1 of the following qualifying biochemistry values:

   • ALP ≥ 1.67x upper limit of normal (ULN)
   • Total bilirubin > ULN but < 2x ULN

3. Age ≥ 18 years

4. Taking ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for at least 12 months (stable dose for ≥ 3 months) prior to Day 0, or unable to tolerate UDCA (no UDCA for ≥ 3 months) prior to Day 0.

5. Contraception: Female participants must be postmenopausal, surgically sterile, or if premenopausal, be prepared to use ≥ 1 effective (≤ 1% failure rate) method of contraception during the trial and for 30 days after the end of treatment (EOT) visit. Effective methods of contraception are considered to be:

   • Hormonal (for example, contraceptive pill, patch, intramuscular implant or injection); or
   • Double barrier method, that is, (a) condom (male or female) or (b) diaphragm, with spermicide; or
   • Intrauterine device (IUD); or
   • Vasectomy (partner); or
   • Sexual abstinence

6. Must provide written informed consent and agree to comply with the trial protocol.

Exclusion Criteria

1. History or presence of other concomitant liver diseases including:

   • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection; participants with active hepatitis B (HBV) infection will be excluded, however, participants who have seroconverted (hepatitis B surface antigen [Hbs Ag] and hepatitis B e antigen [Hbe Ag] negative) may be included after consultation with the medical monitor.
   • Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)
   • Alcoholic liver disease
   • Definite autoimmune liver disease or overlap hepatitis
   • Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
   • Gilbert's Syndrome (due to interpretability of bilirubin levels)

2. Presence of clinical complications of PBC or clinically significant hepatic decompensation, including:

   • History of liver transplantation, current placement on a liver transplant list or current Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score ≥ 15
   • Portal hypertension with complications, including: known gastric or large esophageal varices, poorly controlled or diuretic resistant ascites, history of variceal bleeds or related therapeutic or prophylactic interventions (for example, beta blockers, insertion of variceal bands or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt [TIPS]), or hepatic encephalopathy
   • Cirrhosis with complications, including history or presence of: spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatocellular carcinoma, bilirubin > 2x ULN
   • Hepatorenal syndrome (type I or II) or Screening serum creatinine > 2 mg/deciliter dL) (178 micromole [µmol])/liter [L])

3. Participants with severe pruritus or those requiring systemic treatment for pruritus (for example, with bile acid sequestrants [BAS] or rifampicin) within 2 months of Day 0 will be excluded

4. Administration of the following medications is prohibited as specified below:

   • Prohibited 6 months prior to Day 0 and throughout the trial (that is, to last dose and/or EOT): azathioprine, colchicine, cyclosporine, methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil, pentoxifylline; fenofibrate or other fibrates; budesonide and other systemic corticosteroids; potentially hepatotoxic drugs (including α-methyl-dopa, sodium valproic acid, isoniazide, or nitrofurantoin)
   • Prohibited 12 months prior to Day 0 and throughout the trial (that is, to last dose and/or EOT): antibodies or immunotherapy directed against interleukins or other cytokines or chemokines

5. Participants who have previously participated in a clinical trial of OCA will not be allowed to participate

6. History or presence of clinically concerning cardiac arrhythmias likely to affect survival during the trial, or prolongation of Screening (pretreatment) QT or QTc interval of > 500 milliseconds (msec)

7. If female: known pregnancy, or has a positive urine pregnancy test (confirmed by a positive serum pregnancy test), or lactating

8. Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection

9. Presence of any other disease or condition that is interfering with the absorption, distribution, metabolism, or excretion of drugs including bile salt metabolism in the intestine. Participants with inflammatory bowel disease or who have undergone gastric bypass procedures will be excluded (gastric lap band is acceptable).

10. Medical conditions that may cause nonhepatic increases in ALP (for example, Paget's disease) or which may diminish life expectancy to < 2 years, including known cancers (except carcinomas in situ or other stable, relatively benign conditions such as chronic lymphatic leukemia)

11. Other clinically significant medical conditions that are not well controlled or for which medication needs are anticipated to change during the trial

12. Anticipated changes to current concomitant medications during the course of the trial

13. History of alcohol abuse, defined as consumption of more than 210 mL of alcohol per week (that is, the equivalent of fourteen 4-ounce (125 mL) glasses of wine or fourteen 12 ounce cans/bottles of beer), or other substance abuse within 1 year prior to Day 0

14. Participation in another investigational drug, biologic, or medical device trial within 30 days prior to Screening

15. History of noncompliance with medical regimens, or participants who are considered to be potentially unreliable

16. Blood or plasma donation within 30 days prior to Day 0

17. Mental instability or incompetence, such that the validity of informed consent or compliance with the trial is uncertain

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
DB OCA 10 mg	Obeticholic Acid (OCA)	OCA 10 mg for 12 months during the DB phase.
LTSE OCA	Obeticholic Acid (OCA)	After completion of the 12-month DB phase all participants were offered the opportunity to enter an open-label LTSE for up to 5 years beginning at 5 mg OCA. Initially, participants were allowed to titrate to doses up to 25 mg, however, the maximum dose was then limited to 10 mg. Participants who were previously titrated above 10 mg OCA daily were down-titrated to ≤10 mg OCA daily.
DB OCA 5-10 mg	Obeticholic Acid (OCA)	OCA 5 milligram (mg) for 6 months and then titrating up to 10 mg based on tolerability and response for remaining 6 months of the DB phase.
DB Placebo	Placebo	Matching placebo for 12 months during the DB phase.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
DB Phase: Composite Endpoint Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) And Total Bilirubin, 10 mg OCA Versus Placebo	DB Month 12	Percentage of participants at Month 12 with ALP \< 1.67 x upper limit of normal (ULN) and total bilirubin ≤ ULN and ALP decrease of ≥ 15% from baseline.
LTSE Phase: Composite Endpoint ALP And Total Bilirubin	Baseline (DB Month 12), LTSE Months 24, 36, 48, and 60	Percentage of participants at Months 24, 36, 48, and 60 with ALP \< 1.67x ULN and total bilirubin ≤ ULN and ALP decrease of ≥ 15% from baseline. DB Month 12 is the baseline for the LTSE phase.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
DB Phase: Composite Endpoint ALP And Total Bilirubin, 10 mg Versus Placebo	DB Month 6	Percentage of participants at Month 6 with ALP \< 1.67x ULN and total bilirubin ≤ ULN and ALP decrease of ≥ 15% from baseline.
DB Phase: Composite Endpoint ALP And Total Bilirubin, 5-10 mg Versus Placebo	DB Month 6	Percentage of participants at Month 6 with ALP \< 1.67x ULN and total bilirubin ≤ ULN and ALP decrease of ≥ 15% from baseline.
LTSE Phase: ALP Levels	LTSE Day 0 and LTSE Months 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60	Blood samples were evaluated for ALP levels.
DB Phase: ALP Absolute Change From Baseline To Month 12	Baseline, DB Month 12	Blood samples were evaluated for ALP levels. ALP Absolute Change From Baseline (ALP at Month 12 - ALP at Baseline) is presented.
DB Phase: Direct Bilirubin Absolute Change From Baseline To Month 12	Baseline, DB Month 12	Blood samples were evaluated for bilirubin levels. Direct bilirubin absolute change from baseline (direct bilirubin at Month 12 - direct bilirubin at Baseline) is presented.
DB Phase: Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Absolute Change From Baseline To Month 12	Baseline, DB Month 12	Blood samples were evaluated for AST levels. AST absolute change from baseline (AST at Month 12 - AST at Baseline) is presented.
DB Phase: Total Bilirubin Absolute Change From Baseline To Month 12	Baseline, DB Month 12	Blood samples were evaluated for bilirubin levels. Total bilirubin absolute change from baseline (total bilirubin at Month 12 - total bilirubin at Baseline) is presented.
LTSE Phase: ALP Change From DB Baseline	DB Baseline, LTSE Months 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60	Blood samples were evaluated for ALP levels. ALP Change From Baseline (ALP at LTSE Months 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 - ALP at Baseline) is presented. DB baseline is the mean of all available evaluations prior to DB treatment.
DB Phase: Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) Absolute Change From Baseline To Month 12	Baseline, DB Month 12	Blood samples were evaluated for ALT levels. ALT absolute change from baseline (ALT at Month 12 - ALT at Baseline) is presented.
DB Phase: Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) Absolute Change From Baseline To Month 12	Baseline, DB Month 12	Blood samples were evaluated for GGT levels. GGT absolute change from baseline (GGT at Month 12 - GGT at Baseline) is presented.

Trial Locations

Locations (58)

AMC Amsterdam; 🇳🇱 Amsterdam, Netherlands

Niepubliczny Zakład Opieki Zdrowotnej "SONOMED"; 🇵🇱 Szczecin, Poland

Centrum Onkologii - Instytut im. Marii Skłodowskiej - Curie, Klinika Gastroenterologii; 🇵🇱 Warszawa, Poland

All-Medicus; 🇵🇱 Katowice, Poland

Klinika Gastroenterologii i Hepatologii SP CSK im. prof. K. Gibinskiego SUM; 🇵🇱 Katowice, Poland

Hopital Haut-Leveque; 🇫🇷 Pessac, France

St. Louis University; 🇺🇸 Saint Louis, Missouri, United States

Dip. Medicina Clinica - Università di Bologna; 🇮🇹 Bologna, Italy

Forth Valley Royal Hospital; 🇬🇧 Larbert, United Kingdom

The Royal Free Hospital; 🇬🇧 London, United Kingdom

Medizinische Universität Wien; 🇦🇹 Wien, Austria

VUmc Amsterdam; 🇳🇱 Amsterdam, Netherlands

Istituto Clinico Humanitas; 🇮🇹 Rozzano (MI), Italy

Medizinische Universitätsklinik; 🇩🇪 Heidelberg, Germany

Medizinische Hochschule Hannover; 🇩🇪 Hannover, Germany

Queen Elizabeth Hospital; 🇬🇧 Birmingham, United Kingdom

Bristol Royal Infirmary; 🇬🇧 Bristol, United Kingdom

Ninewells Hospital Dundee; 🇬🇧 Dundee, United Kingdom

Toronto Western Hospital Liver Centre; 🇨🇦 Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Hospital Vall d'Hebron; 🇪🇸 Barcelona, Spain

The Alfred Hospital; 🇦🇺 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes; 🇩🇪 Homburg, Germany

LMU Klinikum der Universität München; 🇩🇪 München, Germany

UZ Leuven; 🇧🇪 Leuven, Belgium

CHUM Hôpital St-Luc; 🇨🇦 Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova - Gastroenterologia; 🇮🇹 Padova, Italy

Hospital Clinic de Barcelona; 🇪🇸 Barcelona, Spain

Gastroenterologische Gemeinschaftspraxis, Dres. Felten / Hartmann / Hüppe; 🇩🇪 Herne, Germany

Universitätsklinikum Leipzig; 🇩🇪 Leipzig, Germany

UMC Utrecht; 🇳🇱 Utrecht, Netherlands

Dip. Medicina Clinica- Università di Bologna; 🇮🇹 Bologna, Italy

Sahlgrenska University Hospital; 🇸🇪 Gothenburg, Sweden

Oxford University Hospitals Trust; 🇬🇧 Oxford, United Kingdom

UMC St. Radboud, Nijmegen; 🇳🇱 Nijmegen, Netherlands

Samodzielny Publiczny Szpital Kliniczny nr 4 w Lublinie; 🇵🇱 Lublin, Poland

Manchester Royal Infirmary; 🇬🇧 Manchester, United Kingdom

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust; 🇬🇧 Nottingham, United Kingdom

University of Chicago; 🇺🇸 Chicago, Illinois, United States

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; 🇺🇸 Dallas, Texas, United States

Baylor College of Medicine; 🇺🇸 Houston, Texas, United States

Henry Ford Health System; 🇺🇸 Detroit, Michigan, United States

Duke University Medical Center; 🇺🇸 Durham, North Carolina, United States

Scripps Clinic; 🇺🇸 San Diego, California, United States

UC Davis Medical Center; 🇺🇸 Sacramento, California, United States

University of Colorado, Denver; 🇺🇸 Aurora, Colorado, United States

Indiana University School of Medicine; 🇺🇸 Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Beth Israel Medical Center; 🇺🇸 New York, New York, United States

Virginia Commonwealth University/McGuire DVAMC; 🇺🇸 Richmond, Virginia, United States

Liver Institute of Virginia; 🇺🇸 Richmond, Virginia, United States

Swedish Medical Center; 🇺🇸 Seattle, Washington, United States

Royal Prince Alfred Hospital; 🇦🇺 Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia

Austin Hospital; 🇦🇺 Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia

Universitätsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf; 🇩🇪 Hamburg, Germany

Klinikum der Johann-Wolfgang Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main; 🇩🇪 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University; 🇬🇧 Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Universitätsklinikum Aachen; 🇩🇪 Aachen, Germany

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen; 🇩🇪 Erlangen, Germany

Medizinische Universität Innsbruck; 🇦🇹 Innsbruck, Austria