Repository logo

Browsing by Author "Merlini, G."

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Early data on long‐term efficacy and safety of inotersen in patients with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis: a 2‐year update from the open‐label extension of the NEURO‐TTR trial
    Publication . Brannagan, T. H.; Wang, A. K.; Coelho, T.; Waddington Cruz, M.; Polydefkis, M. J.; Dyck, P. J.; Plante‐Bordeneuve, V.; Berk, J. L.; Barroso, F.; Merlini, G.; Conceição, I.; Hughes, S. G.; Kwoh, J.; Jung, S. W.; Guthrie, S.; Pollock, M.; Benson, M. D.; Gertz, M.; Drachman, Brian; Gorevic, Peter; Heitner, Stephen; Scheinberg, Morton; Schmidt, Hartmut; Whelan, Carol; Adams, David; Campistol Plana, Josep Maria; Gamez, Josep; Gane, Edward; Kristen, Arnt; Obici, Laura; Salvi, Fabrizio; Souza Bulle Oliveira, Acary; Vita, Giuseppe
    Background and purpose: Hereditary transthyretin (hATTR) amyloidosis causes progressive polyneuropathy resulting from transthyretin (TTR) amyloid deposition throughout the body, including the peripheral nerves. The efficacy and safety of inotersen, an antisense oligonucleotide inhibitor of TTR protein production, were demonstrated in the pivotal NEURO-TTR study in patients with hATTR polyneuropathy. Here, the long-term efficacy and safety of inotersen are assessed in an ongoing open-label extension (OLE) study. Methods: Patients who completed NEURO-TTR were eligible to enroll in the OLE (NCT02175004). Efficacy assessments included the modified Neuropathy Impairment Score plus seven neurophysiological tests composite score (mNIS + 7), the Norfolk Quality of Life - Diabetic Neuropathy (Norfolk QOL-DN) questionnaire total score and the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) Physical Component Summary (PCS) score. Safety and tolerability were also assessed. Results: Overall, 97% (135/139) of patients who completed NEURO-TTR enrolled in the OLE. Patients who received inotersen for 39 cumulative months in NEURO-TTR and the OLE continued to show benefit; patients who switched from placebo to inotersen in the OLE demonstrated improvement or stabilization of neurological disease progression by mNIS + 7, Norfolk QOL-DN and SF-36 PCS. No new safety concerns were identified. There was no evidence of increased risk for grade 4 thrombocytopenia or severe renal events with increased duration of inotersen exposure. Conclusion: Inotersen slowed disease progression and reduced deterioration of quality of life in patients with hATTR polyneuropathy. Early treatment with inotersen resulted in greater long-term disease stabilization than delayed initiation. Routine platelet and renal safety monitoring were effective; no new safety signals were observed.
    2020Journal article Open access Show more
  • Mechanism of Action and Clinical Application of Tafamidis in Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis
    Publication . Coelho, T.; Merlini, G.; Bulawa, C.; Fleming, J.; Judge, D.; Kelly, J.; Maurer, M.; Planté-Bordeneuve, V.; Labaudinière, R.; Mundayat, R.; Riley, S.; Lombardo, I.; Huertas, P.
    Transthyretin (TTR) transports the retinol-binding protein-vitamin A complex and is a minor transporter of thyroxine in blood. Its tetrameric structure undergoes rate-limiting dissociation and monomer misfolding, enabling TTR to aggregate or to become amyloidogenic. Mutations in the TTR gene generally destabilize the tetramer and/or accelerate tetramer dissociation, promoting amyloidogenesis. TTR-related amyloidoses are rare, fatal, protein-misfolding disorders, characterized by formation of soluble aggregates of variable structure and tissue deposition of amyloid. The TTR amyloidoses present with a spectrum of manifestations, encompassing progressive neuropathy and/or cardiomyopathy. Until recently, the only accepted treatment to halt progression of hereditary TTR amyloidosis was liver transplantation, which replaces the hepatic source of mutant TTR with the less amyloidogenic wild-type TTR. Tafamidis meglumine is a rationally designed, non-NSAID benzoxazole derivative that binds with high affinity and selectivity to TTR and kinetically stabilizes the tetramer, slowing monomer formation, misfolding, and amyloidogenesis. Tafamidis is the first pharmacotherapy approved to slow the progression of peripheral neurologic impairment in TTR familial amyloid polyneuropathy. Here we describe the mechanism of action of tafamidis and review the clinical data, demonstrating that tafamidis treatment slows neurologic deterioration and preserves nutritional status, as well as quality of life in patients with early-stage Val30Met amyloidosis.
    2016-06Journal article Open access Show more