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Clinical Trial
. 2023 Jan 3;81(1):34-45.
doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2022.10.020.

Phase 2 Study of Aficamten in Patients With Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Martin S Maron  1 , Ahmad Masri  2 , Lubna Choudhury  3 , Iacopo Olivotto  4 , Sara Saberi  5 , Andrew Wang  6 , Pablo Garcia-Pavia  7 , Neal K Lakdawala  8 , Sherif F Nagueh  9 , Florian Rader  10 , Albree Tower-Rader  11 , Aslan T Turer  12 , Caroline Coats  13 , Michael A Fifer  11 , Anjali Owens  14 , Scott D Solomon  8 , Hugh Watkins  15 , Roberto Barriales-Villa  16 , Christopher M Kramer  17 , Timothy C Wong  18 , Sharon L Paige  19 , Stephen B Heitner  19 , Stuart Kupfer  19 , Fady I Malik  19 , Lisa Meng  19 , Amy Wohltman  19 , Theodore Abraham  20 ; REDWOOD-HCM Steering Committee and Investigators
Affiliations
Free article
Clinical Trial

Phase 2 Study of Aficamten in Patients With Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Martin S Maron et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. .
Free article

Abstract

Background: Left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction is a major determinant of heart failure symptoms in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM). Aficamten, a next-in-class cardiac myosin inhibitor, may lower gradients and improve symptoms in these patients.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of aficamten in patients with oHCM.

Methods: Patients with oHCM and LVOT gradients ≥30 mm Hg at rest or ≥50 mm Hg with Valsalva were randomized 2:1 to receive aficamten (n = 28) or placebo (n = 13) in 2 dose-finding cohorts. Doses were titrated based on gradients and ejection fraction (EF). Safety and changes in gradient, EF, New York Heart Association functional class, and cardiac biomarkers were assessed over a 10-week treatment period and after a 2-week washout.

Results: From baseline to 10 weeks, aficamten reduced gradients at rest (mean difference: -40 ± 27 mm Hg, and -43 ± 37 mm Hg in Cohorts 1 and 2, P = 0.0003 and P = 0.0004 vs placebo, respectively) and with Valsalva (-36 ± 27 mm Hg and -53 ± 44 mm Hg, P = 0.001 and <0.0001 vs placebo, respectively). There were modest reductions in EF (-6% ± 7.5% and -12% ± 5.9%, P = 0.007 and P < 0.0001 vs placebo, respectively). Symptomatic improvement in ≥1 New York Heart Association functional class was observed in 31% on placebo, and 43% and 64% on aficamten in Cohorts 1 and 2, respectively (nonsignificant). With aficamten, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide was reduced (62% relative to placebo, P = 0.0002). There were no treatment interruptions and adverse events were similar between treatment arms.

Conclusions: Aficamten resulted in substantial reductions in LVOT gradients with most patients experiencing improvement in biomarkers and symptoms. These results highlight the potential of sarcomere-targeted therapy for treatment of oHCM.

Keywords: aficamten; clinical trial; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Funding Support and Author Disclosures The REDWOOD-HCM study was funded by Cytokinetics, Incorporated. Dr Maron has received consultant/advisor fees from Imbria and Takeda; and has received steering committee fees for REDWOOD-HCM from Cytokinetics, Incorporated. Dr Masri has received consultant/advisor fees from Tenaya, Attralus, Cytokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Ionis; and has received research grants from Ionis, Akcea, Pfizer, Ultromics, and Wheeler Foundation. Dr Olivotto has received Speakers Bureau fees from Boston Scientific, Amicus, and Novartis; has received consultant/advisor fees from Bristol Myers Squibb, Cytokinetics, Sanofi Genzyme, Amicus, Bayer, and Tenaya; and has received research grant funding from Bristol Myers Squibb, Cytokinetics, Sanofi Genzyme, Amicus, Bayer, Menarini International, and Boston Scientific. Dr Saberi has received consultant/advisor fees from Bristol Myers Squibb; and has received research grants from Bristol Myers Squibb, Cytokinetics, Novartis, and Actelion Pharmaceuticals. Dr Wang has received Speakers Bureau fees from Bristol Myers Squibb; has received consultant/advisor fees from Bristol Myers Squibb and Cytokinetics; and has received research grants from Bristol Myers Squibb, Cytokinetics, and Abbott Vascular. Dr Garcia-Pavia has received Speakers Bureau fees from Pfizer and Alnylam; has received consultant/advisor fees from Pfizer, Alnylam, MyoKardia/Bristol Myers Squibb, Cytokinetics, Neuroimmune, BridgeBio, Attralus, and AstraZeneca; and has received research/educational grants to his institution from Pfizer, BridgeBio, and Alnylam. Dr Lakdawala has received consultant/advisor fees from Tenaya, Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cytokinetics, and Sarepta; and has received a research grant from Pfizer. Dr Rader has received Speakers Bureau fees from Bristol Myers Squibb and Medtronic; and has received consultant/advisor fees from Bristol Myers Squibb, Cytokinetics, ReCor, and Medtronic. Dr Turer has received consultant/advisor fees from Cytokinetics. Dr Coats has received consultant/advisor fees from Cytokinetics. Dr Fifer has received consultant/advisor fees from Cytokinetics; and has received research grants from Bristol Myers Squibb and Novartis. Dr Owens has received consultant/advisor fees from Cytokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb/MyoKardia, and Pfizer. Dr Solomon has received consultant/advisor fees from Abbott, Action, Akros, Alnylam, Amgen, Arena, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cardior, Cardurion, Corvia, Cytokinetics, Daiichi-Sankyo, GSK, Lilly, Merck, MyoKardia, Novartis, Roche, Theracos, Quantum Genomics, Cardurion, Janssen, Cardiac Dimensions, Tenaya, Sanofi-Pasteur, Dinaqor, Tremeau, CellProThera, Moderna, American Regent, Sarepta, Lexicon, Anacardio, Akros, and Puretech Health; and has received research grants from Actelion, Alnylam, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bellerophon, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celladon, Cytokinetics, Eidos, Gilead, GSK, Ionis, Lilly, Mesoblast, MyoKardia, NIH/NHLBI, Neurotronik, Novartis, NovoNordisk, Respicardia, Sanofi Pasteur, Theracos, and US2.AI. Dr Watkins has received consultant/advisor fees from Cytokinetics, BioMarin, and BridgeBio. Dr Barriales-Villa has received consultant/advisor fees from MyoKardia/Bristol Myers Squibb. Dr Kramer has received consultant/advisor fees from Cytokinetics, and Bristol Myers Squibb; and has received research grants from Cytokinetics and Bristol Myers Squibb. Dr Wong has received Speakers Bureau fees from Projects in Knowledge, PCM Scientific; and has served as an unpaid consultant/advisor for Bristol Myers Squibb and Cytokinetics. Drs Heitner, Kupfer, Malik, Meng, and Wohltman are employees of Cytokinetics Incorporated; and holds stock in Cytokinetics Incorporated. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.

Comment in

  • Myosin Inhibitors: The Next Generation.
    Nair A, Xie L, Silva Enciso JE. Nair A, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2023 Jan 3;81(1):46-48. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2022.10.018. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2023. PMID: 36599609 No abstract available.

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