A phase 3 randomized placebo-controlled trial of tadalafil for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Victor, Ronald G. MD; Sweeney, H. Lee PhD; Finkel, Richard MD; McDonald, Craig M. MD; Byrne, Barry MD, PhD; Eagle, Michelle PhD; Goemans, Nathalie MD, PhD; Vandenborne, Krista PhD; Dubrovsky, Alberto L. MD; Topaloglu, Haluk MD; Miceli, M. Carrie PhD; Furlong, Pat BSN; Landry, John MMath; Elashoff, Robert PhD; Cox, David PhD; For the Tadalafil DMD Study Group
[Article]
Neurology.
89(17):1811-1820, October 24, 2017.
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Objective: To conduct a randomized trial to test the primary hypothesis that once-daily tadalafil, administered orally for 48 weeks, lessens the decline in ambulatory ability in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
Methods: Three hundred thirty-one participants with DMD 7 to 14 years of age taking glucocorticoids were randomized to tadalafil 0.3 mg[middle dot]kg-1[middle dot]d-1, tadalafil 0.6 mg[middle dot]kg-1[middle dot]d-1, or placebo. The primary efficacy measure was 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) after 48 weeks. Secondary efficacy measures included North Star Ambulatory Assessment and timed function tests. Performance of Upper Limb (PUL) was a prespecified exploratory outcome.
Results: Tadalafil had no effect on the primary outcome: 48-week declines in 6MWD were 51.0 /- 9.3 m with placebo, 64.7 /- 9.8 m with low-dose tadalafil (p = 0.307 vs placebo), and 59.1 /- 9.4 m with high-dose tadalafil (p = 0.538 vs placebo). Tadalafil also had no effect on secondary outcomes. In boys >10 years of age, total PUL score and shoulder subscore declined less with low-dose tadalafil than placebo. Adverse events were consistent with the known safety profile of tadalafil and the DMD disease state.
Conclusions: Tadalafil did not lessen the decline in ambulatory ability in boys with DMD. Further studies should be considered to confirm the hypothesis-generating upper limb data and to determine whether ambulatory decline can be slowed by initiation of tadalafil before 7 years of age.
Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01865084.
Classification of evidence: This study provides Class I evidence that tadalafil does not slow ambulatory decline in 7- to 14-year-old boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
(C) 2017 American Academy of Neurology