This study protocol outlines a phase 2a trial to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy markers of empagliflozin 10 mg daily over 6 months in 12 children with DMD-associated cardiomyopathy.
Does empagliflozin 10 mg once daily have favorable pharmacokinetics, safety, and preliminary efficacy in children and adolescents with DMD-associated cardiomyopathy?
This protocol outlines a phase 2a trial to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety, and preliminary efficacy of empagliflozin in children and adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy-associated cardiomyopathy.
INTRODUCTION: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a life-limiting disease characterized by progressive muscle wasting of skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Nowadays, heart failure is the principal cause of death. Current treatment is still unsatisfactory. Empagliflozin has shown excellent results in adults with heart failure, and is licensed for adolescents > 10 years of age with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In an effort to repurpose empagliflozin for DMD-associated cardiomyopathy, we aim to describe its pharmacokinetic behaviour in this population, assess ease-of-swallow, monitor safety, explore efficacy and screen efficacy markers. METHODS: This is a single-arm, single-centre, open-label phase 2a trial in children and adolescents aged 6 to ≤ 18 years with DMD-associated cardiomyopathy. Participants (n = 12) will take empagliflozin 10 mg once daily for 6 months, with a whole-day stay at visit 1 for the evaluation of pharmacokinetics, and follow-up visits at 1 week, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. On top of acceptability (ease-of-swallow), which will be assessed at visit 1, further secondary endpoints include safety and efficacy clinical (e.g. heart rate, blood pressure), biochemical (e.g. NT-proBNP, haemoglobin, uric acid, electrolytes, renal function), imaging (echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance) and bioimpedance (intra- and extracellular fluid volume) parameters. PLANNED OUTCOMES: Characterization of primary and secondary pharmacokinetic parameters will allow one to define the dose range for children and adolescents with DMD-associated cardiomyopathy, informing both current compassionate care and the design of future efficacy trials. Additionally, this trial will enable the identification of efficacy markers to be used as endpoints in future efficacy trials and in clinical practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT06643442, ISRCTN 12497973, IRAS number 1009946.
Lava et al. (Sat,) conducted a other in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy-Associated Cardiomyopathy (n=12). Empagliflozin was evaluated on Pharmacokinetics (concentration of empagliflozin at different time points after drug intake). This study protocol outlines a phase 2a trial to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy markers of empagliflozin 10 mg daily over 6 months in 12 children with DMD-associated cardiomyopathy.