Efficacy and Safety of FospropofolFD Compared to Propofol When Given During the Induction of General Anaesthesia: A Phase II, Multi‐centre, Randomized, Parallel‐Group, Active‐Controlled, Double‐Blind, Double‐Dummy Study

The present phase II study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of fospropofol disodium for injection (FospropofolFD ) and propofol when given during the induction of general anaesthesia in patients scheduled for elective surgery. FospropofolFD is a water-soluble prodrug of propofol. Approved by the Ethical Committee, 240 participants aged 18-65 years were equally randomly allocated to receive an intravenous bolus of FospropofolFD 20 mg/kg or propofol 2 mg/kg without any anaesthetic pre-treatment. The primary efficacy end-point was the sedation success rate within 5 min. after administering investigational drugs (the sedation success is defined as obtaining Modified Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation scale score of 1). All the participants completed the induction and intubation within 25 min. after administration. The sedation success rates within 5 min. after administration of FospropofolFD 20 mg/kg and propofol 2 mg/kg were 94.50% versus 100% in the intention-to-treat population and 95.10% versus 100% in the per-protocol population, respectively. The non-inferiority test obtained a p-value less than 0.025, and the lower limits of the one-sided 97.5% confidence interval were more than -0.09. This meant that FospropofolFD 20 mg/kg was considered non-inferior to propofol 2 mg/kg for the primary efficacy end-point. Compared with propofol 2 mg/kg, FospropofolFD 20 mg/kg had a slower sedation efficacy. No serious adverse events were observed in the two groups. The sedation success rate within 5 min. after administration of FospropofolFD 20 mg/kg was non-inferior to propofol 2 mg/kg, and FospropofolFD 20 mg/kg can be used for the induction of general anaesthesia safely.