NEJM original articles

Background. Sotatercept improves exercise capacity and delays the time to clinical worsening in patients with World Health Organization (WHO) functional class II or III pulmonary arterial hypertension. The effects of add-on sotatercept in patients with advanced pulmonary arterial hypertension and a high risk of death are unclear.

Methods. In this phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (WHO functional class III or IV) and a high 1-year risk of death (Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-Term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management Lite 2 risk score, ≥9) who were receiving the maximum tolerated dose of background therapy to receive add-on sotatercept (starting dose, 0.3 mg per kilogram of body weight; escalated to target dose, 0.7 mg per kilogram) or placebo every 3 weeks. The primary end point was a composite of death from any cause, lung transplantation, or hospitalization (≥24 hours) for worsening pulmonary arterial hypertension, assessed in a time-to-first-event analysis.

Results. A total of 172 patients were included (86 each in the sotatercept and placebo groups). The trial was stopped early on the basis of the efficacy results of a prespecified interim analysis. At least one primary end-point event occurred in 15 patients (17.4%) in the sotatercept group and in 47 patients (54.7%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.24; 95% confidence interval, 0.13 to 0.43; P<0.001). Death from any cause occurred in 7 patients (8.1%) in the sotatercept group and in 13 patients (15.1%) in the placebo group; lung transplantation in 1 patient (1.2%) and 6 patients (7.0%), respectively; and hospitalization for worsening pulmonary arterial hypertension in 8 patients (9.3%) and 43 patients (50.0%). The most common adverse events with sotatercept were epistaxis and telangiectasia.

Conclusions. Among high-risk adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension who were receiving the maximum tolerated dose of background therapy, treatment with sotatercept resulted in a lower risk of a composite of death from any cause, lung transplantation, or hospitalization (≥24 hours) for worsening pulmonary arterial hypertension than placebo. (Funded by Merck Sharp and Dohme, a subsidiary of Merck [Rahway, NJ]; ZENITH ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04896008.).

Background. The cardiovascular safety of oral semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist, has been established in persons with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk. An assessment of the cardiovascular efficacy of oral semaglutide in persons with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, or both is needed.

Methods. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, event-driven, superiority trial, we randomly assigned participants who were 50 years of age or older, had type 2 diabetes with a glycated hemoglobin level of 6.5 to 10.0%, and had known atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, or both to receive either once-daily oral semaglutide (maximal dose, 14 mg) or placebo, in addition to standard care. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (a composite of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke), assessed in a time-to-first-event analysis. The confirmatory secondary outcomes included major kidney disease events (a five-point composite outcome).

Results. Among the 9650 participants who had undergone randomization, the mean (±SD) follow-up was 47.5±10.9 months, and the median follow-up was 49.5 months. A primary-outcome event occurred in 579 of the 4825 participants (12.0%; incidence, 3.1 events per 100 person-years) in the oral semaglutide group, as compared with 668 of the 4825 participants (13.8%; incidence, 3.7 events per 100 person-years) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.77 to 0.96; P = 0.006). The results for the confirmatory secondary outcomes did not differ significantly between the two groups. The incidence of serious adverse events was 47.9% in the oral semaglutide group and 50.3% in the placebo group; the incidence of gastrointestinal disorders was 5.0% and 4.4%, respectively.

Conclusions. Among persons with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, or both, the use of oral semaglutide was associated with a significantly lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events than placebo, without an increase in the incidence of serious adverse events. (Funded by Novo Nordisk; SOUL ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03914326.).

Background. Giant-cell arteritis is a systemic vasculitis with limited treatment options. The efficacy and safety of upadacitinib - a selective Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor that blocks the signaling of several cytokines, including interleukin-6 and interferon-γ - are unknown in patients with giant-cell arteritis.

Methods. We randomly assigned patients with new-onset or relapsing giant-cell arteritis, in a 2:1:1 ratio, to receive upadacitinib at a dose of 15 mg or 7.5 mg orally once daily plus a 26-week glucocorticoid taper or placebo plus a 52-week glucocorticoid taper. The primary end point was sustained remission at week 52, defined by the absence of signs or symptoms of giant-cell arteritis from week 12 through week 52 and adherence to the protocol-specified glucocorticoid taper.

Results. A total of 209 patients received upadacitinib at a dose of 15 mg, 107 received upadacitinib at a dose of 7.5 mg, and 112 received placebo; 70% of the patients had new-onset giant-cell arteritis. Upadacitinib at a dose of 15 mg showed superiority over placebo with respect to the primary end point (46.4% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 39.6 to 53.2] vs. 29.0% [95% CI, 20.6 to 37.5]; P = 0.002). Upadacitinib at a dose of 15 mg was superior to placebo in the analysis of the hierarchically prespecified and multiplicity-controlled key secondary end points of sustained complete remission, time to a disease flare, cumulative glucocorticoid exposure, and patient-reported outcomes. Upadacitinib at a dose of 7.5 mg was not superior to placebo with respect to the primary end point (41.1% [95% CI, 31.8 to 50.4]). Safety outcomes during the treatment period of 52 weeks were similar in the upadacitinib and placebo groups. Although cardiovascular risk is a potential concern with a JAK inhibitor, no major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in the upadacitinib groups.

Conclusions. In patients with giant-cell arteritis, upadacitinib at a dose of 15 mg - but not 7.5 mg - with a 26-week glucocorticoid taper showed efficacy superior to that of placebo with a 52-week glucocorticoid taper. (Funded by AbbVie; SELECT-GCA ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03725202.).