Selexipag

T cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia is a hematological disorder which is characterized by the proliferation of CD 3+ cytotoxic T cells. We present a case about a patient who was diagnosed with T cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia and then developed pulmonary hypertension. He was treated for his leukemia with methotrexate and simultaneously treated for his pulmonary hypertension with selexipag and ambrisentan. As his leukemia improved, we also noticed an improvement in his pulmonary hypertension from a NYHA class IV to class I...

Selexipag is a selective non-prostanoid prostacyclin (PGI2 ) receptor (IP receptor) agonist that is approved for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). In contrast to selexipag, PGI2 analogs used in the clinic are non-selective agonists at prostanoid receptors and can also activate contractile EP3 receptors. Leg pain is a common side effect in patients receiving treatment with PGI2 analogs and peripheral vasoconstriction can be responsible for side effects related to muscular ischemia. This study tested the hypothesis that PGI2 analogs could cause paradoxical vasoconstriction of the femoral artery via EP3 receptor activation but that only vasorelaxation would be observed in response to selexipag and its active metabolite ACT-333679...

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Pauling et al highlight some of the limitations of using the Raynaud's Condition Score (RCS) in clinical trials of Raynaud's phenomenon and the need for better patient reported outcome measures. They have explored this in a survey of patients with systemic sclerosis who completed the RCS and although the number of cases in the survey is small, and possibly not representative of a clinical trial population, the points raised are interesting.We acknowledge the difficulties of undertaking clinical trials in Raynaud's phenomenon...

1. The metabolism of the prostacyclin receptor agonist selexipag (NS-304; ACT-293987) and its active metabolite MRE-269 (ACT-333679) has been investigated in liver microsomes and hepatocytes of rats, dogs, and monkeys. MRE-269 formation is the main pathway of selexipag metabolism, irrespective of species. Some interspecies differences were evident for both compounds in terms of both metabolic turnover and metabolic profiles. The metabolism of MRE-269 was slower than that of selexipag in all three species. 2...

BACKGROUND: Registry data suggest that disease progression in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is indicative of poor prognosis. However, the prognostic relevance of PAH-related morbidity has not been formally evaluated in randomized controlled trials. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of these analyses was to assess the impact of morbidity events on the risk of subsequent mortality using the landmark method and data from the SERAPHIN and GRIPHON studies. METHODS: For each study, the risk of all-cause death up to the end of the study was assessed from the landmark time point (months 3, 6, and 12) according to whether a patient had experienced a primary endpoint morbidity event before the landmark...

Despite recent advances in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treatment, this condition is still characterized by an extremely poor prognosis. In this review, we discuss the use of newly-approved drugs for PAH treatment with already known mechanisms of action (macitentan), innovative targets (riociguat and selexipag), and novel therapeutic approaches with initial up-front combination therapy. Secondly, we describe new potential signalling pathways and investigational drugs with promising role in the treatment of PAH...

BACKGROUND: In pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), combination therapy is an important treatment strategy. Although randomized controlled trial data are available to support the combination of two therapies, data regarding triple combination therapy are few. OBJECTIVE: The phase III GRIPHON trial enrolled 1156 patients with PAH, including 376 receiving background double combination therapy. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of selexipag as a third agent in these patients and further analyzed this subgroup according to symptom burden at baseline as indicated by World Health Organization (WHO) functional class (FC)...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of selexipag, an oral, selective IP prostacyclin receptor agonist, on the frequency of attacks of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Patients with SSc-related RP were randomized 1:1 to placebo (n = 38) or selexipag (n = 36) in individualized doses (maximum of 1,600 μg twice daily) during a 3-week titration period. The primary end point was the weekly average number of RP attacks during the study maintenance period, analyzed using a Bayesian approach with a negative binomial model adjusted for baseline number of RP attacks...

BACKGROUND: Parenteral prostacyclin analogs that target the prostacyclin pathway have been used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) since the 1990s. Abrupt discontinuation of parenteral prostacyclin analogs can be associated with acute deterioration of PAH. Less is known about temporary interruption of oral therapies that target the prostacyclin pathway, such as selexipag. METHODS: We evaluated the frequency, duration, reasons, and consequences of temporary selexipag interruptions among PAH patients enrolled in the Prostacyclin (PGI2) Receptor Agonist in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (GRIPHON) study...

BACKGROUND: In this report, we describe the first successful case of transition from subcutaneous administration of treprostinil to selexipag in a patient with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), by evaluating hemodynamic changes and exercise tolerance. CASE PRESENTATION: A 38-year-old female with idiopathic PAH (IPAH) had received initial triple combination therapy (macitentan PO, tadalafil PO, and treprostinil SC) and achieved excellent improvement in hemodynamics...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Prostacyclin pathway medications have been shown to be highly efficacious in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) through multiple prospective clinical trials and more than two decades of clinical experience. The strongest support for prostacyclin use in PAH management is with parenteral administration. Numerous risks and limitations of parenteral delivery systems as well as significant patient burdens restrict widespread parenteral use. Highly effective and tolerable oral prostacyclin preparations to manage PAH have long been sought...

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease resulting in progressive remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature and eventual right ventricular failure. Despite the development of 13 therapies for PAH since 2000, the use of continuously infused prostanoids retains a special role. Infused medications present unique challenges, and the search for an efficacious oral prostanoid culminated in the FDA approval of oral treprostinil - a first in class oral prostanoid medication approved to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)...

BACKGROUND: This review focuses on the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) with selexipag and compares its drug-related therapeutic effects with those of prostacyclin analogues. METHODS: We searched the relevant literature and summarized the current clinical trials concerning selexipag and PAH. RESULTS: With only few cases per million, PAH is a rare disease, but when untreated it can be life threatening. PAH is linked to elevated levels of endothelin (ET-1) and decreased levels of nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin (PGI2)...

Patients with connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH-CTD) have a poor prognosis compared with other aetiologies. The underlying CTD can influence treatment response and outcomes. We characterised the GRIPHON study PAH-CTD subgroup and evaluated response to selexipag.Of 334 patients with PAH-CTD, PAH was associated with systemic sclerosis (PAH-SSc) in 170, systemic lupus erythematosus (PAH-SLE) in 82 and mixed CTD/CTD-other in 82. For the primary composite endpoint of morbidity/mortality, hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CI were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models...

- The metabolism of selexipag has been studied in vivo in man and the main excreted metabolites were identified. Also, metabolites circulating in human plasma have been structurally identified and quantified. - The main metabolic pathway of selexipag in man is the formation of the active metabolite ACT-333679. Other metabolic pathways include oxidation and dealkylation reactions. All primary metabolites undergo subsequent hydrolysis of the sulphonamide moiety to their corresponding acids. ACT-333679 undergoes conjugation with glucuronic acid and aromatic hydroxylation to P10, the main metabolite detected in human faeces...

AIMS: Based on in vitro data, there is evidence to suggest that cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C8 is involved in the metabolism of selexipag and its active metabolite, ACT-333679. The present study evaluated the possible pharmacokinetic interactions of selexipag with gemfibrozil, a strong CYP2C8 inhibitor, and rifampicin, an inducer of CYP2C8. METHODS: The study consisted of two independent parts, each conducted according to an open-label, randomized, crossover design. The pharmacokinetics and safety of selexipag and ACT-333679 were studied following single-dose administration either alone or in the presence of multiple-dose gemfibrozil (part I) or rifampicin (part II) in healthy male subjects...

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare and progressive disorder. Current treatment in the pediatric population includes phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE-5i), endothelin receptor antagonists (ERA), and both inhaled and intravenous prostacyclin pathway agonists. As of December 22, 2015 the first oral prostacyclin pathway agonist, selexipag (Uptravi® ), was FDA approved in the US. In this case series, we discuss our single-center experience using selexipag in a pediatric population, composed of both patients with idiopathic PAH, and patients with congenital heart disease and PAH...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Selexipag is an oral, non-prostanoid, selective prostacyclin receptor agonist recently marketed for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in adults. Selexipag may also be an effective treatment in children with PAH. The aim of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetics of selexipag and its active metabolite ACT-333679 following single oral administration of one tablet of 200 µg selexipag (Treatment A) vs. 4 paediatric tablets of 50 µg (Treatment B) in healthy adult male subjects...

PURPOSE: In vitro data showed that selexipag and its active metabolite (ACT-333679) have an inductive effect on CYP3A4, CYP2B6, and CYP2C9 at concentrations approximately 100-fold higher than the maximum plasma concentration (C max) measured under steady-state conditions. In order to confirm in vivo the lack of induction at the enterocyte level, we assessed the effect of selexipag on midazolam, a substrate of hepatic and intestinal CYP3A4. METHODS: This study was conducted according to an open-label, randomized, two-way crossover design...