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Efficacy and Safety of Naldemedine in the Treatment of Opioid-induced Constipation

A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group Study of Naldemedine in the Treatment of Opioid-induced Constipation in Subjects With Non-malignant Chronic Pain Receiving Opioid Therapy

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01965158
Enrollment
547
Registered
2013-10-18
Start date
2013-08-29
Completion date
2015-01-22
Last updated
2017-05-30

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Opioid-induced Constipation

Keywords

Opioid-induced Constipation

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of naldemedine in the treatment of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in adults with non-malignant chronic pain who are not using laxatives.

Interventions

Naldemedine 0.2 mg tablet taken orally once a day

DRUGPlacebo

Placebo tablet taken orally once a day

Sponsors

Shionogi
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Subjects aged 18 to 80 years inclusive at the time of informed consent 2. Subjects must have non-malignant chronic pain treated with opioids and must have opioid-induced constipation (OIC) 3. Subjects must be treated with a stable opioid regimen at a total daily dose on average of ≥ 30 mg equivalents of oral morphine sulfate 4. Subjects must not be currently using laxatives or must be willing to discontinue laxative use at Screening and must be willing to use only the rescue laxatives provided throughout the study duration 5. Subjects must meet opioid-induced constipation criteria based on the Bowel Movement and Constipation Assessment (BMCA) Diary

Exclusion criteria

1. Evidence of significant structural abnormalities of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract 2. Evidence of active medical diseases affecting bowel transit 3. History or presence of pelvic disorders that may be a cause of constipation 4. Surgery (except for minor procedures) within 60 days of Screening 5. History of chronic constipation prior to starting analgesic medication or any potential non-opioid cause of bowel dysfunction that may be a major contributor to the constipation (e.g., mechanical GI obstruction) 6. Subjects who have never taken laxatives for the treatment of OIC 7. History of active treatment for cancer within the last 2 years (except for basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that have been successfully resected) or tamoxifen \[Nolvadex®\] and raloxifene \[Evista®\] when being used for prevention of breast cancer 8. Current use of any prohibited medication including opioid antagonists, partial agonists or mixed agonists/antagonists

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percentage of Participants With a Spontaneous Bowel Movement (SBM) Response12-week treatment periodA bowel movement and constipation assessment (BMCA) was completed by participants every day during the screening and treatment periods to record information about bowel movements (BMs) and constipation. An SBM was defined as a bowel movement that occurred without the use of rescue laxative therapy during the 24 hours prior to the BM. A responder was defined as a participant having 9 or more positive response weeks out of the 12-week Treatment Period and 3 positive response weeks out of last 4 weeks of the 12-week Treatment Period. A positive response week was defined as ≥ 3 SBMs per week and an increase from baseline of ≥ 1 SBM per week for that week. If a participant had less than 4 days of diary entries for a week, that week was treated as a non-response week. Any participant with insufficient primary endpoint data (data for less than 9 out of 12 weeks of the Treatment Period or less than 3 out of the last 4 weeks of the 12-week Treatment Period) was treated as a non-responder.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change From Baseline to the Last 2 Weeks of the Treatment Period in the Number of Spontaneous Bowel Movements Per WeekBaseline and the last 2 weeks of the treatment period (Weeks 11 and 12 for participants who completed 12 weeks of treatment)A bowel movement and constipation assessment (BMCA) was completed by participants every day during the screening and treatment periods to record information about bowel movements (BMs) and constipation. An SBM was defined as a bowel movement that occurred without the use of a rescue laxative therapy during the 24 hours prior to the BM. Baseline was defined as the 14 days in the screening period prior to study drug administration.
Change From Baseline to Week 1 in the Number of Spontaneous Bowel Movements Per WeekBaseline and Week 1A bowel movement and constipation assessment (BMCA) was completed by participants every day during the screening and treatment periods to record information about bowel movements (BMs) and constipation. An SBM was defined as a bowel movement that occurred without the use of a rescue laxative therapy during the 24 hours prior to the BM. Baseline was defined as the 14 days in the screening period prior to study drug administration.
Change From Baseline to the Last 2 Weeks of the Treatment Period in the Number of Complete Spontaneous Bowel Movements Per WeekBaseline and the last 2 weeks of the treatment period (Weeks 11 and 12 for participants who completed 12 weeks of treatment)A bowel movement and constipation assessment (BMCA) was completed by participants every day during the screening and treatment periods to record information about bowel movements (BMs) and constipation. A complete spontaneous bowel movement (CSBM) was defined as an SBM which was accompanied by the feeling of complete evacuation.
Change From Baseline to the Last 2 Weeks of the Treatment Period in the Number of Spontaneous Bowel Movements With No Straining Per WeekBaseline and the last 2 weeks of the treatment period (Weeks 11 and 12 for participants who completed 12 weeks of treatment)A bowel movement and constipation assessment (BMCA) was completed by participants every day during the screening and treatment periods to record information about bowel movements (BMs) and constipation. The severity of straining with each bowel movement was assessed on the following scale: 0=no straining, 1=mild straining, 2=moderate straining, 3=severe straining, 4=very severe straining. SBMs without straining were defined as SBMs with a straining score of 0.

Countries

Austria, Czechia, Germany, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, United States

Participant flow

Recruitment details

This study was conducted at 68 sites in North America and Europe, including Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Pre-assignment details

Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to 0.2 mg of naldemedine or placebo. Participants were stratified based on their documented opioid use (average total daily dose (TDD) during the 14-consecutive-day qualifying period) as follows: * 30 to 100 mg equivalents of oral morphine sulfate * \> 100 mg equivalents of oral morphine sulfate

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Naldemedine
Participants received 0.2 mg naldemedine orally once daily for 12 weeks.
273
Placebo
Participants received placebo orally once daily for 12 weeks.
272
Total545

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyAdverse Event145
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up75
Overall StudyOther - Miscellaneous30
Overall StudyProtocol Violation11
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject1624

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicNaldemedinePlaceboTotal
Age, Continuous53.3 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.44
53.4 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.03
53.4 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.73
Age, Customized
≥ 40 to < 65 years
209 participants199 participants408 participants
Age, Customized
< 40 years
25 participants26 participants51 participants
Age, Customized
≥ 65 years
39 participants47 participants86 participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
26 Participants27 Participants53 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
247 Participants245 Participants492 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
American Indian or Alaska Native
1 participants1 participants2 participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Asian
2 participants1 participants3 participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Black or African American
53 participants48 participants101 participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
1 participants2 participants3 participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
White
216 participants220 participants436 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
161 Participants168 Participants329 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
112 Participants104 Participants216 Participants
Spontaneous Bowel Movements per Week1.31 spontaneous bowel movements
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.746
1.30 spontaneous bowel movements
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.713
1.31 spontaneous bowel movements
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.729
Stratification by Opioid Dose
> 100 mg
118 participants119 participants237 participants
Stratification by Opioid Dose
30-100 mg
155 participants153 participants308 participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
29 / 27111 / 272
serious
Total, serious adverse events
14 / 2715 / 272

Outcome results

Primary

Percentage of Participants With a Spontaneous Bowel Movement (SBM) Response

A bowel movement and constipation assessment (BMCA) was completed by participants every day during the screening and treatment periods to record information about bowel movements (BMs) and constipation. An SBM was defined as a bowel movement that occurred without the use of rescue laxative therapy during the 24 hours prior to the BM. A responder was defined as a participant having 9 or more positive response weeks out of the 12-week Treatment Period and 3 positive response weeks out of last 4 weeks of the 12-week Treatment Period. A positive response week was defined as ≥ 3 SBMs per week and an increase from baseline of ≥ 1 SBM per week for that week. If a participant had less than 4 days of diary entries for a week, that week was treated as a non-response week. Any participant with insufficient primary endpoint data (data for less than 9 out of 12 weeks of the Treatment Period or less than 3 out of the last 4 weeks of the 12-week Treatment Period) was treated as a non-responder.

Time frame: 12-week treatment period

Population: Intent-to-treat population

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
NaldemedinePercentage of Participants With a Spontaneous Bowel Movement (SBM) Response47.6 percentage of participants
PlaceboPercentage of Participants With a Spontaneous Bowel Movement (SBM) Response34.6 percentage of participants
p-value: 0.00295% CI: [4.8, 21.3]Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel
Secondary

Change From Baseline to the Last 2 Weeks of the Treatment Period in the Number of Complete Spontaneous Bowel Movements Per Week

A bowel movement and constipation assessment (BMCA) was completed by participants every day during the screening and treatment periods to record information about bowel movements (BMs) and constipation. A complete spontaneous bowel movement (CSBM) was defined as an SBM which was accompanied by the feeling of complete evacuation.

Time frame: Baseline and the last 2 weeks of the treatment period (Weeks 11 and 12 for participants who completed 12 weeks of treatment)

Population: Intent-to-treat population

ArmMeasureValue (LEAST_SQUARES_MEAN)Dispersion
NaldemedineChange From Baseline to the Last 2 Weeks of the Treatment Period in the Number of Complete Spontaneous Bowel Movements Per Week2.58 complete spontaneous BMs / weekStandard Error 0.17
PlaceboChange From Baseline to the Last 2 Weeks of the Treatment Period in the Number of Complete Spontaneous Bowel Movements Per Week1.57 complete spontaneous BMs / weekStandard Error 0.17
p-value: <0.000195% CI: [0.54, 1.48]ANCOVA
Secondary

Change From Baseline to the Last 2 Weeks of the Treatment Period in the Number of Spontaneous Bowel Movements Per Week

A bowel movement and constipation assessment (BMCA) was completed by participants every day during the screening and treatment periods to record information about bowel movements (BMs) and constipation. An SBM was defined as a bowel movement that occurred without the use of a rescue laxative therapy during the 24 hours prior to the BM. Baseline was defined as the 14 days in the screening period prior to study drug administration.

Time frame: Baseline and the last 2 weeks of the treatment period (Weeks 11 and 12 for participants who completed 12 weeks of treatment)

Population: Intent-to-treat population

ArmMeasureValue (LEAST_SQUARES_MEAN)Dispersion
NaldemedineChange From Baseline to the Last 2 Weeks of the Treatment Period in the Number of Spontaneous Bowel Movements Per Week3.42 spontaneous bowel movements / weekStandard Error 0.193
PlaceboChange From Baseline to the Last 2 Weeks of the Treatment Period in the Number of Spontaneous Bowel Movements Per Week2.12 spontaneous bowel movements / weekStandard Error 0.192
p-value: <0.000195% CI: [0.77, 1.83]ANCOVA
Secondary

Change From Baseline to the Last 2 Weeks of the Treatment Period in the Number of Spontaneous Bowel Movements With No Straining Per Week

A bowel movement and constipation assessment (BMCA) was completed by participants every day during the screening and treatment periods to record information about bowel movements (BMs) and constipation. The severity of straining with each bowel movement was assessed on the following scale: 0=no straining, 1=mild straining, 2=moderate straining, 3=severe straining, 4=very severe straining. SBMs without straining were defined as SBMs with a straining score of 0.

Time frame: Baseline and the last 2 weeks of the treatment period (Weeks 11 and 12 for participants who completed 12 weeks of treatment)

Population: Intent-to-treat population

ArmMeasureValue (LEAST_SQUARES_MEAN)Dispersion
NaldemedineChange From Baseline to the Last 2 Weeks of the Treatment Period in the Number of Spontaneous Bowel Movements With No Straining Per Week1.46 SBMs with no straining / weekStandard Error 0.141
PlaceboChange From Baseline to the Last 2 Weeks of the Treatment Period in the Number of Spontaneous Bowel Movements With No Straining Per Week0.73 SBMs with no straining / weekStandard Error 0.14
p-value: 0.000395% CI: [0.34, 1.12]ANCOVA
Secondary

Change From Baseline to Week 1 in the Number of Spontaneous Bowel Movements Per Week

A bowel movement and constipation assessment (BMCA) was completed by participants every day during the screening and treatment periods to record information about bowel movements (BMs) and constipation. An SBM was defined as a bowel movement that occurred without the use of a rescue laxative therapy during the 24 hours prior to the BM. Baseline was defined as the 14 days in the screening period prior to study drug administration.

Time frame: Baseline and Week 1

Population: Intent-to-treat population

ArmMeasureValue (LEAST_SQUARES_MEAN)Dispersion
NaldemedineChange From Baseline to Week 1 in the Number of Spontaneous Bowel Movements Per Week3.48 spontaneous bowel movements / weekStandard Error 0.185
PlaceboChange From Baseline to Week 1 in the Number of Spontaneous Bowel Movements Per Week1.36 spontaneous bowel movements / weekStandard Error 0.184
p-value: <0.000195% CI: [1.6, 2.63]ANCOVA

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 10, 2026