Skip to content

Epanova® for Lowering Very High Triglycerides II (EVOLVE II)

A 12-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Olive Oil-Controlled Phase 3 Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of EPANOVA™ in Subjects With Severe Hypertriglyceridemia (EVOLVE II)

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02009865
Acronym
EVOLVEII
Enrollment
379
Registered
2013-12-12
Start date
2013-12-16
Completion date
2014-12-23
Last updated
2019-09-10

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

Conditions

Hypertriglyceridemia

Keywords

Hypertriglyceridemia, Dyslipidemia, Eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA, Docosahexaenoic acid, DHA

Brief summary

This is a double-blind, randomized, olive oil-controlled study to investigate the efficacy and safety of Epanova as an adjunct therapy to diet for reduction of TG levels in subjects with severe hypertriglyceridemia. The study consists of an approximately 8-week screening period that includes a diet and lifestyle stabilization and washout period and a 12-week treatment period.

Detailed description

\[During the screening period and treatment period, all visits are to be within ±3 days of the scheduled time.\] Screening Period: Visit 1 will occur at Week -8 for subjects requiring washout and/or statin, cholesterol-absorption inhibitor (CAI), or statin-CAI stabilization. This includes subjects who: * Were previously on omega-3 drugs/supplements; * Require adjustment to or addition of permitted statins, CAI, or statin-CAI combination; * Have not been on a permitted stable dose of statin, CAI, or statin-CAI combination for at least 4 weeks prior to Visit 1; and/or * Need to washout of bile acid sequestrants, fibrates, niacin, and other supplements known to alter lipid metabolism. For these subjects who require washout and/or statin, CAI, or statin-CAI stabilization, at Visit 1 (Week -8) screening procedures will be performed. Subjects will return at Visit 1a (Week -2) for their first qualifying lipid measurement. For subjects not requiring washout, Visit 1 will occur at Week -2. All screening procedures will be performed at this visit including the first qualifying lipid measurement. At Visit 2 (Week -1), all subjects will return for their second lipid qualifying measurement. If at Visit 2 the subject does not have an average TG ≥500 mg/dL (6 mmol/L) and \<2500 mg/dL (28 mmol/L), the TG measurement may be repeated one additional time after Visit 2 (Visit 2a). The subject's qualifying measurement would be the average of Visit 1 or 1a + Visit 2 + Visit 2a (repeat measurement). To be eligible for randomization, the subject must have a qualifying TG ≥500 mg/dL (6 mmol/L) and \<2500 mg/dL (28 mmol/L). Of the total number of subjects, approximately 50% will have a qualifying TG \>885 mg/dL (10 mmol/L) and \<2500 mg/dL (28 mmol/L). Once approximately 50% of the total subjects has been reached for each TG group, enrollment of subjects with that specific TG criterion will stop. Subjects will be equally allocated to each treatment group. \[At the screening visit, all subjects will receive counseling regarding the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet and will receive basic instructions on how to follow this diet. See Appendix C.\] Treatment Period: At Visit 3 (Week 0), approximately 116 subjects will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive daily olive oil 2 g or Epanova 2 g. Subjects will be stratified by lipid-altering drugs to ensure a balanced allocation of subjects who are users and non-users of the following permitted lipid-altering drugs in each treatment group: statin, CAI, or statin-CAI combination. During the treatment period, subjects will return to the site at Visit 4 (Week 6), Visit 5 (Week 10), and Visit 6 (Week 12) for efficacy and safety evaluations.

Interventions

Epanova will be provided in 1 g polyacrylate-coated soft gel capsules. Two capsules will be taken once per day, without regard to meals, for 12 weeks. At clinic visits, study drug will be administered at the clinic after fasting blood draws are complete.

DRUGOlive Oil

Olive oil will be provided in 1 g polyacrylate-coated soft gel capsules. Two capsules will be taken once per day, without regard to meals, for 12 weeks. At clinic visits, study drug will be administered at the clinic after fasting blood draws are complete.

Sponsors

AstraZeneca
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 130 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Understanding of the study procedures, willingness to adhere to the study schedule, and agreement to participate in the study by giving written informed consent prior to screening; 2. Willing to use an appropriate and effective method of contraception; 3. Qualifying (average of Visit 1 or 1a + Visit 2 + Visit 2a \[repeat measurement\]) serum TG ≥500 mg/dL (6 mMol/L) and \<2500 mg/dL (28 mMol/L); 4. Body mass index ≥20 kg/m2; 5. Untreated dyslipidemia or dyslipidemia treated with a statin, CAI, or statin-CAI combination that has been stable for 6 weeks prior to randomization; and 6. Willingness to maintain current physical activity level and follow the TLC diet throughout the study.

Exclusion criteria

1. Allergy or intolerance to omega-3 fatty acids, omega-3-acid ethyl esters, or fish; 2. Known lipoprotein lipase impairment; 3. Known non-responder to omega-3 or fenofibrate therapy; 4. Use of any prescription medications containing EPA and/or DHA (eg, Lovaza® or Vascepa®) within 8 weeks prior to randomization. Up to 1 g capsule/day of an omega-3 dietary supplement will be permitted; 5. Unable to discontinue use of bile acid sequestrants, fibrates or niacin (other than niacin-containing vitamins \<200 mg), or any supplement used to alter lipid metabolism including but not limited to dietary fiber supplements, red rice yeast supplements, garlic supplements, soy isoflavone supplements, sterol/stanol products, or policosanols at screening; 6. Use of tamoxifen, estrogens, or progestins that has not been stable for \>4 weeks at screening or is unstable prior to randomization; 7. Use of oral or injected corticosteroids or anabolic steroids prior to randomization; 8. History of hospitalization for pancreatitis in the last 5 years; 9. Uncontrolled diabetes (hemoglobin A1c \[HbA1c\] \>10%); 10. Uncontrolled hypothyroidism or thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) \>5 mIU/L; 11. History of cancer (other than basal cell carcinoma) in the past 2 years; 12. Cardiovascular event (ie, myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, new onset angina, stroke, transient heart attack, unstable congestive heart failure requiring a change in treatment), revascularization procedure or vascular surgery within 6 months of randomization; 13. Use of simvastatin 80 mg or Vytorin 10/80 mg; 14. Recent history (within 6 months of randomization) of significant nephrotic syndrome, pulmonary, hepatic, biliary, gastrointestinal, or immunologic disease; 15. Poorly controlled hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥180 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥110 mmHg); 16. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) \>3 × the upper limit of normal (ULN); if ALT/AST is \>3 × ULN, the levels have been stable for 3 months and are \<5 × ULN; 17. Exposure to any investigational product within 4 weeks of randomization; or 18. Any condition or therapy which, in the opinion of the Investigator, might pose a risk to the subject or make participation in the study not in the subject's best interest.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percent Change in Triglyceride for All SubjectsFrom Baseline to Week 12 EndpointThis primary endpoint was tested in parallel together with the first of the secondary endpoints, each at 0.025 Type I error rate.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percent Change in Triglycerides for Subjects With at Least 1 Qualifying Triglyceride >885 mg/dLFrom Baseline to Week 12 EndpointThis first secondary endpoint in subjects with at least 1 qualifying triglyceride \>885 mg/dL was tested in parallel together with the primary endpoint, each at 0.025 Type I error rate.
Percent Change in Non-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (mg/dL)From Baseline to Week 12 EndpointThis secondary endpoint, together with the 3rd. and 4th secondary ones, was treated as the core secondary, and the p value from the hypothesis test on its treatment comparison was adjusted by using Hommel's procedure.
Percent Change in High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (mg/dL)From Baseline to Week 12 EndpointThis secondary endpoint, together with the 2nd. and 4th. secondary ones, was treated as the core secondary, and the p value from the hypothesis test on its treatment comparison was adjusted by using Hommel's procedure.
Percent Change in Triglyceride(mg/dL) in Subjects With Biochemically Defined Fredrickson Type V (Triglyceride/Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol ≥6)From Baseline to Week 12 EndpointThis secondary endpoint in subjects with Biochemically Defined Fredrickson Type V (Triglyceride/Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol ≥6), together with the 2nd. and 3rd.secondary ones, was treated as the core secondary, and the p value from the hypothesis test on its treatment comparison was adjusted by using Hommel's procedure.

Countries

Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Netherlands, Russia, United States

Participant flow

Recruitment details

The recruitment was planned at 43 sites, and in total, 162 were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to two treatment groups, Epanova (n=81) and Olive Oil (n=81). Randomization of subjects was stratified by two factors: 1. use of lipid-altering drugs (yes, no), and 2. Qualifying triglycerides values below or above 885 mg/dL.

Pre-assignment details

In total, 379 subjects were screened from the 43 sites.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Epanova
2g once daily (QD)
81
Olive Oil
2g once daily (QD)
81
Total162

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyAdverse Event02
Overall StudyProtocol Violation02
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject11

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicEpanovaOlive OilTotal
Age, Continuous50.3 Years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.6
50.0 Years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.88
50.2 Years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.71
At least 1 qualifying TG category > 885 mg/dL
No
28 Participants29 Participants57 Participants
At least 1 qualifying TG category > 885 mg/dL
Yes
53 Participants52 Participants105 Participants
Lipid-altering drug use
No
45 Participants44 Participants89 Participants
Lipid-altering drug use
Yes
36 Participants37 Participants73 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
16 Participants19 Participants35 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
65 Participants62 Participants127 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
29 / 8128 / 81
serious
Total, serious adverse events
1 / 812 / 81

Outcome results

Primary

Percent Change in Triglyceride for All Subjects

This primary endpoint was tested in parallel together with the first of the secondary endpoints, each at 0.025 Type I error rate.

Time frame: From Baseline to Week 12 Endpoint

Population: Full Analysis Set (FAS)

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
EpanovaPercent Change in Triglyceride for All Subjects-28.1 Percentage of change (%)
Olive OilPercent Change in Triglyceride for All Subjects-10.2 Percentage of change (%)
Comparison: Missing values were imputed using probabilities of missing estimated from logistic regressionp-value: 0.01795% CI: [-26.2, -2.8]Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney)
Secondary

Percent Change in High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (mg/dL)

This secondary endpoint, together with the 2nd. and 4th. secondary ones, was treated as the core secondary, and the p value from the hypothesis test on its treatment comparison was adjusted by using Hommel's procedure.

Time frame: From Baseline to Week 12 Endpoint

Population: FAS

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
EpanovaPercent Change in High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (mg/dL)3.4 Percentage of change (%)
Olive OilPercent Change in High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (mg/dL)3.1 Percentage of change (%)
Comparison: Missing values were imputed using probabilities of missing estimated from logistic regressionp-value: 0.711795% CI: [-3.5, 4.9]Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney)
Secondary

Percent Change in Non-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (mg/dL)

This secondary endpoint, together with the 3rd. and 4th secondary ones, was treated as the core secondary, and the p value from the hypothesis test on its treatment comparison was adjusted by using Hommel's procedure.

Time frame: From Baseline to Week 12 Endpoint

Population: FAS

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
EpanovaPercent Change in Non-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (mg/dL)-8.8 Percentage of change (%)
Olive OilPercent Change in Non-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (mg/dL)0.4 Percentage of change (%)
Comparison: Missing values were imputed using probabilities of missing estimated from logistic regressionp-value: 0.01895% CI: [-14.8, -2.8]Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney)
Secondary

Percent Change in Triglyceride(mg/dL) in Subjects With Biochemically Defined Fredrickson Type V (Triglyceride/Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol ≥6)

This secondary endpoint in subjects with Biochemically Defined Fredrickson Type V (Triglyceride/Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol ≥6), together with the 2nd. and 3rd.secondary ones, was treated as the core secondary, and the p value from the hypothesis test on its treatment comparison was adjusted by using Hommel's procedure.

Time frame: From Baseline to Week 12 Endpoint

Population: FAS

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
EpanovaPercent Change in Triglyceride(mg/dL) in Subjects With Biochemically Defined Fredrickson Type V (Triglyceride/Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol ≥6)-24.7 Percentage of change (%)
Olive OilPercent Change in Triglyceride(mg/dL) in Subjects With Biochemically Defined Fredrickson Type V (Triglyceride/Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol ≥6)-12.4 Percentage of change (%)
Comparison: Missing values were imputed using probabilities of missing estimated from logistic regressionp-value: 0.303495% CI: [-23.9, 3.5]Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney)
Secondary

Percent Change in Triglycerides for Subjects With at Least 1 Qualifying Triglyceride >885 mg/dL

This first secondary endpoint in subjects with at least 1 qualifying triglyceride \>885 mg/dL was tested in parallel together with the primary endpoint, each at 0.025 Type I error rate.

Time frame: From Baseline to Week 12 Endpoint

Population: FAS

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
EpanovaPercent Change in Triglycerides for Subjects With at Least 1 Qualifying Triglyceride >885 mg/dL-37.5 Percentage of change (%)
Olive OilPercent Change in Triglycerides for Subjects With at Least 1 Qualifying Triglyceride >885 mg/dL-9.3 Percentage of change (%)
Comparison: Main analysis with missing values imputed using probabilities of missing estimated from logistic regressionp-value: 0.000895% CI: [-40.5, -11.5]Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney)

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026