CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
Mechanism Of Action
Corlanor blocks the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channel responsible for the cardiac pacemaker If current, which regulates heart rate. In clinical electrophysiology studies, the cardiac effects were most pronounced in the sinoatrial (SA) node, but prolongation of the AH interval has occurred on the surface ECG, as has PR interval prolongation. There was no effect on ventricular repolarization and no effects on myocardial contractility [see Pharmacodynamics].
Corlanor can also inhibit the retinal current Ih. Ih is involved in curtailing retinal responses to bright light stimuli. Under triggering circumstances (e.g., rapid changes in luminosity), partial inhibition of Ih by Corlanor may underlie the luminous phenomena experienced by patients. Luminous phenomena (phosphenes) are described as a transient enhanced brightness in a limited area of the visual field [see ADVERSE REACTIONS].
Pharmacodynamics
Corlanor causes a dose-dependent reduction in heart rate. The size of the effect is dependent on the baseline heart rate (i.e., greater heart rate reduction occurs in subjects with higher baseline heart rate). At recommended doses, heart rate reduction is approximately 10 bpm at rest and during exercise. Analysis of heart rate reduction vs. dose indicates a plateau effect at doses > 20 mg twice daily. In a study of subjects with preexisting conduction system disease (first- or second-degree AV block or left or right bundle branch block) requiring electrophysiologic study, IV ivabradine (0.20 mg/kg) administration slowed the overall heart rate by approximately 15 bpm, increased the PR interval (29 msec), and increased the AH interval (27 msec).
Corlanor does not have negative inotropic effects. Ivabradine increases the uncorrected QT interval with heart rate slowing but does not cause rate-corrected prolongation of QT.
Pharmacokinetics
Absorption And Bioavailability
Following oral administration, peak plasma ivabradine concentrations are reached in approximately
1 hour under fasting conditions. The absolute oral bioavailability of ivabradine is approximately 40%
because of first-pass elimination in the gut and liver.
Food delays absorption by approximately 1 hour and increases plasma exposure by 20% to 40%. Corlanor should be taken with meals [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
Ivabradine is approximately 70% plasma protein bound, and the volume of distribution at steady state is approximately 100 L.
Metabolism And Excretion
The pharmacokinetics of ivabradine are linear over an oral dose range of 0.5 mg to 24 mg. Ivabradine is extensively metabolized in the liver and intestines by CYP3A4-mediated oxidation. The major metabolite is the N-desmethylated derivative (S 18982), which is equipotent to ivabradine and circulates at concentrations approximately 40% that of ivabradine. The N-desmethylated derivative is also metabolized by CYP3A4. Ivabradine plasma levels decline with a distribution half-life of 2 hours and an effective half-life of approximately 6 hours.
The total clearance of ivabradine is 24 L/h, and renal clearance is approximately 4.2 L/h, with ~ 4% of an oral dose excreted unchanged in urine. The excretion of metabolites occurs to a similar extent via feces and urine.
Drug Interactions
The effects of coadministered drugs (CYP3A4 inhibitors, substrates, inducers, and other concomitantly administered drugs) on the pharmacokinetics of Corlanor were studied in several single- and multiple-dose studies. Pharmacokinetic measures indicating the magnitude of these interactions are presented in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Impact of Coadministered Drugs on the Pharmacokinetics of Corlanor
Digoxin exposure did not change when concomitantly administered with ivabradine. No dose adjustment is required when ivabradine is concomitantly administered with digoxin.
Effect of Ivabradine on Metformin Pharmacokinetics
Ivabradine, dosed at 10 mg twice daily to steady state, did not affect the pharmacokinetics of metformin (an organic cation transporter [OCT2] sensitive substrate). The geometric mean (90% confidence interval [CI]) ratios of Cmax and AUCinf of metformin, with and without ivabradine were 0.98 [0.83–1.15] and 1.02 [0.86–1.22], respectively. No dose adjustment is required for metformin when administered with Corlanor.
Specific Populations
Age
No pharmacokinetic differences (AUC or Cmax) have been observed between elderly (≥ 65 years) or very elderly (≥ 75 years) patients and the overall patient population [see Use In Specific Populations].
Hepatic Impairment
In patients with mild (Child-Pugh A) and moderate (Child-Pugh B) hepatic impairment, the pharmacokinetics of Corlanor were similar to that in patients with normal hepatic function. No data are available in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh C) [see CONTRAINDICATIONS].
Renal Impairment
Renal impairment (creatinine clearance from 15 to 60 mL/min) has minimal effect on the pharmacokinetics of Corlanor. No data are available for patients with creatinine clearance below 15 mL/min.
Pediatrics
The pharmacokinetics of Corlanor have not been investigated in patients < 18 years of age.
Animal Toxicology And/Or Pharmacology
Reversible changes in retinal function were observed in dogs administered oral ivabradine at total doses of 2, 7, or 24 mg/kg/day (approximately 0.6 to 50 times the human exposure at the MRHD based on AUC0-24hr for 52 weeks. Retinal function assessed by electroretinography demonstrated reductions in cone system responses, which reversed within a week post-dosing, and were not associated with damage to ocular structures as evaluated by light microscopy. These data are consistent with the pharmacological effect of ivabradine related to its interaction with hyperpolarization-activated Ih currents in the retina, which share homology with the cardiac pacemaker If current.
Clinical Studies
SHIFT
The Systolic Heart failure treatment with the If inhibitor ivabradine Trial (SHIFT) was a randomized, double-blind trial comparing Corlanor and placebo in 6558 adult patients with stable NYHA class II to IV heart failure, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 35%, and resting heart rate ≥ 70 bpm. Patients had to have been clinically stable for at least 4 weeks on an optimized and stable clinical regimen, which included maximally tolerated doses of beta-blockers and, in most cases, ACE inhibitors or ARBs, spironolactone, and diuretics, with fluid retention and symptoms of congestion minimized. Patients had to have been hospitalized for heart failure within 12 months prior to study entry.
The underlying cause of CHF was coronary artery disease in 68% of patients. At baseline, approximately 49% of randomized subjects were NYHA class II, 50% were NYHA class III, and 2% were NYHA class IV. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 29%. All subjects were initiated on Corlanor 5 mg (or matching placebo) twice daily and the dose was increased to 7.5 mg twice daily or decreased to 2.5 mg twice daily to maintain the resting heart rate between 50 and 60 bpm, as tolerated. The primary endpoint was a composite of the first occurrence of either hospitalization for worsening heart failure or cardiovascular death.
Most patients (89%) were taking beta-blockers, with 26% on guideline-defined target daily doses. The main reasons for not receiving the target beta-blocker doses at baseline were hypotension (45% of patients not at target), fatigue (32%), dyspnea (14%), dizziness (12%), history of cardiac decompensation (9%), and bradycardia (6%). For the 11% of patients not receiving any beta-blocker at baseline, the main reasons were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypotension, and asthma. Most patients were also taking ACE inhibitors and/or angiotensin II antagonists (91%), diuretics (83%), and anti-aldosterone agents (60%). Few patients had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) (3.2%) or a cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) device (1.1%). Median follow-up was 22.9 months. At 1 month, 63%, 26%, and 8% of Corlanor-treated patients were taking 7.5, 5, and 2.5 mg BID, whereas 3% had withdrawn from the drug, primarily for bradycardia.
SHIFT demonstrated that Corlanor reduced the risk of the combined endpoint of hospitalization for worsening heart failure or cardiovascular death based on a time-to-event analysis (hazard ratio: 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75, 0.90, p < 0.0001) (Table 3). The treatment effect reflected only a reduction in the risk of hospitalization for worsening heart failure; there was no favorable effect on the mortality component of the primary endpoint. In the overall treatment population, Corlanor had no statistically significant benefit on cardiovascular death.
Table 3. SHIFT – Incidence of the Primary Composite Endpoint and Components
|
Corlanor (N = 3241) |
Placebo (N = 3264) |
|
|
|
% |
|
|
% |
Hazard |
Endpoint |
n |
% |
PY |
n |
% |
PY |
Ratio |
[95% CI] |
p-value |
Primary composite endpoint: Time to first hospitalization for worsening heart failure or cardiovascular deatha |
793 |
24.5 |
14.5 |
937 |
28.7 |
17.7 |
0.82 |
[0.75 , 0.90] |
<0.0001 |
Hospitalization for worsening heart failure |
505 |
15.6 |
9.2 |
660 |
20.2 |
12.5 |
|
|
|
Cardiovascular death as first event |
288 |
8.9 |
4.8 |
277 |
8.5 |
4.7 |
|
|
|
Subjects with events at any time |
Hospitalization for worsening heart failureb |
514 |
15.9 |
9.4 |
672 |
20.6 |
12.7 |
0.74 |
[0.66 , 0.83] |
|
Cardiovascular deathb |
449 |
13.9 |
7.5 |
491 |
15.0 |
8.3 |
0.91 |
[0.80 , 1.03] |
|
a Subjects who died on the same calendar day as their first hospitalization for worsening heart failure are counted under cardiovascular death.
b Analyses of the components of the primary composite endpoint were not prospectively planned to be adjusted for multiplicity.
N: number of patients at risk; n: number of patients having experienced the endpoint; %: incidence rate = (n/N) x 100; % PY: annual incidence rate = (n/number of patient-years) x 100; CI: confidence interval The hazard ratio between treatment groups (ivabradine /placebo) was estimated based on an adjusted Cox proportional hazards model with beta-blocker intake at randomization (yes/no) as a covariate; p-value: Wald test |
The Kaplan-Meier curve (Figure 3) shows time to first occurrence of the primary composite endpoint of
hospitalization for worsening heart failure or cardiovascular death in the overall study.
Figure 3. SHIFT: Time to First Event of Primary Composite Endpoint
A wide range of demographic characteristics, baseline disease characteristics, and baseline concomitant medications were examined for their influence on outcomes. Many of these results are shown in Figure 4. Such analyses must be interpreted cautiously, as differences can reflect the play of chance among a large number of analyses.
Most of the results show effects consistent with the overall study result. Corlanor’s benefit on the primary endpoint in SHIFT appeared to decrease as the dose of beta-blockers increased, with little if any benefit demonstrated in patients taking guideline-defined target doses of beta-blockers.
Figure 4. Effect of Treatment on Primary Composite Endpoint in Subgroups
Note: The figure above presents effects in various subgroups, all of which are baseline characteristics. The 95% confidence limits that are shown do not take into account the number of comparisons made, and may not reflect the effect of a particular factor after adjustment for all other factors. Apparent homogeneity or heterogeneity among groups should not be over-interpreted.
BEAUTIFUL And SIGNIFY: No Benefit In Stable Coronary Artery Disease With Or Without Stable Heart Failure
BEAUTIFUL was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 10,917 adult patients with coronary artery disease, impaired left ventricular systolic function (ejection fraction < 40%) and resting heart rate ≥ 60 bpm. Patients had stable symptoms of heart failure and/or angina for at least 3 months, and were receiving conventional cardiovascular medications at stable doses for at least 1 month. Beta-blocker therapy was not required, nor was there a protocol mandate to achieve any specific dosing targets for
patients who were taking beta-blockers. Patients were randomized 1:1 to Corlanor or placebo at an initial dose of 5 mg twice daily with the dose increased to 7.5 mg twice daily depending on resting heart rate and tolerability. The primary endpoint was the composite of time to first cardiovascular death, hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction, or hospitalization for new-onset or worsening heart failure. Most patients were NYHA class II (61.4%) or class III (23.2%) -none were class IV. Through a median follow-up of 19 months, Corlanor did not significantly affect the primary composite endpoint (HR 1.00, 95% CI = 0.91, 1.10).
SIGNIFY was a randomized, double-blind trial administering Corlanor or placebo to 19,102 adult patients with stable coronary artery disease but without clinically evident heart failure (NYHA class I). Beta-blocker therapy was not required. Corlanor was initiated at a dose of 7.5 mg twice daily and the dose could be increased to as high as 10 mg twice daily or down-titrated to 5.0 mg twice daily to achieve a target heart rate of 55 to 60 bpm. The primary endpoint was a composite of the first occurrence of either cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction. Through a median follow-up of 24.1 months, Corlanor did not significantly affect the primary composite endpoint (HR 1.08, 95% CI = 0.96, 1.20).