Freilich, B.

Background and Aims: Aldafermin, an engineered analog of the human hormone FGF19, improves liver histology in patients with noncirrhotic NASH; however, its efficacy and safety in compensated cirrhosis is unknown. No drug has yet to demonstrate benefit in the compensated NASH population. Approach and Results: In this multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2b trial, 160 patients with compensated NASH cirrhosis were randomized to aldafermin 0.3 mg (n = 7), 1 mg (n = 42), 3 mg (n = 55), or placebo (n = 56) for 48 weeks. The 0.3 mg group was discontinued to limit exposure to suboptimal doses. The primary end point was a change in Enhanced Liver Fibrosis from baseline to week 48. The analyses were performed in the intention-to-treat population. At week 48, the least-squares mean difference in the change in Enhanced Liver Fibrosis was −0.5 (95% CI, −0.7 to −0.2; p = 0.0003) between the 3 mg group and the placebo group. 15%, 21%, and 23% of patients in the placebo, 1 mg, and 3 mg group, respectively, achieved fibrosis improvement ≥ 1 stage; and 13%, 16%, and 20% achieved fibrosis improvement ≥ 1 stage without NASH worsening. Improvement in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, neoepitope-specific N-terminal pro-peptide of type III collagen, and liver stiffness favored aldefermin groups over placebo. Diarrhea was the most frequent adverse event, occurring at 26% and 40% in the 1 mg and 3 mg groups, respectively, compared to 18% in the placebo group. Overall, 0%, 2%, and 9% of patients in the placebo, 1 mg, and 3 mg group, respectively, discontinued due to treatment-related adverse events. Conclusions: Aldafermin 3 mg resulted in a significant reduction in Enhanced Liver Fibrosis in patients with compensated NASH cirrhosis.

e14145 Background: Dysregulated translation of messenger RNA (mRNA) plays a role in the pathogenesis of solid tumors. Tomivosertib (T), a potent and highly selective small molecule inhibitor of MNK-1 and 2 blocks activation of eIF4E, a key regulator of mRNA translation, selectively regulating translation of a set of mRNAs. Preclinically, T triggers an anti-tumor immune response and enhances responses to checkpoint inhibitors. Avelumab is a fully human checkpoint inhibitor antibody directed against PD-L1. Methods: Part 1: In a 3+3 dose escalation patients (pts) with MSS CRC failing ≥2 prior therapies for metastatic disease received escalating doses of T, administered orally bid, with a fixed dose of 10 mg/kg avelumab q2w. Part 2: Pts were randomized (2:1) to combination therapy at the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) from part 1 or T alone. Primary endpoint is objective response rate. All pts have a pretreatment and on treatment biopsy to evaluate target engagement, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and biomarkers of immune activation. Results: The RP2D for the combination was 200 mg bid T (single agent RP2D) with 10mg/kg avelumab q2w. At this dose level, 1 of 7 pts experienced a dose limiting toxicity being unable to complete the first 28 day cycle due to low grade (1/2) toxicities (nausea, fatigue, myalgia). In part 2, 30 pts were randomized to combination and 15 to monotherapy (25 male, 20 female: mean age 53.9 years, range 32-80 years). The most common adverse events, irrespective of causality were grade 1/2 gastrointestinal (including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea) occurring in 77% (n = 23) of the combination and 67% (n = 10) of the monotherapy arm. Toxicities occurring more frequently in the combination arm included diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, myalgia/arthralgia, hypercalcemia and skin rash. Efficacy evaluation is pending from part 2. One pt with confirmed MSS status in part 1 treated at the RP2D achieved a confirmed Partial Response of greater than 8 months. Conclusions: Preliminary data suggest that the combination of T and avelumab has an acceptable safety profile with robust target engagement and demonstrated initial signs of activity. Updated efficacy and biological biopsy data will be presented at the conference. Clinical trial information: NCT03258398.

SummaryBackgroundLipotoxicity leading to excessive caspase‐mediated apoptosis and inflammation is believed to drive liver damage in NAFLD. Emricasan is a pan‐caspase inhibitor that decreased serum ALT and apoptotic and inflammatory markers in subjects with chronic hepatitis.AimsTo assess whether 28 days of emricasan would reduce elevated levels of serum ALT, AST, cleaved cytokeratin‐18, full‐length cytokeratin‐18, and caspase 3/7 in subjects with NAFLD and raised aminotransferases.MethodsDouble‐blind, placebo‐controlled, office‐practice study assessed the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of emricasan in subjects with NAFLD and ALT levels ≥1.5 x ULN during screening. Subjects were randomised to emricasan 25 mg twice daily or matching placebo. Subjects with cirrhosis and other causes for raised aminotransferases were excluded. The primary endpoint was the change in ALT at day 28 in the emricasan group vs placebo.Results38 subjects were randomised, 19 each to emricasan or placebo. Baseline disease factors were well balanced except for lower median ALT values in emricasan subjects. Three subjects randomised to placebo discontinued prior to day 28. ALT values decreased significantly in emricasan‐treated subjects vs placebo at days 7 (P < 0.0001) and 28 (P = 0.02). cCK18 (day 7), flCK18 (days 7 and 28), and caspase 3/7 (day 7) were also significantly decreased in emricasan‐treated subjects vs placebo. Emricasan treatment was generally safe and well tolerated.ConclusionsEmricasan decreased ALT and biomarkers in subjects with NAFLD and raised aminotransferases after 28 days. These results support the further development of emricasan in patients with NAFLD. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT02077374.