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NCT Number: NCT04175600

A Study of Selexipag as Add-On Treatment to Standard of Care in Children With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the addition of selexipag to standard of care treatment delays disease progression in children with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) in comparison to placebo.

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This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

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Key information

Age range

2 year–17 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 3

Primary location

Queensland CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, South Brisbane, Australia

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About this study

Pediatric PAH is a rare and progressive disorder associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Given the significant medical need to develop treatments in children with PAH, further clinical studies in the pediatric population are therefore needed to provide more data for the management of PAH in children. Selexipag (JNJ-67896049) is an orally available, selective, and long-acting non-prostanoid agonist of the prostacyclin receptor approved and commercially available for the treatment of adult participants with PAH. Selexipag and its metabolite possess anti-fibrotic, anti-proliferative, and anti-thrombotic properties. Currently, no medicines targeting prostacyclin pathway are approved for pediatric use in PAH. An effective and orally available therapy acting on the prostacyclin receptor such as selexipag introduced at medically appropriate stage of PAH disease, and primarily in combination with current first-line oral PAH-specific medicines in participants in need of additional therapy because of insufficient disease control would represents a major advance to the therapeutic management of PAH pediatric participants. This study consists of a screening period of up to 6 weeks and a double-blind treatment period, including up-titration and maintenance periods, followed by a 3-year open-label extension period (OLEP) and a 30-day safety follow-up period that occurs after the last dose of study intervention (either double-blind or open-label). Safety, pharmacokinetic and efficacy assessments will be performed during the study. An Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) will be established to monitor data on an ongoing basis, to review interim data, and to ensure the continuing safety of the participants enrolled in this study. The approximate duration of the study is 8 years.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Participants between greater than or equal to (>=) 2 and less than (<) 18 years of age weighing >=9 kilogram (kg) at randomization
  • Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) diagnosis confirmed by documented historical right heart catheterization (RHC) performed at any time before participant's screening
  • PAH (World Health Organization [WHO] Group 1), including participants with Down syndrome, of the following etiologies: Idiopathic PAH (IPAH); Heritable PAH (HPAH); PAH associated with congenital heart disease (PAH-associated with congenital heart disease [aCHD]) (PAH with coincidental CHD [that is, a small atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, or patent ductus arteriosus that does not itself account for the development of elevated PVR] and if approved by the BCAC) and Post-operative PAH (persisting / recurring/ developing >=6 months after repair of CHD); Drug or toxin-induced; PAH associated with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
  • WHO functional class (FC) II and III
  • Participants treated with at least 1 PAH-specific treatment, example, an Endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) and/or a Phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor/soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator, provided that the treatment dose(s) has been stable for at least 3 months prior to first dose of study intervention

Exclusion criteria

  • PAH due to portal hypertension, schistosomiasis, pulmonary veno-occlusive disease, and/or pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis
  • PAH associated with Eisenmenger syndrome
  • Previous exposure to Uptravi (selexipag)
  • Known concomitant life-threatening disease with a life expectancy <12 months
  • Pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or lactating
  • Known allergies, hypersensitivity, or intolerance to selexipag or its excipients

Treatment and study plan

Selexipag

Drug

Selexipag tablet will be administered orally.

Other names: JNJ-67896049

Placebo

Drug

Matching placebo tablets will be administered orally.

Standard of Care (SOC): Endothelin receptor antagonist

Drug

ERAs will be administered as SOC therapy.

SOC: Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitor

Drug

PDE-5 inhibitor will be administered as SOC therapy.

SOC: Soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator

Drug

Soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator will be administered as SOC therapy.

Primary outcomes

  1. Double-blind Period: Time to Disease Progression

    Time frame: Placebo arm: Randomization (Day 1) up to 7 days after last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 199 weeks); Selexipag arm: Randomization (Day 1) up to 7 days after last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 213 weeks)

    Time to disease progression: time from randomization to first Clinical Event Committee (CEC)-confirmed disease progression event occurring between date of randomization until double-blind end date (DBED) + 7 days. Disease progression event as adjudicated by CEC, defined as any of the following: death (all causes); atrial septostomy or Potts' anastomosis, or registration on lung transplant list; hospitalization due to worsening pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); clinical worsening of PAH. Clinical worsening of PAH was defined as initiation of new PAH-specific therapy or intravenous diuretics or continuous oxygen use and at least 1 of the following: worsening in World Health Organization (WHO) functional class (FC); new occurrence or worsening: of syncope, of at least 2 PAH symptoms (shortness of breath/dyspnea, chest pain, cyanosis, dizziness/near syncope, or fatigue), of signs of right heart failure not responding to oral diuretics. Kaplan-Meier method was used for estimation.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Double-blind Period: Change in log2 N-terminal Pro-brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) From Baseline to Week 24

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Week 24

    Change in log2 NT-proBNP from baseline to Week 24 was reported. Change from baseline to Week 24 in the central laboratory NT-proBNP (nanograms per liter [ng/L]) value, expressed as the log2-transformed ratio of the Week 24 NT-proBNP value over the baseline value: log2 (Week 24 NT-proBNP divided by Baseline NT-proBNP). Clinically, a reduction from baseline in NT-proBNP (ratio < 1) was considered an improvement. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DB start date (DBSD).

  2. Double-blind Period: Number of Participants With Treatment-emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) and Treatment-emergent Serious AEs (TESAEs)

    Time frame: Placebo arm: Start of treatment (Day 1) up to 3 days after last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 198.42 weeks); Selexipag arm: Start of treatment (Day 1) up to 3 days after last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 212.42 weeks)

    Number of participants with TEAEs (included serious and non-serious events) and TESAEs during DB period was reported. An AE was any untoward medical occurrence in a clinical study participant administered a medicinal (investigational or non-investigational) product. An AE does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the intervention. A serious AE was defined as any untoward medical occurrence that at any dose resulted in death, was life-threatening, required inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization, resulted in persistent or significant disability/incapacity, was a congenital anomaly/birth defect, was a suspected transmission of any infectious agent via a medicinal product, or was medically important. TEAEs were defined as any AE occurring on or after the initial administration of study intervention through the day of last dose in the DB treatment period plus 3 days and/or prior to start of OL study administration.

  3. Double-blind Period: Number of Participants With AEs Leading to Premature Discontinuation of Study Treatment

    Time frame: Placebo arm: Start of treatment (Day 1) up to last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 198 weeks); Selexipag arm: Start of treatment (Day 1) up to last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 212 weeks)

    Number of participants with AEs leading to premature discontinuation of study treatment during DB period was reported. An AE was any untoward medical occurrence in a clinical study participant administered a medicinal (investigational or non-investigational) product. An AE does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the intervention.

  4. Double-blind Period: Change From Baseline in Vital Signs: Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP)

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Weeks 24, 48, 72, and 96

    Change from baseline in vital signs parameters: systolic and diastolic blood pressure during DB period was reported. Vital signs were measured after the participant has rested at least 5 minutes in sitting position. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DBSD.

  5. Double-blind Period: Change From Baseline in Vital Signs: Pulse Rate

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Weeks 24, 48, 72, and 96

    Change from baseline in vital signs parameter: pulse rate during DB period was reported. Vital signs were measured after the participant has rested for at least 5 minutes in sitting position. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DBSD.

  6. Double-blind Period: Change From Baseline in Growth Parameter: Body Weight

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Weeks 24, 48, 72, and 96

    Change from baseline in growth parameter: body weight during DB period was reported. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DBSD.

  7. Double-blind Period: Change From Baseline in Growth Parameter: Height

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Weeks 24, 48, 72, and 96

    Change from baseline in growth parameter: height during DB period was reported. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DBSD.

  8. Double-blind Period: Number of Participants With Shift From Baseline in Sexual Maturation (Tanner Stage)

    Time frame: Placebo arm: Baseline (Day 1) up to 3 days after last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 198.42 weeks); Selexipag arm: Baseline (Day 1) up to 3 days after last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 212.42 weeks)

    Tanner staging were assessed for pubic hair growth and genitalia development (GD) in males (M) and for pubic hair growth and breast development (BD) in females (F) in stages(S) 1 to 5 and missing data. If a participant had reached Tanner stage 5, no further tanner pubertal stage assessment were to be completed. Tanner stage was assessed in F >=8 years; M >=9 years. Pubic hair growth (M and F) stages: S1: No hair, S2: Downy hair, S3: More coarse and curly hair, S4: Adult-like hair quality; S5: Hair extends to medial surface of thighs. BD in females: S1: Nipple raised a little, rest of breast still flat, S2: Breast bud forms, S3: More elevated, outside areola, S4: Increased breast size, S5: Final adult-size breasts. GD in males: S1: Testes, scrotum, and penis about same size, S2: Enlargement of scrotum, testes, and penis, S3: Enlargement of penis, S4: Penis and glands became larger, S5: Genitalia size and shape same an adult male. Categories with at least 1 non-zero data are reported.

  9. Double-blind Period: Number of Participants With Treatment-emergent Electrocardiogram (ECG) Abnormalities

    Time frame: Placebo arm: Start of treatment (Day 1) up to 3 days after last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 198.42 weeks); Selexipag arm: Start of treatment (Day 1) up to 3 days after last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 212.42 weeks)

    Number of participants with treatment-emergent ECG abnormalities were reported. Any abnormality occurring on or after the initial administration of study intervention through the day of last dose in the DB treatment period plus 3 days was considered to be treatment-emergent. Abnormalities that were not present at baseline were reported. Abnormalities were assessed as per investigator's discretion. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DBSD.

  10. Double-blind Period: Number of Participants With Treatment-emergent (TE) Marked Laboratory Abnormalities

    Time frame: Placebo arm: Start of treatment (Day 1) up to 3 days after last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 198.42 weeks); Selexipag arm: Start of treatment (Day 1) up to 3 days after last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 212.42 weeks)

    Number of participants with TE marked laboratory abnormalities during DB period was reported. TE marked laboratory abnormalities included hemoglobin, platelet count, leukocyte count, potassium, calcium, thyrotropin, thyroxine free and triiodothyronine free. Any abnormality occurring or worsening at or after the DB study treatment start date through the DB study treatment end date plus 3 days was considered to be treatment-emergent. If the abnormality was present at baseline, then any post-baseline abnormality was considered treatment-emergent only if the post-baseline abnormality was in a category worse than at baseline. HH, HHH, HHHH = marked abnormally high values; LL, LLL = marked abnormally low values. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DBSD.

  11. Double-blind Period: Change From Baseline in Treatment-emergent Laboratory Parameter: Thyroid Stimulating Hormone

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Weeks 24, 48, 72, and 96

    Change from baseline in treatment-emergent laboratory parameter: thyroid stimulating hormone during DB period was reported. Any abnormality occurring or worsening at or after the DB study treatment start date through the DB study treatment end date plus 3 days was considered to be treatment-emergent. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DBSD.

  12. Double-blind Period: Change From Baseline in Treatment-emergent Laboratory Parameter: Hemoglobin

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Weeks 24, 48, 72, and 96

    Change from baseline in treatment-emergent laboratory parameter: hemoglobin during DB period was reported. Any abnormality occurring or worsening at or after the DB study treatment start date through the DB study treatment end date plus 3 days was considered to be treatment-emergent. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DBSD.

  13. Double-blind Period: Change From Baseline in Treatment-emergent Laboratory Parameter: Platelets, Leukocytes

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Weeks 24, 48, 72, and 96

    Change from baseline in treatment-emergent laboratory parameter: platelets, leukocytes during DB period was reported. Any abnormality occurring or worsening at or after the DB study treatment start date through the DB study treatment end date plus 3 days was considered to be treatment-emergent. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DBSD.

  14. Double-blind Period: Change From Baseline in Treatment-emergent Laboratory Parameter: Electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Bicarbonate and Chloride)

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Weeks 24, 48, 72, and 96

    Change from baseline in treatment-emergent laboratory parameter: electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, bicarbonate and chloride) during DB period was reported. Any abnormality occurring or worsening at or after the DB study treatment start date through the DB study treatment end date plus 3 days was considered to be treatment-emergent. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DBSD.

  15. Double-blind Period: Change From Baseline in Treatment-emergent Laboratory Parameter: Transaminases (Alanine Aminotransferase [ALT] and Aspartate Aminotransferase [AST])

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Weeks 24, 48, 72, and 96

    Change from baseline in treatment-emergent laboratory parameter: transaminases (ALT and AST) during DB period was reported. Any abnormality occurring or worsening at or after the DB study treatment start date through the DB study treatment end date plus 3 days was considered to be treatment-emergent. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DBSD.

  16. Double-blind Period: Change From Baseline in Treatment-emergent Laboratory Parameter: Bilirubin

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Weeks 24, 48, 72, and 96

    Change from baseline in treatment-emergent laboratory parameter: bilirubin during DB period was reported. Any abnormality occurring or worsening at or after the DB study treatment start date through the DB study treatment end date plus 3 days was considered to be treatment-emergent. The baseline value was the last non-missing assessment obtained before or on the DBSD.

  17. Double-blind Period: Time to First Clinical Event Committee (CEC)-Confirmed Hospitalization or Death for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)

    Time frame: Placebo arm: Randomization (Day 1) up to 7 days after last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 199 weeks); Selexipag arm: Randomization (Day 1) up to 7 days after last dose in the DB treatment (maximum up to 213 weeks)

    Time to first CEC-confirmed hospitalization or death for PAH was calculated as the onset date of the first CEC-confirmed death or hospitalization due to PAH minus date of randomization+1 day. Kaplan-Meier method was used for estimation.

  18. Double-blind Period: Dose-normalized Steady-state Trough Concentrations (Ctrough,ss,dn) of Selexipag and Its Metabolite ACT-333679 by Age Cohort

    Time frame: Cohort (C) 1: Predose between Week (W) 16 to end of DB treatment period (maximum up to W212); C 2: Predose between Week 16 to end of DB treatment period (maximum up to W198); C 3: Predose between Week 16 to end of DB treatment period (maximum up to W96)

    Dose-normalized trough plasma concentration at steady-state (Ctrough,ss,dn) was defined as the plasma concentration just prior to the morning dose, with the last study intervention administration one day prior to the PK sampling. Steady-state was considered achieved if the participant has received a stable dose for at least 3 days prior to collection of the plasma sample. PK samples were collected at two protocol-specified visits per participant occurring between Week 16 and end of DB treatment period. Exact visit timing varied by participant.

  19. Double-blind Period: Dose-normalized Steady-state Trough Concentrations (Ctrough,ss,dn) of Selexipag and Its Metabolite ACT-333679 by Body Weight (BW)

    Time frame: BW >=50kg: Predose between W16 to end of DB treatment period (maximum up to W212); BW >=25-<50kg: Predose between W16 to end of DB treatment period (maximum up to W198); BW >=9- <25kg: Predose between W16 to end of DB treatment period (maximum up to W175)

    Dose-normalized steady-state trough concentration (Ctrough,ss,dn) was defined as the plasma concentration just prior to the morning dose, with the last study intervention administration one day prior to the PK sampling. Steady-state was considered achieved if the participant has received a stable dose for at least 3 days prior to collection of the plasma sample. PK samples were collected at two protocol-specified visits per participant occurring between Week 16 and end of DB treatment period. Exact visit timing varied by participant.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Actelion

Industry

Registry information

Official study title

A Randomized, Multicenter, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study With Open-Label Extension Period to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Selexipag as Add-On Treatment to Standard of Care in Children Aged >=2 to <18 Years With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Acronym: SALTO

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2027
First posted
Nov 25, 2019
Registry last updated
Jul 31, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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