Evaluation of Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of Roflumilast, 250μg and 500μg, as add-on to Standard COPD Treatment to Treat Severe COPD

Roflumilast is a product which has been approved for the treatment of severe chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) and its approved dose is 500μg once daily. This study is primarily designed to see whether alternation in this dose can improve tolerability of Roflumilast in COPD patients. Therefore one in three patients will start roflumilast therapy at a lower dose of 250μg once daily, another one in three will only take the 500μg tablet every other day (and one placebo every other day). Rest of them will start the regular dose of 500μg once daily right away and see whether starting with a lower dose of Roflumilast will lead to better tolerability. Furthermore, the study will see if patients who do not tolerate roflumilast should be given a lower dose of 250μg once daily.

Lastly, the study will investigate what the body does to roflumilast. Patients with a history of COPD for at least last 12 months and a former smoker or current smoker with history of at least 10 pack years will be invited to participate.

The main study period lasts for a maximum of 15 weeks and patients will have to visit the study site up to 6 times. If patients are not tolerating roflumilast, the investigators may switch them to the down titration period where they may be on a lower dose for rest of the study. Then patients will remain in the down titration period for additional 8 weeks and will have to visit the study site 4 times. Most of the visits will take approximately 1 to 2 hours. However, one visit in the main period and 1 or 2 visits in the down titration period will take approximately 6 to 7 hours. These visits are longer to allow time to conduct blood taking.

The Randomization visit is considered the Baseline visit and for participants that discontinue the Main Period and continue into the Down-Titration Period Day 1 of Down Titration is considered BaselineDT.

Inclusion criteria

• In the opinion of the investigator, the participant is capable of understanding and complying with protocol requirements.
• The participant or, when applicable, the participant's legally acceptable representative signs and dates a written, informed consent form and any required privacy authorization prior to the initiation of any study procedures.
• Has a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (according to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2013) for at least 12 months prior to Screening (Visit V0) associated with chronic productive cough for 3 months in each of the 2 years prior to Screening (Visit V0, with other causes of productive cough excluded).
• Shows a post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) of ≤50% of predicted.
• Shows an FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio (post-bronchodilator) <70%.
• Has at least one documented COPD exacerbation within one year prior to Screening (Visit V0).
• Is on standard of care COPD maintenance treatment including Long Acting β2-Agonist (LABAs), long-acting anticholinergics, or any combination thereof taken on a constant daily dose within 12 weeks prior to Screening (Visit V0).
• Must be a former smoker (defined as smoking cessation at least one year ago) or current smoker both with a smoking history of at least 10 pack years.11
• Is male or female and aged 40 or older.
• A female participant of childbearing potential who is sexually active with a nonsterilized male partner agrees to use routinely adequate contraception from signing of informed consent throughout the duration of the study.

Exclusion criteria

Criteria affecting the read-out parameters of the study

• Has a COPD exacerbation ongoing at the Screening (Visit V0), or has a COPD exacerbation between V0 and V1.
• Has a lower respiratory tract infection not resolved 4 weeks prior to Screening (Visit V0).
• Has a diagnosis of asthma and/or other relevant lung disease (eg, history of primary bronchiectases, cystic fibrosis, bronchiolitis, lung resection, lung cancer, interstitial lung disease [eg, fibrosis, silicosis, sarcoidosis], or active tuberculosis).
• Has a known α1-antitrypsin deficiency.
• Has taken roflumilast within 6 months of Screening (Visit V0).

Criteria within ethical considerations in terms of general health

• Has clinically relevant abnormal laboratory values suggesting an undiagnosed disease requiring further clinical evaluation (as assessed by the investigator).
• Has a history of severe psychiatric or neurological disorders.
• Has a history of depression associated with suicidal ideation or behavior.
• Has congestive heart failure severity grade IV according to New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification.
• Has hemodynamically significant cardiac arrhythmias or heart valve deformations.
• Has computed tomography (CT) or chest x-ray findings indicating an acute pulmonary disease other than COPD (eg, tuberculosis, severe bronchiectasis, tumors).
• Has severe immunological diseases (eg, known human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infection, multiple sclerosis, lupus erythematosus, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy).
• Has liver impairment Child-Pugh B or C and/or active viral hepatitis.
• Has severe acute infectious diseases (eg, tuberculosis, or acute hepatitis).
• Has a history of malignant disease (except basal cell carcinoma) within 5 years before Screening (Visit V0).
• Has a history of drug abuse (defined as any illicit drug use) or a history of alcohol abuse within one year before Screening (Visit V0).
• Has a history of hypersensitivity or allergies to roflumilast or rescue medication or ingredients thereof, or any other contraindication for the use thereof.
• If female, the participant is pregnant or lactating or intending to become pregnant before, during, or within 12 weeks after participating in this study; or intending to donate ova during such time period.
• Intends to donate blood, organs, or bone marrow during the course of the study.
• Has received any investigational compound within 30 days prior to Screening (Visit V0), is currently participating in another interventional clinical study, or has been previously enrolled in this study.
• Is suspected to be unable or unwilling to comply with study procedures (eg, language problems, psychological disorders, number and timing of visits at the center).
• Suffers from any concomitant disease that might interfere with study procedures or evaluations.
• Is required to take excluded medications.
• Is an immediate family member, study center employee, or is in a dependent relationship with a study site employee who is involved in conduct of this study (eg, spouse, parent, child, sibling), or may consent under duress.