Frespaciguat (MK-5475) in Participants With Pulmonary Hypertension Associated With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (PH-COPD) (MK-5475-006)

Part 1 of this study will assess safety, tolerability, and PK of frespaciguat compared to placebo. Part 2 will assess safety, tolerability, PK, and changes in PVR and PBV of frespaciguat compared to placebo.

Inclusion criteria

• Is male or female, from 40 to 80 years of age inclusive at the time of signing informed consent.
• Be judged to have no untreated, clinically significant health issue from other comorbidities based on medical history, physical examination, vital signs and electrocardiograms performed at the screening visit(s)
• Be judged to have no untreated, clinically significant health issue from other comorbidities based on laboratory safety tests performed at the screening visit(s)
• Male participants are eligible to participate if they agree to the following during the intervention period and for at least 14 days, corresponding to time needed to eliminate study intervention(s) (eg, 5 terminal half-lives) plus an additional 90 days (a spermatogenesis cycle) after the last dose of study intervention. Be abstinent from heterosexual intercourse as their preferred and usual lifestyle (abstinent on a long term and persistent basis) and agree to remain abstinent or agrees to use contraception unless confirmed to be azoospermic (vasectomized or secondary to medical cause
• A female participant is eligible to participate if she is not pregnant or breastfeeding, and at least one of the following conditions applies: She is a woman of nonchildbearing potential (WONCBP) or is a WOCBP and using a contraceptive method that is highly effective (with a failure rate of <1% per year), with low user dependency, or be abstinent from heterosexual intercourse as their preferred and usual lifestyle (abstinent on a long term and persistent basis)
• Have been diagnosed with mild to severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) according to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) diagnostic criteria (postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/ forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio < 0.7)
• Has Modified Medical Research Council (MMRC) Dyspnea Score in the range of 1 through 3 at screening
• Be deemed clinically stable by the investigator
• Be or have suspected Pulmonary Hypertension Group 3 in particular: COPD
• Have a history of right heart catheterization (RHC) within 3 years of starting study medication demonstrating mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) ≥ 25mmHg and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) ≥ 3.75 Woods units or 300 dynes/sec/cm or have an echocardiogram performed by the investigator (or appropriate designee) at screening or within 1 year of screening demonstrating pulmonary artery systolic pressure ≥ 38 mmHg (Part 1 only) or ≥ 50 mmHg (Part 2 only) in conjunction with one or more of the following: tricuspid regurgitation velocity >3 m/s or significant right heart enlargement and or reduced right heart function

Exclusion criteria

• Has pulmonary hypertension subtypes including the following according to Nice 2013 Clinical classification. This includes Group 1 Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH): Idiopathic PAH, Heritable PAH including Bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II (BMPR2), Activin A receptor type II-like kinase-1 (ALK1), endoglin, Sterile alpha motif domain-containing protein 9 (SMAD9), caveolin 1 (CAV1), potassium two-pore-domain channel subfamily K member 3 (KCNK3) and unknown, Drug and toxin-induced PAH, PAH associated with Connective tissue disease, HIV infection, Portal hypertension, Congenital heart disease (unrepaired and not requiring repair or repaired simple cardiac defects at least 1year status post corrective surgery, with no clinically significant residual shunt), Schistosomiasis, Chronic hemolytic anemia, Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), and Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD) and or pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis (PCH); Group 2 Pulmonary hypertension owing to left heart diseases including Left ventricular Systolic dysfunction, Left ventricular Diastolic dysfunction, Valvular disease, Congenital/acquired left heart inflow/outflow tract obstruction and congenital cardiomyopathies; Group 3 Pulmonary hypertension owing to lung diseases or hypoxia not associated with COPD including Interstitial lung disease, Other pulmonary diseases with mixed restrictive and obstructive pattern, Sleep-disordered breathing (mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be permitted with sponsor consultation), Alveolar hypoventilation disorders. Chronic exposure to high altitude, Developmental abnormalities; Group 4 Pulmonary hypertension defined as Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension [CTEPH]); and Group 5 Pulmonary Hypertension with unclear multifactorial mechanisms including Hematologic disorders: chronic hemolytic anemia, myeloproliferative disorders, Splenectomy, Systemic disorders: sarcoidosis, pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis, lymphangioleimyomatosis, neurofibromatosis, vasculitis, Metabolic disorders: glycogen storage disease, Gaucher disease, thyroid disorders, and Others: tumoral obstruction, fibrosing mediastinitis, chronic renal failure, segmental pulmonary hypertension.
• Has a history of clinically significant endocrine, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, hematological, hepatic (not including chronic stable Hep B and C), immunological, renal, respiratory (not including PH-COPD), genitourinary, or major neurological (including stroke and chronic seizures) abnormalities or diseases
• Is mentally or legally incapacitated, has significant emotional problems at the time of pre-study (screening) visit or expected during the conduct of the study or has a history of clinically significant psychiatric disorder of the last 5 years. Participants who have had situational depression may be enrolled in the study at the discretion of the investigator
• Has a history of cancer (malignancy) except adequately treated nonmelanomatous skin carcinoma or carcinoma in situ of the cervix or other malignancies which have been successfully treated with appropriate follow up and therefore unlikely to recur for the duration of the study, in the opinion of the investigator and with agreement of the Sponsor
• Has a history of significant multiple and/or severe allergies (eg, food, drug, latex allergy), or has had an anaphylactic reaction or significant intolerability (ie, systemic allergic reaction) to prescription or non-prescription drugs or food
• Is positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) [acute infection] or HIV (participants with positive HBsAG that demonstrate low viral load (chronic stable infection) are permitted.
• Part 2 only: Has known sensitivity to iodine or iodine containing products
• Had major surgery, donated or lost 1 unit of blood (approximately 500 mL) within 4 weeks prior to the prestudy (screening) visit.
• Has persistent or permanent atrial fibrillation with uncontrolled ventricular rate (participants with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or controlled atrial fibrillation with no clinically significant arrhythmia may be allowed per the judgement of the investigator)
• Has history of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) or severe bullous emphysema. If no history, a confirmed negative high-resolution computerized tomography scan (HRCT) for these conditions needs to have been performed within last 2 ears.
• Has an active respiratory infection (common cold, influenza, pneumonia, acute bronchitis) with lung function values (FEV1 and/or FEV1/FVC ratio) that do not meet eligibility range
• Has a physical limitation that will inhibit the participant to effectively perform low intensity exercise testing (e.g. severe arthritis of the hip or knee)
• Is unable to refrain from or anticipates the use of any medication, including prescription and nonprescription drugs or herbal remedies beginning approximately 2 weeks (or 5 half-lives) prior to administration of the initial dose of study drug, throughout the study (including washout intervals between treatment periods), until the poststudy visit. There may be certain medications that are permitted
• Is currently on monotherapy calcium channel blockers as a specific treatment for pulmonary hypertension
• Is currently taking nitrates, inhaled prostacyclin, immediate or extended release diltiazem, phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors or soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) or activators for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Participants previously using medications to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension may be enrolled provided they have been off therapy for at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the screening period
• Has participated in another investigational study within 4 weeks (or 5 half-lives, whichever is greater) prior to the prestudy (screening) visit. The window will be derived from the date of the last visit in the previous study
• Has FEV1 < 30% predicted based on Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) at screening
• Part 2 only: Does not meet RHC criteria at baseline
• Participant has an estimated creatinine clearance of < 60 mL/min based on the Cockcroft Gault equation at screening
• Suffers from claustrophobia and is unable to undergo a computerized tomography (CT) scan
• Has participated in a positron emission tomography (PET) research study or other research study involving administration of a radioactive substance or ionizing radiation within 12 months prior to the screening visit or has undergone or plans to have extensive radiological examination within the period with a radiation burden over 10 millisievert (mSv)
• Does not agree to follow the smoking restrictions as defined by the clinical research unit (CRU)
• Consumes greater than 3 glasses of alcoholic beverages
• Consumes excessive amounts, defined as greater than 6 servings of coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, or other caffeinated beverages per day
• Is a regular user of cannabis, any illicit drugs or has a history of drug (including alcohol) abuse within approximately 12 months. Participants must have a negative urine drug screen (UDS) prior to randomization