# Presentation: 779613

## Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee MeetingFebruary 24, 2005ATACAND (candesartan cilexetil)NDA 20-838/S-022, S-024, S-025Questions to the Committee

## When two drugs are presumed to operate by sufficiently distinct mechanisms, one generally does not worry whether therapy with the older one has been optimized before testing the addition of the newer one. 

	1.1  Should one, in fact, test a new drug against optimized background therapy?

	1.2  What are the implications if such optimization is not done?

- 	1.1  Should one, in fact, test a new drug against optimized background therapy?
- 	1.2  What are the implications if such optimization is not done?

## 
1.3  Did CHARM-Added have adequate optimization of background therapy with respect to ...

1.3.1...ACE inhibitor use?

1.3.2...Other treatments for heart failure?

- 1.3  Did CHARM-Added have adequate optimization of background therapy with respect to ...
- 1.3.1...ACE inhibitor use?
- 1.3.2...Other treatments for heart failure?

## 
1.4  Are ACE inhibitors and ARBs sufficiently
different that CHARM-Added can support use of
candesartan with ACE inhibitors?  What clinical data
support your view?

If you conclude that ACE inhibitors and ARBs are
sufficiently different, skip to question 7. If the mechanisms
overlap, then optimization of ACE inhibitors matters more.

**1.4  Are ACE inhibitors and ARBs sufficiently**
**different that CHARM-Added can support use of**
**candesartan with ACE inhibitors?  What clinical data**
**support your view?**
- If you conclude that ACE inhibitors and ARBs _are_
- sufficiently different, skip to question 7. If the mechanisms
- overlap, then optimization of ACE inhibitors matters more.

## 
2.   The protocol for CHARM-Added required subjects to be on an ACE inhibitor and the possible choices were not limited to ones with established claims for heart failure. In designing a trial for an add-on claim, ...

	2.1... Should the ACE inhibitors all be ones with an established claim in heart failure?

	2.2  ... How does one pick the target regimen for the ACE inhibitors?

- 2.   The protocol for CHARM-Added required subjects to be on an ACE inhibitor and the possible choices were not limited to ones with established claims for heart failure. In designing a trial for an add-on claim, ...
- 	2.1... Should the ACE inhibitors all be ones with an established claim in heart failure?
- 	2.2  ... How does one pick the target regimen for the ACE inhibitors?

## 3.   The CHARM-Added protocol recommended that subjects be treated on “individualized optimum” doses of ACE inhibitor, based on tolerability and “recommended target doses”.

	3.1  What is known about the relationship between dose of ACE Inhibitor and clinical benefits and risks in heart failure? 

	3.2  Were the choices of ACE inhibitor in CHARM-Added reasonable?

	3.3  Were the target regimens in CHARM-Added reasonable?

**	****3.1  What is known about the relationship between dose of ACE Inhibitor and clinical benefits and risks in heart failure? **
**	****3.2  Were the choices of ACE inhibitor in CHARM-Added reasonable?**
**	****3.3  Were the target regimens in CHARM-Added reasonable?**

## 	
	3.4  What features of the CHARM-Added ensured ACE inhibitor optimization?

	3.5  Was optimized usage of ACE inhibitors realized? How do you know?

	3.6  Many subjects in CHARM-Added were never on the target dose of ACE inhibitor. Does one know why?

- 	3.4  What features of the CHARM-Added ensured ACE inhibitor optimization?
- 	3.5  Was optimized usage of ACE inhibitors realized? How do you know?
- 	3.6  Many subjects in CHARM-Added were never on the target dose of ACE inhibitor. Does one know why?

## 3.7  The protocol permitted investigators to lower the dose of other antihypertensive drugs, including ACE inhibitor, in order to achieve the target dose of candesartan.

	3.7.1  Was this a potential problem?

	3.7.2  Was it an actual problem?

- 	3.7.1  Was this a potential problem?
- 	3.7.2  Was it an actual problem?

## 
4.  A second possible claim would be that candesartan has
effects one could not achieve with ACE inhibitors,
regardless of dose. What evidence does CHARM-Added
provide that candesartan has benefits in patients with full
ACE inhibition? 

	4.1  In analyses of CHARM-Added that factored in ACE inhibitor dose, does it matter that subjects were not randomized to ACE inhibitor dose?

	4.2  Compared with full ACE inhibition, what loss of effect with candesartan has been excluded by these analyses?

- 4.  A second possible claim would be that candesartan has
- effects one could not achieve with ACE inhibitors,
- regardless of dose. What evidence does CHARM-Added
- provide that candesartan has benefits in patients with full
- ACE inhibition?
- 	4.1  In analyses of CHARM-Added that factored in ACE inhibitor dose, does it matter that subjects were not randomized to ACE inhibitor dose?
- 	4.2  Compared with full ACE inhibition, what loss of effect with candesartan has been excluded by these analyses?

## 
4.3  Do the results of CHARM-Added support a
Claim that candesartan has clinical benefits
Unachievable with ACE inhibitors?

If CHARM-Added supports use of candesartan by
virtue of effects unachievable with an ACE inhibitor,
skip to question 7.

**4.3  Do the results of CHARM-Added support a**
**Claim that candesartan has clinical benefits**
**Unachievable with ACE inhibitors?**
- If CHARM-Added supports use of candesartan by
- virtue of effects unachievable with an ACE inhibitor,
- skip to question 7.

## 5.  A third possible claim might result if one could not
achieve a full effect on a system by one drug, perhaps
because of system-independent tolerance problems,
but one could achieve a larger effect with the addition
of a second agent.
	5.1  Does one need to establish that the original, poorly tolerated therapy is still needed in such a trial?

	5.2  What would be required to obtain such a claim? 

	5.3  Does CHARM-Added have these design features?

- achieve a full effect on a system by one drug, perhaps
- because of system-independent tolerance problems,
- but one could achieve a larger effect with the addition
- of a second agent.
- 	5.1  Does one need to establish that the original, poorly tolerated therapy is still needed in such a trial?
- 	5.2  What would be required to obtain such a claim?
- 	5.3  Does CHARM-Added have these design features?

## 5.4  Do the results of CHARM Added support a
claim that candesartan should be used in
patients unable to take a full dose of ACE
inhibitor?

If CHARM-Added supports a claim for
candesartan in patients on some dose of ACE
inhibitor, skip to question 7.

**claim that candesartan should be used in**
**patients unable to take a full dose of ACE**
**inhibitor?**
- If CHARM-Added supports a claim for
- candesartan in patients on some dose of ACE
- inhibitor, skip to question 7.

## 
6. Is there another possible claim resulting from
CHARM-Added?

- 6. Is there another possible claim resulting from
- CHARM-Added?

## 7.  If you have identified a possible pathway to
approve candesartan based on questions 1, 4, 5, or 6,
comment on the available strength of evidence.

	7.1  What are one’s prior expectations based on mechanism of action?

	7.2  Are there supportive findings in CHARM-Added? Are these findings covered by the statistical analysis plan 

	7.3  Are there other data on the use of candesartan added to ACE inhibitors in the treatment of heart failure? If so, are these data supportive?

- approve candesartan based on questions 1, 4, 5, or 6,
- comment on the available strength of evidence.
- 	7.1  What are one’s prior expectations based on mechanism of action?
- 	7.2  Are there supportive findings in CHARM-Added? Are these findings covered by the statistical analysis plan
- 	7.3  Are there other data on the use of candesartan added to ACE inhibitors in the treatment of heart failure? If so, are these data supportive?

## 
7.4  Is it appropriate to consider studies of other angiotensin receptor antagonists in this or some related setting? If so, ...

	7.4.1 ...What are these studies?

	7.4.2  ... Are these data supportive?

- 7.4  Is it appropriate to consider studies of other angiotensin receptor antagonists in this or some related setting? If so, ...
- 	7.4.1 ...What are these studies?
- 	7.4.2  ... Are these data supportive?

## 

8.  Should candesartan be approved for use
with an ACE inhibitor in the treatment of heart
failure?

**8.  Should candesartan be approved for use**
**with an ACE inhibitor in the treatment of heart**
**failure?**