The Hokusai VTE Study 

SAVAYSA for the treatment of patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) was studied in a multi-national, double-blind study (Hokusai VTE) (NCT00986154) which compared the efficacy and safety of SAVAYSA 60 mg orally once daily to warfarin (titrated to INR 2.0 to 3.0) in patients with acute symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) (DVT or PE with or without DVT). All patients had VTE confirmed by appropriate diagnostic imaging at baseline and received initial heparin therapy with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) or unfractionated heparin for at least 5 days [median LMWH/heparin treatment in the SAVAYSA 60 mg group was 7 days, and in the warfarin group it was 8.0 days] and until INR (sham or real) was ≥ 2.0 on two measurements. Blinded drug treatment in the warfarin arm was started concurrently with initial heparin therapy and in the SAVAYSA arm after discontinuation of initial heparin. Patients randomized to SAVAYSA received 30 mg once daily if they met one or more of the following criteria: CrCL 30 to 50 mL/min, body weight ≤ 60 kg, or concomitant use of specific P-gp inhibitors (verapamil and quinidine or the short-term concomitant administration of azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, oral itraconazole or oral ketoconazole). The edoxaban dosage regimen was to be returned to the regular dosage of 60 mg once daily at any time the subject is not taking the concomitant medication provided no other criteria for dose reduction are met. Other P-gp inhibitors were not permitted in the study. Patients on antiretroviral therapy (ritonavir, nelfinavir, indinavir, saquinavir) as well as cyclosporine were excluded from the Hokusai VTE study. The concomitant use of these drugs with SAVAYSA has not been studied in patients. The treatment duration was from 3 months up to 12 months, determined by investigator based on patient clinical features. Patients were excluded if they required thrombectomy, insertion of a caval filter, use of a fibrinolytic agent, or use of other P-gp inhibitors, had a creatinine clearance < 30 mL/min, significant liver disease, or active bleeding. The primary efficacy outcome was symptomatic VTE, defined as the composite of recurrent DVT, new non-fatal symptomatic PE, and fatal PE during the 12-month study period.

A total of 8292 patients were randomized to receive SAVAYSA or warfarin and were followed for a mean treatment duration of 252 days for SAVAYSA and 250 days for warfarin. The mean age was approximately 56 years. The population was 57% male, 70% Caucasian, 21% Asian, and about 4% Black. The presenting diagnosis was PE (with or without DVT) in 40.7% and DVT only in 59.3% of patients. At baseline, 27.6% of patients had temporary risk factors only (e.g., trauma, surgery, immobilization, estrogen therapy). Overall 9.4% had a history of cancer, 17.3% of the patients had an age ≥ 75 years and/or a body weight ≤ 50 kg, and/or a CrCL < 50 mL/min, and 31.4% of patients had NT-ProBNP ≥ 500 pg/mL. 

Aspirin was taken as on treatment concomitant antithrombotic medication by approximately 9% of patients in both groups.

In the warfarin group, the median TTR (time in therapeutic range, INR 2.0 to 3.0) was 65.6%.

A total of 8240 patients (n = 4118 for SAVAYSA and n = 4122 for warfarin) received study drug and were included in the modified intent-to-treat (mITT) population. SAVAYSA was demonstrated to be non-inferior to warfarin for the primary endpoint of recurrent VTE [HR (95% CI): 0.89 (0.70, 1.13)] (Table 14.3, Figure 14.3).

Figure 14.3: Kaplan-Meier Cumulative Event Rate Estimates for Adjudicated Recurrent VTE (mITT analysis – on treatment)

The Hokusai VTE Cancer Study

In the Hokusai VTE Cancer study (NCT02073682), 1050 patients were randomized to receive SAVAYSA 60 mg once daily [30 mg dose reduced per the dose adjustment regimen used in Engage AF-TIMI 48 and Hokusai VTE studies, (see The Hokusai VTE Study)] after at least 5 days of low-molecular-weight heparin treatment or dalteparin (200 IU/kg day 1-30; 150 IU/kg day 31 to the end of treatment). The treatment duration was for a minimum of 6 months and up to 12 months.

The efficacy of SAVAYSA was based upon the rate of recurrent VTE (mITT) during the overall study period. SAVAYSA was non-inferior to dalteparin for the rate of recurrent VTE. Recurrent VTE occurred in 7.9% (41/522) and 11.3% (59/524) of patients in the SAVAYSA and dalteparin groups, respectively [HR (95% CI): 0.71 (0.48, 1.06)].