The primary purpose of the study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of 2 doses of AC01 compared to placebo over 12 weeks in participants with chronic advanced HFrEF.
This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the ghrelin-receptor agonist AC01 compared to placebo in participants with chronic advanced HFrEF. Approximately 400 participants will be randomized to 1 of 3 treatment arms: 3 mg AC01, 1 milligram (mg) AC01, or placebo twice daily for 12 weeks. The primary objective is to evaluate the effect of AC01 compared to placebo on cardiac structure and function assessed by echocardiography.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
400
Absolute Change from Baseline in Composite Echocardiography Z-Score at Week 12
The composite echocardiography Z-score integrates left ventricular stroke volume (LVSV), left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and left atrial minimal volume index (LAVImin).
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Absolute Change from Baseline in LVSV at Week 12
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Absolute Change from Baseline in LVEF at Week 12
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Absolute Change from Baseline in LVESV at Week 12
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Absolute Change From Baseline in LAVImin at Week 12
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Absolute Change from Baseline in N-terminal prohormone of Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP)
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Absolute Change From Baseline in Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Total Symptom Score (KCCQ-TSS) at Week 12
The KCCQ is a validated, 23-item, self-administered questionnaire designed to assess health status in participants with congestive heart failure. It evaluates six domains: symptoms, physical function, quality of life, social limitation, self-efficacy, and symptom stability. Each domain score is transformed to a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health status. The KCCQ-TSS is derived from the domain scores.
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Absolute Change From Baseline in Patient Global Impression of Severity (PGIS) at Week 12
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PGIS is 1-item questionnaire used to rate the severity of a specific condition. Participants record their perceived severity of heart failure (HF) symptoms, specifically shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling, and choose 1 response that best described the extent of their symptoms based on a 5-point scale. Response options include none, mild, moderate, severe, and very severe. Higher PGIS scores indicate more severe HF symptoms; lower scores indicate less severe symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) at Week 12
The PGIC questionnaire is administered to assess the participant's impression of change in HF symptoms since the initiation of study treatment, specifically changes in shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling. Participants select one response to describe the overall change (if any) in HF symptoms on a 7-category scale: 7=very much improved, 6 =much improved, 5 =minimally improved, 4 =no change, 3 =minimally worse, 2 =much worse, and 1 =very much worse. Higher PGIC scores indicate greater improvement in HF symptoms, while lower scores indicate worsening or no change.
Time frame: At Week 12
Number of Participants With Death, Cardiovascular Death, Hospitalization, Cardiovascular Hospitalization, Heart Failure Hospitalization, Heart Failure Events, Other Adjudicated Events, and Listed for Heart Transplantation
Time frame: At Week 12
Change From Baseline in Guideline-directed Medical Therapy (GDMT) Use for HFrEF at Week 12
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Absolute Change from Baseline in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR)
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Number of Participants With Dialysis
Time frame: At Week 12
Absolute Change from Baseline in Council on Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire (CNAQ) Total Score
The CNAQ is an 8-item, self-administered questionnaire used to assess appetite over time. Each item is scored on a scale of 1 to 5, and the total score is calculated as the sum of all item scores. The instrument has demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties, including internal consistency, construct validity, and predictive validity, for assessing appetite in participants with heart failure. Higher CNAQ scores indicate better appetite.
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Absolute Change From Baseline in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
AUC,ss: Area Under the Concentration-Time Curve at Steady State of AC01 and its Metabolite M6
Time frame: At Week 4 and Week 12
Cmax,ss: Maximum Observed Concentration at Steady State of AC01 and its Metabolite M6
Time frame: At Week 4 and Week 12
Tmax,ss: Time to Reach Maximum Concentration at Steady State
Time frame: At Week 4 and Week 12
Ctrough: Trough concentration at steady state of AC01 and its Metabolite M6
Time frame: At Week 4 and Week 12
Rac (Cmax): Accumulation Ratio of Cmax for AC01 and its Metabolite M6
Accumulation ratio of Cmax was calculated as Cmax at Week 12/Cmax at Week 4.
Time frame: At Week 4 and Week 12
Rac (AUC): Accumulation Ratio of AUC for AC01 and its Metabolite M6
Accumulation ratio of AUC was calculated as AUC at Week 12/AUC at Week 4.
Time frame: At Week 4 and Week 12
Number of Participants With Treatment-emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs), Serious Adverse Events (SAEs), Adverse Events of Special Interest (AESIs)
Time frame: From first dose of study drug up to end of follow up (up to Week 16)