Safety and Efficacy of Teduglutide in Pediatric Patients With Intestinal Failure due to Short Bowel Syndrome: A 24-Week, Phase III Study

Background: This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of teduglutide in pediatric patients with short bowel syndrome-associated intestinal failure (SBS-IF).

Methods: A 24-week, phase III trial with 2 randomized, double-blind teduglutide dose groups and a nonblinded standard of care (SOC) arm was used; patients received 0.025 mg/kg or 0.05 mg/kg teduglutide once daily. Safety end points included treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and growth parameters. The primary efficacy/pharmacodynamic end point was the number of patients who achieved a ≥20% reduction in parenteral support (PS) from baseline at week 24.

Results: All 59 enrolled patients completed the study (0.025 mg/kg, n = 24; 0.05 mg/kg, n = 26; SOC, n = 9). Baseline demographics and disease characteristics were comparable among groups. TEAEs were reported by 98% and 100% of patients in the teduglutide and SOC groups, respectively. The most common TEAEs in the teduglutide-treated groups were pyrexia and vomiting. The primary end point was achieved by 13 (54.2%), 18 (69.2%), and 1 (11.1%) patients who received 0.025 mg/kg teduglutide, 0.05 mg/kg teduglutide, and SOC, respectively (P < 0.05 vs SOC). Both 0.025-mg/kg and 0.05-mg/kg teduglutide groups showed clinically significant reductions in PS volume (P < 0.05 vs SOC), PS calories, days per week and hours per day of PS infusions, and increases in enteral nutrition and plasma citrulline at week 24 compared with baseline. Two (8.3%, 0.025 mg/kg teduglutide) and 3 patients (11.5%, 0.05 mg/kg teduglutide) achieved enteral autonomy.

Conclusion: The safety profile of teduglutide was similar to that reported previously in children and adults. Treatment with teduglutide was associated with significant reductions in PS for pediatric patients with SBS-IF over 24 weeks.