XEN-D0501, a Novel TRPV1 Antagonist, Does Not Reduce Cough in Refractory Cough Patients

RATIONALE: Heightened cough responses to inhaled capsaicin, a TRPV1 agonist, are characteristic of patients with chronic cough. However, previously a TRPV1 antagonist (SB-705498) failed to improve spontaneous cough frequency in these patients despite small reductions in capsaicin-evoked cough.

OBJECTIVES: XEN-D0501 (potent TRPV1 antagonist) was compared with SB-705498 in pre-clinical studies to establish whether an improved efficacy profile would support a further clinical trial of XEN-D0501 in refractory chronic cough.

METHODS: XEN-D0501 and SB-705498 were profiled against capsaicin in a sensory nerve activation assay and in vivo potency established against capsaicin-induced cough in the guinea pig. Twenty patients with refractory chronic cough participated in a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover study evaluating the effect of 14 days XEN-D0501 (oral, 4mg bd) versus placebo on awake cough frequency (primary outcome), capsaicin-evoked cough and patient reported outcomes.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: XEN-D0501 was more efficacious and 1000-fold more potent than SB-705498 at inhibiting capsaicin-induced depolarization of guinea pig and human isolated vagus. In vivo, XEN-D0501 completely inhibited capsaicin-induced cough whereas 100-times more SB-705498 was required to achieve the same effect. In patients, XEN-D0501 substantially reduced maximal cough responses to capsaicin (mean change from baseline XEN-D0501 -19.3(±16.4) coughs vs. placebo -1.8(±5.8), p<0.0001), but not spontaneous awake cough frequency (mean change from baseline XEN-D0501 6.7c/h(±16.9) vs. placebo 0.4c/h(±13.7), p =0.41).

CONCLUSIONS: XEN-D0501 demonstrated superior efficacy and potency in pre-clinical and clinical capsaicin challenge studies; despite this improved pharmacodynamic profile, spontaneous cough frequency did not improve, ruling out TRPV1 as an effective therapeutic target for refractory cough. Clinical trial registration available www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu, ID 2014-000306-36.