PEA Bridging Study

In June 2018, the ICA initiated a randomised placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial to determine the efficacy of riociguat on pre- and post-operative pulmonary haemodynamic parameters in patients with severe operable CTEPH:

A Phase 2, Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multicentre, Prospective Study to Assess Efficacy of Riociguat in Patients With Operable CTEPH Prior to Pulmonary Endarterectomy With High Preoperative Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PEA bridging study).

The study aimed to enrol 88 patients over the course of 2 years. Due to slow enrolment and the additional limitations on clinical research imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, the study was terminated early in April 2020. At this time, 11 patients had completed a 3-month course of blinded trial medication and undergone surgery.

The key objectives for this study were to:

  • Assess the efficacy of riociguat on preoperative PVR in patients with operable CTEPH
  • Assess the efficacy of riociguat on pre- and post-operative pulmonary haemodynamic parameters in patients with operable CTEPH

Four expert sites from the UK, France, Germany and the United States participated in this study.

Study results based on the data collected up to study termination have been posted on clinicaltrials.gov and on EudraCT and were presented as a poster at ERS 2022:

D. P. Jenkins et al., Medical bridging therapy before pulmonary endarterectomy? European Respiratory Journal 2022;60(suppl 66); 2858; DOI: 10.1183/13993003.congress-2022.2858; available at https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/60/suppl_66/2858

The PEA bridging study was funded by Bayer AG.

The study is registered on clinicaltrials.gov under NCT03273257 and on EudraCT under the trial number 2017-001121-40.