Analysis of Dynamic Efficacy Endpoints of the Nix-TB Trial

Abstract Background Safer, better, and shorter treatments for multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) are an urgent global health need. The phase 3 clinical trial Nix-TB (NCT02333799) tested a 6-month treatment of MDR and XDR-TB consisting of high-dose linezolid, bedaquiline, and pretomanid (BPaL). In this study, we investigate the relationship between the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the drugs, patient characteristics and efficacy endpoints from Nix-TB. Methods Pharmacokinetic data were collected at weeks 2, 8, and 16. Efficacy endpoints including treatment outcomes, time to stable culture conversion, and longitudinal time to positivity in the mycobacterial growth indicator tube assay were each characterized using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling. Relationships between patient, treatment pharmacokinetics, and disease characteristics and efficacy endpoints were evaluated. Results Data from 93 (85% of the total) participants were analyzed. Higher body mass index was associated with a lower incidence of unfavorable treatment outcomes. Median time to stable culture conversion was 3 months in patients with lower baseline burden compared with 4.5 months in patients with high baseline burden. Participants with minimal disease had steeper time to positivity trajectories compared with participants with high-risk phenotypes. No relationship between any drugs’ pharmacokinetics (drug concentration or exposure metrics) and any efficacy outcomes was observed. Conclusions We have successfully described efficacy endpoints of a BPaL regimen from the Nix-TB trial. Participants with high-risk phenotypes significantly delayed time to culture conversion and bacterial clearance. The lack of a relationship between pharmacokinetic exposures and pharmacodynamic biomarkers opens the possibility to use lower, safer doses, particularly for toxicity-prone linezolid. Clinical Trials Registration NCT02333799. Baseline disease burden and high-risk group significantly delayed time to culture conversion and bacterial clearance in patients with multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. A relationship between drug exposure and biomarkers could not be established.