A Study of Vericiguat in Participants With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF) (MK-1242-001)

NCT ID: NCT02861534

Last Updated: 2021-11-15

Study Results

Results available

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

5050 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2016-09-20

Study Completion Date

2019-09-02

Brief Summary

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This is a randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multi-center, double-blind, event driven study of vericiguat (MK-1242) in participants with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The primary hypothesis is vericiguat (MK-1242) is superior to placebo in increasing the time to first occurrence of the composite of cardiovascular (CV) death or heart failure (HF) hospitalization in participants with HFrEF.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Heart Failure Chronic Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Investigators

Study Groups

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Vericiguat

Participants receive a starting dose of 2.5 mg of vericiguat taken orally once daily with food, on a background of HF standard of care. The vericiguat dose will be uptitrated to 5 mg and to 10 mg.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Vericiguat

Intervention Type DRUG

2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 mg orally once daily

Placebo

Participants receive a starting matching placebo dose of 2.5 mg taken orally once daily with food, on a background of HF standard of care. The matching placebo dose will be uptitrated to 5 mg and to 10 mg.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo for vericiguat

Intervention Type DRUG

2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 mg orally once daily

Interventions

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Vericiguat

2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 mg orally once daily

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo for vericiguat

2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 mg orally once daily

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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MK-1242

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* History of chronic HF (New York Heart Association \[NYHA\] Class II-IV) on standard therapy before qualifying HF decompensation
* Previous HF hospitalization within 6 months prior to randomization or intravenous (IV) diuretic treatment for HF (without hospitalization) within 3 months.
* Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels: sinus rhythm-≥ 300 pg/mL; atrial fibrillation-≥ 500 pg/mL and N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) levels: sinus rhythm- ≥ 1000 pg/mL; atrial fibrillation - ≥ 1600 pg/mL within 30 days prior to randomization
* Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of \<45% assessed within 12 months prior to randomization by any method
* If female, is not of reproductive potential or agrees to avoid becoming pregnant while receiving study drug and for 14 days after the last dose of study drug by complying with one of the following: practice abstinence from heterosexual activity or use (or have her partner use) acceptable contraception during heterosexual activity.

Exclusion Criteria

* Clinically unstable at the time of randomization as defined by either the administration of any IV treatment within 24 hours prior to randomization, and/or systolic blood pressure (SBP) \<100 mmHg or symptomatic hypotension
* Current or anticipated use of long-acting nitrates or nitric oxide (NO) donors including isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide 5-mononitrate, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, nicorandil or transdermal nitroglycerin (NTG) patch, and molsidomine
* Current or anticipated use of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors such as vardenafil, tadalafil, and sildenafil
* Current use or anticipated use of a soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator such as riociguat
* Known allergy or sensitivity to any sGC stimulator
* Awaiting heart transplantation (United Network for Organ Sharing Class 1A / 1B or equivalent), receiving continuous IV infusion of an inotrope, or has/anticipates receiving an implanted ventricular assist device
* Primary valvular heart disease requiring surgery or intervention, or is within 3 months after valvular surgery or intervention
* Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
* Acute myocarditis, amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy
* Post-heart transplant cardiomyopathy
* Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy and/or uncontrolled tachyarrhythmia
* Acute coronary syndrome (unstable angina, non-ST elevation myocardial infarction \[NSTEMI\], or ST elevation myocardial infarction \[(STEMI\]) or coronary revascularization (coronary artery bypass grafting \[CABG\] or percutaneous coronary intervention \[PCI\]) within 60 days, or indication for coronary revascularization at time of randomization
* Symptomatic carotid stenosis, transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke within 60 days
* Complex congenital heart disease
* Active endocarditis or constrictive pericarditis
* Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \<15 mL/min/1.73 m2 or chronic dialysis
* Severe hepatic insufficiency such as with hepatic encephalopathy
* Malignancy or other non-cardiac condition limiting life expectancy to \<3 years
* Require continuous home oxygen for severe pulmonary disease
* Current alcohol and/or drug abuse
* Participated in another interventional clinical study and treatment with another investigational product ≤30 days prior to randomization or plans to participate in any other trial/investigation during the duration of this study
* Mental or legal incapacitation and is unable to provide informed consent
* Immediate family member (e.g., spouse, parent/legal guardian, sibling or child) who is involved with this study
* Interstitial Lung Disease
* Is pregnant or breastfeeding or plans to become pregnant or to breastfeed during the course of the study
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Bayer

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role collaborator

Canadian VIGOUR Centre

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Duke Clinical Research Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Mahesh J. Patel, MD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Paul W. Armstrong, MD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Canadian VIGOUR Centre - University of Alberta

Christopher M. O'Connor, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Inova Heart and Vascular Institute

Burkert Pieske, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Charité University Medicine and German Heart Center

Countries

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Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Canada Chile China Colombia Czechia Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Guatemala Hong Kong Hungary Ireland Israel Italy Japan Malaysia Mexico Netherlands New Zealand Norway Peru Philippines Poland Puerto Rico Russia Singapore South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Turkey (Türkiye) Ukraine United Kingdom United States

References

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Pieske B, Patel MJ, Westerhout CM, Anstrom KJ, Butler J, Ezekowitz J, Hernandez AF, Koglin J, Lam CSP, Ponikowski P, Roessig L, Voors AA, O'Connor CM, Armstrong PW; VICTORIA Study Group. Baseline features of the VICTORIA (Vericiguat Global Study in Subjects with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction) trial. Eur J Heart Fail. 2019 Dec;21(12):1596-1604. doi: 10.1002/ejhf.1664. Epub 2019 Dec 9.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 31820546 (View on PubMed)

Shah P, Zheng Y, Pieske B, Melenovsky V, Lam CSP, Sliwa K, Butler J, Ezekowitz JA, deFilippi CR, O'Connor CM, Sandhu RK, Roessig L, Tromp J, Westerhout CM, Voors AA, Armstrong PW; VICTORIA Study Group. Phenomapping in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction to Identify Subpopulations With High Residual Risk: A VICTORIA Substudy. Circ Heart Fail. 2025 Oct 8:e013166. doi: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.125.013166. Online ahead of print.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 41058565 (View on PubMed)

Khan MS, Butler J, Young R, Lewis BS, Escobedo J, Refsgaard J, Reyes E, Roessig L, Blaustein RO, Lam CSP, Voors AA, Ponikowski P, Anstrom KJ, Armstrong PW; VICTORIA Study Group. Vericiguat and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Heart Failure by Baseline Diabetes Status: Insights From the VICTORIA Trial. JACC Heart Fail. 2024 Oct;12(10):1750-1759. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2024.05.007. Epub 2024 Jun 26.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 38934967 (View on PubMed)

Mentz RJ, Stebbins A, Butler J, Chiang CE, Ezekowitz JA, Hernandez AF, Hilkert R, Lam CSP, McDonald K, O'Connor CM, Pieske B, Ponikowski P, Roessig L, Sweitzer NK, Voors AA, Anstrom KJ, Armstrong PW; VICTORIA Study Group. Recurrent Hospitalizations and Response to Vericiguat in Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction. JACC Heart Fail. 2024 May;12(5):839-846. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2023.12.005. Epub 2024 Feb 14.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 38363272 (View on PubMed)

Chew DS, Li Y, Bigelow R, Cowper PA, Anstrom KJ, Daniels MR, Davidson-Ray L, Hernandez AF, O'Connor CM, Armstrong PW, Mark DB; VICTORIA Study Group. Cost-Effectiveness of Vericiguat in Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: The VICTORIA Randomized Clinical Trial. Circulation. 2023 Oct 3;148(14):1087-1098. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.063602. Epub 2023 Sep 6.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37671551 (View on PubMed)

Lam CSP, Pina IL, Zheng Y, Bonderman D, Pouleur AC, Saldarriaga C, Pieske B, Blaustein RO, Nkulikiyinka R, Westerhout CM, Armstrong PW; VICTORIA Study Group. Age, Sex, and Outcomes in Heart Failure With Reduced EF: Insights From the VICTORIA Trial. JACC Heart Fail. 2023 Sep;11(9):1246-1257. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2023.06.020. Epub 2023 Aug 9.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37565973 (View on PubMed)

Armstrong PW, Zheng Y, Lund LH, Butler J, Troughton RW, Emdin M, Lam CSP, Ponikowski P, Blaustein RO, O'Connor CM, Roessig L, Voors AA, Ezekowitz JA, Westerhout CM; VICTORIA Study Group. Evolution of NT-proBNP During Prerandomization Screening in VICTORIA: Implications for Clinical Outcomes and Efficacy of Vericiguat. Circ Heart Fail. 2023 Oct;16(10):e010661. doi: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.123.010661. Epub 2023 Jul 28.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37503602 (View on PubMed)

Ezekowitz JA, McMullan CJ, Westerhout CM, Pina IL, Lopez-Sendon J, Anstrom KJ, Hernandez AF, Lam CSP, O'Connor CM, Pieske B, Ponikowski P, Roessig L, Voors AA, Koglin J, Armstrong PW, Butler J; VICTORIA Study Group. Background Medical Therapy and Clinical Outcomes From the VICTORIA Trial. Circ Heart Fail. 2023 Sep;16(9):e010599. doi: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.123.010599. Epub 2023 Jul 7.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37417824 (View on PubMed)

Felker GM, North R, Mulder H, Jones WS, Anstrom KJ, Patel MJ, Butler J, Ezekowitz JA, Lam CSP, O'Connor CM, Roessig L, Hernandez AF, Armstrong PW; VICTORIA Study Group. Classification of Heart Failure Events by Severity: Insights From the VICTORIA Trial. J Card Fail. 2023 Aug;29(8):1113-1120. doi: 10.1016/j.cardfail.2023.04.015. Epub 2023 Jun 17.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37331690 (View on PubMed)

Butler J, Zheng Y, Khan MS, Bonderman D, Lund LH, deFilippi CR, Blaustein RO, Ezekowitz JA, Freitas C, Hernandez AF, O'Connor CM, Voors AA, Westerhout CM, Lam CSP, Armstrong PW; VICTORIA Study Group. Ejection Fraction, Biomarkers, and Outcomes and Impact of Vericiguat on Outcomes Across EF in VICTORIA. JACC Heart Fail. 2023 May;11(5):583-592. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2022.12.014. Epub 2023 Apr 12.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37137660 (View on PubMed)

Armstrong PW, Zheng Y, Troughton RW, Lund LH, Zhang J, Lam CSP, Westerhout CM, Blaustein RO, Butler J, Hernandez AF, Roessig L, O'Connor CM, Voors AA, Ezekowitz JA; VICTORIA Study Group. Sequential Evaluation of NT-proBNP in Heart Failure: Insights Into Clinical Outcomes and Efficacy of Vericiguat. JACC Heart Fail. 2022 Sep;10(9):677-688. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2022.04.015. Epub 2022 Jul 6.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 36049817 (View on PubMed)

Senni M, Lopez-Sendon J, Cohen-Solal A, Ponikowski P, Nkulikiyinka R, Freitas C, Vlajnic VM, Roessig L, Pieske B. Vericiguat and NT-proBNP in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: analyses from the VICTORIA trial. ESC Heart Fail. 2022 Dec;9(6):3791-3803. doi: 10.1002/ehf2.14050. Epub 2022 Jul 26.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 35880474 (View on PubMed)

Senni M, Alemayehu WG, Sim D, Edelmann F, Butler J, Ezekowitz J, Hernandez AF, Lam CSP, O'Connor CM, Pieske B, Ponikowski P, Roessig L, Voors AA, Westerhout CM, McMullan C, Armstrong PW; VICTORIA Study Group. Efficacy and safety of vericiguat in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction treated with sacubitril/valsartan: insights from the VICTORIA trial. Eur J Heart Fail. 2022 Sep;24(9):1614-1622. doi: 10.1002/ejhf.2608. Epub 2022 Jul 20.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 35791083 (View on PubMed)

Butler J, Stebbins A, Melenovsky V, Sweitzer NK, Cowie MR, Stehlik J, Khan MS, Blaustein RO, Ezekowitz JA, Hernandez AF, Lam CSP, Nkulikiyinka R, O'Connor CM, Pieske BM, Ponikowski P, Spertus JA, Voors AA, Anstrom KJ, Armstrong PW; VICTORIA Study Group. Vericiguat and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: Insights From the VICTORIA Trial. Circ Heart Fail. 2022 Jun;15(6):e009337. doi: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.121.009337. Epub 2022 Jun 3.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 35656822 (View on PubMed)

Lam CSP, Mulder H, Lopatin Y, Vazquez-Tanus JB, Siu D, Ezekowitz J, Pieske B, O'Connor CM, Roessig L, Patel MJ, Anstrom KJ, Hernandez AF, Armstrong PW; VICTORIA Study Group. Blood Pressure and Safety Events With Vericiguat in the VICTORIA Trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Nov 16;10(22):e021094. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.021094. Epub 2021 Nov 6.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34743540 (View on PubMed)

Ezekowitz JA, Zheng Y, Cohen-Solal A, Melenovsky V, Escobedo J, Butler J, Hernandez AF, Lam CSP, O'Connor CM, Pieske B, Ponikowski P, Voors AA, deFilippi C, Westerhout CM, McMullan C, Roessig L, Armstrong PW. Hemoglobin and Clinical Outcomes in the Vericiguat Global Study in Patients With Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction (VICTORIA). Circulation. 2021 Nov 2;144(18):1489-1499. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.056797. Epub 2021 Aug 25.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34432985 (View on PubMed)

Ezekowitz J, Mentz RJ, Westerhout CM, Sweitzer NK, Givertz MM, Pina IL, O'Connor CM, Greene SJ, McMullan C, Roessig L, Hernandez AF, Armstrong PW. Participation in a Heart Failure Clinical Trial: Perspectives and Opportunities From the VICTORIA Trial and VICTORIA Simultaneous Registry. Circ Heart Fail. 2021 Sep;14(9):e008242. doi: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.120.008242. Epub 2021 Aug 19.

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PMID: 34407626 (View on PubMed)

Mentz RJ, Mulder H, Mosterd A, Sweitzer NK, Senni M, Butler J, Ezekowitz JA, Lam CSP, Pieske B, Ponikowski P, Voors AA, Anstrom KJ, Armstrong PW, O'connor CM, Hernandez AF; VICTORIA Study Group. Clinical Outcome Predictions for the VerICiguaT Global Study in Subjects With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction (VICTORIA) Trial. J Card Fail. 2021 Jun 24:S1071-9164(21)00206-2. doi: 10.1016/j.cardfail.2021.05.016. Online ahead of print.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34217593 (View on PubMed)

Mentz RJ, Mulder H, Mosterd A, Sweitzer NK, Senni M, Butler J, Ezekowitz JA, Lam CSP, Pieske B, Ponikowski P, Voors AA, Anstrom KJ, Armstrong PW, O'Connor CM; VICTORIA Study Group. Clinical Outcome Predictions for the VerICiguaT Global Study in Subjects With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction (VICTORIA) Trial: VICTORIA Outcomes Model. J Card Fail. 2021 May 26:S1071-9164(21)00206-2. doi: 10.1016/j.cardfail.2021.05.016. Online ahead of print.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34216757 (View on PubMed)

Lam CSP, Giczewska A, Sliwa K, Edelmann F, Refsgaard J, Bocchi E, Ezekowitz JA, Hernandez AF, O'Connor CM, Roessig L, Patel MJ, Pieske B, Anstrom KJ, Armstrong PW; VICTORIA Study Group. Clinical Outcomes and Response to Vericiguat According to Index Heart Failure Event: Insights From the VICTORIA Trial. JAMA Cardiol. 2021 Jun 1;6(6):706-712. doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2020.6455.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 33185650 (View on PubMed)

Ezekowitz JA, O'Connor CM, Troughton RW, Alemayehu WG, Westerhout CM, Voors AA, Butler J, Lam CSP, Ponikowski P, Emdin M, Patel MJ, Pieske B, Roessig L, Hernandez AF, Armstrong PW. N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide and Clinical Outcomes: Vericiguat Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction Study. JACC Heart Fail. 2020 Nov;8(11):931-939. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2020.08.008. Epub 2020 Oct 7.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 33039447 (View on PubMed)

Armstrong PW, Pieske B, Anstrom KJ, Ezekowitz J, Hernandez AF, Butler J, Lam CSP, Ponikowski P, Voors AA, Jia G, McNulty SE, Patel MJ, Roessig L, Koglin J, O'Connor CM; VICTORIA Study Group. Vericiguat in Patients with Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction. N Engl J Med. 2020 May 14;382(20):1883-1893. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1915928. Epub 2020 Mar 28.

Reference Type DERIVED
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Armstrong PW, Roessig L, Patel MJ, Anstrom KJ, Butler J, Voors AA, Lam CSP, Ponikowski P, Temple T, Pieske B, Ezekowitz J, Hernandez AF, Koglin J, O'Connor CM. A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Efficacy and Safety of the Oral Soluble Guanylate Cyclase Stimulator: The VICTORIA Trial. JACC Heart Fail. 2018 Feb;6(2):96-104. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2017.08.013. Epub 2017 Oct 11.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 29032136 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

Download supplemental materials such as informed consent forms, study protocols, or participant manuals.

Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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2016-000671-25

Identifier Type: EUDRACT_NUMBER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

MK-1242-001

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

1242-001

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id