A Study to Assess Safety, Tolerability, PK and PD of AZD2693 in Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis Patients

A Phase 1, Double Blind, Randomised, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-centre, Multiple Ascending Dose Study to Assess the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of AZD2693 in Patients With Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) With Fibrosis Stage 0-3 and Carriers of the PNPLA3 148M Risk Alleles

This study is intended to investigate the safety and tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of AZD2693, following subcutaneous (SC) administration of multiple ascending doses in participants with Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) with fibrosis Stage 0 to 3 and who are carriers of the patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 (PNPLA3) 148M risk alleles.

This study is a double blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, multi-centre study in participants with NASH and fibrosis stage between F0 (no fibrosis) and F3 (bridging fibrosis), and who are carriers of the PNPLA3 148M risk alleles.

The study will comprise of:

• An optional Pre-Screening Visit may be completed to determine PNPLA3 genotype and collect minimal baseline data and participants who are carriers of the PNPLA3 148M risk allele(s) will continue the study and enter the Screening Period.
• A Screening Period with a maximum of 60 days.
• For participants in all Cohorts, the dosing period will be 8 weeks during which participants will be resident of the study site for Dose 1 and Dose 3. Dose 1 will have participants reside at the study site from the day prior to study intervention administration (Day -1) until at least 2 days after study intervention administration with discharge on Day 3. Dose 2 will be administered at the study site on Day 29 with no overnight stay. Dose 3 will have participants reside at the study site from the day prior to study intervention administration (Day 56) until at least 2 days after study intervention administration with discharge on Day 59.
• Each participant will be followed for approximately 15 weeks post last dose.

The study will be performed at up to 30 study sites in the United States (US) and up to 5 study sites in Mexico. Approximately 80 participants comprising of male and female participants of non-childbearing potential may be enrolled into the first 4 cohorts of this study in order to achieve a target of 56 to 64 evaluable participants.

Inclusion Criteria:

For Cohorts 1 to 3:

• An MRI-PDFF ≥7% and one of the following:

  • Previous liver biopsy: Acceptable if taken in the previous 3 years for fibrosis stages F0 to F2, or within the previous 1 year for stage F3; or
  • Previous imaging results taken in the previous 2 years: An MRE between 2.55 kPa and 3.63 kPa, or a vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) between 7.1 kPa and 11.9 kPa;

• Participants who are homozygous for rs738409 (PNPLA3 148M). Cohort 2 will enroll participants who are heterozygous for PNPLA3 148M.

For Cohort 4:

• An MRI-PDFF ≥ 7% and participant's consent for a liver biopsy.

• Participants with suspected or confirmed Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or NASH are eligible for the Screening liver biopsy if they meet main protocol inclusion/exclusion criteria AND have any of the following:

Alanine aminotransferase > Upper Limit of Normal (ULN) but < 3 × ULN, OR Imaging demonstrating hepatic steatosis including attenuation parameter (CAP) > 290dB/m, OR A Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) between 2.55 kPa and 3.63 kPa, or a vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) between 7.1 kPa and 11.9 kPa.

• Histologic evidence of NAFLD or NASH with a NASH Activity Score (NAS) ≥ 3 (independent of subcategory scoring) following Screening liver biopsy.
• Participants who are homozygous for rs738409 (PNPLA3 148M).

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of liver transplant, or current placement on a liver transplant list (this may be checked at the optional Pre-Screening Visit).

• History or presence of hepatic disease (with the exception of hepatic steatosis, NASH) or evidence of other known forms of known chronic liver disease such as alcoholic liver disease, hepatitis B, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerotic cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis, Wilson disease, iron overload, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, drug-induced liver injury, known or suspected hepatocellular carcinoma (this may be checked at the optional Pre-Screening Visit).

• Histological or imaging (MRE or VCTE) evidence of cirrhosis.

• Participants with history or pre-existing renal disease, as defined below:

  - estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m^2 (calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration formula)

• Blood dyscrasias with increased risk of bleeding including idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura or symptoms of increased risk of bleeding (frequent bleeding gums or nose bleeds).

• History of major bleed or high-risk of bleeding diathesis.