Exposure-response modeling of average daily pain score, and dizziness and somnolence, for mirogabalin (DS-5565) in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain

Mirogabalin (DS-5565) is an α2δ-1 ligand being developed for pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and postherpetic neuralgia. Nonlinear mixed-effects analyses were performed on average daily pain and on the incidence of the adverse events dizziness and somnolence. These models were used to predict the dose of mirogabalin equivalent to pregabalin and the probability of meaningful reduction in pain compared with placebo and pregabalin. In addition, regimen effects were evaluated for reductions of adverse events. Mirogabalin was estimated to be 17-fold more potent than pregabalin. The effectiveness of 150 mg pregabalin, dosed twice daily, attenuated by week 5. Therefore, the estimated mechanism-based equivalent dose (ED) of 17.7 mg mirogabalin was higher than that predicted to achieve comparable pain reduction. If attenuation of the pregabalin effect is real, mirogabalin doses lower than the ED could yield comparable pain reduction, albeit with less differentiation in pain from placebo. The incidence rate of dizziness and somnolence decreased over time. Twice-daily dosing of mirogabalin was predicted to yield a lower incidence rate of dizziness than once-daily dosing; thus, titration of dosages should reduce adverse event rates. These model results were used to influence phase 3 dosing selection.