Phase 3 Trial of Inhaled Molgramostim in Autoimmune Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis

Autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (aPAP) is a rare disease characterized by progressive surfactant accumulation and hypoxemia caused by autoantibodies against granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), which alveolar macrophages require to clear surfactant. Molgramostim is a formulation of inhaled recombinant human GM-CSF, but its efficacy and safety in patients with aPAP have not been studied sufficiently.

In this phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned patients with aPAP to receive molgramostim at a dose of 300 μg or placebo once daily for 48 weeks. The primary end point was the change from baseline to week 24 in the diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO), which was adjusted for hemoglobin concentration and expressed as a percentage of the predicted value. Secondary end points adjusted for multiplicity were the change from baseline in DLCO at 48 weeks and the change from baseline in the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire total (SGRQ-T) and activity (SGRQ-A) scores (scores range from 0 to 100, with lower scores indicating better quality of life) and in exercise capacity at 24 and 48 weeks.

A total of 164 patients underwent randomization: 81 were assigned to receive molgramostim and 83 to receive placebo. The least-squares mean change in DLCO from baseline to week 24 was 9.8 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.3 to 12.3) with molgramostim and 3.8 percentage points (95% CI, 1.4 to 6.3) with placebo (estimated treatment difference, 6.0 percentage points; 95% CI, 2.5 to 9.4; P<0.001). The least-squares mean change in DLCO from baseline to week 48 was 11.6 percentage points (95% CI, 8.7 to 14.5) with molgramostim and 4.7 percentage points (95% CI, 1.8 to 7.6) with placebo (P<0.001), and the least-squares mean change in the SGRQ-T score at week 24 was -11.5 points (95% CI, -15.0 to -8.0) and -4.9 points (95% CI, -8.3 to -1.5), respectively (P = 0.007). No significant between-group difference in the change in SGRQ-A score was observed at 24 weeks, so no statistical inference was drawn with respect to subsequent secondary end points. The percentage of patients with at least one adverse event and the percentage with at least one serious adverse event were similar in the two groups.

Once-daily inhaled molgramostim led to a greater increase in pulmonary gas transfer than placebo in patients with aPAP. (Funded by Savara; IMPALA-2 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04544293; European Union Clinical Trials Information System number, 2024-511052-41-00.).