Empagliflozin to Improve Right Ventricular Function in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Launched by GUSTAVO A HERESI, MD, MS · May 19, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying the effects of a medication called empagliflozin on improving heart function in people with a condition known as Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). PAH is a serious condition that affects the blood vessels in the lungs and can make it hard for the heart to pump blood effectively. In this study, participants will receive either empagliflozin or a placebo (a sugar pill with no active medication) while already taking other approved treatments for PAH. The goal is to see if empagliflozin can help improve the heart's right ventricle function over time.

To participate, individuals must be at least 18 years old and have a specific type of PAH confirmed by a medical test called right heart catheterization. They should also have signs of right ventricle dysfunction, meaning their heart isn't pumping as well as it should. Participants will need to be stable on their current PAH medications for at least four weeks before joining the study. During the trial, they can expect regular check-ups and tests to monitor their heart function, and they will need to take the study medication as directed. This trial is not yet recruiting patients, but it's an important step in finding new ways to help those with PAH.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• * In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all the following criteria:
• • 1. Provision of signed and dated informed consent form
• • 2. Ability and stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
• • 3. Ability to read and write in English
• • 4. Male or female, aged 18 years or older, with group 1 PAH, idiopathic, heritable, associated with drugs and toxins, associated with connective tissue disease and with congenital heart disease (simple repaired or unrepaired defects) according to the current guidelines88 and adjudicated by the local PI
• • 5. PAH confirmed by right heart catheterization in the last 5 years
• • 6. RV dysfunction defined FAC \< 34.0% on echocardiography performed during the screening visit. In PVDOMICS, FAC has a strong correlation with CMR RV ejection fraction, and FAC \< 34% predicts a CMR RV ejection fraction \<37% with a large c-statistic of 0.9. CMR RV ejection fraction \<37% is strongly associated with increased mortality87 and classifies PAH as high risk under the current guidelines88. We do not expect this will curtail recruitment as the mean FAC in the PVDOMICS cohort is 30 ± 10%, a population like the one that will be enrolled in this study.
• • 7. On FDA-approved PAH-targeted therapy (any combination including infused prostacyclin analogues and sotatercept) with stable doses for at least 4 weeks prior to the screening visit and no clinical plans to change this therapy
• • 8. Diuretic doses stable for at least 4 weeks prior to screening. After screening, diuretic doses may be changed as directed by the site PIs and/or the treating physician.
• • 9. Ability to take oral medication and willingness to adhere to the study drug regimen.
• • 10. For females of reproductive potential: use of highly effective contraception for at least 4 weeks prior to screening and agreement to use such a method during study participation and for an additional 2 weeks after the end of study drug administration
• • 11. Able to have baseline and week 24 CMR according to Imaging Core criteria, as adjudicated by the Site PI
• Exclusion Criteria:
• * An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:
• • 1. Current use of insulin, insulin secretagogues (sulfonylureas and meglitinides), lithium or an SGLT2 inhibitor
• • 2. Use of an SGLT2 inhibitor within the past 3 months prior to screening
• • 3. Prior documented inability to tolerate an SGLT2 inhibitor
• • 4. Volume depletion, as ascertained by the site PI, at screening or baseline
• • 5. History of diabetic ketoacidosis or type 1 diabetes mellitus
• • 6. Chronic alcohol or drug abuse
• • 7. More than one bacterial or yeast genitourinary tract infection in the year prior to enrollment
• • 8. Estimated glomerular filtration rate under 30 mL/minute/1.73m2 or on renal replacement therapy
• • 9. Pregnancy or lactation
• • 10. Known allergy or hypersensitivity to empagliflozin or another SGLT-2 inhibitor
• • 11. Currently taking or has taken another investigational drug within the past 4 weeks
• • 12. Enrollment in another randomized intervention trial. (Participants participating in observational trials will not be excluded).
• • 13. Decompensated right heart failure, as adjudicated by the site PI.
• • 14. Screening HbA1c \>10% with symptoms such as polyuria and polydipsia