Heart failure & cardiomyopathies

IMPROVE-DiCE, a 2-Part, Open-Label, Phase 2a Trial Evaluating the Safety and Effectiveness of Ninerafaxstat in Patients With Cardiometabolic Syndromes

CirculationPublished Phase 2a open-label trial

Authors' conclusion

These mechanistic phase 2a study results show that ninerafaxstat is safely tolerated and improves myocardial energetics in participants with obesity and diabetes without or with clinically manifest HFpEF.

Study context

Population
Patients with T2DM and obesity, without (part 1) or with (part 2) heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)
Participants
42 patients
Comparison
Part 1 vs Part 2
  • Part 1n = 21
  • Part 2n = 21
Outcome
Myocardial energetics (PCr/ATP) by magnetic resonance spectroscopy, before vs after treatment
Methodological details2-part, single-arm
  • 2-part
  • Single-arm

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Myocardial energetics (PCr/ATP) after ninerafaxstat

Part 1 (T2DM + obesity, no HFpEF, 4-8 weeks): change in PCr/ATP

+0.39±0.49 (95% CI, 0.16-0.62); Cohen's d, 0.79

P=0.002

Part 2 (T2DM + obesity + HFpEF, 12 weeks): change in PCr/ATP

+0.15±0.25 (95% CI, 0.03-0.26); Cohen's d, 0.60

P=0.02

Further findings

Myocardial triglyceride (part 1)

Lower myocardial triglyceride by 34%
P = 0.03

Systolic augmentation to exercise (part 2)

Improved systolic augmentation to exercise +1.4 L/min
P = 0.04

6-minute walk distance (part 2)

6-minute walk distance +16 m
P = 0.02

NYHA class symptom burden (part 2)

Improved NYHA class symptom burden

Original publication

IMPROVE-DiCE, a 2-Part, Open-Label, Phase 2a Trial Evaluating the Safety and Effectiveness of Ninerafaxstat in Patients With Cardiometabolic Syndromes. Circulation. Published 18 December 2025. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.125.074041

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