Objective: This phase 3 study evaluated the efficacy and safety of tapentadol extended release (ER) compared with oxycodone controlled release (CR) for the management of moderate to severe, chronic malignant tumor-related cancer pain.
Research design and methods: This randomized, double-blind, active-controlled study included Japanese and Korean patients with moderate to severe, chronic malignant tumor-related pain. Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive oral tapentadol ER (25-200 mg bid) or oral oxycodone HCl CR (5-40 mg bid) for 4 weeks of double-blind treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01165281.
Main outcome measures: This study was designed to evaluate the non-inferiority of the efficacy provided by tapentadol ER versus oxycodone CR, based on the mean change in average pain intensity (11 point numerical rating scale) from baseline to the last 3 days of study drug administration. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were recorded throughout the study.
Results: Of the 374 patients who were screened, 343 were randomized and 236 completed treatment. The least-squares mean difference in the change in pain intensity from baseline to the last 3 days of study treatment between tapentadol ER and oxycodone CR was -0.06 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.506 to 0.383). The upper limit of the 95% CI was <1 (the predefined threshold value for non-inferiority), indicating that tapentadol ER provided analgesic efficacy that was non-inferior to that of oxycodone CR. The percentage of patients reporting at least one TEAE was similar in the tapentadol ER (87.5% [147/168]) and oxycodone CR (90.1% [155/172]) treatment groups, but the incidence of gastrointestinal TEAEs was lower in the tapentadol ER group (55.4% [93/168]) than in the oxycodone CR group (67.4% [116/172]).
Conclusions: Tapentadol ER (25-200 mg bid) provides analgesic efficacy that is non-inferior to that provided by oxycodone HCl CR (5-40 mg bid) for the management of moderate to severe, chronic malignant tumor-related pain, and is well tolerated overall, with a better gastrointestinal tolerability profile than oxycodone CR.