scholarly journals Phase II trials of single-agent anti-VEGF therapy for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

2010 ◽  
Vol 51 (12) ◽  
pp. 2222-2229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tait Shanafelt ◽  
Clive Zent ◽  
John Byrd ◽  
Charles Erlichman ◽  
Betsy Laplant ◽  
...  
2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (30) ◽  
pp. 7697-7702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan M. O'Brien ◽  
Charles C. Cunningham ◽  
Anatoliy K. Golenkov ◽  
Anna G. Turkina ◽  
Steven C. Novick ◽  
...  

Purpose To determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of oblimersen sodium in patients with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Patients and Methods Eligible patients had relapsed or refractory CLL after treatment with fludarabine. Oblimersen was administered at doses ranging from 3 to 7 mg/kg/d as a 5-day continuous intravenous infusion in cycle 1 and as a 7-day continuous intravenous infusion in subsequent cycles every 3 weeks in stable or responding patients. Results Forty patients were enrolled and treated (14 patients in phase I and 26 patients in phase II). Dose-limiting reactions in phase I included hypotension and fever, and the MTD for phase II dosing was established at 3 mg/kg/d. Two (8%) of 26 assessable patients achieved a partial response. Other evidence of antitumor activity included ≥ 50% reduction in splenomegaly (seven of 17 patients; 41%), complete disappearance of hepatomegaly (two of seven patients; 29%), ≥ 50% reduction of lymphadenopathy (seven of 22 patients; 32%), and ≥ 50% reduction in circulating lymphocyte counts (11 of 22 patients; 50%). Adverse events included transient hypotension, fever, fatigue, night sweats, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, hypokalemia, and cough. Plasma concentrations of oblimersen (parent drug) and its major metabolites were variable. Renal clearance represented only a small portion of total parent drug clearance. Conclusion Dosing with oblimersen sodium in patients with CLL is limited by development of a cytokine release syndrome that is characterized by fever, hypotension, and back pain. Oblimersen sodium has modest single-agent activity in heavily pretreated patients with advanced CLL, and further evaluation of its activity in combination with cytotoxic drugs is warranted.


Cancer ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 107 (5) ◽  
pp. 916-924 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Faderl ◽  
Kanti Rai ◽  
John Gribben ◽  
John C. Byrd ◽  
Ian W. Flinn ◽  
...  

2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (20) ◽  
pp. 2902-2908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Burger

Müllerian duct adenocarcinomas, in particular epithelial ovarian cancers, continue to represent a major source of female cancer-related morbidity and mortality, despite advances in surgical management and innovations in cytotoxic chemotherapy. Angiogenesis-targeted therapy seems to be appropriate for exploration in these disease processes based on a wealth of evidence from preclinical and molecular epidemiology studies. Bevacizumab is a prototypical agent neutralizing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a critical angiogenic promoter related to tumor progression, malignant effusions, and prognosis in ovarian cancer. Phase II trials have demonstrated the activity of bevacizumab as a single agent and in combination with other modalities such as low-dose metronomic cyclophosphamide. Historical studies have supported these observations. Unique toxicities have been ascribed to the administration of bevacizumab and other anti-VEGF molecules for patients with this disease and other solid tumors. Although most of these toxicities (such as proteinuria, hypertension, and bleeding) are generally mild, and are either self-limiting or controllable, other adverse effects, though uncommon, may be serious (these include arterial thromboembolism, wound healing complications, and GI perforation or fistulae). Phase III trials are now in progress to determine the role of this drug in primary therapy as an adjunct to platinum-taxane chemotherapy. This article reviews the background and rationale for anti-VEGF therapy of ovarian cancer, summarizes efficacy and safety data from phase II trials and historical studies of bevacizumab in this disease, introduces the implementation of bevacizumab in phase III front-line trials, examines controversial aspects related to anti-VEGF therapy, and proposes future directions regarding bevacizumab and other angiogenic growth factor–targeted therapeutics.


Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (11) ◽  
pp. 3108-3108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asher A. Chanan-Khan ◽  
Myron S. Czuczman ◽  
Swaminathan Padmanabhan ◽  
Michael J. Keating ◽  
Susan M. O’Brien ◽  
...  

Introduction: Fludarabine treatment has been shown to be beneficial for patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), and fludarabine-based combinations may even further improve outcomes in patients with CLL. However, most CLL patients eventually become fludarabine refractory, a state which is associated with a relatively short survival. Treatment of fludarabine-refractory patients is challenging, with a median survival of about 10 months. Recently, 2 phase II clinical trials (Chanan-Khan et al. JCO 2006 and Ferrajoli et al. ASH 2006) demonstrated the clinical efficacy of lenalidomide, an immunomodulatory agent, in relapsed/refractory CLL patients. We conducted a subset analysis to examine the efficacy of lenalidomide in patients who are fludarabine refractory. Methods: All patients enrolled on the 2 phase II single agent lenalidomide clinical trials were evaluated and patients with fludarabine-refractory disease (progressed while on or within 6 months of fludarabine-based therapy) were assessed for clinical efficacy of lenalidomide. Lenalidomide was given orally either at 10 mg daily for 28 days followed by 5 mg increments every 28 days to a maximum dose of 25 mg or given at 25 mg on days 1–21 of each 28-day cycle. Response was assessed using the NCI-WG 1996 criteria. Results: A total of 80 patients were collectively enrolled in these clinical studies. Among these, 29 were identified to have fludarabine-refractory disease. Important clinical characteristics of these patients are reported in Table 1. The overall response rate in fludarabine-refractory patients was 34.5% (10/29). Complete remission was observed in 2 (6.8%) patients. Conclusion: Lenalidomide is a novel agent with immunomodulating properties demonstrating clinical efficacy in relapsed or refractory CLL patients. Interestingly, clinical responses to single agent lenalidomide were noted despite refractoriness to fludarabine (a subset of CLL patients with poor survival and limited therapeutic options). This observation of the clinical benefit of lenalidomide independent of responsiveness to prior fludarabine is encouraging and warrants further evaluation. Table 1 Ferrajoli et al. Chanan-Khan et al. Fludarabine-refractory (N=12) Fludarabine-refractory (N=17) ORR, overall response rate; PFS, progression-free survival; OS, overall survival. Median age, years (range) 62 (51–82) 68 (53–75) Sex, female/male 4/8 4/13 Median no. prior therapies (range) 4 (3–15) 4 (1–10) Median beta microglobulin (range) 5 (3–10) 5 (2–10) Advance Rai Stage (III/IV), n (%) 7 (58.3) 13 (76.4) ORR, n (%) 3 (25.0) 7 (41.2) Median PFS, months 12 14.9 Median OS, months All alive (range, 7–19) 23


2003 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 1874-1881 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanche Mavromatis ◽  
Bruce D. Cheson

Chemotherapeutic approaches during the last decade have failed to result in major advances in the outcome of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The recent availability of an increasing number of active monoclonal antibodies, immunotoxins, and radioimmunoconjugates (RICs) has stimulated considerable interest in clinical research in CLL. Alemtuzumab was the first antibody approved for CLL on the basis of responses in one third of patients with advanced disease. However, infusion reactions and immunosuppression with opportunistic infections present a challenge that may be overcome with altered schedules and routes of administration. Rituximab has limited activity as a single agent in patients relapsed or refractory after prior chemotherapy; however, response rates seem to be higher in previously untreated patients. More importantly, combinations with chemotherapy drugs such as fludarabine are showing promise in early trials. Newer antibodies in development as single agents and in combinations include apolizumab (Hu1D10), a humanized antibody against an epitope of HLA-DR, and IDEC-152, a primatized anti-CD23 antibody. BL22, an immunotoxin with impressive activity in hairy cell leukemia, is in phase II trials in CLL as well. The safe use of RICs is complicated by the elevated peripheral blood B-cell count, and the extent of bone marrow involvement in CLL; studies will explore the use of agents to eliminate malignant cells from the bone marrow before RIC therapy. It is hoped that the rational development of combinations of the various promising antibodies with chemotherapy and each other will lead to more effective approaches for patients with CLL.


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 1102-1102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Grant ◽  
Judith E. Karp ◽  
Omer N. Koc ◽  
Brenda Cooper ◽  
Selina Luger ◽  
...  

Abstract Imatinib (Im), a rationally designed inhibitor of the Bcr/Abl kinase as well as other kinases, represents the standard treatment for Bcr/Abl+ malignancies. Im as a single agent, however, is not curative. Flavopiridol (Fl), an investigational cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor, is broadly active in vitro against human leukemia cells (Blood91:2482,1998). Previously we have shown that simultaneous disruption of a survival signaling pathway and a cell cycle regulatory pathway results in a pronounced increase in leukemic cell death (Cancer Res.61:5106,2001) and in more recent preclinical studies demonstrated synergistic interactions between Im and Fl in Bcr/Abl+ leukemia cells, including some that were resistant to Im (Clin Cancer Res8;2976,2002). Based on these considerations, we have initiated a phase I trial to identify appropriate doses of Im+Fl for further investigation. Eligible patients (pts) have CML with a suboptimal response to prior Im, CML in blast crisis, or Bcr/Abl+ acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). CML-BC and ALL patients may be Im-naïve. Pts receive Im by continuous daily oral dosing and Fl by 1 hour intravenous infusion weekly x 3 repeated every 4 weeks. Targeted dose levels are (Fl/Im; mg/m2): 30/400, 30/600, 45/600, 60/600, 60/800, 60/1000. Patients are divided into 2 strata based upon blast percentage in peripheral blood or bone marrow: stratum 1, <15%; and stratum 2, ≥15%. For stratum 1 dose limiting toxicity (DLT) is defined as NCI CTCAE grade 4 ANC/platelet for > 1 week or grade ≥ 3 non-heme toxicity; for stratum 2, DLT is profound marrow hypoplasia in the absence of persistent leukemia. In stratum 1, 16 pts have been treated at 4 dose levels; in stratum 2, 5 pts in the 1st and 3rd dose level. In stratum 1, 1 DLT has occurred at dose level 4 (cholecystitis requiring cholecystectomy); in stratum 2, 1 DLT has occurred at dose level 3 (sepsis/multi-organ failure which was not clearly related to treatment). The only frequent toxicities have been hematological. 4 pts have experienced objective responses including complete hematological remissions in 2 pts in stratum 1 treated with Im/Fl 30/600 who had been previously treated with Im 800 and complete hematological remissions in 2 pts in stratum 2 (who had not received prior Im). Preliminary studies indicate no Fl impact upon Im pharmacokinetics, and variable post-treatment effects on signaling pathways in CML cells. These findings indicate that a regimen consisting of Fl and Im is tolerable and active in at least some patients with Bcr/Abl+ hematologic malignancies, including some with Im-resistant disease. Pending identification of the MTD and the recommended Phase II dose (RPTD), Phase II trials will be necessary to assess the activity of this strategy more definitively.


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 5046-5046 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Gribben ◽  
Katherine Stephans ◽  
Blossom Marshal

Abstract Although single-agent fludarabine is associated with high response rates (60%–80%) in patients with previously untreated B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL), this therapy is not curative and patients will relapse from persistence of minimal residual disease. Response rates to subsequent lines of therapy drop dramatically, as does survival. Antibodies including alemtuzumab and rituximab act in synergy with fludarabine and improve responses in salvage CLL therapy. In an effort to identify an effective chemoimmunotherapy regimen for patients with relapsed CLL, a phase II, multicenter, open-label, randomized trial was initiated. B-CLL patients who had failed prior therapy were randomized to treatment with either fludarabine combined with alemtuzumab or fludarabine combined with rituximab. Four patients randomized to the cohort received fludarabine 25 mg/m2 IV and alemtuzumab 30 mg SC, on Days 1–5. Eight patients received fludarabine 25 mg/m2 IV on Days 1–5, and rituximab 375 mg/m2 IV on Days 1 and 4 of the first cycle, followed by fludarabine 25 mg/m2 IV on Days 1–5, and rituximab 375 mg/m2 IV on Day 1 in subsequent cycles. Patients were assessed monthly for response while on therapy, and interim restaging occurred at cycle 4. Those who achieved a CR received no further therapy, whereas those who achieved a PR or SD received 2 additional cycles. 12 patients (7 male and 5 female) participated in this trial and the median age was 67 years. Nine patients had Rai III/IV (2 patients in alemtuzumab arm and 7 patients in rituximab arm). All patients had failed 1 course of therapy; 9 had failed treatment with a fludarabine-based regimen, and 3 had failed treatment with alkylating agents. In the alemtuzumab arm, 2 patients developed a CMV reactivation, one of whom developed CMV viremia, which was successfully treated with gancyclovir. Of the 8 patients in the rituximab plus fludarabine arm, 6 withdrew due to adverse events and 2 patients died while on study. In the alemtuzumab plus fludarabine arm, 1 person withdrew due to adverse events and 1 patient died after the trial was closed. Overall, 3 of 4 patients in the alemtuzumab arm responded (2 complete response [CR], 1 partial response [PR]), and 3 of 7 patients in the rituximab arm (1 CR, 2 PR). Recently published data has prompted a shift in CLL therapy. Increased numbers of patients are receiving chemoimmunotherapy combinations earlier in treatment. An increased use of FR and FCR in the first-line setting made further recruitment difficult. The potential of randomizing patients to the FR arm of the study prompted low accrual and the subsequent closing of the study.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 2104-2104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clemens M Wendtner ◽  
Daruka Mahadevan ◽  
Stephan Stilgenbauer ◽  
Olga Frankfurt ◽  
Adrian Bloor ◽  
...  

Abstract Lenalidomide is an immunomodulatory drug that has demonstrated therapeutic activity in 2 independent phase II trials in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Based on those data a new phase II trial (CC-5013-CLL-001) was designed to compare 25 mg versus 10 mg, the doses used in those completed phase 2 studies. Patients were randomized in the initial protocol design to treatment with either 25 mg of lenalidomide daily for 21 out of each 28-day cycle, or with 10 mg of lenalidomide daily for 28 out of each 28–day cycle. However, when 5 out of 18 patients enrolled developed tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) resulting in 2 fatalities the protocol was amended to a phase I/II trial to determine a safe dose and schedule (Moutouh-de Parseval et al. J Clin Oncol2007, 25: 5047). In this ongoing phase I dose escalation study the safety of several lenalidomide doses was investigated. Patients with prior treatment with an alkylating agent and who have failed fludarabine were started on 2.5 mg of lenalidomide daily, followed by slow intra-patient dose escalation to 5 mg after 28 days. Doses were then escalated as tolerated by 5 mg every 28 days by initial cohort of 6 patients, until the maximum tolerated dose escalation level (MTDEL) was defined or a maximum dose of 25 mg daily. Patients were treated until disease progression, and all patients received TLS prophylaxis with hydration starting 3 days prior to lenalidomide treatment and continuing for at least the first 3 cycles. Seventeen patients, with a median age of 66 years (range 50–76), have been enrolled on the amended protocol. Patients had a median of 4 prior therapies (range 2–14), 56.3% of patients were refractory to fludarabine and 31.3% had prior alemtuzumab therapy. Among these, 77% of patients had bulky lymphadenopathy. Treatment is continued in 13 patients, while 4 patients have discontinued treatment (2 lack of therapeutic effect, 1 grade 4 thrombocytopenia at 2.5 mg every other day in a patient with preexisting thrombocytopenia, and 1 withdrew consent). During therapy, common toxicities included ≥ grade 3 neutropenia [4/17 (23.5%) at 2.5 mg; 3/7 (42.9%) at 5 mg; 2/3 (66.7%) at 10 mg], ≥ grade 3 thrombocytopenia [2/17 (11.8%) at 2.5 mg daily], and tumor flare reaction [TFR; 4/17 (23.5%) at 2.5 mg; 1/7 (14.3%) at 5 mg]. TFR ≥ grade 3 occurred in 2 patients, in one patient at the 2.5 mg dose and in one at the 5 mg dose which was effectively managed with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids and/or temporary interruption of treatment. On the amended protocol, TLS has not been observed in any patient except 1 in whom laboratory findings consistent with TLS was observed at the 2.5 mg dose. The patient was able to continue treatment without TLS recurrence. To date, the MTDEL has not been reached. At the time of data collection patients were not yet evaluable for clinical response. Preliminary data presented here demonstrate the safety of lenalidomide therapy administered by a step-wise dose escalation with an initial 2.5 mg starting dose in patients with heavily treated CLL. We further observe that use of prophylaxis, as well as frequent monitoring of patients, was effective in decreasing the incidence of TLS. Further data are needed to confirm the optimal dose for lenalidomide in the treatment of CLL. Additional safety data observed in the patients treated on this study will be presented at the meeting.


Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 2464-2464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xavier Badoux ◽  
Susan O'Brien ◽  
William G. Wierda ◽  
Stefan Faderl ◽  
Zeev Estrov ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 2464 Frontline chemoimmunotherapies induce high response rates in patients with CLL. Once disease recurs, however, effective treatment options are limited and new therapeutic modalities and combinations are needed. Ofatumumab is a fully humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody which produces an overall response rate (ORR) of 47%–58% in patients with fludarabine-refractory CLL (Wierda W. et al, 2010). Lenalidomide, an immunomodulatory agent, induces an ORR of 32–47% in patients with relapsed/refractory CLL, (Chanan-Khan A.A. et al. 2006; Ferrajoli A. et al. 2008). The rationale for combining ofatumumab and lenalidomide is based on their single agent efficacy, distinct and potentially complimentary mechanisms of action and non-overlapping toxicity profiles. Furthermore, the combination of lenalidomide and rituximab has shown significant activity in patients with relapsed disease (Ferrajoli et al. 2009). We, therefore, designed a phase II study to evaluate efficacy and tolerability of ofatumumab and lenalidomide given in combination in patients with relapsed CLL. Patients with active disease were eligible if they had received prior treatment with purine analog-based therapy, had an ECOG/WHO performance status of 0–2, adequate renal (creatinine clearance > 30ml/min) and hepatic function (total bilirubin < to 2 mg/dl and ALT < 2 × ULN). Patients with any neutrophil count were eligible, whereas patients with platelet counts < 30,000 mm3, positivity for HIV, active hepatitis B or C or recent history of tuberculosis were excluded from participation. In this trial ofatumumab is administered intravenously weekly for four consecutive weeks (300mg week 1, 1,000 mg week 2 and all subsequent doses), then monthly for months 2–6 and once every two months for months 7–24. Lenalidomide is given orally at the dose of 10 mg daily, starting on day 9 and continued daily. Allopurinol at the dose of 300mg daily is given during the first two weeks of treatment as tumor lysis prophylaxis. Treatment duration is 24 months, and responses are assessed after 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of therapy. Thus far 26 of the 40 planned patients have been accrued to this study and we present an analysis of response and toxicity for the first 16 patients that have been on study for at least 3 months. The median age of the patients is 62 yrs (45–82). Eight patients (50%) had Rai stage III-IV disease. The median Beta-2M level was 4.4 mg/dL (2–6.1). The median number of prior treatments was 2 (1–8). Four patients (25%) were refractory to fludarabine and all pts had received prior rituximab. Nine patients (56%) had unmutated IGHV genes, 5 patients (31%) had chromosome 17p deletion and 3 patients (19%) had 11q deletion as detected by FISH analysis. Responses were evaluated according to the 2008 IWCLL criteria: 10 of the 16 evaluable patients achieved a response [2 CR (13%), 8 PR (50%)] for an ORR of 63%. Four patients with stable disease are continuing on treatment. One patient discontinued therapy and did not return for response assessment and another patient progressed. All patients are alive. The most common grade 3–4 treatment related adverse events observed were: neutropenia (8 pts, 50%) and anemia (2 pts, 13%). One patient (6%) developed grade 2 superficial vein thrombosis. Lenalidomide-associated tumor flare reaction was limited to grade 1 in 2 patients (13%) while a grade 3 infusion reaction was observed in 1 patient (6%) during the first ofatumumab administration. Three grade 3 infectious episodes occurred: 2 cases of pneumonia and 1 case of parotiditis. None of the patients received routine antibiotic prophylaxis. The median daily dose of lenalidomide tolerated was 5 mg/day (2.5–10 mg). In conclusion, our initial analysis indicates that the combination of ofatumumab and lenalidomide is therapeutically active in patients with relapsed CLL. This treatment is well tolerated. Neutropenia is the most common toxicity observed. Enrollment is ongoing, and updated results will be provided. Disclosures: Off Label Use: Ofatumumab and lenalidomide in patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia. O'Brien: GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy. Wierda: GlaxoSmithKline: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene Corporation: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Estrov: Celgene Corporation: Consultancy. Keating: Celgene Corporation: Consultancy, Honoraria; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy, Honoraria. Ferrajoli: Celgene Corporation: Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Research Funding.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document