Efficacy of rFVIIIFc for First-Time Immune Tolerance Induction (ITI) Therapy: Final Results from the Global, Prospective VerITI-8 Study
Authors: Malec Lynn , Van Damme An , Chan Anthony , Spasova Mariya , Jain Nisha , Sensinger Charlotte , Dumont Jennifer , Lethagen Stefan , Carcao Manuel , Peyvandi Flora 
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Inhibitor development is a major complication of factor VIII (FVIII) replacement therapy, affecting approximately 30% of people with severe hemophilia A (Peyvandi et al Lancet 2016). Inhibitor eradication is the standard of care to restore responsiveness to FVIII; however, ITI regimens often require frequent high-dose factor injections over a long period (DiMichele et al Haemophilia 2007; Carcao et al Haemophilia 2021). Median (interquartile range [IQR]) time (months) to negative titer in the International ITI Study with high-dose FVIII was 4.6 (2.8-13.8) (n=31); negative titer to normal recovery was 6.9 (3.5-12.0) (n=23); and normal recovery to tolerance was 10.6 (6.3-20.5) (n=22) (Hay and DiMichele Blood 2012). Recombinant factor VIII Fc fusion protein (rFVIIIFc) is an extended half-life (EHL) FVIII that showed potential benefits for ITI in retrospective clinical data and case reports (Malec et al Haemophilia 2016; Groomes et al Pediatr Blood Cancer 2016; Carcao et al Haemophilia 2021). VerITI-8 (NCT03093480) is the first prospective study of rFVIIIFc in first-time ITI and follows on from the reITIrate (NCT03103542) study of rFVIIIFc for rescue ITI (Königs et al Res Pract Thromb Haemost, ISTH 2021).

Aim: Describe outcomes in the verITI-8 study of first-time ITI with rFVIIIFc over 48 weeks in subjects with severe hemophilia A and high-titer inhibitors.

Methods: VerITI-8 is a prospective, single-arm, open-label, multicenter study exploring efficacy of rFVIIIFc for first-time ITI in people with severe hemophilia A with high-titer inhibitors. Initial screening was followed by an ITI period in which all subjects received rFVIIIFc 200 IU/kg/day until tolerization or 48 weeks had elapsed (Figure). This was followed by tapered dose reduction to standard prophylaxis and follow-up. Key inclusion criteria included males with severe hemophilia A, high-titer inhibitors (historical peak ≥5 Bethesda units [BU]/mL), and prior treatment with any plasma-derived or recombinant standard half-life or EHL FVIII. Key exclusion criteria included coagulation disorder(s) other than hemophilia A and previous ITI. The primary endpoint was time to tolerization (successful ITI) with rFVIIIFc defined by inhibitor titer &lt;0.6 BU/mL, incremental recovery (IR) ≥66% of expected IR (IR ≥1.32 IU/dL per IU/kg) (both at 2 consecutive visits), and t ½ ≥7 hours (h) within 48 weeks. Secondary endpoints included number of subjects achieving ITI success, annualized bleed rates (ABR), and adverse events (AEs).

Results: Sixteen subjects were enrolled and received ≥1 rFVIIIFc dose. Median (range) age at baseline was 2.1 (0.8-16.0) years, and historical peak inhibitor titer was 22.4 (6.2-256.0) BU/mL (Table). Twelve (75%), 11 (69%), and 10 (63%) subjects, respectively, achieved a negative inhibitor titer, an IR &gt;66%, and a t½ ≥7 h (ie, tolerance) within 48 weeks. Median (IQR) times in weeks to achieve these markers of success were 7.4 (2.2-17.8), 6.8 (5.4-22.4), and 11.7 (9.8-26.2) (ie, 2.7 [2.3-6.0] months to tolerance), respectively. One subject achieved partial success (negative inhibitor titer and IR ≥66%), and 5 subjects failed ITI, of which 2 had high inhibitors throughout, 2 experienced an increase in inhibitor levels, and 1 recorded a negative inhibitor titer at 282 days. Most bleeds occurred in the ITI period when median (IQR) ABRs (n=13) were 3.8 (0-10.1) overall, 0 (0-2.6) for spontaneous, 1 (0-4) for traumatic, and 0 (0-3.1) for joint. During tapering, median (IQR) ABRs (n=10) were overall, 0 (0-2.4); spontaneous, 0 (0-0); traumatic, 0 (0-1.3); and joint, 0 (0-0). All 16 subjects experienced ≥1 treatment-emergent AE (TEAE), the most frequent of which was pyrexia in 7 subjects (44%). One subject reported ≥1 related TEAE (injection site pain). Nine subjects (56%) experienced ≥1 treatment-emergent serious AE (TESAE). TESAEs occurring in ≥2 subjects included vascular device infection, contusion, and hemarthrosis. No treatment-related TESAEs, discontinuations due to AEs, or deaths were reported.

Conclusions: rFVIIIFc is the first EHL FVIII with prospective data for first-time ITI in patients with severe hemophilia A with historical high-titer inhibitors. Evaluated within a 48-week timeframe, rFVIIIFc offered rapid time to tolerization (median 11.7 weeks; 2.7 months) with durable responses in almost two-thirds of subjects and was well tolerated. Optimizing ITI to eradicate inhibitors remains a priority.

Figure 1 Figure 1.

Disclosures

Malec: CSL Behring: Consultancy; Genentech: Consultancy; HEMA Biologics: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Sanofi: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy; Bioverativ: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Shire: Consultancy; Bayer: Consultancy. Van Damme: Pfizer: Consultancy; Shire: Consultancy; Bayer: Consultancy. Chan: Bioverativ: Consultancy. Jain: Sanofi: Ended employment in the past 24 months; Takeda: Current Employment, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company. Sensinger: Sanofi: Current Employment, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company. Dumont: Sanofi: Current Employment, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company. Lethagen: Sobi: Current Employment, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company. Carcao: Bayer, Bioverativ/Sanofi, CSL Behring, Novo Nordisk, Octapharma, Pfizer, Roche, and Shire/Takeda: Research Funding; Bayer, Bioverativ/Sanofi, CSL Behring, Grifols, LFB, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Roche, and Shire/Takeda: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Peyvandi: Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria; Sobi: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Ablynx, Grifols, Kedrion, Novo Nordisk, Roche, Shire, and Sobi: Other: Personal Fees.

OffLabel Disclosure:

adheres to routine clinical practice