Brentuximab Vedotin, Nivolumab, Doxorubicin, and Dacarbazine (AN+AD) for Advanced Stage Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma: Preliminary Safety Results from the Single-Arm Phase 2 Study (SGN35-027 Part B)
Authors: Lee Hun Ju , Flinn Ian W. , Melear Jason , Ramchandren Rod , Friedman Judah , Burke John M. , Linhares Yuliya , Peterson Matthew R. , Raval Mihir , Chintapatla Rangaswamy , Feldman Tatyana A. , Yimer Habte , Islas-Ohlmayer Miguel , Dean Asad , Rana Vishal , Gandhi Mitul D. , Renshaw John , Gillespie-Twardy Amanda L. , Ho Linda , Fanale Michelle A. , Guo Wenchuan , Yasenchak Christopher A. 
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Brentuximab vedotin (BV) and nivolumab are both active and well tolerated in patients (pts) with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) and were previously studied in first salvage (overall response rate [ORR] 85%; complete response [CR] 67%) (Advani 2021) and as firstline therapy in older adults (ORR 95%; CR 79%) (Yasenchak 2019). BV is approved for the treatment of adults with treatment-naïve Stage III or IV cHL in combination with doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (AVD) (Connors 2017) and targets CD30, a receptor expressed on the Reed-Sternberg cells. Nivolumab is approved for treatment of adults with relapsed/refractory cHL and restores antitumor immunity by blocking the PD-1 receptor on activated T-cells. The combination of BV plus nivolumab demonstrated promising activity that supports this combination when evaluated as a frontline treatment option for pts over 60 years of age with cHL (Friedberg 2018). Additionally, in pts with non-bulky Stage I or II cHL, treatment with BV plus doxorubicin and dacarbazine (AD) resulted in a CR rate of 97% at end of treatment (EOT), as well as a promising 4-year progression-free survival (PFS) estimate of 91%. Importantly, there were no cases of ≥Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy and only 9% were Grade 2 (Abramson 2021). Herein, we present preliminary safety results from Part B of this phase 2 study, where combination treatment with AN+AD (BV, nivolumab, doxorubicin, and dacarbazine) was well tolerated without excessive dose modifications or discontinuations and is consistent with the known safety profiles of the individual components of this treatment regimen.

Methods

SGN35-027 (NCT03646123) is an open-label, multiple part, multicenter, phase 2 clinical trial. Part B of this study enrolled pts with Ann Arbor Stage I or II cHL with bulky mediastinal disease (defined as ≥ 10 cm) or Stage III or IV cHL. Pts received up to 6 cycles of AN+AD (consisting of BV 1.2 mg/kg, nivolumab 240 mg, doxorubicin 25 mg/m 2, and dacarbazine 375 mg/m 2). All study drugs were administered by IV infusion on Days 1 and 15 of each 28-day cycle. The primary endpoint was CR rate at EOT. Secondary endpoints included safety, tolerability, overall response rate, and PFS. Disease response and progression was assessed by investigators using the Lugano Classification Revised Staging System for nodal non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin Lymphomas (Cheson 2014) and Lymphoma Response to Immunomodulatory Therapy Criteria (LYRIC) (Cheson 2016) at Cycle 2 and EOT.

Results

In Part B, the majority of the 58 pts enrolled were white (86%), not of Hispanic or Latino/a or Spanish origins (79%), and less than 65 years old (95%). Median age was 35 years (range: 19-78 years). Twenty-nine percent of pts had Stage II cHL with bulky mediastinal disease, while the remainder had Stage III (17%) or Stage IV (50%) cHL. Of the 58 pts enrolled, 57 received at least one dose of study treatment.

Of the 57 pts who received at least one dose of study treatment, 1 pt discontinued treatment (all study drugs) by the end of Cycle 2 due to treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). By end of Cycle 2, the majority of TEAEs were Grades 1 and 2; 16% of pts experienced ≥Grade 3 TEAEs. Nausea, fatigue, and alopecia were the most frequently reported treatment-related TEAEs (51%, 33%, and 26% of pts, respectively). No febrile neutropenia was observed, and there were no Grade 5 adverse events. Two pts (4%) experienced treatment-related treatment-emergent serious adverse events; 1 pt (2%) experienced hypophysitis and aseptic meningitis, and discontinued treatment, and 1 pt (2%) experienced pneumonitis.

Preliminary efficacy results are anticipated for presentation.

Conclusions

Preliminary results demonstrate that AN+AD is well-tolerated, and no new safety signals were observed. The omission of bleomycin and vinblastine may have contributed to the absence of certain AEs, such as febrile neutropenia. This study of AN+AD is ongoing, and updated safety and efficacy results will be presented at the meeting.

Disclosures

Lee: BMS: Honoraria, Research Funding; Aptitude Health: Honoraria; Century Therapeutics: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Guidepoint: Honoraria; Oncternal: Research Funding; Seagen: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria. Flinn: Agios: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Curis: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Iksuda Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Karyopharm Therapeutics: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Loxo: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; IGM Biosciences: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Seagen: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Merck: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Acerta Pharma: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Trillium Therapeutics: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Yingli Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Portola Pharmaceuticals: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; BeiGene: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Verastem: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Juno Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Great Point Partners: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Infinity Pharmaceuticals: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Forty Seven: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Celgene: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Calithera Biosciences: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Teva: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Other: All Consultancy and Research Funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Pfizer: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; MorphoSys: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; ArQule: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Rhizen Pharmaceuticals: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Forma Therapeutics: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Nurix Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Roche: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Triphase Research & Development Corp.: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Incyte: Other: All research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Unum Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy and research funding payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Century Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Hutchison MediPharma: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Vincerx Pharma: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Sarah Cannon Research Institute: Current Employment; Servier Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Yingli Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Seagen: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Servier Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Unum Therapeutics: Consultancy, Other: All consultancy payments made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Research Funding; Johnson & Johnson: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding. Melear: Astrazeneca: Speakers Bureau; TG Therapeutics: Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Speakers Bureau. Ramchandren: curis: Research Funding; MERCK: Consultancy, Research Funding; pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Research Funding; seattle genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy; Trillium: Research Funding. Friedman: Seagen Inc.: Research Funding. Burke: MorphoSys: Consultancy; Beigene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Consultancy; Epizyme: Consultancy; Adaptive Biotechnologies: Consultancy; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy; Kymera: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; Verastem: Consultancy; Kura: Consultancy; X4 Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; SeaGen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy. Linhares: Seagen Inc.: Research Funding. Peterson: Seagen Inc.: Research Funding. Raval: Abbvie Pharmaceuticals: Speakers Bureau; Adaptive Biotechnologies: Consultancy; ADCT Therapeutics: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Alexion Pharmaceuticals: Speakers Bureau; Amgen Biotechnology Company: Research Funding; Astellas Pharmaceuticals: Speakers Bureau; Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Beigene Pharmaceuticals: Speakers Bureau; Bristol Meyers Squibb Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Epizyme Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Genetech Biotechnology Company: Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Incyte Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Speakers Bureau; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Karyopharm Therapeutics: Consultancy; Morphosys Biotech Company: Speakers Bureau; Sanofi Genzyme: Consultancy; Seagen Biotechnology Company: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Chintapatla: Seagen Inc.: Research Funding. Feldman: Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease: Honoraria, Other: Study investigator. Yimer: Janssen: Speakers Bureau; Beigene: Speakers Bureau; Astrazeneca: Speakers Bureau; Karyopharm: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Speakers Bureau; GSK: Speakers Bureau; Sanofi: Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Speakers Bureau; Pharmacyclics: Speakers Bureau; Texas Oncology: Current Employment. Islas-Ohlmayer: Seagen Inc.: Research Funding. Dean: Seagen Inc.: Research Funding. Rana: Seagen Inc.: Research Funding. Gandhi: GlaxoSmithKline: Honoraria; Karyopharm Therapeutics: Honoraria; TG Therapeutics: Honoraria. Renshaw: Amgen: Speakers Bureau; SeaGen: Consultancy; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Texas Oncology: Current Employment. Gillespie-Twardy: Seagen Inc.: Research Funding. Ho: Seagen Inc.: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Fanale: Seagen, Inc: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Guo: Seagen Inc.: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Yasenchak: Seagen Inc.: Research Funding.