Iadademstat in Combination with Azacitidine Generates Robust and Long Lasting Responses in AML Patients (ALICE Trial)
Authors: Salamero Olga , Somervaille Tim C.P , Molero Antonieta , Acuña-Cruz Evelyn , Pérez-Simón Jose , Coll Rosa , Arnan Sangerman Montserrat , Merchan Brayan , Perez Ana , Cano Isabel , Rodríguez-Veiga Rebeca , Gutierrez Sonia , Buesa Carlos , Bosch Francesc , Montesinos Pau 
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematological malignancy. Elderly patients were historically treated with chemotherapy, with ORRs below 30%. Despite treatment improvements with the recent approval of the combination venetoclax plus azacitidine, with 64% of ORR and overall survival of 14.7 months, 25% of patients continue to be refractory and 50% are estimated to relapse. The management of AML, especially in elderly or unfit patients, remains a major challenge.

Lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1) contributes to the malignant transformation event in AML. Iadademstat (iada) selectively inhibits LSD1 and has shown efficacy in preclinical models, including promoting differentiation in AML. Iada has been administered so far to +100 oncology patients in different clinical trials, showing good safety. With a favorable ADME profile and high bioactivity allowing low dosing regimens, a low DDI risk is anticipated, making iada suitable for different drug combinations and offering additional therapeutic options for patients. This is a 36-month update of the ongoing Phase II ALICE clinical trial of iadademstat plus azacitidine in front-line AML patients.

Methods: ALICE (EudraCT 2018-000482-36) is an open-label, single arm, Phase IIa clinical trial to assess the safety, tolerability, dose finding and efficacy of iadademstat in combination with azacitidine for the treatment of adult AML patients. ALICE includes AML patients, who have not received prior treatment other than hydroxyurea and are considered by the investigator as ineligible for intensive chemotherapy or have refused this treatment option. Secondary end points of the study address the anti-leukemic activity of the combination (overall response rate, time to response and duration of response) along with PK/PD measures.

Results: Current unaudited data corresponds to 34 patients enrolled, including 22 evaluable patients (with at least 1 bone marrow disease evaluation). Evaluable patients achieved an 73% objective response rate (ORR): 5 complete remissions (CR), 6 CR with incomplete hematological recovery (CRi) and 5 Partial Remissions (PR). The current median Time to Response is 30 days, with some durable responses, extending for more than one year in five patients, with the longest CR up to date above 930 days (still ongoing, with CR and MRD negative). Moreover, 5 patients became transfusion independent and MRD negative.

The number of adverse events (AEs) reported is in line with the usual evolution of the disease and with other AML trials. Only 2 AEs (in 2 patients) were deemed as serious reactions, probably related to treatment: one differentiation syndrome (G3) and one intracranial hemorrhage (G5). The most frequent reported adverse reaction was thrombocytopenia, observed in almost half of patients (47%), although 63% of patients had presented with grade ≥3 thrombocytopenia at baseline, making difficult to unequivocally attribute observed cytopenias to treatment. Of note, patients that showed response experienced platelet recovery within the first 3 cycles of treatment. Other than the hematological events, the iada-azacitidine combination appears to be safe and well tolerated. We have not observed other significant non-hematological toxicities or other organ-related toxicities.

We expect to achieve full patient recruitment of the ALICE study (36 subjects) in October 2021 and will report updated safety and efficacy results based on an October data cut-off.

Conclusions: Data to date indicate that iadademstat has a good safety profile and produces robust, fast and in some cases durable responses. Iadademstat appears to be an active candidate for combination with azacitidine and other agents. Drug-related toxicity appears to be predictable, manageable, and restricted to hematologic events. Considering the novel mechanism of action of iadademstat, a pro-differentiating agent, combination strategies with iadademstat might increase therapeutic options for AML patients in first line treatment, as well as for refractory, intolerant, or relapsed patients.

Disclosures

Salamero: Pfizer: Consultancy; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria. Somervaille: Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria. Molero: AbbVie: Honoraria; Jansen: Honoraria; BMS-Celgene: Other: Travel, accommodation expenses. Pérez-Simón: Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Gutierrez: Oryzon Genomics: Current Employment. Buesa: Oryzon Genomics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties. Bosch: Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel; Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, Research Funding; AbbVie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel; Gilead: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel; TAKEDA: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel. Montesinos: Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Tolero Pharmaceutical: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Sanofi: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Teva: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Stemline/Menarini: Consultancy; Forma Therapeutics: Consultancy; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Karyopharm: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Glycomimetics: Consultancy; Agios: Consultancy; AbbVie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Astellas Pharma, Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau.