Fostamatinib Disodium (FosD), An Oral Inhibitor of Syk, Is Well-Tolerated and Has Significant Clinical Activity in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (SLL/CLL)
Authors: Friedberg Jonathan W. , Sharman Jeff , Schaefer-Cutillo Julia , Johnston Patrick B. , De Vos Sven , LaCasce Ann , Leonard John P. , Cripe Larry D. , Sinha Rajni , Gregory Stephanie A. , Sweetenham John , Vose Julie M. , Lowe Ann M , Levy R. , Shipp Margaret A. 
Published: April 2020

Certain normal and malignant B-cells rely upon “tonic” B-cell receptor (BCR)-mediated survival signals. BCR signaling induces the phosphorylation of the associated Ig alpha and beta proteins and the recruitment and activation of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK); thereafter, SYK initiates downstream events and amplifies the original BCR signal. A subset of DLBCL exhibits coordinate overexpression of BCR pathway components, including SYK, and relies upon tonic BCR signaling. FosD is an orally available inhibitor of SYK under development for rheumatoid arthritis, and has demonstrated significant in vitro activity against BCR-dependent NHLs. We have performed the first clinical trial of the oral SYK inhibitor, FosD, in patients (pts) with a variety of relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. We first enrolled 13 pts in a Phase I component, exploring two dose levels (200 and 250 mg BID) of FosD. Pts (Follicular [FL], 5; CLL/SLL, 2; mantle [MCL], 3; DLBCL, 3) were heavily pretreated. On the first day of FosD dosing at 200 mg and 250 mg, the maximum plasma concentrations were 668 ± 258 ng/mL and 1020 ± 781 ng/mL, and the AUC0–4 estimates were 1800 ± 602 ng*h/mL and 2590 ± 1900 ng*h/mL, respectively. Plasma concentrations increased approximately 2-fold with continued administration, but beyond Day 29 there was no apparent change in FosD concentrations measured over time. Dose limiting toxicity in Phase I was neutropenia; and 200 mg BID was chosen for Phase II evaluation. We then enrolled 68 pts with relapsed/refractory NHL in 3 separate disease cohorts: DLBCL (23); FL (21) and other B-cell NHL (24) including SLL/CLL (11), MCL (9) marginal zone/MALT (3) and lymphoplasmacytic NHL (1). The median age of pts in phase II was 61 (range 41–87); pts received a median of 5 prior therapies, including ASCT (16; 12 with DLBCL) and radioimmunotherapy (8). FosD was overall very well tolerated; there were 4 cases of febrile neutropenia reported. Eight pts required dose modification for neutropenia (2), hypertension (2), liver function test abnormalities (2), fever (1) and mucositis (1). Six pts withdrew before initial response evaluation (AE, 5; noncompliance, 1). Best responses by disease were: DLBCL 21% (4PR; 1CR); SLL/CLL 54% (6PR); FL 10% (2PR); MCL 11% (1PR). Stable disease was observed in an additional 23 patients, including 12 with FL, 4 with DLBCL, 4 with MCL, 2 with CLL/SLL and 1 with MALT. As of 7/15/08, 16 pts were treated for more than 200 days, and 14 pts remain on study. Median PFS is 4.5 months, and only 5 pts have died (4 with DLBCL of disease progression and 1 with CLL of infection following therapy). Several pts with CLL/SLL experienced a transient increase in circulating lymphocytes in the setting of responding nodal disease. Of the 6 responding pts with CLL, Zap-70 status was positive (3), negative (1) and unknown (2); cytogenetics were trisomy 12 (1), del13 (1), normal (1), complex (1) and unknown (2). We conclude that disrupting BCR-induced signaling by inhibiting SYK kinase represents a safe and well-tolerated novel therapeutic approach to NHL. In addition to significant responses in DLBCL and CLL/SLL, prolonged stable disease was observed in pts with FL. FosD should be developed further, as a single agent and in rational combinations, for BCR-dependent B-cell NHLs.