A Pilot Study of Brentuximab Vedotin Combined with AVD Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Early Stage, Unfavorable Risk Hodgkin Lymphoma
Authors: Kumar Anita , Casulo Carla , Advani Ranjana H , Budde Lihua E , Barr Paul M. , Batlevi Connie Lee , Caron Philip , Constine Louis S. , Dandapani Savita , Drill Esther , Drullinsky Pamela , Friedberg Jonathan W. , Grieve Clare , Hamilton Audrey , Hamlin Paul A. , Hoppe Richard T , Horwitz Steven M. , Matasar Matthew J , McCall Susan Jennifer , Moskowitz Alison J. , Noy Ariela , Palomba Maria Lia , Schoder Heiko , Straus David J. , Vemuri Shreya , Yang Joanna C , Younes Anas , Zelenetz Andrew D. , Yahalom Joachim , Moskowitz Craig H. 
Published: November 2019

Introduction: The standard therapy for early stage, unfavorable risk Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) with disease bulk is combined modality therapy, typically 4-6 cycles of ABVD followed by 30Gy involved-site radiotherapy (ISRT) (Eich JCO 2010). In this pilot study with four sequential cohorts, we studied whether consolidative radiotherapy could be reduced or eliminated in early stage, unfavorable risk HL patients treated with brentuximab vedotin (BV) and AVD chemotherapy. In the first cohort, we demonstrated that BV+AVD and 30Gy ISRT had an acceptable safety profile without significant pulmonary toxicity and promising efficacy (Kumar Blood 2016). In subsequent cohorts, we tested whether the ISRT dose could be reduced to 20Gy (cohort 2), the RT field could be reduced with consolidation volume radiation (CVRT; cohort 3), and whether radiation therapy could be eliminated (cohort 4).
Methods: Patients received 4 cycles of BV 1.2 mg/kg with AVD chemotherapy every 2 weeks, followed by 30 Gy ISRT in cohort 1, 20Gy ISRT in cohort 2, 30 Gy CVRT in cohort 3, and no radiotherapy in cohort 4. CVRT targets PET-negative residual masses greater than 1.5cm on post-chemotherapy CT imaging. Eligible patients in cohorts 1-2 included untreated stage I/II, classical HL with any one of the following unfavorable risk factors: bulky disease (MSK criteria: maximal transverse or coronal diameter >7 cm on CT), elevated ESR, extranodal involvement, >2 lymph node sites, or infradiaphragmatic disease. In cohort 3-4, early stage patients with bulky disease by MSK criteria were eligible. PET/CT after 2 and 4 cycles and after ISRT were interpreted with the 5-point Deauville scale (negative=1-3). The primary endpoint of cohort 1 was to evaluate safety and tolerability of the treatment combination, with special attention to pulmonary toxicity; the primary endpoint of cohorts 2-4 was to evaluate preliminary efficacy with the rate of complete responses (CRs) at end of treatment (EOT).
Results: In June 2019, the study was fully accrued with 117 patients enrolled across four cohorts. Patients had a median age of 32 (range 18-59), 98% stage II, 86% with MSK-defined disease bulk (>7cm in transverse or coronal dimension), 27% with traditionally defined bulk (>10cm in transverse dimension), 50% elevated ESR, 38% B-symptoms, 21% extranodal involvement, 56% >2 involved lymph node sites, and 3.4% infradiaphragmatic disease. 26 patients (22%) had advanced stage disease by German Hodgkin Study Group criteria: IIBX (n=16), IIBE (n=5), and IIBXE (n=6).
Of the patients enrolled in cohorts 1-3 with interim PET imaging, 85% and 91% achieved a negative PET scan after 2 and 4 cycles of therapy, respectively, and 95% achieved a CR at EOT. In cohort 4, 24 of the 29 enrolled patients have completed 4 cycles of therapy. Thus far, 93% of patients achieved a negative PET-2 scan (25 of 27 patients), 77% of patients achieved a negative PET-4 scan (17 of 22 patients), and 91% achieved a CR at EOT (20 of 22 patients). The remaining two patients with equivocal PET-4 results will have repeat short-interval scans to clarify EOT response.
The overall median follow-up of survivors is 29 months: 56 months for cohort 1, 38 months for cohort 2, 24 months for cohort 3, and 5 months for cohort 4. Seven events have occurred in the study thus far. In cohort 1, two patients had primary refractory disease after chemotherapy and were treated off study. In cohort 2, one patient in remission died in a motor vehicle accident and one late relapse occurred at 34 months. In cohort 3, two patients had primary refractory HL after CVRT and one relapse occurred at 9 months. Overall, the 2-year PFS is 94% (95% CI 0.90, 0.99), see Figure. Across all 4 cohorts, the BV+AVD treatment was well-tolerated; the most common toxicities were peripheral neuropathy, abdominal pain, and neutropenia that were generally mild-moderate in severity, reversible, and manageable.
Conclusion: BV+AVD x 4 cycles is an active treatment program for early stage, unfavorable risk HL, including patients with bulky disease. The efficacy of BV+AVD in this setting has facilitated a safe reduction in radiation dose and field evidenced by excellent and similar outcomes across the first 3 cohorts. With substantial follow-up, 20Gy ISRT appears equivalent to 30Gy ISRT following BV+AVD. The preliminary outcomes from the final cohort with chemotherapy alone are also promising, however, follow-up is short. Updated response data will be presented at the meeting.

Disclosures
Kumar: Seattle Genetics: Research Funding. Casulo:Gilead: Honoraria, Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses; Roche: Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses; Celgene: Research Funding. Advani:Kyowa Kirin Pharmaceutical Developments, Inc.: Consultancy; Cell Medica, Ltd: Consultancy; Kura: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Stanford University: Employment, Equity Ownership; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Agensys: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Autolus: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bayer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Infinity Pharma: Research Funding; Forty-Seven: Research Funding; Gilead Sciences, Inc./Kite Pharma, Inc.: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Regeneron: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Millennium: Research Funding; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celmed: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Budde:F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Consultancy. Barr:Janssen: Consultancy; Astra Zeneca: Consultancy, Research Funding; Verastem: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie company: Consultancy, Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; Merck: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy; Genentech: Consultancy. Batlevi:Juno Therapeutics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Friedberg:Acerta: Other: Data & Safety Monitoring Committee; Bayer: Honoraria, Other: Data & Safety Monitoring Committee. Horwitz:Corvus Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Consultancy; Mundipharma: Consultancy; Aileron: Research Funding; Infinity/Verastem: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Innate Pharma: Consultancy; Innate Pharma: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Millennium/Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Astex: Consultancy; Infinity/Verastem: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Astex: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin: Consultancy; Trillium: Research Funding; Affimed: Consultancy; Innate Pharma: Consultancy; Affimed: Consultancy; Corvus Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Miragen: Consultancy; Corvus Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Astex: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Infinity/Verastem: Consultancy, Research Funding; Infinity/Verastem: Consultancy, Research Funding; Innate Pharma: Consultancy; Kura: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin: Consultancy; Millennium/Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Millennium/Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Affimed: Consultancy; Miragen: Consultancy; Miragen: Consultancy; Portola: Consultancy; Trillium: Research Funding; Mundipharma: Consultancy; Portola: Consultancy; Astex: Consultancy; Aileron: Research Funding; Aileron: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Forty-Seven: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Forty-Seven: Research Funding; Forty-Seven: Research Funding; Aileron: Research Funding; Portola: Consultancy; ADCT Therapeutics: Research Funding; Affimed: Consultancy; Mundipharma: Consultancy; ADCT Therapeutics: Research Funding; ADCT Therapeutics: Research Funding; ADCT Therapeutics: Research Funding; Portola: Consultancy; Forty-Seven: Research Funding; Miragen: Consultancy; Kura: Consultancy; Kura: Consultancy; Kura: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin: Consultancy; Millennium/Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Corvus Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding. Matasar:Genentech, Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses , Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses , Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Equity Ownership; Juno Therapeutics: Consultancy; Teva: Consultancy; Rocket Medical: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bayer: Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, accomodation, expenses, Research Funding. Moskowitz:Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Cell Medica: Consultancy; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Incyte: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy. Noy:Prime Oncology: Honoraria; NIH: Research Funding; Medscape: Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy; Pharamcyclics: Research Funding; Raphael Pharma: Research Funding. Palomba:Pharmacyclics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; STRAXIMM: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kite Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Evelo: Equity Ownership; MSK (IP for Juno and Seres): Patents & Royalties; Noble Insights: Consultancy; Merck & Co Inc.: Consultancy; Seres Therapeutics: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Hemedicus: Speakers Bureau. Straus:Elsevier (PracticeUpdate): Consultancy, Honoraria; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria; Hope Funds for Cancer Research: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Younes:Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Curis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbvie: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Biopath: Consultancy; Xynomics: Consultancy; Epizyme: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; HCM: Consultancy; BMS: Research Funding; Syndax: Research Funding. Zelenetz:Beigene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genentech/Roche: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; MEI Pharma: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics/AbbVie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Karyopharm: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Verastem: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Morphosys: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astra-Zeneca: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Karyopharm: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics/AbbVie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Verastem: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astra-Zeneca: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; DAVA Oncology: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bayer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genentech/Roche: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Beigene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bayer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; MEI Pharma: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Morphosys: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; DAVA Oncology: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Moskowitz:ADC Therapeutics: Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding.