Ahead Study: A 3 Year Follow-up of 522 Severe and Moderate Hemophilia a Patients
Authors: Oldenburg Johannes , Tsakiris Dimitrios , Hermans Cedric R. , Liesner RI , Khair Kate , Mazzucconi Maria Gabriella , Steinitz-Trost Katharina N , Spotts Gerald , Reininger Armin J , Gringeri Alessandro 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Introduction: Long-term, real-world data on natural history of hemophilia A patients, safety and treatment outcome are still insufficient, particularly as far as the impact of bleeding on patient lives is concerned, as most of clinical trials and PASS studies are limited in study population size and length of follow-up, often no longer than 12 months.
Methods: The AHEAD study is a non-interventional, prospective long-term cohort study including severe and moderate hemophilia A patients treated with ADVATE. Study endpoints include long-term joint health outcomes, annualized (joint) bleeding rates (ABR/AJBR), factor consumption, quality of life and safety data. Globally, AHEAD aims to evaluate data on approximately 1,000 patients, with a maximum follow-up period of up to 8 years. This interim data report includes 3 years of follow-up after study start.
Results: The interim data report includes 522 patients from 21 countries (German study arm is not included in this analysis), for overall 1160 patient years. Of these, 334 completed year 1, 238 year 2 and 136 year 3 study visits. Median age at screening was 17 years (min-max: 0 - 78) and 57% of patients had severe HA (FVIII<1%); 78% were on prophylaxis, 21% were on demand (OD) and 1% on ITI treatment.
The median ABRs in year 1, 2 and 3 were 1.2/1.2/1.9 respectively in patients on prophylaxis and 8.4/10.0/7.2, respectively in patients on OD. Median AJBRs were 0.9/0.9/1.0 in the prophylaxis group and 6.4/5.5/5.9 for patients on OD in the first three years of observation. Very similar data were reported taking only severe hemophilia A patients on prophylaxis into account (ABR: 1.9/1.7/2.5 and AJBR: 1.0/1.0/1.1)
Overall, 56% of patients on prophylaxis and 32% of patients OD had an AJBR <1 in the first year, 54% and 33% in the second year and 52% and 22% in the third year. In the OD group about half of the patients had an AJBR ≥ 6, in the 3 years of follow up, while only 10% of patients in the prophylaxis group.
Median annualized total dose in the prophylaxis group was consistently approximately 245,000IU while the FVIII consumption in the OD group was ranging from 26,000 to 47,000. Effectiveness of prophylaxis assessed by investigators was excellent/good in 93-96% of cases in the three years of observation.
Functionality assessment using the hemophilia activity level (HAL) questionnaire showed a median summary score of 77.3-86.7 for patients on prophylaxis and 67.9-71.3 in patients OD over the 3 year follow up period. Differences of health related quality of life (HRQoL) as assessed by the SF-12 were found in the domain physical functioning (median score of 75-100 vs. 50-75 in patients on prophylaxis and OD, respectively) and role physical (median scores of 75 vs. 62.5-75 in patients on prophylaxis and OD, respectively).
There were 7 treatment-related adverse events (AEs): 6 serious AEs (5 transient low titer inhibitors and 1 transient high titer inhibitor). The remaining non serious treatment-related adverse event was a mild allergic cutaneous reaction with rhinitis. All patients continued to receive ADVATE.
Conclusion: Interim read-out of 3 year follow-up of patients enrolled in the AHEAD study show a clinically meaningful difference in ABR/AJBR, HAL, HRQoL of patients on prophylaxis or OD treatment. This study represents the largest cohort of hemophilia patients with the longest follow-up period.

Disclosures
Tsakiris: Baxalta, now part of Shire: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer Switzerland GmbH: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Hermans:Baxalta, now part of Shire: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Investigator Clinical Studies. Liesner:Baxalta, now part of Shire: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Octapharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Sobi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; BPL: Research Funding; Cangene: Research Funding; CSL Behring: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Khair:Pfizer: Research Funding; NovoNordisk: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Baxalta, now part of Shire: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Study Investigator, Research Funding; Octapharma: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Study Investigator, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Sobi/Biogen: Research Funding. Mazzucconi:Baxalta, now part of Shire: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Bayer: Speakers Bureau; NovoNordisk: Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Speakers Bureau; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Shire: Speakers Bureau. Steinitz-Trost:Baxalta, now part of Shire: Employment. Spotts:Shire: Employment. Reininger:Baxalta, now part of Shire: Employment, Equity Ownership. Gringeri:Shire: Employment, Equity Ownership.