Severe Bleeding Events in Hemophilia Α Patients Receiving Emicizumab Prophylaxis

Introduction: Emicizumab is a novel humanized bispecific antibody that mimics the function of activated coagulation factor VIII (fVIII). It has significantly changed the management of patients with hemophilia A and inhibitors by achieving baseline hemostatic control. Based on the HAVEN studies, emicizumab markedly reduces annualized bleeding rates and is FDA-approved for prophylaxis in hemophilia A patients of all ages, regardless of inhibitor status. In the HAVEN2 interim analysis, only 3/57 pediatric patients receiving emicizumab prophylaxis required treatment for an acute bleeding event after a 9-week median observation time. We report 3 patients with severe hemophilia A and a history of inhibitors receiving emicizumab prophylaxis with severe or refractory bleeding episodes to highlight the importance of vigilance and surveillance of children with severe hemophilia A on emicizumab. Methods: This retrospective analysis includes patients between 0-21 years of age with severe hemophilia A (fVIII activity Results: Three patients with severe hemophilia A receiving emicizumab prophylaxis were admitted for the management of 4 severe bleeding episodes. All patients had a history of a fVIII inhibitor. Three of the 4 bleeding episodes were trauma-induced while 1 occurred spontaneously. For the traumatic episodes, all patients presented with worsening symptoms approximately 1 week following the inciting event. All patients had a normal aPTT at the time of presentation, ruling out a significant anti-drug antibody (emicizumab level not available). A patient with a low-titer inhibitor developed an epidural hematoma following a trampoline injury and was treated with continuous infusion of recombinant factor VIII (rfVIII), adjusting the rate to achieve chromogenic fVIII activity of 100% for 14 days. Following 14 days, he was started on rfVIII 50 IU/kg Q12 hours with a goal fVIII activity of 50%. His rfVIII dosing interval was gradually weaned to every other day while in inpatient rehabilitation. As outlined in Table 1, the remaining 3 bleeding events were initially managed with recombinant activated factor VII (rfVIIa) dosed at 80-90 mcg/kg/dose with escalating frequency for an average of 8 days. However, due to lack of improvement, treatment was changed to low-dose activated prothrombin complex concentrates (aPCC; 10-15 IU/kg/dose Q12-24 hours for an average of 7 days). In all 3 of these events, the hematomas improved after treatment with aPCC. No patient experienced thrombotic microangiopathy, thrombosis, or had evidence of DIC while receiving these treatment regimens. Discussion/Conclusion: Pharmacokinetic analysis of emicizumab suggests that following the standard 4-week loading phase, trough plasma emicizumab concentrations obtained prior to a 1.5 mg/kg once weekly maintenance dose correlates with at least 10-15 IU/dL equivalent fVIII activity. This degree of thrombin generation should be sufficient to prevent severe spontaneous bleeding episodes in most patients. However it does not preclude significant trauma-induced bleeding or spontaneous bleeding in inhibitor patients. Based on our cases, providers should maintain a high index of suspicion for acute bleeding in patients receiving emicizumab prophylaxis. Serious bleeding events, although rare, may have a more insidious onset in patients receiving emicizumab. Furthermore, despite the baseline hemostasis achieved with emicizumab, acute bleeding events may still require aggressive therapy. Our cases suggest that low-dose aPCC or continuous infusion fVIII may be feasible options for treating acute bleeding events in patients with hemophilia A and inhibitors receiving emicizumab prophylaxis. Download : Download high-res image (3MB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Zimowski: Pfizer: Research Funding; National Hemophilia Foundation: Other: Medical Loan Reimbursement, Research Funding. Batsuli: Octapharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bayer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genetech: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Bryant: Novo Nordisk: Other: PI on Novo Nordisk sponsored Studies. McDaniel: Genentech: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Tickle: National Hemophilia Foundation: Research Funding. Meeks: Bayer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genentech: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novo Nordisk: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bioverativ: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda-Shire: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; HEMA Biologics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Sidonio: Genetech: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Takeda-Shire: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bioverativ: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Octapharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Grifols: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Biomarin: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Uniqure: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novo Nordisk: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kedrion: Research Funding.