Clinical trial NCT01617226: Randomised Study of Azacitidine Versus Azacitidine With Vorinostat in Patients With AML or High Risk MDS
Official title: Phase II Randomised Trial of 5-azacitidine Versus 5-azacitidine in Combination With Vorinostat in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukaemia or High Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes Ineligible for Intensive Chemotherapy
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE2
Conditions: Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute
Lead sponsor: University of Birmingham
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Leukemia Research Fund
name: Celgene
name: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
First posted: 2012-06-12
Enrollment: 260
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This is a multicentre, open-label, randomised phase II trial comparing azacitidine monotherapy with combined azacitidine and vorinostat in patients with newly diagnosed, relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia or high risk myelodysplastic syndromes ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

Detailed description: Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) is a common haematological malignancy. As a result of improvements in myelosuppressive chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation, the outcome of children and young adults with AML has improved substantially in the past three decades. By contrast there has only been limited progress in the development of new treatments for older adults in whom long term survival is less than 20% at present.

There is an urgent need to develop more effective treatment options for the treatment of AML and high risk MDS in older adults. Accumulating evidence suggests that Azacitidine is a potentially important treatment modality in newly diagnosed, relapsed/refractory AML and high risk MDS. Phase II trials in AML and MDS demonstrate increased clinical activity of azacitidine when combined with a HDACi. However no randomised trials have yet examined the important question of whether concurrent HDACi administration increases the clinical activity of Azacitidine. Vorinostat is a new HDACi which shows significant clinical activity in combination with Azacitidine in patients with AML and MDS.

We therefore propose a randomised trial of azacitidine compared with azacitidine and vorinostat combination therapy in older adults with newly diagnosed, relapsed, refractory AML or high risk MDS ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. This will represent the first randomised trial, addressing whether there is a clinical benefit to be gained from combining treatment with azacitidine with a HDACi in patients with newly diagnosed, relapsed, refractory AML or high risk MDS for whom limited therapeutic options currently exist.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

- Adults with AML (except Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia (APL)) as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Classification or patients with high risk MDS categorised as INT-2 or high risk according to the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) who are deemed ineligible for intensive chemotherapy on the grounds of age or co-morbidities with ONE of the following disease status:- i) Newly diagnosed OR

ii) Relapsed Disease: patients must have achieved a previous morphological CR and show evidence of recurrent disease OR

iii) Refractory Disease: patients who have failed to achieve a morphological CR with previous therapy

* Patients are able to receive treatment as out-patient
* Adequate renal and hepatic function as defined in the Protocol
* Patients have given written informed consent
* ECOG performance status less than or equal to 2

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients with greater than class III NYHA cardiac impairment
* Blastic transformation of Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia
* Prior allogeneic/autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplant
* Pregnant or lactating women
* Adults of reproductive potential not willing to use appropriate, effective, contraception during the trial and for specified amount of time afterwards
* Patients who have received prior histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) treatment as anti-tumour therapy. (Patients who have received HDACi treatment for other indications e.g valproic acid for epilepsy may enrol after a 30-day washout period)
* Previous anti-tumour therapies, including prior experimental agents or approved anti-tumour small molecules and biologics, within 30 days before the start of protocol treatment. (Patients receiving anti-tumour therapies to control blood counts may enrol into the trial)
* Patients who have received prior treatment with demethylating agents such as 5-azacitidine or decitabine
* Patients with contraindications to receiving azacitidine or vorinostat such as hypersensitivity, patients unable to have a subcutaneous injection or swallow oral capsules
* Active symptomatic fungal, bacterial, and/or viral infection including known active HIV or known viral (A, B, or C) hepatitis
* Any co-morbidity that could limit compliance with the trial

Primary outcomes:
measure: Phase II - Overall Response Rate
timeFrame: Upto 6 months
measure: Phase II - Overall Survival
timeFrame: Up to 24 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Phase II - Toxicities measured by National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE)
timeFrame: Up to 28 days
measure: Phase II - Complete Remission (CR) within 6 cycles of treatment
timeFrame: Up to 6 months
measure: Phase II - Duration of response
timeFrame: Up to 24 months
measure: Phase II - Dose intensity
timeFrame: Up to 24 months
measure: Phase II - Quality of Life measured by questionnaires
timeFrame: Up to 24 months
measure: Phase II - Medical Resource Use
timeFrame: Up to 24 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: London
country: United Kingdom
facility: Barts and the London NHS Trust
state: Greater London
city: London
country: United Kingdom
facility: King's College Hospital
state: Greater London
city: London
country: United Kingdom
facility: Hammersmith Hospital
state: Greater London
city: Manchester
country: United Kingdom
facility: The Christie Hospital
state: Greater Manchester
city: Liverpool
country: United Kingdom
facility: Royal Liverpool University Hospital
state: Merseyside
city: Belfast
country: United Kingdom
facility: Belfast City Hospital
state: Northern Ireland
city: Nottingham
country: United Kingdom
facility: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
state: Nottinghamshire
city: Oxford
country: United Kingdom
facility: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
state: Oxfordshire
city: Cardiff
country: United Kingdom
facility: University Hospital of Wales
state: South Wales
city: Birmingham
country: United Kingdom
facility: Queen Elizabeth Hospital
state: West Midlands
city: Leeds
country: United Kingdom
facility: St James's University Hospital
state: West Yorkshire
city: Glasgow
country: United Kingdom
facility: Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre
city: Southampton
country: United Kingdom
facility: Southampton General Hospital
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Birmingham
name: Charles F Craddock, Professor
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Cheson BD, Bennett JM, Kopecky KJ, Buchner T, Willman CL, Estey EH, Schiffer CA, Doehner H, Tallman MS, Lister TA, Lo-Coco F, Willemze R, Biondi A, Hiddemann W, Larson RA, Lowenberg B, Sanz MA, Head DR, Ohno R, Bloomfield CD; International Working Group for Diagnosis, Standardization of Response Criteria, Treatment Outcomes, and Reporting Standards for Therapeutic Trials in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Revised recommendations of the International Working Group for Diagnosis, Standardization of Response Criteria, Treatment Outcomes, and Reporting Standards for Therapeutic Trials in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. J Clin Oncol. 2003 Dec 15;21(24):4642-9. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2003.04.036.
citation: Dohner H, Estey EH, Amadori S, Appelbaum FR, Buchner T, Burnett AK, Dombret H, Fenaux P, Grimwade D, Larson RA, Lo-Coco F, Naoe T, Niederwieser D, Ossenkoppele GJ, Sanz MA, Sierra J, Tallman MS, Lowenberg B, Bloomfield CD; European LeukemiaNet. Diagnosis and management of acute myeloid leukemia in adults: recommendations from an international expert panel, on behalf of the European LeukemiaNet. Blood. 2010 Jan 21;115(3):453-74. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-07-235358. Epub 2009 Oct 30.
citation: Fenaux P, Mufti GJ, Hellstrom-Lindberg E, Santini V, Gattermann N, Germing U, Sanz G, List AF, Gore S, Seymour JF, Dombret H, Backstrom J, Zimmerman L, McKenzie D, Beach CL, Silverman LR. Azacitidine prolongs overall survival compared with conventional care regimens in elderly patients with low bone marrow blast count acute myeloid leukemia. J Clin Oncol. 2010 Feb 1;28(4):562-9. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2009.23.8329. Epub 2009 Dec 21.
citation: Sudan N, Rossetti JM, Shadduck RK, Latsko J, Lech JA, Kaplan RB, Kennedy M, Gryn JF, Faroun Y, Lister J. Treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia with outpatient azacitidine. Cancer. 2006 Oct 15;107(8):1839-43. doi: 10.1002/cncr.22204.
citation: Soriano AO, Yang H, Faderl S, Estrov Z, Giles F, Ravandi F, Cortes J, Wierda WG, Ouzounian S, Quezada A, Pierce S, Estey EH, Issa JP, Kantarjian HM, Garcia-Manero G. Safety and clinical activity of the combination of 5-azacytidine, valproic acid, and all-trans retinoic acid in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Blood. 2007 Oct 1;110(7):2302-8. doi: 10.1182/blood-2007-03-078576. Epub 2007 Jun 27.
citation: Jabbour E, Giralt S, Kantarjian H, Garcia-Manero G, Jagasia M, Kebriaei P, de Padua L, Shpall EJ, Champlin R, de Lima M. Low-dose azacitidine after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute leukemia. Cancer. 2009 May 1;115(9):1899-905. doi: 10.1002/cncr.24198.
citation: de Lima M, Giralt S, Thall PF, de Padua Silva L, Jones RB, Komanduri K, Braun TM, Nguyen HQ, Champlin R, Garcia-Manero G. Maintenance therapy with low-dose azacitidine after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for recurrent acute myelogenous leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome: a dose and schedule finding study. Cancer. 2010 Dec 1;116(23):5420-31. doi: 10.1002/cncr.25500. Epub 2010 Jul 29.
citation: Garcia-Manero G, Yang H, Bueso-Ramos C, Ferrajoli A, Cortes J, Wierda WG, Faderl S, Koller C, Morris G, Rosner G, Loboda A, Fantin VR, Randolph SS, Hardwick JS, Reilly JF, Chen C, Ricker JL, Secrist JP, Richon VM, Frankel SR, Kantarjian HM. Phase 1 study of the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid [SAHA]) in patients with advanced leukemias and myelodysplastic syndromes. Blood. 2008 Feb 1;111(3):1060-6. doi: 10.1182/blood-2007-06-098061. Epub 2007 Oct 25.
citation: Khanim FL, Bradbury CA, Arrazi J, Hayden RE, Rye A, Basu S, MacWhannell A, Sawers A, Griffiths M, Cook M, Freeman S, Nightingale KP, Grimwade D, Falciani F, Turner BM, Bunce CM, Craddock C. Elevated FOSB-expression; a potential marker of valproate sensitivity in AML. Br J Haematol. 2009 Feb;144(3):332-41. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2008.07449.x. Epub 2008 Nov 22.
citation: Wijermans P, Lubbert M, Verhoef G, Bosly A, Ravoet C, Andre M, Ferrant A. Low-dose 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, a DNA hypomethylating agent, for the treatment of high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome: a multicenter phase II study in elderly patients. J Clin Oncol. 2000 Mar;18(5):956-62. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2000.18.5.956.
citation: Vardiman JW, Thiele J, Arber DA, Brunning RD, Borowitz MJ, Porwit A, Harris NL, Le Beau MM, Hellstrom-Lindberg E, Tefferi A, Bloomfield CD. The 2008 revision of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of myeloid neoplasms and acute leukemia: rationale and important changes. Blood. 2009 Jul 30;114(5):937-51. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-03-209262. Epub 2009 Apr 8.
citation: Garcia-Manero G, Estey EH, Jabbour E, et al. Phase II Study of 5-Azacitidine and Vorinostat in Patients (pts) with Newly Diagnosed Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) or Acute Myelogenous Leukaemia (AML) not eligible for Clinical Trials because of poor performance or presence of other comorbidities. Blood (ASH annual meeting abstracts) 116: Abstract 604, 21010.
citation: Guieze R, Jouinot A, Itzykson R, et al. Azacytidine (AZA) in Relapsed MDS and AML after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT): Results of the French ATU Program. Blood (ASH Annual Meeting Abstracts), Abstract 1293, 2010.
citation: Craddock C, Goardon N, Griffiths M, et al. 5' Azacitidine in combination with Valproic Acid induces complete remissions in patients with advanced Acute Myeloid Leukaemia but does not eradicate clonal leukaemic stem/progenitor cells. Blood (ASH Annual Meeting Abstracts), 112: Abstract 945, 2008.
citation: Craddock CF, Goardon N, Quek L. et al. 5'azacitidine in combination with valproic acid induces complete remissions in patients with advanced acute myeloid leukaemia but does not eradicate clonal leukaemic progenitors. Blood (ASH annual meeting abstracts), Abstract 638, 2011.
citation: Silverman LR, Verma A, Odchimar-Reissig R et al. A Phase I Trial of the Epigenetic Modulators Vorinostat, in combination with Azacitidine (azaC) in Patients with the Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML): A Study of the New York Cancer Consortium. Blood (ASH Annual Meeting Abstracts), 112: Abstract 3656, 2008.