Immunogenicity profile of rurioctocog alfa pegol in previously treated patients with severe congenital hemophilia A.

ABSTRACT: Rurioctocog alfa pegol is an extended-half-life full-length recombinant factor VIII (FVIII) bound to 20-kDa polyethylene glycol (PEG) that has been shown to be well tolerated and efficacious in the treatment and prevention of bleeding events in previously treated patients with severe hemophilia A. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of immunogenicity data collected during 6 clinical studies of rurioctocog alfa pegol, including a total of 360 unique previously treated patients with severe hemophilia A. The analysis included treatment-emerging FVIII-neutralizing antibodies (FVIII inhibitors); preexisting and treatment-emerging antibodies binding to FVIII, PEG-FVIII, or PEG; and treatment-emerging antibodies binding to Chinese hamster ovary host cell proteins. Moreover, the potential association between the presence of these binding antibodies and adverse events (AEs) observed in patients was investigated, and the potential impact of these antibodies on the incremental recovery of rurioctocog alfa pegol in patients was analyzed. Overall, the data indicate that rurioctocog alfa pegol is not associated with any unexpected immunogenicity characteristics. Of 360 patients, 1 patient developed a transient FVIII inhibitor with a titer of 0.6 Bethesda units per mL, which was not associated with any serious AEs. Antibodies binding to FVIII, PEG-FVIII, or PEG were not detected at the time when the inhibitor was present. Moreover, 54 of 360 patients either entered the clinical studies with preexisting binding antibodies or developed these antibodies after exposure to rurioctocog alfa pegol. These antibodies were transient in most patients and did not show any causal relationship to either AEs or spontaneous bleeding episodes.

Evaluation of collagen turnover biomarkers as an objective measure for efficacy of treatment with rurioctocog alfa pegol in patients with hemophilia A: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hemophilia who have recurrent hemarthroses develop hemophilic arthropathy (HA). Regular prophylaxis with factor (F) VIII (FVIII) can reduce HA, but there is a need for objective outcome measures to evaluate treatment efficacy. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate and assess collagen turnover biomarkers in patients with hemophilia A to determine the efficacy of rurioctocog alfa pegol treatment and understand their potential as tools for guiding treatment decisions and monitoring outcomes. METHODS: Joint remodeling was assessed by analyzing serum levels of collagen remodeling products at baseline and months 3, 6, 9, and 12 in a 98 patient subset receiving pharmacokinetics-guided prophylaxis with rurioctocog alfa pegol, targeting FVIII trough levels of 1 to 3 International Units (IU)/dL or 8 to 12 IU/dL (PROPEL study, NCT0285960). RESULTS: Basement membrane metabolism-related type 4 collagen remodeling products (C4M and PRO-C4) decreased after 3 months at all time points by up to 25% at 1 to 3 IU/dL (P = .049, P < .0001) and 8 to 12 IU/dL FVIII trough levels (P = .0002, P < .0001). Interstitial tissue metabolism-related type 3 (C3M) and 5 (PRO-C5) collagen remodeling products decreased after 3 months, by up to 19% at 1 to 3 IU/dL FVIII trough level (P = .0001, P = .009) and 23% at 8 to 12 IU/dL FVIII trough level (P = .0002, P = .001). An increase of up to 12% was seen for cartilage metabolism-related type 2 collagen product (PRO-C2, not C2M) after 6 months at both trough levels (P = .01, P = .005). When stratified by prior treatment, changes in C3M (P = .03) and C4M (P = .02) levels were observed between trough levels for prior on-demand treatment but not for prophylaxis prior to study entry. CONCLUSION: Joint improvement measured by collagen remodeling biomarkers specific to the basement membrane, interstitial matrix, and cartilage was seen with pharmacokinetics-guided prophylaxis. These collagen remodeling biomarkers warrant further exploration as biomarkers to guide treatment toward improvement in HA.

Immunogenicity, safety, and efficacy of rurioctocog alfa pegol in previously untreated patients with severe hemophilia A: interim results from a phase 3, prospective, multicenter, open-label study.

AIM: To determine the immunogenicity, safety, and efficacy of rurioctocog alfa pegol in previously untreated patients (PUPs) with severe hemophilia A (HA). METHODS: This prospective, phase 3 study (NCT02615691) was conducted in PUPs, or patients with ≤2 exposure days (EDs) prior to screening, aged <6 years with severe HA. The primary endpoint was incidence of factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitor development. This protocol-specified interim analysis was conducted after 50 patients had completed ≥50 EDs without developing FVIII inhibitors or had developed a confirmed inhibitor at any time. RESULTS: Of the enrolled patients, 59/80 (73.8%) received ≥1 dose of rurioctocog alfa pegol; 54 received prophylaxis, and 35 on-demand treatment. Incidence of inhibitor development was 0.19 (10/52). Total annualized bleeding rate (95% CIs) was 3.2 (2.0-5.0) for patients receiving prophylaxis and 3.2 (1.6-6.3) for on-demand treatment. Hemostatic efficacy of most bleedings was rated as 'excellent' or 'good' after 24 hours (122/131 [93.1%]) and at resolution (161/170 [94.7%]). Five patients received ≥1 dose of rurioctocog alfa pegol for immune tolerance induction (ITI) and 1 patient was defined as having ITI success. Thirteen patients experienced 14 treatment-related adverse events, including 10 cases of FVIII inhibitor development. CONCLUSION: This is the first prospective study of rurioctocog alfa pegol for the treatment of PUPs with severe HA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (CT.gov identifier: NCT02615691).

Targeting an elevated FVIII level using personalized rurioctocog alfa pegol prophylaxis in specific patient populations with hemophilia A: post hoc subanalysis of the randomized, phase 3 PROPEL study.

Background: The phase 3, prospective PROPEL study demonstrated that pharmacokinetic (PK)-guided prophylaxis targeting elevated factor VIII (FVIII) troughs in patients with hemophilia A resulted in lower annualized bleeding rates (ABRs) and a higher proportion of patients experiencing zero bleeds in the second 6 months of treatment when targeting a FVIII trough of 8-12% versus 1-3%. Objective: To investigate the benefit of PK-guided prophylaxis with rurioctocog alfa pegol targeting two FVIII trough levels in specific patient subgroups in a post hoc analysis using data from PROPEL. Design: This is a post hoc analysis of data from the PROPEL study. The design and primary outcomes of the prospective, randomized PROPEL study (NCT02585960) have been reported previously. Methods: This post hoc analysis reports data stratified by FVIII half-life (t1/2), hemophilic arthropathy status, number of target joints at screening, previous treatment regimen, and ABR range in the 12 months before study entry. Results: Targeting an elevated FVIII trough of 8-12% was associated with higher average FVIII levels over time, regardless of FVIII t1/2 at baseline. The decrease in total ABR between the 8-12% and 1-3% arms was greatest in patients with a FVIII t1/2 of 6 to <12 h (0.7 versus 3.5); a higher number of target joints, that is, at least four target joints, at baseline (0.2 versus 1.6); the presence of arthropathy (0.1 versus 1.7); and those previously treated on-demand (0.3 versus 1.8). Conclusion: These results support the feasibility of targeting elevated FVIII levels using personalized rurioctocog alfa pegol prophylaxis. These benefits may be especially important in patients with a short FVIII t1/2 and those receiving standard prophylaxis with frequent breakthrough bleeds, arthropathy, and target joints. Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02585960; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02585960.

Infection rates and tolerability of three different immunoglobulin administration modalities in patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases.

Aim: This post hoc analysis evaluated the efficacy and overall tolerability of immunoglobulin (Ig) treatment modalities (intravenous Ig [iv.Ig], subcutaneous Ig [sc.Ig] and facilitated sc.Ig [fsc.Ig]). Materials & methods: A total of 30 participants with primary immunodeficiency diseases aged ≥2 years sequentially received iv.Ig, sc.Ig and fsc.Ig during consecutive clinical studies. Results: For iv.Ig, sc.Ig and fsc.Ig, rates of validated acute serious bacterial infections/participant-year (0, 0.09 and 0.04, respectively) and all infections/participant year (4.17, 3.68 and 2.42, respectively) were similarly low; rates of systemic and local causally related adverse events/participant-year were 5.60, 1.93 and 0.88, respectively and 0.13, 0.92 and 1.57, respectively. Conclusion: fsc.Ig provided similar efficacy to iv.Ig and sc.Ig. Clinical Trial registration: NCT00546871, NCT00814320, NCT01175213 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Steady-State Serum IgG Trough Levels Are Adequate for Pharmacokinetic Assessment in Patients with Immunodeficiencies Receiving Subcutaneous Immune Globulin.

Patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases often require lifelong immunoglobulin (IG) therapy. Most clinical trials investigating IG therapies characterize serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles by serially assessing serum IgG levels. This retrospective analysis evaluated whether steady-state serum IgG trough level measurement alone is adequate for PK assessment. Based on individual patient serum IgG trough levels from two pivotal trials (phase 2/3 European [NCT01412385] and North American [NCT01218438]) of weekly 20% subcutaneous IG (SCIG; Cuvitru, Ig20Gly), trough level-predicted IgG AUC (AUCτ,tp) were calculated and compared with the reported AUC calculated from serum IgG concentration-time profiles (AUCτ). In both studies, mean AUCτ,tp values for Ig20Gly were essentially equivalent to AUCτ with point estimates of geometric mean ratio (GMR) of AUCτ,tp/AUCτ near 1.0 and 90% CIs within 0.80-1.25. In contrast, for IVIG, 10%, mean AUCτ,tp values were lower than AUCτ by >20%, (GMR [90% CI]: 0.74 [0.70-0.78] and 0.77 [0.73-0.81] for the two studies, respectively). Mean AUCτ,tp values calculated for 4 other SCIG products (based on mean IgG trough levels reported in the literature/labels) were also essentially equivalent to the reported AUCτ (differences <10% for all except HyQvia, a facilitated SCIG product), while differences for IVIG products were >20%. In conclusion, steady-state serum IgG levels following weekly SCIG remain stable, allowing for reliable prediction of AUC over the dosing interval using trough IgG levels. These findings indicate that measuring steady-state serum IgG trough levels alone may be adequate for PK assessment of weekly SCIG.

Results of a randomized phase III/IV trial comparing intermittent bolus versus continuous infusion of antihaemophilic factor (recombinant) in adults with severe or moderately severe haemophilia A undergoing major orthopaedic surgery.

INTRODUCTION: In patients with haemophilia A undergoing surgery, factor VIII (FVIII) replacement therapy by continuous infusion (CI) may offer an alternative to bolus infusion (BI). AIM: To compare the perioperative haemostatic efficacy and safety of antihaemophilic factor (recombinant) (ADVATE® ; Baxalta US Inc., a Takeda company, Lexington, MA, USA) CI or BI administration. METHODS: In this multicentre, phase III/IV, controlled study (NCT00357656), 60 previously treated adult patients with severe or moderately severe disease undergoing elective unilateral major orthopaedic surgery (knee replacement, n = 48; hip surgery, n = 4; other, n = 8) requiring drain placement were randomized to receive antihaemophilic factor (recombinant) CI (n = 29) or BI (n = 31) through postoperative day 7. Primary outcome measure was cumulative packed red blood cell (PRBC)/blood volume in the drainage fluid within 24 h after surgery, used to establish non-inferiority of CI to BI. RESULTS: CI:BI ratio of cumulative PRBC volume in the 24-h drainage fluid was 0.92 (p-value <.001 for non-inferiority; 95% confidence interval, 0.82-1.05). Total antihaemophilic factor (recombinant) dose per kg body weight received in the combined trans- and postoperative periods was similar with CI and BI to maintain targeted FVIII levels during/after surgery. Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were reported in five patients treated by CI (eight events) and five treated by BI (six events), including two serious AEs in each arm. CONCLUSION: CI administration of antihaemophilic factor (recombinant) is a viable alternative to BI in patients with haemophilia A undergoing major orthopaedic surgery, providing comparable efficacy and safety.

Phase 4 Safety and Efficacy Study of Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant) in Previously Treated Chinese Patients With Severe/Moderately Severe Hemophilia A.

Antihemophilic factor (recombinant) (rAHF; ADVATE®; Baxalta US Inc., a Takeda company, Lexington, MA, USA) is indicated for the treatment and prevention of bleeding in patients with hemophilia A. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of standard prophylaxis versus on-demand treatment with rAHF in previously treated Chinese patients with severe/moderately severe hemophilia A. This open-label, sequential, interventional, postapproval study (NCT02170402) conducted in China included patients of any age with hemophilia A with factor VIII (FVIII) level ≤2%. Patients received 6 months' on-demand rAHF then 6 months' rAHF prophylaxis (20-40 IU/kg every 48 ± 6 hours). The primary objective was percentage reduction in annualized bleeding rate (ABR) in the per-protocol analysis set (PPAS); secondary objectives included ABR by bleeding subtype, hemostatic efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety. Of 72 patients who received ≥1 rAHF dose, 61 were included in the PPAS. Total ABR was lower during prophylaxis (mean 2.5, 95% CI 1.5-3.7; median 0) versus on-demand treatment (mean 58.3, 95% CI 52.5-64.7; median 53.9), representing a 95.9% risk reduction. Similar findings in favor of prophylaxis were observed for all types of bleeding event by cause and location. rAHF hemostatic efficacy was rated as "excellent"/"good" in 96.1% of treated bleeding events. Transient FVIII inhibitors (0.6-1.7 BU) in 4 patients resolved before study end; no unexpected safety issues were observed. rAHF prophylaxis in this study of previously treated Chinese patients with severe/moderately severe hemophilia A resulted in a clear reduction in bleeding events versus rAHF on-demand treatment, with no change in safety profile.

Rurioctocog alfa pegol PK-guided prophylaxis in hemophilia A: results from the phase 3 PROPEL study.

Rurioctocog alfa pegol prophylaxis targeting factor VIII (FVIII) troughs ≥1% has shown to be efficacious with an acceptable safety profile in people with hemophilia A (PwHA). The PROPEL trial compared safety and efficacy of 2 target FVIII troughs in PwHA aged 12 to 65 years, with severe disease, annualized bleeding rate ≥2, and previous FVIII treatment. PwHA were randomized to 12 months' pharmacokinetic (PK)-guided rurioctocog alfa pegol prophylaxis targeting FVIII troughs of 1% to 3% (reference arm) or 8% to 12% (elevated arm); first 6 months was treatment-adjustment period. The primary endpoint was absence of bleeds during the second 6 months, analyzed using multiple imputations (full analysis set [FAS]). In the 1% to 3% and 8% to 12% arms, respectively, point estimates (95% confidence interval) of proportions of PwHA with zero total bleeds were 42% (29% to 55%) and 62% (49% to 75%) in FAS (N = 115; P = .055) and 40% (27% to 55%) and 67% (52% to 81%) in per-protocol analysis set (N = 95; P = .015). Dosing frequency and consumption varied in each arm. Adverse events (AEs) occurred in 70/115 (60.9%) PwHA; serious AEs in 7/115 (6%) PwHA, including 1 treatment-related in 8% to 12% arm (transient anti-FVIII inhibitor). There were no deaths, serious thrombotic events, or AE-related discontinuations. PK-guided prophylaxis was achievable and efficacious in both arms. No new safety signals were observed in the 8% to 12% arm. These results demonstrate elevated FVIII troughs can increase the proportion of PwHA with zero bleeds and emphasize the importance of personalized treatment. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02585960.

Assessing goodness-of-fit for evaluation of dose-proportionality.

For the clinical development of a new drug, the determination of dose-proportionality is an essential part of the pharmacokinetic evaluations, which may provide early indications of non-linear pharmacokinetics and may help to identify sub-populations with divergent clearances. Prior to making any conclusions regarding dose-proportionality, the goodness-of-fit of the model must be assessed to evaluate the model performance. We propose the use of simulation-based visual predictive checks to improve the validity of dose-proportionality conclusions for complex designs. We provide an illustrative example and include a table to facilitate review by regulatory authorities.

Long-term safety and efficacy results from the phase 3b, open-label, multicentre Continuation study of rurioctocog alfa pegol for prophylaxis in previously treated patients with severe haemophilia A.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies reported the efficacy and safety profile of extended half-life PEGylated recombinant factor VIII (FVIII) rurioctocog alfa pegol (TAK-660, SHP660, BAX 855) in preventing bleeding in haemophilia A patients. AIM: This study evaluated long-term safety and efficacy of rurioctocog alfa pegol for prophylaxis and treatment of bleeding in previously treated children and adults. METHODS: In this phase 3b, prospective, open-label, multicentre study (NCT01945593), eligible patients ≤ 75 years with severe haemophilia A (FVIII < 1%) received prophylactic rurioctocog alfa pegol in a fixed dose (FD, twice-weekly or less frequent) or pharmacokinetic (PK)-tailored dose regimen. Co-primary endpoints were incidence of confirmed FVIII inhibitory antibody development and spontaneous annualized bleed rate (ABR), analysed using a generalised linear model. Secondary endpoints included overall haemostatic efficacy, occurrence of adverse events and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). RESULTS: Overall, 216 patients were included; mean (SD) age at enrolment was 22.8 (15.7) years. No patients developed confirmed FVIII inhibitors. The point estimate (95% CI) of mean spontaneous ABR was 1.20 (0.92-1.56) among 186 patients receiving twice-weekly FD prophylaxis and 0.96 (0.54-1.71) among 25 patients receiving PK-tailored prophylaxis. Overall haemostatic efficacy was rated good or excellent in 88.6% of all bleeds. No new safety signals were observed. Patients reported improvements in HRQoL measures of pain, and physical and mental well-being. CONCLUSION: These results highlight the long-term safety and efficacy of rurioctocog alfa pegol prophylaxis in previously treated children and adults with severe haemophilia A, with a safety profile similar to previous studies and continuing ABR reduction.

Modeling to Predict Factor VIII Levels Associated with Zero Bleeds in Patients with Severe Hemophilia A Initiated on Tertiary Prophylaxis.

BACKGROUND: Factor VIII (FVIII) trough levels > 1 IU/dL in patients with severe hemophilia A receiving regular prophylaxis may optimize bleed protection. OBJECTIVES: In this post hoc analysis of patients receiving tertiary prophylaxis for approximately 1 year, the relationship between estimated FVIII levels and reported bleeds was investigated to predict the potential for zero bleeds. METHODS: Sixty-three patients (median [range] age, 28 [7-59] years) with severe hemophilia A (229 bleeds) were included. FVIII levels at time of each bleed were estimated from single-dose individual pharmacokinetics. The highest estimated FVIII level at which patients experienced a bleed was considered the "potentially effective trough level" for that bleed type. Kaplan-Meier estimates of proportions of patients with no bleeds above certain estimated FVIII levels were determined. Those not experiencing a bleed in the trial were assumed to have a bleed at 0 IU/dL (pragmatic approach) or at their median trough level (conservative approach). RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier estimates based on pragmatic approach predicted zero all bleeds, joint bleeds, and spontaneous joint bleeds in 1 year in 40, 43, and 63% of patients, respectively, when the potentially effective trough FVIII level was set at 1 IU/dL. Between 1 and 10 IU/dL, every 1 IU/dL rise in estimated FVIII level was associated with an additional 2% of patients having zero all bleeds. CONCLUSION: This post hoc analysis confirms benefits with trough levels of approximately 1 to 3 IU/dL in most patients starting tertiary prophylaxis; prophylaxis with higher trough levels may help patients to achieve zero bleeds.

Postauthorization safety surveillance study of antihaemophilic factor (recombinant) reconstituted in 2 mL sterile water for injection in children with haemophilia A.

INTRODUCTION: Antihaemophilic factor (recombinant) (rAHF; ADVATE® ) is approved for prophylaxis and treatment of bleeding in children and adults with haemophilia A. Reconstitution in 2 mL sterile water for injection instead of 5 mL allows for a 60% reduction in infusion volume and administration time, but could increase the likelihood of hypersensitivity and infusion-related reactions, especially in children. AIM: To assess local tolerability, safety and effectiveness of rAHF 2 mL during routine clinical practice factor VIII (FVIII) replacement (on-demand and prophylaxis) in children with severe (FVIII < 1%) or moderately severe (FVIII 1%-2%) haemophilia A. METHODS: This was a prospective, non-interventional, postauthorization safety surveillance study (NCT02093741). Eligible patients were previously treated with rAHF and had a negative inhibitor test result during ≤10 exposure days prior to study entry. RESULTS: Of 65 patients enrolled (0-11 years of age), 54 and 11 had severe and moderately severe haemophilia A, respectively; 56 patients received prophylaxis, and 11 had ≤50 exposure days, of which 4 had ≤4 exposure days. No patients reported local hypersensitivity reactions, treatment-related adverse events or developed inhibitors. Investigators rated overall effectiveness of rAHF 2 mL prophylaxis as excellent or good. Ninety-four bleeding events in 34 patients were treated. Haemostatic effectiveness was rated as excellent or good for 75.8% of bleeds; 86.2% of bleeds required 1 or 2 infusions. CONCLUSION: In children with severe/moderately severe haemophilia A, no hypersensitivity reactions were reported with rAHF 2 mL treatment, and the safety and effectiveness are consistent with data previously reported for rAHF 5 mL.

Subgroup analysis of a phase 2/3 study of rurioctocog alfa pegol in patients with severe hemophilia A: efficacy and safety in previously treated Korean patients.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of extended half-life, full-length, pegylated recombinant factor VIII rurioctocog alfa pegol [BAX 855, ADYNOVATE (USA)/ADYNOVI (Europe); Baxalta US Inc., a Takeda company, Lexington, MA, USA] was investigated in previously treated Korean patients with severe hemophilia A (HA). METHODS: A post hoc data analysis from the international, multicenter, phase 2/3 PROLONG-ATE study of rurioctocog alfa pegol in patients with severe HA (NCT01736475) determined annualized bleeding rates (ABRs) and rates of adverse events (AEs) in Korean patients treated in this study. RESULTS: All 10 enrolled Korean patients receiving rurioctocog alfa pegol (9 prophylaxis, 1 on-demand) completed the study [median (range) age, 28.0 (12-50) yr; weight, 64.8 (45-90) kg; 8 patients had ≥1 target joint at screening]. Median (range) ABR was 1.9 (0.0-14.5) for patients on prophylaxis and 62.2 for the patient receiving on-demand treatment. The hemostatic efficacy of rurioctocog alfa pegol was rated "excellent" or "good" and only single infusions were required per bleeding episode. ABRs improved in most patients compared with prestudy values. No dose adjustments were required for prophylaxis, and the dosing frequency was reduced in 8 patients, compared with their previous prophylaxis regimen. No serious AEs were reported; all 9 nonserious AEs (in 3 patients) were mild in severity and unrelated to the study treatment. CONCLUSION: This post hoc analysis of a small group of Korean patients with severe HA indicated that rurioctocog alfa pegol was effective, and no serious AEs were observed. For most patients, the dosing frequency was also reduced compared with their previous regimen.

Safety and tolerability of subcutaneous immunoglobulin 20% in primary immunodeficiency diseases from two continents.

Aim: This pooled analysis evaluated the safety and tolerability of the subcutaneous immunoglobulin 20% product, Ig20Gly, in primary immunodeficiency diseases using data from two Phase II/III studies conducted in North America and Europe. Patients & materials/methods: Patients received Ig20Gly (volumes, ≤60 ml/site; rates, ≤60 ml/h/site). Adverse events (AEs), tolerability and infusion parameters were assessed. Results: Patients (2-83 years; N = 122) received 6676 Ig20Gly infusions. No causally related serious or severe AEs were reported. Thirty-five patients (28.7%) reported 232 causally related local AEs. Twenty-seven patients (22.1%) reported 165 causally related systemic AEs. There was no association between the infusion volume or rate and causally related local AEs. Conclusion: Ig20Gly was well tolerated in a broad population of patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases.

Perioperative haemostasis with full-length, PEGylated, recombinant factor VIII with extended half-life (rurioctocog alfa pegol) in patients with haemophilia A: Final results of a multicentre, single-arm phase III trial.

INTRODUCTION: Rurioctocog alfa pegol (BAX 855, TAK-660) is a PEGylated, full-length, recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) with extended half-life developed from unmodified rFVIII (antihaemophilic factor [recombinant]). AIM: To determine the perioperative haemostatic efficacy and safety of rurioctocog alfa pegol in male previously treated patients (PTPs) with severe haemophilia A. METHODS: This multicentre, single-arm, phase III study included PTPs who were to undergo major or minor elective or minor emergency surgical, dental or other invasive procedures. Rurioctocog alfa pegol dose and frequency were individualized based on patients' pharmacokinetic profiles for major surgeries and by rurioctocog alfa pegol incremental recovery for minor surgeries. Haemostatic efficacy was assessed using the Global Haemostatic Efficacy Assessment score. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients aged 16-61 years underwent 21 major and five minor surgeries. For all 24 evaluable surgeries, overall haemostatic efficacy was rated as excellent and blood loss comparable to that expected in non-haemophilic patients. No blood transfusions were required intraoperatively but were administered postoperatively for four surgeries in three patients. Five injury-related postoperative bleeding episodes occurred in five patients, of which two required additional rurioctocog alfa pegol treatment. Two non-serious adverse events of mild severity (increased ALT level and headache) were considered possibly related to rurioctocog alfa pegol. There were no deaths or treatment-related serious adverse events. No patients developed inhibitory antibodies to FVIII or persistent IgG- or IgM-binding antibodies to FVIII, PEG-FVIII or PEG. CONCLUSION: Rurioctocog alfa pegol was well tolerated and effective for perioperative use in patients with haemophilia A and showed no signs of immunogenicity.

Tolerability of Ig20Gly during onboarding in patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases.

BACKGROUND: The subcutaneous immune globulin (SCIG) 20% product, Ig20Gly, was shown to be efficacious and well tolerated in 2 phase 2/3 North American and European studies at infusion volumes up to 60 mL/site and rates up to 60 mL/h/site in patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases. OBJECTIVE: To assess patient experience after switching to Ig20Gly with fast infusion rates and large infusion volumes/site in the North American study. METHODS: In this analysis of the open-label phase 2/3 study in which patients aged ≥2 years received weekly Ig20Gly infusions for up to approximately 1.3 years, tolerability and infusion parameters were assessed throughout the study for all patients and by prestudy treatment regimen (intravenous [IV] switchers or SC switchers). RESULTS: Overall, 61% of patients reached the infusion rate of ≥60 mL/h/site and continued at this rate for 1 or more subsequent infusions; the median infusion number when patients first reached ≥60 mL/h/site was 3. No association was found between higher infusion volumes or rates and increased incidences of local and systemic adverse events (AEs) in the total population and patients younger than 16 years. Infusion parameters and tolerability were generally comparable regardless of the route of prestudy treatment (IV or SC switchers); however, IV switchers experienced lower rates of local AEs than SC switchers and had a slightly higher median infusion volume per site and longer infusion duration vs SC switchers. CONCLUSION: High Ig20Gly infusion rates of at least 60 mL/h/site and volumes ≥60 mL/site were well tolerated during onboarding and throughout treatment, regardless of prestudy treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01218438.

Tolerability of subcutaneous immunoglobulin 20%, Ig20Gly, in pediatric patients with primary immunodeficiencies.

AIM: To assess Ig20Gly tolerability in pediatric patients with primary immunodeficiencies. PATIENTS & METHODS: Infusion parameters and tolerability were analyzed in pediatric patients (aged 2-5 years [n = 6], 6-11 years [n = 22] and 12-17 years [n = 22]) receiving Ig20Gly in two Phase II/III trials. RESULTS: Of 2624 Ig20Gly infusions, >99% did not require any rate reduction, interruption or discontinuation due to adverse events (AEs). Median maximum infusion rates and volumes/site were higher in patients 12-17 years of age (30 ml/h/site; 30 ml/site) versus 6-11 years (20 ml/h/site; 15 ml/site) and 2-5 years (18 ml/h/site; 14 ml/site). Rates of causally related systemic and local AEs (0.009 and 0.063 AEs/infusion) were low. CONCLUSION: Ig20Gly infused at relatively high rates and volumes was well tolerated in children.

Inhibitor development, safety and efficacy of Advate® among previously treated patients with hemophilia A in a postmarketing surveillance in Japan.

Rurioctocog alfa (recombinant factor VIII: Advate®) is available for the control of bleeding in patients with hemophilia A in Japan. To evaluate the inhibitor development, safety, and efficacy of rurioctocog alfa, a non-interventional and observational postmarketing surveillance was conducted on 352 previously treated Japanese patients aged 1-76 years with ≥ 4 exposure days under the conditions of routine clinical practice. A post-hoc comparison of the mean annualized bleeding rates which required treatment with rurioctocog alfa detected a statistically significant difference (P < 0.0001) between patients treated on regular prophylaxis (8.5 bleeds/year) and patients treated on an on-demand basis (36.6 bleeds/year). Favorable prophylactic and on-demand hemostatic efficacy ("excellent" or "good") were shown in 88.5-100% of patients across all treatment regimens. A total of 22 events of adverse drug reactions were reported in 13 male patients. Of the 352 patients, 3 (0.9%) patients, all of whom had ≤ 50 exposure days before enrollment, developed de novo FVIII inhibitor. No deaths or allergic reactions were reported. Rurioctocog alfa was found to be well-tolerated and effective among patients with hemophilia A in a postmarketing routine clinical practice.

Inhibitor development, safety, and efficacy of Advate® in previously untreated patients with hemophilia A in a postmarketing surveillance in Japan.

Rurioctocog alfa (recombinant Factor VIII: AdvateⓇ) is available for the control of bleeding in patients with hemophilia A in Japan. To evaluate the immunogenicity, safety, and efficacy of prophylactic and on-demand use of rurioctocog alfa, postmarketing surveillance was conducted on 114 previously untreated Japanese patients aged 0-82 years with ≤ 3 exposure days under the conditions of routine clinical practice. A post-hoc comparison of mean annualized bleeding rates between patients in the regular prophylaxis group (7.4 bleeds/year) and in the on-demand treatment group (15.7 bleeds/year) using a negative binomial model found a statistically significant difference (P = 0.0164) in the subset of patients with severe hemophilia A. Favorable prophylactic and on-demand hemostatic efficacy ("excellent" or "good") was shown in 71.4-88.5% across all treatment regimens. A total of 31 events of adverse drug reactions were reported. Of 114 patients, 21 (18.4%) developed de novo FVIII inhibitor; of these, 17 occurred within 50 exposures. One death was reported. A family history of positive inhibitors was significantly associated with inhibitor development (Fisher exact P value = 0.0004); no other risk factors were identified. Rurioctocog alfa was found to be well-tolerated and effective in previously untreated Japanese patients with hemophilia A in this postmarketing surveillance of routine clinical practice.