Statistical considerations in clinical trial design with event-free survival as the primary efficacy endpoint.

In late-phase confirmatory clinical trials in the oncology field, time-to-event (TTE) endpoints are commonly used as primary endpoints for establishing the efficacy of investigational therapies. Among these TTE endpoints, overall survival (OS) is always considered as the gold standard. However, OS data can take years to mature, and its use for measurement of efficacy can be confounded by the use of post-treatment rescue therapies or supportive care. Therefore, to accelerate the development process and better characterize the treatment effect of new investigational therapies, other TTE endpoints such as progression-free survival and event-free survival (EFS) are applied as primary efficacy endpoints in some confirmatory trials, either as a surrogate for OS or as a direct measure of clinical benefits. For evaluating novel treatments for acute myeloid leukemia, EFS has been gradually recognized as a direct measure of clinical benefits. However, the application of an EFS endpoint is still controversial mainly due to the debate surrounding definition of treatment failure (TF) events. In this article, we investigate the EFS endpoint with the most conservative definition for the timing of TF, which is Day 1 since randomization. Specifically, the corresponding non-proportional hazard pattern of the EFS endpoint is investigated with both analytical and numerical approaches.

Mutant Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1 Inhibitor Ivosidenib in Combination With Azacitidine for Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

PURPOSE: Ivosidenib is an oral inhibitor of the mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) enzyme, approved for treatment of IDH1-mutant (mIDH1) acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Preclinical work suggested that addition of azacitidine to ivosidenib enhances mIDH1 inhibition-related differentiation and apoptosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was an open-label, multicenter, phase Ib trial comprising dose-finding and expansion stages to evaluate safety and efficacy of combining oral ivosidenib 500 mg once daily continuously with subcutaneous azacitidine 75 mg/m2 on days 1-7 in 28-day cycles in patients with newly diagnosed mIDH1 AML ineligible for intensive induction chemotherapy (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02677922). RESULTS: Twenty-three patients received ivosidenib plus azacitidine (median age, 76 years; range, 61-88 years). Treatment-related grade ≥ 3 adverse events occurring in > 10% of patients were neutropenia (22%), anemia (13%), thrombocytopenia (13%), and electrocardiogram QT prolongation (13%). Adverse events of special interest included all-grade IDH differentiation syndrome (17%), all-grade electrocardiogram QT prolongation (26%), and grade ≥ 3 leukocytosis (9%). Median treatment duration was 15.1 months (range, 0.3-32.2 months); 10 patients remained on treatment as of February 19, 2019. The overall response rate was 78.3% (18/23 patients; 95% CI, 56.3% to 92.5%), and the complete remission rate was 60.9% (14/23 patients; 95% CI, 38.5% to 80.3%). With median follow-up of 16 months, median duration of response in responders had not been reached. The 12-month survival estimate was 82.0% (95% CI, 58.8% to 92.8%). mIDH1 clearance in bone marrow mononuclear cells by BEAMing (beads, emulsion, amplification, magnetics) digital polymerase chain reaction was seen in 10/14 patients (71.4%) achieving complete remission. CONCLUSION: Ivosidenib plus azacitidine was well tolerated, with an expected safety profile consistent with monotherapy with each agent. Responses were deep and durable, with most complete responders achieving mIDH1 mutation clearance.

Molecular mechanisms mediating relapse following ivosidenib monotherapy in IDH1-mutant relapsed or refractory AML.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1 and 2 mutations result in overproduction of D-2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) and impaired cellular differentiation. Ivosidenib, a targeted mutant IDH1 (mIDH1) enzyme inhibitor, can restore normal differentiation and results in clinical responses in a subset of patients with mIDH1 relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We explored mechanisms of ivosidenib resistance in 174 patients with confirmed mIDH1 R/R AML from a phase 1 trial. Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) pathway mutations were associated with primary resistance to ivosidenib. Multiple mechanisms contributed to acquired resistance, particularly outgrowth of RTK pathway mutations and 2-HG-restoring mutations (second-site IDH1 mutations, IDH2 mutations). Observation of multiple concurrent mechanisms in individual patients underscores the complex biology of resistance and has important implications for rational combination therapy design. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02074839.

Simultaneous Metabolic and Perfusion Imaging Using Hyperpolarized 13C MRI Can Evaluate Early and Dose-Dependent Response to Radiation Therapy in a Prostate Cancer Mouse Model.

PURPOSE: To investigate use of a novel imaging approach, hyperpolarized (HP) 13C magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for simultaneous metabolism and perfusion assessment, to evaluate early and dose-dependent response to radiation therapy (RT) in a prostate cancer mouse model. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) mice (n = 18) underwent single-fraction RT (4-14 Gy steep dose across the tumor) and were imaged serially at pre-RT baseline and 1, 4, and 7 days after RT using HP 13C MRI with combined [1-13C]pyruvate (metabolic active agent) and [13C]urea (perfusion agent), coupled with conventional multiparametric 1H MRI including T2-weighted, dynamic contrast-enhanced, and diffusion-weighted imaging. Tumor tissues were collected 4 and 7 days after RT for biological correlative studies. RESULTS: We found a significant decrease in HP pyruvate-to-lactate conversion in tumors responding to RT, with concomitant significant increases in HP pyruvate-to-alanine conversion and HP urea signal; the opposite changes were observed in tumors resistant to RT. Moreover, HP lactate change was dependent on radiation dose; tumor regions treated with higher radiation doses (10-14 Gy) exhibited a greater decrease in HP lactate signal than low-dose regions (4-7 Gy) as early as 1 day post-RT, consistent with lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activity and expression data. We also found that HP [13C]urea MRI provided assessments of tumor perfusion similar to those provided by 1H dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in this animal model. However, apparent diffusion coefficien , a conventional 1H MRI functional biomarker, did not exhibit statistically significant changes within 7 days after RT. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate the ability of HP 13C MRI to monitor radiation-induced physiologic changes in a timely and dose-dependent manner, providing the basic science premise for further clinical investigation and translation.

Ivosidenib induces deep durable remissions in patients with newly diagnosed IDH1-mutant acute myeloid leukemia.

Ivosidenib (AG-120) is an oral, targeted agent that suppresses production of the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate via inhibition of the mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1; mIDH1) enzyme. From a phase 1 study of 258 patients with IDH1-mutant hematologic malignancies, we report results for 34 patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) ineligible for standard therapy who received 500 mg ivosidenib daily. Median age was 76.5 years, 26 patients (76%) had secondary AML, and 16 (47%) had received ≥1 hypomethylating agent for an antecedent hematologic disorder. The most common all-grade adverse events were diarrhea (n = 18; 53%), fatigue (n = 16; 47%), nausea (n = 13; 38%), and decreased appetite (n = 12; 35%). Differentiation syndrome was reported in 6 patients (18%) (grade ≥3 in 3 [9%]) and did not require treatment discontinuation. Complete remission (CR) plus CR with partial hematologic recovery (CRh) rate was 42.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 25.5% to 60.8%); CR 30.3% (95% CI, 15.6% to 48.7%). Median durations of CR+CRh and CR were not reached, with 95% CI lower bounds of 4.6 and 4.2 months, respectively; 61.5% and 77.8% of patients remained in remission at 1 year. With median follow-up of 23.5 months (range, 0.6-40.9 months), median overall survival was 12.6 months (95% CI, 4.5-25.7). Of 21 transfusion-dependent patients (63.6%) at baseline, 9 (42.9%) became transfusion independent. IDH1 mutation clearance was seen in 9/14 patients achieving CR+CRh (5/10 CR; 4/4 CRh). Ivosidenib monotherapy was well-tolerated and induced durable remissions and transfusion independence in patients with newly diagnosed AML. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02074839.

Durable Remissions with Ivosidenib in IDH1-Mutated Relapsed or Refractory AML.

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the gene encoding isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 ( IDH1) occur in 6 to 10% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Ivosidenib (AG-120) is an oral, targeted, small-molecule inhibitor of mutant IDH1. METHODS: We conducted a phase 1 dose-escalation and dose-expansion study of ivosidenib monotherapy in IDH1-mutated AML. Safety and efficacy were assessed in all treated patients. The primary efficacy population included patients with relapsed or refractory AML receiving 500 mg of ivosidenib daily with at least 6 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Overall, 258 patients received ivosidenib and had safety outcomes assessed. Among patients with relapsed or refractory AML (179 patients), treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or higher that occurred in at least 3 patients were prolongation of the QT interval (in 7.8% of the patients), the IDH differentiation syndrome (in 3.9%), anemia (in 2.2%), thrombocytopenia or a decrease in the platelet count (in 3.4%), and leukocytosis (in 1.7%). In the primary efficacy population (125 patients), the rate of complete remission or complete remission with partial hematologic recovery was 30.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 22.5 to 39.3), the rate of complete remission was 21.6% (95% CI, 14.7 to 29.8), and the overall response rate was 41.6% (95% CI, 32.9 to 50.8). The median durations of these responses were 8.2 months (95% CI, 5.5 to 12.0), 9.3 months (95% CI, 5.6 to 18.3), and 6.5 months (95% CI, 4.6 to 9.3), respectively. Transfusion independence was attained in 29 of 84 patients (35%), and patients who had a response had fewer infections and febrile neutropenia episodes than those who did not have a response. Among 34 patients who had a complete remission or complete remission with partial hematologic recovery, 7 (21%) had no residual detectable IDH1 mutations on digital polymerase-chain-reaction assay. No preexisting co-occurring single gene mutation predicted clinical response or resistance to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with advanced IDH1-mutated relapsed or refractory AML, ivosidenib at a dose of 500 mg daily was associated with a low frequency of grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events and with transfusion independence, durable remissions, and molecular remissions in some patients with complete remission. (Funded by Agios Pharmaceuticals; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02074839 .).

Kinetic modeling of hyperpolarized 13C1-pyruvate metabolism in normal rats and TRAMP mice.

PURPOSE: To investigate metabolic exchange between (13)C(1)-pyruvate, (13)C(1)-lactate, and (13)C(1)-alanine in pre-clinical model systems using kinetic modeling of dynamic hyperpolarized (13)C spectroscopic data and to examine the relationship between fitted parameters and dose-response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dynamic (13)C spectroscopy data were acquired in normal rats, wild type mice, and mice with transgenic prostate tumors (TRAMP) either within a single slice or using a one-dimensional echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (1D-EPSI) encoding technique. Rate constants were estimated by fitting a set of exponential equations to the dynamic data. Variations in fitted parameters were used to determine model robustness in 15 mm slices centered on normal rat kidneys. Parameter values were used to investigate differences in metabolism between and within TRAMP and wild type mice. RESULTS: The kinetic model was shown here to be robust when fitting data from a rat given similar doses. In normal rats, Michaelis-Menten kinetics were able to describe the dose-response of the fitted exchange rate constants with a 13.65% and 16.75% scaled fitting error (SFE) for k(pyr-->lac) and k(pyr-->ala), respectively. In TRAMP mice, k(pyr-->lac) increased an average of 94% after up to 23 days of disease progression, whether the mice were untreated or treated with casodex. Parameters estimated from dynamic (13)C 1D-EPSI data were able to differentiate anatomical structures within both wild type and TRAMP mice. CONCLUSIONS: The metabolic parameters estimated using this approach may be useful for in vivo monitoring of tumor progression and treatment efficacy, as well as to distinguish between various tissues based on metabolic activity.

Quantitative metabolic profiles of 2nd and 3rd trimester human amniotic fluid using (1)H HR-MAS spectroscopy.

OBJECT: To establish and compare normative metabolite concentrations in 2nd and 3rd trimester human amniotic fluid samples in an effort to reveal metabolic biomarkers of fetal health and development. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one metabolite concentrations were compared between 2nd (15-27 weeks gestation, N = 23) and 3rd (29-39 weeks gestation, N = 27) trimester amniotic fluid samples using (1)H high resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) spectroscopy. Data were acquired using the electronic reference to access in vivo concentrations method and quantified using a modified semi-parametric quantum estimation algorithm modified for high-resolution ex vivo data. RESULTS: Sixteen of 21 metabolite concentrations differed significantly between 2nd and 3rd trimester groups. Betaine (0.00846+/-0.00206 mmol/kg vs. 0.0133+/-0.0058 mmol/kg, P < 0.002) and creatinine (0.0124+/-0.0058 mmol/kg vs. 0.247+/-0.011 mmol/kg, P < 0.001) concentrations increased significantly, while glucose (5.96+/-1.66 mmol/kg vs. 2.41+/-1.69 mmol/kg, P < 0.001), citrate (0.740+/-0.217 mmol/kg vs. 0.399+/-0.137 mmol/kg, P < 0.001), pyruvate (0.0659+/-0.0103 mmol/kg vs. 0.0299+/-0.286 mmol/kg, P < 0.001), and numerous amino acid (e.g. alanine, glutamate, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, and valine) concentrations decreased significantly with advancing gestation. A stepwise multiple linear regression model applied to 50 samples showed that gestational age can be accurately predicted using combinations of alanine, glucose and creatinine concentrations. CONCLUSION: These results provide key normative data for 2nd and 3rd trimester amniotic fluid metabolite concentrations and provide the foundation for future development of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) biomarkers to evaluate fetal health and development.

Hyperpolarized 13C lactate, pyruvate, and alanine: noninvasive biomarkers for prostate cancer detection and grading.

An extraordinary new technique using hyperpolarized (13)C-labeled pyruvate and taking advantage of increased glycolysis in cancer has the potential to improve the way magnetic resonance imaging is used for detection and characterization of prostate cancer. The aim of this study was to quantify, for the first time, differences in hyperpolarized [1-(13)C] pyruvate and its metabolic products between the various histologic grades of prostate cancer using the transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate (TRAMP) model. Fast spectroscopic imaging techniques were used to image lactate, alanine, and total hyperpolarized carbon (THC = lactate + pyruvate + alanine) from the entire abdomen of normal mice and TRAMP mice with low- and high-grade prostate tumors in 14 s. Within 1 week, the mice were dissected and the tumors were histologically analyzed. Hyperpolarized lactate SNR levels significantly increased (P < 0.05) with cancer development and progression (41 +/- 11, 74 +/- 17, and 154 +/- 24 in normal prostates, low-grade primary tumors, and high-grade primary tumors, respectively) and had a correlation coefficient of 0.95 with the histologic grade. In addition, there was minimal overlap in the lactate levels between the three groups with only one of the seven normal prostates overlapping with the low-grade primary tumors. The amount of THC, a possible measure of substrate uptake, and hyperpolarized alanine also increased with tumor grade but showed more overlap between the groups. In summary, elevated hyperpolarized lactate and potentially THC and alanine are noninvasive biomarkers of prostate cancer presence and histologic grade that could be used in future three-dimensional (13)C spectroscopic imaging studies of prostate cancer patients.