First-in-Human Phase I/II ICONIC Trial of the ICOS Agonist Vopratelimab Alone and with Nivolumab: ICOS-High CD4 T-Cell Populations and Predictors of Response.

PURPOSE: The first-in-human phase I/II ICONIC trial evaluated an investigational inducible costimulator (ICOS) agonist, vopratelimab, alone and in combination with nivolumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In phase I, patients were treated with escalating doses of intravenous vopratelimab alone or with nivolumab. Primary objectives were safety, tolerability, MTD, and recommended phase II dose (RP2D). Phase II enriched for ICOS-positive (ICOS+) tumors; patients were treated with vopratelimab at the monotherapy RP2D alone or with nivolumab. Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and predictive biomarkers of response to vopratelimab were assessed. RESULTS: ICONIC enrolled 201 patients. Vopratelimab alone and with nivolumab was well tolerated; phase I established 0.3 mg/kg every 3 weeks as the vopratelimab RP2D. Vopratelimab resulted in modest objective response rates of 1.4% and with nivolumab of 2.3%. The prospective selection for ICOS+ tumors did not enrich for responses. A vopratelimab-specific peripheral blood pharmacodynamic biomarker, ICOS-high (ICOS-hi) CD4 T cells, was identified in a subset of patients who demonstrated greater clinical benefit versus those with no emergence of these cells [overall survival (OS), P = 0.0025]. A potential genomic predictive biomarker of ICOS-hi CD4 T-cell emergence was identified that demonstrated improvement in clinical outcomes, including OS (P = 0.0062). CONCLUSIONS: Vopratelimab demonstrated a favorable safety profile alone and in combination with nivolumab. Efficacy was observed only in a subset of patients with a vopratelimab-specific pharmacodynamic biomarker. A potential predictive biomarker of response was identified, which is being prospectively evaluated in a randomized phase II non-small cell lung cancer trial. See related commentary by Lee and Fong, p. 3633.

Recombinant human pentraxin-2 therapy in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: safety, pharmacokinetics and exploratory efficacy.

Abnormal fibrogenic repair response upon alveolar injury is believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). PRM-151 (recombinant human pentraxin-2, also known as serum amyloid P), has been shown to reduce fibrosis in preclinical lung fibrosis models, and was well tolerated with a favourable pharmacokinetic profile in an earlier single-dose phase I study.A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple ascending dose trial was performed to assess the tolerability and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of multiple doses of PRM-151 in IPF patients. Subjects in three successive cohorts (1, 5, or 10 mg·kg(-1) versus placebo) received intravenous study drug on days 1, 3, 5, 8 and 15, and were followed-up to day 57.PRM-151 was well tolerated at all dose levels, with no serious adverse reactions. Administration of PRM-151 resulted in two- to eight-fold dose-dependent increases in circulating pentraxin-2 levels. Forced vital capacity and 6-min walk test showed trends towards improvement in the combined PRM-151 dose groups. On high-resolution computed tomography scans, stable or improved lung volume unoccupied by interstitial lung abnormality was noted in some PRM-151 subjects compared to placebo subjects on day 57.The efficacy of PRM-151 in IPF remains to be investigated in dedicated future trials.

Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of bortezomib in combination with idarubicin and cytarabine in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia.

PURPOSE: Proteasome inhibition results in cytotoxicity to the leukemia stem cell in vitro. We conducted this phase I study to determine if the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib could be safely added to induction chemotherapy in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Bortezomib was given on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 at doses of 0.7, 1.0, 1.3, or 1.5 mg/m(2) with idarubicin 12 mg/m(2) on days 1 to 3 and cytarabine 100 mg/m(2)/day on days 1 to 7. RESULTS: A total of 31 patients were enrolled. The median age was 62 years, and 16 patients were male. Nine patients had relapsed AML (ages, 18-59 years, n = 4 and > or = 60 years, n = 5). There were 22 patients of > or = 60 years with previously untreated AML (eight with prior myelodysplasia/myeloproliferative disorder or cytotoxic therapy). All doses of bortezomib, up to and including 1.5 mg/m(2), were tolerable. Nonhematologic grade 3 or greater toxicities included 12 hypoxia (38%; 11 were grade 3), 4 hyperbilirubinemia (13%), and 6 elevated aspartate aminotransferase (19%). Overall, 19 patients (61%) achieved complete remission (CR) and three had CR with incomplete platelet recovery. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed that the total body clearance of bortezomib decreased significantly (P < 0.01, N = 26) between the first (mean +/- SD, 41.9 +/- 17.1 L/h/m(2)) and third (18.4 +/- 7.0 L/h/m(2)) doses. Increased bone marrow expression of CD74 was associated with CR. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of bortezomib, idarubicin, and cytarabine showed a good safety profile. The recommended dose of bortezomib for phase II studies with idarubicin and cytarabine is 1.5 mg/m(2).

Bortezomib therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma: potential correlation of in vitro sensitivity and tumor necrosis factor alpha response with clinical activity.

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of bortezomib in patients with lymphoid malignancy, correlating clinical response with effect on plasma cytokines and in vitro activity in primary cultures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients received bortezomib (1.3 mg/m2) on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 of a 3-week cycle. Plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 were measured before each treatment, and bortezomib activity was examined in patient samples grown in primary culture. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients received a total of 193 cycles of treatment. Twenty-four patients had mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), 13 had follicular lymphoma (FL), six had lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, six had Hodgkin's disease (HD), and one each had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Patients were heavily pretreated with a median of four previous therapies. Significant grade 3 to 4 toxicities were thrombocytopenia (n = 22), fatigue (n = 10), and peripheral neuropathy (n = 3). Seven patients with MCL responded to treatment (one complete response, six partial responses [PRs]; overall response rate, 29%). Two patients with FL achieved a late PR 3 months after discontinuing therapy. Two patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia and one patient with HD achieved a PR. MCL primary cultures demonstrated greater sensitivity to bortezomib than FL (median 50% effective concentration for viability, 209 nmol/L v 1,311 nmol/L, respectively; P = .07), which correlated with clinical response. A median reduction in plasma TNF-alpha of 98% was observed in six patients with MCL who responded to bortezomib compared with a reduction of 38% in six nonresponders (P = .07). CONCLUSION: Bortezomib demonstrates encouraging efficacy in MCL in heavily pretreated individuals. Response was associated with a reduction in plasma TNF-alpha and in vitro sensitivity in a small number of patients.

Safety of prolonged therapy with bortezomib in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

BACKGROUND: Bortezomib, a first-in-class proteasome inhibitor, is active with manageable toxicities in relapsed and/or refractory myeloma. METHODS: Bortezomib 1.0 or 1.3 mg/m2 was administered Days 1, 4, 8, and 11 every 21 days for up to 8 cycles to patients with relapsed and/or refractory myeloma participating in two Phase II trials. Dexamethasone could be added because of progressive disease after 2 cycles or stable disease after 4 cycles. Continuation of or retreatment with bortezomib was offered to patients who, in the investigator's opinion, would benefit from extended treatment. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients with relapsed/refractory myeloma treated in this extension trial received a median of 7 additional cycles of therapy, for a total of 14 cycles (range, 7-32) over a median duration of therapy of 45.1 weeks in the parent and extension studies. Seventy-eight percent of patients completed this study at the same or higher bortezomib dose than they started on during this study, and the treatment schedule of twice-weekly administration remained unchanged in 89%. Overall, 75% of patients received dexamethasone in combination with bortezomib for a median of 5 cycles starting either in the parent or extension study. The safety profile was similar between the extension and parent trials, with no evidence of new cumulative toxicity. The most commonly reported Grade 3/4 toxicities were thrombocytopenia (29%), with a consistent pattern of recovery during the rest period of each cycle, diarrhea (11%), anemia (11%), and neutropenia (10%). Neuropathy was reported less frequently. CONCLUSIONS: Retreatment with or continuation of bortezomib +/- dexamethasone beyond 6 months was safe, and toxicities were manageable, in patients with relapsed and/or refractory myeloma.

Phase 1 trial of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in patients with advanced hematologic malignancies.

Proteasome inhibitors, a novel class of chemotherapeutic agents, enhance the antitumor efficacy of anthracyclines in vitro and in vivo. We therefore sought to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicities of bortezomib and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PegLD). Bortezomib was given on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 from 0.90 to 1.50 mg/m2 and PegLD on day 4 at 30 mg/m2 to 42 patients with advanced hematologic malignancies. Grade 3 or 4 toxicities in at least 10% of patients included thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, neutropenia, fatigue, pneumonia, peripheral neuropathy, febrile neutropenia, and diarrhea. The MTD based on cycle 1 was 1.50 and 30 mg/m2 of bortezomib and PegLD, respectively. However, due to frequent dose reductions and delays at this level, 1.30 and 30 mg/m2 are recommended for further study. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies did not find significant drug interactions between these agents. Antitumor activity was seen against multiple myeloma, with 8 of 22 evaluable patients having a complete response (CR) or near-CR, including several with anthracycline-refractory disease, and another 8 having partial responses (PRs). One patient with relapsed/refractory T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) achieved a CR, whereas 2 patients each with acute myeloid leukemia and B-cell NHL had PRs. Bortezomib/PegLD was safely administered in this study with promising antitumor activity, supporting further testing of this regimen.

Phase II study of proteasome inhibitor bortezomib in relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

PURPOSE: Evaluate efficacy and toxicity of bortezomib in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were stratified, based on preclinical data, into arm A (mantle-cell lymphoma) or arm B (other B-cell lymphomas) without limitation in number of prior therapies. Bortezomib was administered as an intravenous push (1.5 mg/m2) on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 every 21 days for a maximum of six cycles. RESULTS: Sixty patients with a median number of prior therapies of 3.5 (range, one to 12 therapies) were enrolled; 33 patients were in arm A and 27 were in arm B, including 12 diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, five follicular lymphomas (FL), three transformed FLs, four small lymphocytic lymphomas (SLL), two Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemias (WM), and one marginal zone lymphoma. In arm A, 12 of 29 assessable patients responded (six complete responses [CR] and six partial responses [PR]) for an overall response rate (ORR) of 41% (95% CI, 24% to 61%), and a median time to progression not reached yet, with a median follow-up of 9.3 months (range, 1.7 to 24 months). In arm B, four of 21 assessable patients responded (one SLL patient had a CR, one FL patient had a CR unconfirmed, one diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patient had a PR, and one WM patient had a PR) for an ORR of 19% (95% CI, 5% to 42%). Grade 3 toxicity included thrombocytopenia (47%), gastrointestinal (20%), fatigue (13%), neutropenia (10%), and peripheral neuropathy (5%). Grade 4 toxicity occurred in nine patients (15%), and three deaths from progression of disease occurred within 30 days of withdrawal from study. CONCLUSION: Bortezomib showed promising activity in relapsed mantle-cell lymphoma and encouraging results in other B-cell lymphomas. Future studies will explore bortezomib in combination with other cytotoxic or biologic agents.

Phase II clinical experience with the novel proteasome inhibitor bortezomib in patients with indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma.

PURPOSE: To determine the antitumor activity of the novel proteasome inhibitor bortezomib in patients with indolent and mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with indolent and MCL were eligible. Bortezomib was given at a dose of 1.5 mg/m2 on days 1, 4, 8, and 11. Patients were required to have received no more than three prior chemotherapy regimens, with at least 1 month since the prior treatment, 3 months from prior rituximab, and 7 days from prior corticosteroids; absolute neutrophil count more than 1,500/microL (500/microL if documented bone marrow involvement); and platelet count more than 50,000/microL. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were registered, of whom 24 were assessable. Ten patients had follicular lymphoma, 11 had MCL, three had small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) or chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and two had marginal zone lymphoma. The overall response rate was 58%, with one complete remission (CR), one unconfirmed CR (CRu), and four partial remissions (PR) among patients with follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). All responses were durable, lasting from 3 to 24+ months. One patient with MCL achieved a CRu, four achieved a PR, and four had stable disease. One patient with MCL maintained his remission for 19 months. Both patients with marginal zone lymphoma achieved PR lasting 8+ and 11+ months, respectively. Patients with SLL or CLL have yet to respond. Overall, the drug was well tolerated, with only one grade 4 toxicity (hyponatremia). The most common grade 3 toxicities were lymphopenia (n = 14) and thrombocytopenia (n = 7). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that bortezomib was well tolerated and has significant single-agent activity in patients with certain subtypes of NHL.

Promising activity of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (VELCADE) in the treatment of indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma: ASH poster session 517-II.

Dr. O'Connor delivered the following material as a poster at the 2003 American Society of Hematology meeting highlighting results from his work with bortezomib in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's and mantle cell lymphoma. A full publication of his results will appear later this year. Abstract #2346 appears in Blood, Volume 102, issue 11, November 16, 2003. The American Society of Hematology Poster Session "Lymphoma: Treatment and Supportive Care" took place on Sunday, December 7, 2003.