Continued benefit demonstrated with BAY 81-8973 prophylaxis in previously treated children with severe haemophilia A: Interim analysis from the LEOPOLD Kids extension study.

INTRODUCTION: BAY 81-8973 (Kovaltry®), a recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) product, was efficacious and well tolerated in paediatric previously treated patients (PTPs) with severe haemophilia A for ≥50 exposure days (EDs) in the LEOPOLD Kids study. Because long-term prophylaxis (≥100 EDs) can provide substantial patient benefits, FVIII products should demonstrate long-term safety and efficacy. AIM: To demonstrate long-term (≥100 EDs) efficacy and safety of BAY 81-8973 in paediatric PTPs. METHODS: PTPs aged ≤12 years with severe haemophilia A without inhibitors could continue in the ongoing open-label extension study after completing ≥50 EDs in the LEOPOLD Kids main study. Patients received BAY 81-8973 for prophylaxis (25-50 IU/kg ≥2×/week), bleed treatment, and surgery. Bleeds were documented in electronic patient diaries. Inhibitor development was monitored every 6 months. RESULTS: At the August 2017 interim data cutoff, 46 patients (median [range] age at enrolment, 6.0 [1.0-11.0] years) had spent a median (range) of 602.5 (148-1069) EDs and 4.6 (1.0-5.9) years in the main plus extension studies. Median (quartile [Q]1; Q3) annualised bleeding rate for bleeds within 48 h after a prophylaxis infusion and total bleeds was 1.0 (0.2; 1.9) and 2.0 (0.4; 3.6), respectively. Most (>94%) bleeds were mild or moderate; 71.8% were treated with ≤1 infusion. BAY 81-8973 was also well tolerated with only one treatment-related adverse event (transient, low-titre inhibitor which did not require treatment adjustment). CONCLUSION: BAY 81-8973 was efficacious for prophylaxis and treatment of bleeds during >4.5 years in paediatric PTPs with severe haemophilia A.

BAY 81-8973 demonstrated efficacy, safety and joint status improvement in patients with severe haemophilia A in the LEOPOLD I extension for ≤2 years.

OBJECTIVES: BAY 81-8973 (Kovaltry® ), a full-length, unmodified, recombinant human factor VIII, provided excellent bleeding control for patients with haemophilia A in the pivotal 1-year LEOPOLD I trial. The LEOPOLD I extension evaluated long-term efficacy and safety of BAY 81-8973 prophylaxis. METHODS: After completing LEOPOLD I, patients continued receiving 20-50 IU/kg BAY 81-8973 two- or three-times weekly in the extension. Outcomes included annualised bleeding rate (ABR) and haemostasis during surgery. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients aged 12-65 years participated in the extension. Median (range) exposure days during the 2-year total study period was 309 (115-355). No patient switched regimens. Median (Q1; Q3) ABR for all bleeds was 2.0 (1.0; 6.1) during the pivotal study, 2.0 (0.0; 5.2) during the extension, and 2.0 (0.5; 5.5) combined. The proportion of joint bleeds affecting target joints decreased (pivotal study: 90.9%, extension: 60.0%). Haemostasis was assessed as excellent/good in all five major surgeries. One serious adverse event (myocardial infarction) occurred in a patient with cardiovascular risk factors. No patients developed inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS: BAY 81-8973 prophylaxis efficacy outcomes in the pivotal study were maintained or, in the case of joint protection, improved during the extension, with a safety and tolerability profile consistent with previous experience.

Validity and reliability of the Colorado Adult Joint Assessment Scale in adults with moderate-severe hemophilia A.

BACKGROUND: The Colorado Adult Joint Assessment Scale (CAJAS) is designed to assess joint health in adults with hemophilia. The CAJAS comprises nine items (swelling, muscle atrophy, axial deformity, crepitus, range of motion, contracture, instability, strength, gait) and assesses six joints. OBJECTIVE: To assess CAJAS content validity and psychometric properties. PATIENTS/METHODS: Data were obtained from the Trial to Evaluate the Effect of Secondary Prophylaxis With rFVIII Therapy in Severe Hemophilia A Adult and/or Adolescent Subjects Compared to That of Episodic Treatment (SPINART) study and a separate CAJAS validation study. CAJAS assessments in SPINART were performed by physical therapists (PTs) from the United States, Romania, Bulgaria, and Argentina. In the validation study, content validity was assessed from interviews with six PTs at three US hemophilia centers; cultural equivalence was assessed with seven non-US PTs from SPINART. Reliability data were collected from 30 subjects at four US centers. Test-retest reliability was evaluated by having the same PT perform CAJAS examinations at two visits, 7-10 days apart. Inter-rater reliability was assessed by comparing CAJAS scores of two different PTs performing separate examinations of the same patient several hours apart at the same visit. Psychometric properties were assessed using SPINART and validation study data. RESULTS: The CAJAS demonstrated good content validity. Test-retest reliability was high (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.98), as was inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.88). Internal consistency reliability was strong (α = .90). The CAJAS demonstrated good convergent/divergent validity, known-groups validity, and ability to detect change. CONCLUSIONS: The CAJAS is a valid and reliable measure of joint health in adults with moderate-severe hemophilia and is appropriate for use in clinical practice.

Efficacy and safety of prophylaxis with BAY 81-8973 in Chinese patients with severe haemophilia A enrolled in the LEOPOLD II trial.

INTRODUCTION: BAY 81-8973 (Kovaltry® ) is a full-length, unmodified recombinant human factor VIII approved in China for prophylaxis and on-demand treatment in patients with haemophilia A. Limited access to FVIII prophylaxis in China has historically led to this population being undertreated. This subanalysis of LEOPOLD II investigated whether the efficacy and safety of BAY 81-8973 varied between Chinese and non-Chinese patients. AIM: To evaluate BAY 81-8973 efficacy and safety in Chinese patients. METHODS: LEOPOLD II enrolled males aged 12-65 years with severe haemophilia A who were receiving on-demand treatment. Patients were randomly assigned to receive BAY 81-8973 as low-dose prophylaxis (20-30 IU/kg twice-weekly), high-dose prophylaxis (30-40 IU/kg 3 times weekly) or on-demand for 1 year. RESULTS: Data were available from 23 Chinese and 57 non-Chinese patients; Chinese patients had a higher prestudy bleeding rate and were more likely to have target joints than non-Chinese patients. 74% of patients were assigned to prophylaxis. Annualized bleeding rates (ABRs) in Chinese and non-Chinese patients receiving prophylaxis were significantly lower compared to patients treated on-demand. Median ABRs for all bleeds in the last 6 months of the study were 2.0 and 1.0 for Chinese and non-Chinese patients, respectively, in the combined prophylaxis groups, and 61.3 and 58.5 in the on-demand group. A treatment-related adverse event occurred in 1 Chinese patient; no patients developed FVIII inhibitors. CONCLUSION: BAY 81-8973 prophylaxis was efficacious and well tolerated in Chinese patients with severe haemophilia A, with ABRs comparable to those in non-Chinese patients receiving prophylaxis.

BAY 81-8973, a full-length recombinant factor VIII for the treatment of hemophilia A: product review.

BAY 81-8973 (Kovaltry®) is an unmodified, full-length recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) approved for the prevention and treatment of bleeding episodes in patients with hemophilia A. The amino acid sequence for BAY 81-8973 is identical to that of sucrose-formulated rFVIII (rFVIII-FS; Kogenate® FS/KOGENATE®, Bayer), but the two products differ in their manufacturing approaches. The manufacture of BAY 81-8973 includes several modifications and enhancements, such as the introduction of the gene for human heat shock protein 70, a molecular chaperone protein that facilitates folding of proteins; no addition of human- or animal-derived proteins in the cell culture, purification process, or final formulation; and use of a 20-nm filter to remove any potential aggregates and pathogens. BAY 81-8973 was extensively studied in the LEOPOLD clinical development program, which enrolled participants of all age groups (children, adolescents, and adults) with severe hemophilia A. The pharmacokinetic profile of BAY 81-8973 was shown to be noninferior to, and for some variables more favorable than, rFVIII-FS and another commercial full-length rFVIII product. BAY 81-8973 was shown to be efficacious when used for prophylaxis, on-demand treatment, and perioperative hemostasis. The efficacious prophylaxis dose of BAY 81-8973 was approximately 20-40 IU/kg given two or three times per week, which achieved low annualized bleeding rates. Either the one-stage or the chromogenic assay provides accurate measurements for postinfusion monitoring of BAY 81-8973 levels, with no product-specific calibration standard needed. The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was ⩽7% across all LEOPOLD studies, and no previously treated patient developed anti-BAY 81-8973 inhibitors in the completed primary studies.

Matching-adjusted indirect comparisons of efficacy of BAY 81-8973 vs two recombinant factor VIII for the prophylactic treatment of severe hemophilia A.

BACKGROUND: No head-to-head trials comparing recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) products currently exist. This was a matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) study of efficacy of BAY 81-8973 with antihemophilic factor (recombinant) plasma/albumin-free method (rAHF-PFM) and turoctocog alfa for the prophylaxis of severe hemophilia A. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted to identify trials of rAHF-PFM and turoctocog alfa. Comparisons were conducted using BAY 81-8973 individual patient data (IPD) from LEOPOLD trials and published data from rAHF-PFM and turoctocog alfa trials. Differences in outcome reporting were reconciled using transformation of BAY 81-8973 IPD. Patients in pooled LEOPOLD trials were weighted to match baseline characteristics for rAHF-PFM or turoctocog alfa trials using MAICs. After matching, annualized bleed rates (ABRs) were compared using weighted t-tests. RESULTS: Two rAHF-PFM trials and one turoctocog alfa trial were identified. In these trials, rFVIIIs were dosed thrice weekly or every other day; in LEOPOLD trials, BAY 81-8973 was dosed twice- or thrice weekly. Three MAICs were conducted because the two rAHF-PFM trials calculated ABRs differently, matching for age, race, and weight (turoctocog alfa only). BAY 81-8973 had similar ABR of all bleeds vs rAHF-PFM (two trials: 4.8 vs 6.3, 1.9 vs 1.8 [square root transform]) and lower ABR of spontaneous bleeds and trauma bleeds (2.6 vs 4.1, 2.1 vs 4.7; both P<0.05). BAY 81-8973 showed lower ABR of all bleeds and spontaneous bleeds vs turoctocog alfa (4.3 vs 6.5, 2.8 vs 4.3; both P<0.05) and similar ABR of trauma bleeds (1.5 vs 1.6). In subgroup analysis, twice-weekly BAY 81-8973 had similar ABRs of all bleeds, spontaneous bleeds, and trauma bleeds compared to rAHF-PFM and turoctocog alfa. CONCLUSION: This indirect comparison found that prophylaxis with BAY 81-8973, even including the lower frequency of two times a week and lower factor VIII consumption, has efficacy comparable to rAHF-PFM and turoctocog alfa, which were dosed thrice weekly or every other day. The use of IPD enabled adjustments for differences in calculation of ABRs and population characteristics between trials.