Shuichi Taniguchi1, Takahiro Yamauchi2, Ilseung Choi3, Noriko Fukuhara4, Jalaja Potluri5, Ahmed Hamed Salem5,6, Wan-Jen Hong7, Hideyuki Honda8, Yasuko Nishimura8, Sumiko Okubo9, Kensuke Usuki10. 1. Department of Hematology, Toranomon Hospital, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan. 2. Department of Hematology and Oncology, University of Fukui Hospital, Fukui, Japan. 3. Department of Hematology, National Hospital Organization, Kyushu Cancer Centerk, Fukuoka, Japan. 4. Department of Hematology and Rheumatology, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan. 5. AbbVie Inc., North Chicago, IL, USA. 6. Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. 7. Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA. 8. AbbVie GK, Tokyo, Japan. 9. AbbVie GK, Osaka, Japan. 10. Department of Hematology, NTT Medical Center Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Venetoclax plus azacitidine is indicated in the USA for the treatment of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia in older patients (≥75 years) or those ineligible for induction chemotherapy due to co-morbidities. METHODS: In this phase 1/2 study (NCT02265731), Japanese patients (≥60 years) with untreated (ineligible for induction chemotherapy) or relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukaemia received oral venetoclax 400 mg/day (3-day ramp up in cycle 1) plus subcutaneous or intravenous azacitidine 75 mg/m2 on days 1-7 per 28-day cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. RESULTS: As of 10 December 2019, six patients were enrolled (median age: 75 years; untreated: n = 5; relapsed/refractory: n = 1); median treatment duration: 10.3 months (range, 0.7-29.4). Most common grade ≥ 3 adverse events were lymphopaenia and febrile neutropaenia (n = 4 each). Four patients reported serious adverse events; only an event of grade 3 fungal pneumonia was considered possibly related to both study drugs, requiring dose interruption of venetoclax and delay of azacitidine. Five (83%) patients had responses (complete remission: n = 3). Median time to first response of complete remission/complete remission with incomplete count recovery was 1.0 month (range, 0.8-5.5); median overall survival: 15.7 months (95% confidence interval: 6.2, not reached). CONCLUSIONS: Venetoclax plus azacitidine was well tolerated and showed high response rates in Japanese patients with acute myeloid leukaemia.
BACKGROUND:Venetoclax plus azacitidine is indicated in the USA for the treatment of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia in older patients (≥75 years) or those ineligible for induction chemotherapy due to co-morbidities. METHODS: In this phase 1/2 study (NCT02265731), Japanese patients (≥60 years) with untreated (ineligible for induction chemotherapy) or relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukaemia received oral venetoclax 400 mg/day (3-day ramp up in cycle 1) plus subcutaneous or intravenous azacitidine 75 mg/m2 on days 1-7 per 28-day cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. RESULTS: As of 10 December 2019, six patients were enrolled (median age: 75 years; untreated: n = 5; relapsed/refractory: n = 1); median treatment duration: 10.3 months (range, 0.7-29.4). Most common grade ≥ 3 adverse events were lymphopaenia and febrile neutropaenia (n = 4 each). Four patients reported serious adverse events; only an event of grade 3 fungal pneumonia was considered possibly related to both study drugs, requiring dose interruption of venetoclax and delay of azacitidine. Five (83%) patients had responses (complete remission: n = 3). Median time to first response of complete remission/complete remission with incomplete count recovery was 1.0 month (range, 0.8-5.5); median overall survival: 15.7 months (95% confidence interval: 6.2, not reached). CONCLUSIONS:Venetoclax plus azacitidine was well tolerated and showed high response rates in Japanese patients with acute myeloid leukaemia.