Credit: NIH
MADRID—Follow-up data from a phase 1 trial suggest brentuximab vedotin plus chemotherapy may be a feasible frontline option for patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL).
At the ESMO 2014 Congress, investigators presented a 2-year durability analysis from a trial of brentuximab vedotin plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (BV+CHP) in patients newly diagnosed with PTCL.
The estimated 2-year overall survival rate was 80% in these patients. And the median progression-free survival was not reached.
Michelle Fanale, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and her colleagues reported these results as abstract 944O.
The research was sponsored by Seattle Genetics Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, the companies co-developing brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris).
In this trial, patients received 1 of 2 treatment regimens. The first was sequential treatment (once every 3 weeks) with brentuximab vedotin at 1.8 mg/kg for 2 cycles, followed by cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) for 6 cycles.
The second was combination BV+CHP every 3 weeks for 6 cycles. Patients who achieved at least a partial response after 6 cycles of treatment were eligible to receive continued single-agent brentuximab vedotin for up to 10 additional 3-week cycles.
Earlier results with both treatment regimens were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. At ESMO, Dr Fanale presented 2-year results among the 26 patients who received BV+CHP.
The median patient age was 56 years. Nineteen patients had systemic anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (sALCL), including 16 patients (62%) with ALK-negative disease.
Two patients had PTCL not otherwise specified, 2 had angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, 2 had adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, and 1 had enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma. The majority of patients had advanced-stage disease and/or were considered high risk.
All 26 patients had an objective response to BV+CHP, including 23 patients (88%) with a complete response. All 23 patients who achieved a complete remission demonstrated normalized glucose uptake by PET.
The median observation time was 27.1 months from the first dose of therapy. The estimated 2-year progression-free survival rate was 54%, with no patients receiving a consolidative stem cell transplant. And the estimated 2-year overall survival rate was 80%.
The most common treatment-emergent adverse events of any grade occurring in more than 40% of patients were peripheral sensory neuropathy, nausea, fatigue, hair loss, diarrhea, and shortness of breath.
Based on the results of this study, Seattle Genetics and Takeda initiated a global phase 3 study called ECHELON-2. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial was designed to investigate BV+CHP vs CHOP as frontline therapy in patients with CD30-positive PTCL.
The study is currently enrolling patients. It is expected to enroll 300 patients, who will be randomized to receive either treatment every 3 weeks for 6 to 8 cycles.
