Faessel, Hélène M.

Abstract Background: Pev (TAK-924/MLN4924), a novel investigational NAE inhibitor, enhances the anti-leukemic effects of aza in AML cell lines and murine xenografts (Smith et al, Blood 2011). Single-agent pev activity was confirmed in relapsed/refractory AML pts (Swords et al, Br J Haematol 2015). This open-label, multi-center, dose-escalation study (NCT01814826) investigated pev + aza in treatment-naïve older AML pts. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs)includedG2 hyperbilirubinemia and G4 AST elevation (n=1 each) at pev 30 mg/m2. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) for the combination was pev 20 mg/m2 + aza 75 mg/m2 (Swords et al, ASH 2014).We present updated safety/efficacy results for the MTD cohort (fully enrolled). Methods: Primary objectives included safety and tolerability assessments of pev + aza in addition to defining the MTD. Secondary objectives included pharmacokinetics (PK) and disease response assessments. Treatment-naïve pts ≥60 yrs unlikely to benefit from standard induction therapy (defined by ≥1 of: antecedent hematologic disease; known adverse cytogenetic risk; ECOG PS 2; ≥75 yrs), received pev 20 or 30 mg/m2 IV on d 1, 3 and 5, + fixed-dose aza (75 mg/m2 IV/SC) on d 1-5, 8 and 9, every 28 d until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Adverse events (AEs) were assessed per NCI-CTCAE v4.03; response per IWG criteria for AML. Bone marrow samples were collected at screening to assess cytogenetic risk (CALGB) and mutation profile; serial samples for PK analysis were drawn in cycle 1. Results: Demographics:As of May 17 2016, 61 pts (median age 75 yrs [range 61-89]; 54% male; 77% ECOG PS 0/1, 23% ECOG PS 2; 57% de novo, 43% secondary AML; median marrow blasts 36% [range 5-92]) had received pev 20 mg/m2, of whom 48% had intermediate-, 30% adverse-, and 3% favorable-risk cytogenetics. Safety/PK: Pts received a median of 4 cycles (range 1-33), and 23/61 pts (38%) received ≥6 cycles of pev + aza. The most common AEs were constipation (46%), nausea (44%), fatigue (43%), and anemia (39%). Fifty pts (82%) experienced ≥G3 AEs; the most frequent (≥15%) were anemia, febrile neutropenia (each 28%), thrombocytopenia (21%), neutropenia (18%), and pneumonia (15%). ≥G3 AST/ALT elevations were reported in 5% of pts. Forty-one pts (67%) experienced serious AEs; the most frequent (≥10%) were febrile neutropenia, neutropenia (each 25%), and pneumonia (11%). Two pts discontinued due to pev related toxicity (G3 febrile neutropenia). There were 11 on-study deaths unrelated to study therapy. In the MTD expansion phase (n=55), 2 pts experienced DLTs of transient G3/4 transaminase elevations, and were successfully re-challenged following dose reduction to remain on study. Pev PK was not altered by the addition of aza. Responses: Overall response rate (ORR) in 52 response-evaluable pts was 60% (18CR, 5CRi, 8PR; Figure 1), with a median duration of remission of 8.3 mos (95% CI: 5.75, 12.06); 19/31 (61%) responses occurred within the first 2 cycles.Of the 23 pts with CR/CRi, 14 had responses lasting ≥4 cycles, 2 went on to have allogeneic stem cell transplant, 9 had intermediate-, 7 adverse-, and 1 favorable-risk cytogenetics. ORR was: 64% (14/22; 7CR, 3CRi, 4PR) vs 57% (17/30; 11CR, 2CRi, 4PR) for pts with low- (<30%) vs high- (≥30%) marrow blasts; 58% (18/31; 11CR, 3CRi, 4PR) vs 62% (13/21; 7CR, 2CRi, 4PR) for de novo vs secondary AML pts; 61% (14/23; 8CR, 1CRi, 5PR) vs 50% (8/16; 5CR, 2CRi, 1PR) for intermediate- vs adverse-risk cytogenetic pts; 83% (19/23; 14CR, 2CRi, 3PR) vs 41% (12/29; 5CR, 3CRi, 4PR) for pts who received ≥6 cycles vs <6 cycles of aza, respectively. Responses were seen in pts with typically refractory disease; 7/11 pts with TP53 mutations achieved either a CR/CRi (n=3) or PR (n=4); 4 stayed on study for >10 cycles. After a median follow-up of 16.4 mos, 6-mo survival was 52%. Median overall survival was: 7.0 mos for the MTD cohort; 8.5 vs 5.2 mos for pts with low- (<30%) vs high- (≥30%) marrow blasts (Figure 2); 5.6 vs 11.2 mos for de novo vs secondary AML pts (Figure 3); and 16.1 vs 5.3 mos for pts aged 65-74 vs ≥75 yrs, respectively. Conclusion: Pev + aza was well tolerated. Response rates and durable remissions were observed with limited additional toxicity beyond what is expected for aza alone. The timing and frequency of responses suggests benefit from the addition of pev compared to aza alone (Dombret et al, Blood 2015). At the time of writing, a randomized phase 2 study in low-blast AML/high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes is ongoing. Disclosures Coutre: Janssen: Consultancy; Pharmacylics, LLC, an AbbVie Company: Consultancy, Research Funding; AbbVie: Research Funding. Zeidner:Tolero: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; Otsuka: Consultancy; Agios: Honoraria. Foran:medscape: Honoraria; Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Research Funding; novartis: Honoraria; pfizer: Honoraria; karyopharm: Honoraria; boehringer ingelheim: Research Funding; agios: Research Funding; Cellerant: Research Funding. Cruz:Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Honoraria; Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Speakers Bureau. Erba:Novartis: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Celator: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Juno: Research Funding; Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy, DSMB, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Agios: Research Funding; Sunesis: Consultancy; Gylcomimetics: Other: DSMB; Astellas: Research Funding; Ariad: Consultancy; Jannsen: Consultancy, Research Funding. Berdeja:Abbvie, Acetylon, Amgen, Bluebird, BMS, Calithera, Celgene, Constellation, Curis, Epizyme, Janssen, Karyopharm, Kesios, Novartis, Onyx, Takeda, Tragara: Research Funding. Tam:Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy. Vardhanabhuti:Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited: Employment. Dobler:Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited: Employment. Faessel:Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited: Employment. Dash:Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited: Employment. Sedarati:Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited: Employment. Dezube:Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited: Employment, Equity Ownership. Savona:Takeda: Research Funding; Amgen Inc.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; TG Therapeutics: Research Funding; Sunesis: Research Funding; Ariad: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Abstract Background: Treatment of elderly AML patients considered unfit for conventional chemotherapy is inadequate and hypomethylating agents are commonly used alternatives. In the case of azacitidine, responses are typically seen after 3–6 cycles of therapy, and a recent large randomized trial in elderly unfit patients reported a complete response (CR)/CR with incomplete blood count recovery rate of 28% (Dombret et al, EHA 2014). Pevonedistat (MLN4924) is an investigational, first-in-class NEDD8-activating enzyme (NAE) inhibitor. A phase 1 trial previously reported pevonedistat single-agent clinical activity in relapsed/refractory AML patients. Preclinical studies of pevonedistat and azacitidine identified synergistic lethality in AML cell lines and murine xenografts. The current phase 1b dose-escalation study evaluated the safety and tolerability of pevonedistat combined with azacitidine in elderly AML patients considered unfit for conventional chemotherapy. Methods: The primary objective was to assess the safety and tolerability of pevonedistat combined with azacitidine. Secondary objectives included assessment of pevonedistat pharmacokinetics (PK) and clinical activity. Treatment-naïve AML patients aged ≥60 years who were considered unfit for standard induction therapy received pevonedistat via 1-hour IV infusion on days 1, 3, and 5 of 28-day cycles. Dose escalation began at 20 mg/m2 and used an adaptive Bayesian continual reassessment method. Azacitidine 75 mg/m2 was administered (IV or SC) on days 1–5 and 8–9. Patients were treated until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Adverse events (AEs) were graded per NCI-CTCAE v4.03. Responses were assessed according to International Working Group response criteria for AML. Serial blood samples were obtained for PK analysis following dosing on days 1 and 5 of cycle 1. Results: As of May 30, 2014, 25 patients (median age 75.0 years [range 63–85]; 16 [64%] male) had received pevonedistat 20 mg/m2 (n=22) and 30 mg/m2 (n=3). Primary diagnoses were 16 (64%) de novo AML and 9 (36%) secondary AML. Fourteen (56%) patients had intermediate- and 6 (24%) had adverse-risk cytogenetics (5 [20%] undetermined). During dose escalation, dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) at the 30 mg/m2 pevonedistat dose level included reversible grade 2 increased bilirubin (n=1) and grade 3/4 increased transaminases (n=1) without clinical sequelae. In 1 of the 22 patients treated at the maximum tolerated dose (20 mg/m2 pevonedistat plus 75 mg/m2 IV/SC azacitidine), 1 additional DLT (grade 4 AST/ALT elevation) was seen in the expansion cohort. This patient was successfully re-challenged with a reduced pevonedistat dose. The most common all-grade AEs are shown in table 1. Twelve (48%) patients experienced drug-related grade ≥3 AEs (table 1). The nature and frequency of the reported toxicities (excluding DLTs) were similar to previous reports for azacitidine alone. Preliminary PK data showed that addition of azacitidine did not alter the known PK profile of single-agent pevonedistat. In the 18 response-evaluable patients, there were 6 (33%) CRs and 4 (22%) PRs (table 2), for an overall response rate of 56%. Nine of the 10 responses occurred within the first two cycles of therapy and included 1 patient with bone marrow blasts >80%. Conclusions: Combination therapy with pevonedistat and azacitidine was generally well-tolerated. The characteristics of the observed responses suggest added benefit from the addition of pevonedistat compared with azacitidine alone. Table 1 Common all-grade AEs n (%) Most frequent (≥10%) drug-related grade ≥3 AEs n (%) Febrile neutropenia 9 (36) Febrile neutropenia 4 (16) Constipation 8 (32) Thrombocytopenia 3 (12) Decreased appetite 7 (28) – – Thrombocytopenia 7 (28) – – Table 2 Responders* Tumor Type Cytogenetic Risk Group Current Status Response Molecular CR 1st Response 1st CR 1 De novo AML Adverse C12 C4 – – 2 Undetermined C4† C1 C1 Y 3 Adverse C9 C1 C1 Y 4 Undetermined C5‡ C1 C2 Y 5 Intermediate C5† C1 C2 N 6 Intermediate C7 C1 C4 Y 7 Intermediate C2 C2 – – 8 Secondary AML Undetermined C4 C2 C2 – 9 Normal C4 C1 – – 10 De novo AML – C1 C1 – – Molecular CR, complete remission confirmed by molecular studies *All received 20 mg/m2 pevonedistat except #4, who started on 30 mg/m2 and had a dose reduction to 20 mg/m2. †Patient off study ‡Patient off treatment and in follow-up Disclosures Swords: Novartis: Consultancy; KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy; Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Consultancy. Savona:Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Karyopharm Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Erba:Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding; Astellas Pharma: Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding. Foran:Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding. Hua:Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Employment. Faessel:Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Dash:Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Employment. Sedarati:Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Employment. Dezube:Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Employment. Medeiros:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding.

Key Points RP2D of PEV 20 mg/m2 in PEV/AZA combo did not alter toxicity profile of AZA; dose-limiting toxicities were transiently elevated AST/ALT. In treatment-naive older AML patients, the intent-to-treat ORR was 50%.

Abstract Purpose: This first-in-human study assessed safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preliminary clinical activity of single and multiple doses of TAK-441, an investigational inhibitor of the Hedgehog signaling pathway. Experimental Design: Patients with advanced, solid tumors received daily oral TAK-441 (50–1,600 mg/day); daily dose was doubled in each subsequent cohort until the maximum tolerated/feasible dose (MTD/MFD) was reached. Blood was collected to evaluate TAK-441 plasma concentrations. Skin biopsies were obtained to evaluate suppression of the Hedgehog-regulated gene Gli1. Results: Thirty-four patients were enrolled (median age 59). The most common diagnoses were colorectal cancer (26%), basal cell carcinoma (BCC, 21%), and pancreatic cancer (9%). The MFD of 1,600 mg/day (based on tablet size and strength) was considered the MTD. Dose-limiting toxicities included muscle spasms and fatigue. Grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events, regardless of causality, occurred in 15 patients (44%), of which hyponatremia (n = 4) and fatigue (n = 3) were most common. Oral absorption was fairly rapid; median Tmax was 2.0 to 4.0 hours after a single dose. Mean elimination half-life was 13.5 to 22.6 hours. Systemic exposure of TAK-441 based on the area under the plasma concentration–time curve was linear across the dose range. Gli1 expression in skin biopsies was strongly inhibited at all dose levels. Best response was partial response (1 patient with BCC) and stable disease (7 patients with various solid tumors). Conclusions: TAK-441 was generally well tolerated up to MFD of 1,600 mg/day, with preliminary antitumor activity. Further study of TAK-441 may be appropriate in populations selected for tumors with ligand-dependent or independent Hedgehog signaling. Clin Cancer Res; 21(5); 1002–9. ©2014 AACR.