Abstract P2-13-17: A phase III, randomized, multicenter, double-blind study to compare efficacy and safety of EG12014 (EirGenix trastuzumab) with Herceptin® as neoadjuvant treatment in combination with anthracycline/paclitaxel-based systemic therapy in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer - a multinational phase III study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic

Amplification and/or overexpression of HER2 in breast cancer (BCa) patients is associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis. Herceptin® (trastuzumab), a monoclonal antibody targeting HER2, has an established role in the treatment of HER2 positive BCa. Addition of trastuzumab to anthracycline- and taxane-based neoadjuvant treatment in women with HER2-positive BCa has resulted in improvements in pathological complete response (pCR, a strong predictor for long-term clinical outcome), event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). This study is designed to compare efficacy (pCR) and safety between the originator Herceptin and the proposed trastuzumab biosimilar EG12014. The study is conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic (last patient in: March 2020, last patient last visit: planned Jan 2022) in Belarus, Chile, Colombia, Georgia, India, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Ukraine. Methods: Neoadjuvant phase: 807 patients were randomized (1:1) into 2 arms receiving epirubicin (90 mg/m2) and cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m2) every 3 weeks for 4 cycles, followed by EG12014 (arm 1) or Herceptin (arm 2) (both at loading dose: 8 mg/kg and maintenance dose: 6 mg/kg) and paclitaxel (175 mg/m2) every 3 weeks for 4 cycles. Subsequently, the patients underwent surgery, and primary endpoint (pCR [ypT0/is ypN0]) was assessed. Adjuvant phase: After surgery, the patients received EG12014 or Herceptin (both at loading dose: 8 mg/kg and maintenance dose: 6 mg/kg) to complete 12 months of overall trastuzumab treatment. COVID-19 infections in the study population were not expected to affect primary endpoint analysis; thus, no sensitivity analysis was performed regarding COVID-19 status (symptomatic/asymptomatic). Differences between the 2 arms regarding delays in study treatments and procedures due to COVID-19 were assessed. Results (at interim data base lock, blinded as study is ongoing): Study population: the mean age was 50 years, the majority were white Europeans with tumor stage II, estrogen receptor positive and progesterone receptor negative. The median time from date of first diagnosis was 0.5 months. Primary endpoint pCR (ypT0/is ypN0) was reached with relative risk ratio (RR) for the full analysis set: 0.992 (90% CI 0.880 to 1.118) between the 2 treatment arms. Secondary pCR endpoints (defined as ypT0 ypN0 and ypT0/is) were also reached, with RR between the treatment arms: 0.917 and 0.992, respectively. Objective clinical response prior to surgery was similar for the 2 treatment arms: 83.8% and 83.6%, respectively. EFS, OS, safety endpoints (e.g., adverse events [most frequently reported: alopecia], serious adverse events, and deaths), and toxicity assessments, supported similarity between EG12014 and Herceptin. Sixty-two patients (7.7%) were infected with COVID-19; the infections were equally distributed between the 2 treatment arms. COVID-19 did not cause any discontinuations or deaths in the study. Among all reported COVID-19 events, 13 (21%) were asymptomatic, 11 (18%) were graded as 3 (severe), and 1 (1.6%) was graded as grade 4 (life threatening). Conclusion: EG12014 has shown equivalent efficacy to Herceptin in regard to clinical response (pCR) and has also demonstrated a similar safety profile. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been comparable between the two treatment arms. The influence of the pandemic on this clinical study has been relatively low considering timing and the participating countries. For further information, visit ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03433313).

Citation Format: Barbara Grohmann-Izay, Chiun-Sheng Huang, Giorgi Dzagnidze, Nestor Llinas, Anand Misra, Denys Pominchuk, Alexander Prokhorov, Bernardo Rapoport, Vladimir Semiglazov, Ling-Ming Tseng, Eduardo Yanez Ruiz, Sibylle Loibl. A phase III, randomized, multicenter, double-blind study to compare efficacy and safety of EG12014 (EirGenix trastuzumab) with Herceptin® as neoadjuvant treatment in combination with anthracycline/paclitaxel-based systemic therapy in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer - a multinational phase III study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-13-17.

Ropeginterferon alfa-2b versus standard therapy for polycythaemia vera (PROUD-PV and CONTINUATION-PV): a randomised, non-inferiority, phase 3 trial and its extension study

BACKGROUND

The PROUD-PV and CONTINUATION-PV trials aimed to compare the novel monopegylated interferon ropeginterferon alfa-2b with hydroxyurea, the standard therapy for patients with polycythaemia vera, over 3 years of treatment.

METHODS

PROUD-PV and its extension study, CONTINUATION-PV, were phase 3, randomised, controlled, open-label, trials done in 48 clinics in Europe. Patients were eligible if 18 years or older with early stage polycythaemia vera (no history of cytoreductive treatment or less than 3 years of previous hydroxyurea treatment) diagnosed by WHO's 2008 criteria. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to ropeginterferon alfa-2b (subcutaneously every 2 weeks, starting at 100 μg) or hydroxyurea (orally starting at 500 mg/day). After 1 year, patients could opt to enter the extension part of the trial, CONTINUATION-PV. The primary endpoint in PROUD-PV was non-inferiority of ropeginterferon alfa-2b versus hydroxyurea regarding complete haematological response with normal spleen size (longitudinal diameter of ≤12 cm for women and ≤13 cm for men) at 12 months; in CONTINUATION-PV, the coprimary endpoints were complete haematological response with normalisation of spleen size and with improved disease burden (ie, splenomegaly, microvascular disturbances, pruritus, and headache). We present the final results of PROUD-PV and an interim analysis at 36 months of the CONTINUATION-PV study (per statistical analysis plan). Analyses for safety and efficacy were per-protocol. The trials were registered on EudraCT, 2012-005259-18 (PROUD-PV) and 2014-001357-17 (CONTINUATION-PV, which is ongoing).

FINDINGS

Patients were recruited from Sept 17, 2013 to March 13, 2015 with 306 enrolled. 257 patients were randomly assigned, 127 were treated in each group (three patients withdrew consent in the hydroxyurea group), and 171 rolled over to the CONTINUATION-PV trial. Median follow-up was 182·1 weeks (IQR 166·3-201·7) in the ropeginterferon alfa-2b and 164·5 weeks (144·4-169·3) in the standard therapy group. In PROUD-PV, 26 (21%) of 122 patients in the ropeginterferon alfa-2b group and 34 (28%) of 123 patients in the standard therapy group met the composite primary endpoint of complete haematological response with normal spleen size. In CONTINUATION-PV, complete haematological response with improved disease burden was met in 50 (53%) of 95 patients in the ropeginterferon alfa-2b group versus 28 (38%) of 74 patients in the hydroxyurea group, p=0·044 at 36 months. Complete haematological response without the spleen criterion in the ropeginterferon alfa-2b group versus standard therapy group were: 53 (43%) of 123 patients versus 57 (46%) of 125 patients, p=0·63 at 12 months (PROUD-PV), and 67 (71%) of 95 patients versus 38 (51%) of 74 patients, p=0·012 at 36 months (CONTINUATION-PV). The most frequently reported grade 3 and grade 4 treatment-related adverse events were increased γ-glutamyltransferase (seven [6%] of 127 patients) and increased alanine aminotransferase (four [3%] of 127 patients) in the ropeginterferon alfa-2b group, and leucopenia (six [5%] of 127 patients) and thrombocytopenia (five [4%] of 127 patients) in the standard therapy group. Treatment-related serious adverse events occurred in three (2%) of 127 patients in the ropeginterferon alfa-2b group and five (4%) of 127 patients in the hydroxyurea group. One treatment-related death was reported in the standard therapy group (acute leukaemia).

INTERPRETATION

In patients with early polycythaemia vera, who predominantly presented without splenomegaly, ropeginterferon alfa-2b was effective in inducing haematological responses; non-inferiority to hydroxyurea regarding haematological response and normal spleen size was not shown at 12 months. However, response to ropeginterferon alfa-2b continued to increase over time with improved responses compared with hydroxyurea at 36 months. Considering the high and durable haematological and molecular responses and its good tolerability, ropeginterferon alfa-2b offers a valuable and safe long-term treatment option with features distinct from hydroxyurea.

FUNDING

AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals AG.

Landiolol in patients with septic shock resident in an intensive care unit (LANDI-SEP): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

In patients with septic shock, the presence of an elevated heart rate (HR) after fluid resuscitation marks a subgroup of patients with a particularly poor prognosis. Several studies have shown that HR control in this population is safe and can potentially improve outcomes. However, all were conducted in a single-center setting. The aim of this multicenter study is to demonstrate that administration of the highly beta1-selective and ultrashort-acting beta blocker landiolol in patients with septic shock and persistent tachycardia (HR ≥ 95 beats per minute [bpm]) is effective in reducing and maintaining HR without increasing vasopressor requirements.

Methods

A phase IV, multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, controlled study is being conducted. The study will enroll a total of 200 patients with septic shock as defined by The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock criteria and tachycardia (HR ≥ 95 bpm) despite a hemodynamic optimization period of 24–36 h. Patients are randomized (1:1) to receive either standard treatment (according to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines 2016) and continuous landiolol infusion to reach a target HR of 80–94 bpm or standard treatment alone. The primary endpoint is HR response (HR 80–94 bpm), the maintenance thereof, and the absence of increased vasopressor requirements during the first 24 h after initiating treatment.

Discussion

Despite recent studies, the role of beta blockers in the treatment of patients with septic shock remains unclear. This study will investigate whether HR control using landiolol is safe, feasible, and effective, and further enhance the understanding of beta blockade in patients with septic shock.

Trial registration

EU Clinical Trials Register; EudraCT, 2017-002138-22. Registered on 8 August 2017.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-018-3024-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Correlation of the volume of ectopic pregnancy and MTX therapy outcome: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate a possible correlation between the volume of the tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP) measured by vaginal-ultrasound (VUS) and methotrexate (MTX) therapy outcome.

STUDY DESIGN

Data of EP volume measured by one expert-sonographer, viability, clinical symptoms, previous IVF/insemination, follow-up of β-hCG and progesterone levels, and treatment of EP was collected of 100 patients with sonographically diagnosed EP, who attended the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Medical University Vienna between March 2008 and September 2011.

RESULTS

The mean volume of EP (mVol.) in the group with successful MTX therapy (n = 38) was 5.11 ml, 95%CI [2.4; 7.8] with a median 3.2 ml, IQR [5.0], in the group with unsuccessful MTX treatment (n = 11) it was 15.24 ml, 95%CI [-2.6; 33.1], with a median 4.4 ml, IQR [11.4]. We could observe a trend towards a lower mVol. in the successful MTX group (5.11 ml vs. 15.24 ml). We could not show a significant correlation (u-test p = 0.208).

CONCLUSION

A clear tendency was observed towards a lower mVol. in the successful MTX therapy group, but we could not verify a statistically significant correlation of volume of EP and MTX therapy outcome most likely due to the small sample size. This was the first study investigating the correlation of volume of EP and MTX therapy outcome as principal question.