Phase II 5-Azacytidine Plus VPA Plus ATRA

June 12, 2012 updated by: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Phase II Study of the Combination of 5-azacytidine With Valproic Acid and All-trans Retinoic Acid in Patients With High Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

5-aza is a chemotherapy drug with activity in leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Researchers hope that valproic acid (VPA) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)will increase the effects of 5-aza. The goal of this clinical research study is to find the highest safe dose of valproic acid (VPA) that can be given in combination with 5-azacytidine (5-aza) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in the treatment of AML and MDS. The safety and effectiveness of this combination therapy will also be studied.

Additional blood and bone marrow samples will be requested. These samples will be used to evaluate the effect of the treatment on leukemic cells. In addition, any leftover blood and bone marrow samples that are collected at the start of the study and during the regularly scheduled evaluations to be sent for research studies. The research studies will examine changes in the blood and bone marrow cells that might help explain the causes of leukemia and MDS and how the combination of 5-aza, VPA, and ATRA works.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Recent studies have shown synergy between demethylating agents and histone deacetylase inhibitors. In my laboratory, we have developed in vitro models using HL-60 and MOLT4 leukemic cells to study the effects of the combination of decitabine (a 5-azacytidine analogue) and valproic acid. Valproic acid is an antiepileptic agent with histone deacetylase inhibitory capacity. These results indicate that the addition of valproic acid to decitabine has an additive effect on growth inhibition, induction of apoptosis, induction of p57KIP2 and p21CIP1 expression independent of cell cycle arrest. These results were dependent on the dose and duration of treatment but not on the sequence used. Based on this data, we developed a phase I/II study of the combination of decitabine and valproic acid (2003-0314) in patients with leukemia that has shown that valproic acid can be safely administered up to doses of 50 mg/kg orally for 10 days in combination with decitabine, and that this combination has significant activity in patients with relapsed/refractory AML and MDS. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is a biological agent that has been shown to induce cell differentiation in leukemia cell lines and has significant clinical activity in acute promyelocytic leukemia with minimal toxicity. In vitro, the combination of ATRA with either a hypomethylating agent or a histone deacetylase inhibitor has been shown to restore ATRA sensitivity in resistant cells. More recently, a German group has reported that the combination of valproic acid and ATRA has activity in patients with MDS and an excellent toxicity profile. 5-azacytidine is a nucleoside analogue with hypomethylating activity that has been shown in a randomized study to benefit patients with MDS, including an improvement in quality of life. Based on this data, this agent was recently approved by the FDA for its use in patients with MDS, and has become the first line agent for patients with MDS that required therapy.

The objectives of the clinical trial are the following:

  • To determine the maximal tolerated dose of valproic acid (VPA) in combination with 5-azacytidine (5-aza) and all-trans retinoic acid.
  • To determine the clinical activity of the combination of 5-azacytidine, valproic acid and all-trans retinoic acid in patients with AML and MDS.
  • To determine the in vivo molecular and biological effects of this combination. These will include analysis of changes in Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation, histone modifications, and gene expression.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

34

Phase

  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
        • The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

1 year and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with refractory or relapsed: acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (bone marrow blasts > or = 10%) are eligible.
  • Untreated patients older than 60 years of age with AML or MDS (bone marrow blasts > or = 10%) who refuse or are not eligible for front-line chemotherapy, are eligible.
  • Performance status of < or = 2 by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale.
  • Signed informed consent indicating that patients are aware of the investigational nature of this study in keeping with the policies of University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC).
  • Age > 2 years. Valproic acid has been associated with a higher rate of severe liver toxicity in children younger than 2 years.
  • Patients must have been off chemotherapy for 2 weeks prior to entering this study and recovered from the toxic effects of that therapy, unless there is evidence of rapidly progressive disease. Use of hydroxyurea for patients with rapidly proliferative disease is allowed for the first two weeks on therapy.
  • Adequate liver function (bilirubin of < 2mg/dL, SGPT < 3 * ULN) and renal function (creatinine < 2mg/dL).
  • Women of childbearing potential must practice contraception. Men and women must continue birth control for the duration of the trial.
  • Patients with relapsed /refractory disease with inv16, t(8;21) or t(15;17) are eligible.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Nursing and pregnant females are excluded.
  • Patients with active and uncontrolled infections are excluded.
  • Patients already receiving valproic acid or receiving other anticonvulsants will be excluded.
  • Untreated patients younger than 60 years will not be candidates for this study.
  • Patients with untreated disease inv16, t(8;21) or t(15;17) will be excluded.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: VPA + 5-aza + ATRA
Daily for 7 days, Valproic acid (VPA) starting dose 75 mg/m^2 subcutaneously in combination with 5-azacytidine (5-aza) 50 mg/kg orally; and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) 45 mg/m^2 orally daily (in two divided doses) for 5 days starting on day 3.
Drug: 5-Azacytidine (5-aza)
Start at 75 mg/m^2 subcutaneously daily for 7 days.
Other Names:
  • 5-AZC
  • Ladakamycin
  • Vidaza
  • Azacitidine
  • 5-azacytidine
  • AZA-CR
  • NSC-102816
Drug: Valproic Acid
50 mg/kg daily by mouth for 7 days, same days as 5-aza.
Other Names:
  • Depakene
Drug: All-Trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA)
45 mg/m^2 orally daily (in two divided doses) for 5 days starting on day 3 of the administration of 5-aza and VPA.
Other Names:
  • Vesanoid
  • Tretinoin (oral)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of Participants With Response
Time Frame: Up to 12 cycles of treatment (28 day cycles)
Clinical activity of combination defined as: Complete Response (CR), bone marrow with 5% or fewer blasts and peripheral blood count with an absolute neutrophil count of 10^9/L or more and platelet count of 100x10^9 or more; Complete response without platelets (CRp), a complete response except for a platelet count less than 100x10^9 and transfusion independent; and Bone Marrow (BM) Response, bone marrow blast of 5% or less but without meeting the peripheral blood count criteria for (CR) or (CRp).
Up to 12 cycles of treatment (28 day cycles)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Collaborators

Celgene Corporation

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

July 1, 2005

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 1, 2007

Study Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2007

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 12, 2006

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 12, 2006

First Posted (Estimate)

May 16, 2006

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

June 15, 2012

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 12, 2012

Last Verified

June 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2004-0799

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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