LBH589 Alone or in Combination With Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents (ESA) in Patients With Low or Int-1 Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) (GEPARD)

A One Year, Open Label, Multicenter Trial of LBH589 Alone or in Combination With ESA in Red Blood Cell Transfusion-dependent LOW and INT-1 MDS Patients Being Either Refractory to ESA or With a Low Probability of Response - the GErman PAnobinostat Low Risk MDS Trial - GEPARD Study

This study assessed the efficacy and safety of LBH589 as single agent and in combination with ESA in red blood cell transfusion-dependent Low and Int-1 MDS patients being either refractory to ESA or with a low probability of response. The study had a non-randomized core phase followed by a randomized phase.

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: LBH589; Drug: Epoetin Alfa

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 34
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Berlin, Germany, 12203
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Bonn, Germany, 53105
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Dresden, Germany, 01307
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Duesseldorf, Germany, 40225
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Duisburg, Germany, 47166
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Frankfurt, Germany, 60590
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Goettingen, Germany, 37075
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Hannover, Germany, 30625
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Leipzig, Germany, 04103
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Muenchen, Germany, 81675
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Ulm, Germany, 89081
    • Novartis Investigative Site
  • Baden-Württemberg
    • Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, 68305
      • Novartis Investigative Site

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Key Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with a lower risk MDS (LOW or INT-1 according to IPSS)
• Red blood cell transfusion dependency of at least 4 Units/8 weeks.
• Not responding to Erythropoietin stimulating agents (ESA) or having a low chance to do so
• Age-adjusted normal cardiac, kidney, liver function

Key Exclusion Criteria:

• Concomitant use of ESA
• Concomitant use of any other investigational drug
• Other malignancy that is not in remission for at least 1 year
• Platelet Count < 75 x 109/L
• Impaired cardiac function or clinically significant cardiac diseases

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: LBH589; During the core phase, all participants received oral LBH589 40 mg (30 mg after a protocol amendment) for 4 months. During the randomization phase, participants with hematological improvement of the erythropoetic system (HI-E) and participants with stable disease, who were randomized to single agent LBH589, continued on single agent LBH589 40mg/30mg for an additional 4 months.	Drug: LBH589; LBH589 was supplied at dose strengths of 5 mg or 20 mg hard gelatin capsules.; Other Names: Panobinostat
Experimental: LBH589 + Epoetin Alfa; During the randomized phase, participants randomized to LBH589 + Epoetin Alfa (ESA) received oral LBH589 40mg/30mg + ESA 30000 international units (IU)/week injected subcutaneously for 4 months.	Drug: LBH589; LBH589 was supplied at dose strengths of 5 mg or 20 mg hard gelatin capsules.; Other Names: Panobinostat; Drug: Epoetin Alfa; Epoetin alfa was supplied as 10000 IU/1 mL in a ready-to-use syringe.; Other Names: ESA, HEXAL®

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Percentage of Participants With Hematological Response of the Erythropoetic System (HI-E) - Core Phase	HI-E was assessed according to the modified international working group (IWG) criteria for HI. Erythroid response (pretreatment, <11 g/dL): Hgb increase by ≥ 1.5 g/dL, relevant reduction of units of RBC transfusions by an absolute number of at least 4 RBC transfusions/8 wk compared with the pretreatment transfusion number in the previous 8 wk, and only RBC transfusions given for a Hgb of ≤ 9.0 g/dL pretreatment were counted in the RBC transfusion response evaluation; Platelet response (pretreatment, < 100 x 109/L): absolute increase of ≥ 30 x 109/L for participants starting with > 20 x 109/L and platelets Increase from < 20 x 109/L to > 20 x 109/L and by at least 100%; Neutrophil response (pretreatment, < 1.0 x 109/L): at least 100% increase and an absolute increase > 0.5 x 109/L; Progression or relapse after HI: At least 1 of the following: At least 50% decrement from maximum response levels in granulocytes or platelets, reduction in Hgb by ≥1.5 g/dL, or transfusion dependence.	16 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Percentage of Participants With HI-E - Randomized Phase	HI-E was assessed according to the modified international working group (IWG) criteria for HI. Erythroid response (pretreatment, <11 g/dL): Hgb increase by ≥ 1.5 g/dL, relevant reduction of units of RBC transfusions by an absolute number of at least 4 RBC transfusions/8 wk compared with the pretreatment transfusion number in the previous 8 wk, and only RBC transfusions given for a Hgb of ≤ 9.0 g/dL pretreatment were counted in the RBC transfusion response evaluation; Platelet response (pretreatment, < 100 x 109/L): absolute increase of ≥ 30 x 109/L for participants starting with > 20 x 109/L and platelets Increase from < 20 x 109/L to > 20 x 109/L and by at least 100%; Neutrophil response (pretreatment, < 1.0 x 109/L): at least 100% increase and an absolute increase > 0.5 x 109/L; Progression or relapse after HI: At least 1 of the following: At least 50% decrement from maximum response levels in granulocytes or platelets, reduction in Hgb by ≥1.5 g/dL, or transfusion dependence.	32 weeks, 52 weeks
Percentage of Participants With Objective Response During Core Phase	Objective response (complete remission (CR) + partial remission (PR) and HI-platelet (HI-P) response + HI-neutrophil (HI-N) response) was assessed according to the modified IWG criteria: CR bone marrow with 5% myeloblasts with normal maturation of al cell lines (persistent dysplasia is noted) and peripheral blood with Hgb >= 11 g/dL platelets >=100 X 10^9/L, neutrophils >= 1.0 x 10^9/L and blasts 0%. PR = All CR if abnormal before treatment except bone marrow blasts decreased by>=50% over pretreatment but still >5% (ellularity and morphology not relevant). HI-P (pretreatment, < 100 x 109/L) = absolute increase of ≥ 30 x 109/L for participants starting with > 20 x 109/L and platelets Increase from < 20 x 109/L to > 20 x 109/L and by at least 100%; HI-N (pretreatment, < 1.0 x 109/L) = at least 100% increase and an absolute increase > 0.5 x 10^9/L.	16 weeks
Percentage of Participants With Objective Response During the Randomized Phase	Objective response (complete remission (CR) + partial remission (PR) and HI-platelet (HI-P) response + HI-neutrophil (HI-N) response) was assessed according to the modified IWG criteria: CR bone marrow with 5% myeloblasts with normal maturation of al cell lines (persistent dysplasia is noted) and peripheral blood with Hgb >= 11 g/dL platelets >=100 X 10^9/L, neutrophils >= 1.0 x 10^9/L and blasts 0%. PR = All CR if abnormal before treatment except bone marrow blasts decreased by>=50% over pretreatment but still >5% (ellularity and morphology not relevant). HI-P (pretreatment, < 100 x 109/L) = absolute increase of ≥ 30 x 109/L for participants starting with > 20 x 109/L and platelets Increase from < 20 x 109/L to > 20 x 109/L and by at least 100%; HI-N (pretreatment, < 1.0 x 109/L) = at least 100% increase and an absolute increase > 0.5 x 10^9/L.	32 weeks, 48 weeks
Frequency Distribution of IPSS Score Status - Core Phase	The IPSS score values were calculated based on the results of bone marrow analysis. A score value of 0 has bone marrow blast <5%, karyotype of normal, sole: -Y, del 5Q, del 20q and cytopenias (lineages affected) of 0 to 1. Score value of 0.5 has 5-10 bone marrow blasts, karyotype of Others and cytopenias of 2 to 3. A score value of 1.0 has complex >= 3 chromosomal abnormalities and/or chromosome 7 anomalies. A score of 1.5 has 11-20 bone marrow blasts and a score of 2.0 has 21-30 bone marrow blasts. The prognostic score is determined by the sum of the single scoring values. The risk groups are determined as follows: Low = 0 points (5.7 years of median survival); intermediate -1 (INT-1) = 0.5-1.0 points (3.5 years of median survival); INT-2 = 1.5-2.0 points (1.2 years of median survival); and high >=2.5 points (6 months of median survival).	baseline
Frequency Distribution of IPSS Score Status - Randomized Phase	The IPSS score values were calculated based on the results of bone marrow analysis. A score value of 0 has bone marrow blast <5%, karyotype of normal, sole: -Y, del 5Q, del 20q and cytopenias (lineages affected) of 0 to 1. Score value of 0.5 has 5-10 bone marrow blasts, karyotype of Others and cytopenias of 2 to 3. A score value of 1.0 has complex >= 3 chromosomal abnormalities and/or chromosome 7 anomalies. A score of 1.5 has 11-20 bone marrow blasts and a score of 2.0 has 21-30 bone marrow blasts. The prognostic score is determined by the sum of the single scoring values. The risk groups are determined as follows: Low = 0 points (5.7 years of median survival); intermediate -1 (INT-1) = 0.5-1.0 points (3.5 years of median survival); INT-2 = 1.5-2.0 points (1.2 years of median survival); and high >=2.5 points (6 months of median survival).	52 weeks
Mean Single Scoring Values of the IPSS - Core Phase	The IPSS score values were calculated based on the results of bone marrow analysis. A score value of 0 has bone marrow blast <5%, karyotype of normal, sole: -Y, del 5Q, del 20q and cytopenias (lineages affected) of 0 to 1. Score value of 0.5 has 5-10 bone marrow blasts, karyotype of Others and cytopenias of 2 to 3. A score value of 1.0 has complex >= 3 chromosomal abnormalities and/or chromosome 7 anomalies. A score of 1.5 has 11-20 bone marrow blasts and a score of 2.0 has 21-30 bone marrow blasts. The prognostic score is determined by the sum of the single scoring values. The risk groups are determined as follows: Low = 0 points (5.7 years of median survival); intermediate -1 (INT-1) = 0.5-1.0 points (3.5 years of median survival); INT-2 = 1.5-2.0 points (1.2 years of median survival); and high >=2.5 points (6 months of median survival).	baseline
Mean Single Scoring Values of the IPSS - Randomized Phase	The IPSS score values were calculated based on the results of bone marrow analysis. A score value of 0 has bone marrow blast <5%, karyotype of normal, sole: -Y, del 5Q, del 20q and cytopenias (lineages affected) of 0 to 1. Score value of 0.5 has 5-10 bone marrow blasts, karyotype of Others and cytopenias of 2 to 3. A score value of 1.0 has complex >= 3 chromosomal abnormalities and/or chromosome 7 anomalies. A score of 1.5 has 11-20 bone marrow blasts and a score of 2.0 has 21-30 bone marrow blasts. The prognostic score is determined by the sum of the single scoring values. The risk groups are determined as follows: Low = 0 points (5.7 years of median survival); intermediate -1 (INT-1) = 0.5-1.0 points (3.5 years of median survival); INT-2 = 1.5-2.0 points (1.2 years of median survival); and high >=2.5 points (6 months of median survival).	52 weeks
Overall Survival (OS) - Overall Period	OS was defined as the time from start of treatment to death from any cause.	48 weeks
Time to Response - Overall Period	Time to response was defined as the time from start of treatment to the first documented response (complete [CR] or partial [PR]) according to modified IWG criteria for HI.	52 weeks
Event-free Survival (EFS) - Overall Period	EFS was defined as the time from start of treatment to failure or death from any cause.	52 weeks
Progression-free Survival (PFS) - Overall Period	PFS was defined as the time from start of treatment to disease progression or death from MDS.	52 weeks
Disease-free Survival (DFS) - Overall Period	DFS was defined as the time from start of treatment to the time to relapse.	52 weeks
Time to Cause-specific Death - Overall Period	Time to cause-specific death was defined as the time from start of treatment to death related to MDS.	52 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: November 1, 2009
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): August 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 16, 2009
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 16, 2009
• First Posted (Estimate): December 17, 2009

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 11, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 8, 2017
• Last Verified: August 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: anemia; bone marrow; erythropoietin; MDS; Myelodysplastic Syndromes; LBH589; EPO; ESA; cytopenia; HDAC Inhibitor; transfusion dependance; hematopoietic improvement; IPSS Low; IPSS Int-1; HI-E; HDAC-I; DAC-I; Deacetylase-Inhibitor; Histone Deacetylase-Inhibitor; red blood cell transfusions
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Neoplasms; Disease; Bone Marrow Diseases; Hematologic Diseases; Precancerous Conditions; Syndrome; Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Preleukemia; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Enzyme Inhibitors; Antineoplastic Agents; Hematinics; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; Epoetin Alfa; Panobinostat
• Other Study ID Numbers: CLBH589BDE04; EudraCT 2009-010403-84 (Registry Identifier: EudraCT); 2009-010403-84