Rituximab With or Without Ibrutinib for Patients With Advanced Follicular Lymphoma

Rituximab With or Without Ibrutinib for Untreated Patients With Advanced Follicular Lymphoma in Need of Therapy. A Randomized, Double-blinded, SAKK and NLG Collaborative Phase II Trial.

Follicular lymphomas FL has been traditionally approached either by an initial watch and wait policy in the asymptomatic patient, or with single agent treatments with the purpose of maintaining a good quality of life for a prolonged time.The combination of rituximab and ibrutinib has been tested in clinical trials and appeared to be well tolerated and active. Since ibrutinib seems to achieve better results when administered for prolonged time as shown in CLL, the investigators have chosen to compare its combination with rituximab to the prolonged rituximab-only schedule that was already shown to be very active in the SAKK 35/03 trial.

The aim of the study is to investigate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of the treatment combination of Ibrutinib and Rituximab for patients with advanced follicular lymphoma in need of therapy.

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Follicular Lymphoma
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Ibrutinib; Drug: Rituximab

Detailed Description

Follicular lymphomas FL has been traditionally approached either by an initial watch and wait policy in the asymptomatic patient, or with single agent treatments with the purpose of maintaining a good quality of life for a prolonged time.

During the last decades, treatment strategies have changed due to the continuous development and introduction of novel therapeutic approaches (including immunotherapy with interferon-alpha or monoclonal antibodies, the combination of immunotherapy with chemotherapy, and radioimmunotherapy with radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies).

For the asymptomatic patients with advanced-stage, but low tumor burden, randomized studies have confirmed that systemic treatment can be deferred until development of symptoms or organ failure (which generally occurred within 2-3 years from diagnosis) without any overall survival impairment and a watchful waiting policy has long remained a widely accepted approach.

For the symptomatic patients with more advanced tumor burden, in need of initial treatment, the combination of rituximab and chemotherapy, possibly followed by rituximab maintenance became a new standard in many countries.

In this setting of a chemotherapy-free strategy, the clinical study of rituximab combinations with other immunotherapies or with novel targeted agents is obvious relevant. Promising results have also been reported with the combination of rituximab and lenalidomide.

The combination of rituximab and ibrutinib has been tested in clinical trials and appeared to be well tolerated and active. Since ibrutinib seems to achieve better results when administered for prolonged time as shown in CLL, the investigators have chosen to compare its combination with rituximab to the prolonged rituximab-only schedule that was already shown to be very active in the SAKK 35/03 trial.

SAKK has a long tradition in treatment of FL patients with chemotherapy-free treatment based on rituximab. This is a worldwide special situation, which creates cooperation between important partners for clinical trials in this area.

The aim of the study is to investigate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of the treatment combination of Ibrutinib and Rituximab for patients with advanced follicular lymphoma in need of therapy.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 190
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Austria
  • Feldkirch, Austria, 6800
    • Akademisches Lehrkrankenhaus Feldkirch
• Denmark
  • Aalborg, Denmark, 9000
    • Aalborg Universitetshospital
  • Aarhus, Denmark, 8000
    • Aarhus University Hospital
  • Copenhagen, Denmark, 2100
    • Rigshospitalet
  • Odense C, Denmark, 5000
    • Odense Universitetshospital
• Finland
  • Helsinki, Finland, 00029 HUS
    • Helsinki University Hospital
  • Kuopio, Finland, 70029
    • Kuopio University Hospital
  • Tampere, Finland, 33521
    • University Hospital Tampere Radius
  • Turku, Finland, 20520
    • Turku University Hospital
• Norway
  • Bergen, Norway, 5021
    • Haukeland University Hospital
  • Oslo, Norway, 424
    • Oslo University Hospital
  • Stavanger, Norway, 4011
    • Stavanger University Hospital
  • Tromsø, Norway, 9038
    • Universitetssykehuset i Nord-Norge
• Sweden
  • Luleå, Sweden, 971 80
    • Sunderby Hospital
  • Lund, Sweden, 221 85
    • Skånes Universitetssjukhus
  • Solna, Sweden, 17165
    • Karolinska University Hospital
  • Stockholm, Sweden, 141 86
    • Karolinska University Hospital
  • Umeå, Sweden, 901 85
    • University Hospital of Umeå
  • Örebro, Sweden, 701 85
    • Örebro University Hospital
• Switzerland
  • Aarau, Switzerland, CH-5001
    • Hirslanden Klinik Aarau
  • Aarau, Switzerland, CH-5001
    • Kantonspital Aarau
  • Baar, Switzerland, 6340
    • Zuger Kantonsspital
  • Baden, Switzerland, CH-5404
    • Kantonsspital Baden
  • Basel, Switzerland, CH-4016
    • St. Claraspital AG
  • Basel, Switzerland, CH-4031
    • Universitaetsspital Basel
  • Bellinzona, Switzerland, 6500
    • Istituto Oncologico della Svizzera Italiana - Ospedale Regionale Bellinzona e Valli
  • Bern, Switzerland, CH-3010
    • Inselspital, Bern
  • Brig, Switzerland, 3900
    • Spitalzentrum Oberwallis - Brig
  • Bruderholz, Switzerland, CH-4101
    • Kantonsspital Bruderholz
  • Genève 14, Switzerland, 1211
    • Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève
  • Lausanne, Switzerland, 1004
    • Centre de Chimiothérapie Anti-Cancéreuse SA (CCAC)
  • Liestal, Switzerland, 4410
    • Kantonsspital Baselland
  • Luzerne, Switzerland, CH-6000
    • Kantonsspital Luzern
  • Münsterlingen, Switzerland, 8596
    • Spital Thurgau (Kantonsspital Münserlingen und Frauenfeld)
  • Olten, Switzerland, CH-4600
    • Kantonsspital Olten
  • Sion, Switzerland, 1951
    • Hôpital du Valais - CHCVR
  • St. Gallen, Switzerland, CH-9007
    • Kantonsspital - St. Gallen
  • Thun, Switzerland, CH-3600
    • Spital STS AG
  • Winterthur, Switzerland, 8401
    • Kantonsspital Winterthur
  • Zürich, Switzerland, 8091
    • Universitatsspital Zurich
  • Zürich, Switzerland, 8063
    • Stadtspital Triemli
  • Zürich, Switzerland, CH-8032
    • Onkozentrum Hirslanden

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 85 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Written informed consent according to ICH/GCP guidelines
• Histologically confirmed FL CD20+; grade 1, 2, 3a; stage III+IV; stage II not suitable for radiotherapy; all FLIPI
• Tumor specimens (slides or block) available for pathological review

• In need of systemic therapy (at least one of the following indications must be fulfilled):

  • Symptomatic disease
  • Bulky disease (≥ 6 cm)
  • Steady, clinically significant progression over at least 3 months of any tumor lesion
  • B-symptoms (weight loss > 10% in 6 months, drenching night sweats, fever > 38°C not due to infection)
  • Anemia (hemoglobin < 100 g/L) or thrombocytopenia (platelets 50-100 x 109/L) due to lymphoma
• At least one two-dimensionally measurable lesion with a longest diameter (LDi) ≥ 15 mm in contrast-enhanced 18F-FDG PET/CT* scan
• FDG-avid tumor lesion in contrast-enhanced 18F-FDG PET/CT* scan
• Age 18-85 years
• WHO performance status 0-2

• Adequate bone marrow function:

  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) > 1.0 x 109/L independent of growth factor support
  • Platelets ≥ 100 x 109/L or ≥ 50 x 109/L if bone marrow involvement independent of transfusion support in either situation

• Adequate hepatic function:

  • Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 3 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
  • Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x ULN unless bilirubin rise is due to Gilbert's syndrome or of non-hepatic origin

• Adequate renal function:

  • Serum creatinine ≤ 2 x ULN and corrected calculated creatinine clearance ≥ 40 mL/min/1.73m2.

• Women of childbearing potential have a negative serum (beta-human chorionic gonadotropin) or urine pregnancy test at Screening.
• Patient compliance and geographic proximity allow proper staging and follow-up.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Tumor bulk requiring fast response
• Known central nervous system lymphoma
• Previous systemic FL therapies
• Major surgery 4 weeks prior to randomization
• Previous or concomitant malignancy diagnosed within 3 years with the exception of adequately treated cervical carcinoma in situ or localized non-melanoma skin cancer
• History of stroke or intracranial hemorrhage within 6 months prior to randomization
• Clinically significant cardiovascular diseases such as uncontrolled or symptomatic arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, or myocardial infarction within 6 months of screening, or any Class 3 (moderate) or Class 4 (severe) cardiac disease as defined by the New York Heart Association Functional Classification
• Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or active Hepatitis C Virus or active Hepatitis B Virus infection or any uncontrolled active systemic infection requiring intravenous (i.v.) antibiotics
• Concomitant diseases that require anticoagulation with warfarin or equivalent vitamin K antagonists (eg. phenprocoumon), factor Xa inhibitors (e.g. rivaroxaban, apixaban), direct thrombin inhibitors (e.g. dabigatran) or platelet inhibitors/antiplatelet agents. Aspirin is allowed (up to 300 mg/d).
• Concomitant diseases that require treatment with strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitors (see http://medicine.iupui.edu/clinpharm/ddis/clinical-table/)
• Any concomitant drugs contraindicated for use with the trial drugs according to the approved product information or known hypersensitivity to trial drugs
• Concurrent treatment with other experimental drugs or other anticancer therapy, treatment in a clinical trial within 30 days prior to trial entry
• Vaccinated with live, attenuated vaccines 4 weeks prior to randomization
• Any life-threatening illness, medical condition, or organ system dysfunction which, in the Investigator's opinion, could compromise the subject's safety, interfere with the absorption or metabolism of Ibrutinib capsules, or put the study outcomes at undue risk
• Psychiatric disorder precluding understanding information of trial related topics, giving informed consent or interfering with compliance for oral drug intake
• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Patients regularly taking corticosteroids during the last 4 weeks, unless administered at a dose equivalent to Prednisone ≤ 15 mg/day for indications other than lymphoma or lymphoma-related symptoms

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Rituximab/Ibrutinib; Ibrutinib capsules for 24 months (104 weeks) daily (always at the same time) in a dose of 560 mg (4 x 140 mg capsules)	Drug: Ibrutinib; Patients will be instructed by the Investigator to take the amount of 560 mg Ibrutinib/Placebo (4 x 140 mg capsules) orally once daily with a glass of water at approximately the same time every day.; Other Names: Imbruvica®; Drug: Rituximab; Rituximab 375 mg/m2 has to be administered i.v. for the first four (4) infusions in all patients. After i.v. administration of Rituximab for the induction therapy, the administration mode can be changed to s.c. (1400 mg) in the maintenance phase dependent on the local standard of care.; Other Names: MabThera®
Placebo Comparator: Rituximab/Placebo; Placebo as comparator for 24 months (4 capsules daily always at the same time)	Drug: Rituximab; Rituximab 375 mg/m2 has to be administered i.v. for the first four (4) infusions in all patients. After i.v. administration of Rituximab for the induction therapy, the administration mode can be changed to s.c. (1400 mg) in the maintenance phase dependent on the local standard of care.; Other Names: MabThera®

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
CR at 24 months determined by PET/CT scan by the IRR panel	The evaluation of CR is outlined according to Cheson Criteria.. Any assessment within a window of week 102 to week 118 (inclusive) will be considered as the 24 months response assessment for determining the CR status. In addition, the CR status will be determined as follows for these specific cases:	at 24 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
CR at 30 months determined by PET/CT scan by the IRR panel		at 30 months
MRD evaluation	MRD evaluation will be performed using real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) based methods in peripheral blood and bone marrow at baseline and week 106. The proportion of patients achieving MRD negativity will be calculated for each time point of interest.	baseline and week 106
Overall response (OR)	OR is defined as either: the disappearance of all evidence of disease (CR); the regression of measurable disease with no new sites (PR)	at 24 weeks
Duration of complete response (DUR)	The duration of CR will be calculated from when the criteria for CR are met, until documentation of relapse thereafter. Only patients with a CR will be included in this analysis.	at 12 or 24 weeks or thereafter
Progression-free survival (PFS) (PFS)	PFS will be calculated from randomization until the first event of interest: disease progression or relapse according to criteria of Cheson et al. 2014; death from any cause	at 12 or 24 weeks or thereafter
Event-free survival (EFS)	Event-free survival (time to treatment failure) will be calculated from randomization to premature discontinuation of trial treatment for any reason (e.g., insufficient response at first or second restaging at 12 or 24 weeks or at the third assessment at 52 weeks, disease progression, toxicity, patient preference, initiation of new treatment without documented progression, secondary malignancy or death).	12, 24 or 52 weeks
Time to next anti-lymphoma therapy (TTNT)	This will be calculated from randomization until the start of the first off-trial anti-lymphoma treatment. Patients not receiving any off-trial anti-lymphoma treatment will be censored at the last follow-up visit.	at 12 or 24 weeks or thereafter
Adverse Events (AEs)	AEs will be evaluated using the NCI CTCAE v4.0	record throughout treatment phase (until 30 days after last drug administration)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research
• Collaborators: Nordic Lymphoma Group
• Investigators: Study Chair: Emanuele Zucca, Prof, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland IOSI, Bellinzona; Study Chair: Bjørn Østenstad, MD, Oslo University Hospital; Study Chair: Björn Wahlin, MD, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 6, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): July 15, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 19, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 20, 2015
• First Posted (Estimated): May 21, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 13, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 11, 2024
• Last Verified: March 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Rituximab; Follicular Lymphoma; Ibrutinib
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Immune System Diseases; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Neoplasms; Lymphoproliferative Disorders; Lymphatic Diseases; Immunoproliferative Disorders; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin; Lymphoma; Lymphoma, Follicular; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Enzyme Inhibitors; Antirheumatic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Immunologic Factors; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; Protein Kinase Inhibitors; Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors; Rituximab; Ibrutinib
• Other Study ID Numbers: SAKK 35/14; 2015-001487-19 (EudraCT Number); SNCTP000001327 (Other Identifier: SNCTP)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO