A Safety and Efficacy Study of Pracinostat and Azacitidine in Patients With High Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes

A Two-Stage, Open-Label Phase 2 Study of Pracinostat and Azacitidine in Patients With IPSS-R High and Very High Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes Previously Untreated With Hypomethylating Agents

This is a Phase 2, two-stage study of the safety and efficacy of pracinostat in combination with azacitidine in patients with IPSS-R high and very high risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) who are previously untreated with hypomethylating agents (HMAs). Enrollment in this study will be limited to high/very high risk MDS because this group represents the highest unmet need, with median survival of less than 18 months.

Stage 1a will be conducted as an open-label single arm in up to 40 subjects to assess if this regimen with a lower pracinostat dose results in a discontinuation rate that meets a predefined threshold and in efficacy that justifies expansion of enrollment into Stage 1b.

A discontinuation rate of approximately ≤10% in Stage 1a, a rate comparable to that observed with azacitidine alone in study MEI-003 (NCT01873703), supports expansion into Stage 1b.

Stage 1b will be conducted as expansion of stage 1a. Approximately 20 additional subjects will be enrolled. Study drugs should be continued until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. It is important to note that the median time to achieving a response with azacitidine alone is 4 to 5 months. Furthermore, the median time to achieving a Complete Response (CR) in study MEI-003 (NCT01873703) was 4 cycles. Therefore, early (<6 months) discontinuation of trial therapy for 'no response' should be avoided. The Medical Monitor should be contacted prior to discontinuing a subject from the study to discuss the rationale for discontinuation.

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Myelodysplastic Syndromes
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Azacitidine; Drug: Pracinostat

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 64
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Duarte, California, United States, 91010
      • City of Hope
    • San Diego, California, United States, 92103
      • Scripps Cancer Center-Mercy
  • Georgia
    • Augusta, Georgia, United States, 30912
      • Georgia Cancer Center
    • Augusta, Georgia, United States, 30912
      • Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University
  • Louisiana
    • Covington, Louisiana, United States, 70433
      • Pontchartrain Cancer Center
  • Maryland
    • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20817
      • RCCA MD LLC (The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders)
  • Michigan
    • Farmington Hills, Michigan, United States, 48334
      • Michigan Center of Medical Research
    • Lansing, Michigan, United States, 48910
      • Michigan State University, Breslin Cancer Center
  • Minnesota
    • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455
      • University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview
  • Missouri
    • Springfield, Missouri, United States, 65807
      • Mercy Medical Research Institute
  • New Mexico
    • Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, 87131
      • New Mexico Cancer Care Alliance
  • New York
    • Rochester, New York, United States, 14642
      • University of Rochester Medical Center
    • Stony Brook, New York, United States, 11794
      • Stony Brook University
  • North Carolina
    • Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27710
      • Duke University Medical Center
    • Goldsboro, North Carolina, United States, 27534
      • Southeastern Medical Oncology Center
  • Ohio
    • Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45242
      • Oncology Hematology Care
    • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44106
      • University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
  • Oklahoma
    • Lawton, Oklahoma, United States, 73501
      • Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma
    • Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States, 74146
      • Oklahoma Cancer Specialists and Research Institute
  • Oregon
    • Portland, Oregon, United States, 97213
      • Providence Portland Medical Center
  • Texas
    • Dallas, Texas, United States, 75390
      • UT Southwestern Medical Center
  • Virginia
    • Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, 22908
      • UVA Health System Division of Hematology & Oncology
  • Washington
    • Seattle, Washington, United States, 98104
      • Swedish Cancer Institute
  • Wisconsin
    • Madison, Wisconsin, United States, 53792
      • Universityof Wisconsin Clinical Science Center
    • Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, 53226
      • Medical College of Wisconsin

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

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Female or male subjects ≥18 years-of-age.

2. Histologically or cytologically documented diagnosis of MDS according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification (Vardiman 2009, Arber 2016) with >5% and <20% bone marrow blasts by morphology and a peripheral white blood cell (WBC) count of <20,000/μL

   • If WBC ≥20,000/μL, cytoreduction with hydroxyurea is permitted prior to enrollment.
   • chronic myelomonocytic leukemia CMML-1 and CMML-2 subtypes
3. Classified as high or very high risk according to the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) risk category. CMML-1 and CMML-2 subtypes will be considered high-risk MDS and will not require IPSS-r scoring
4. Bone marrow biopsy (BMBx) and/or aspirate within 28 days prior to first study treatment.
5. Clinical indication for treatment with azacitidine.

6. Previously untreated with HMAs (prior therapy with transfusions, hematopoietic growth factors, or immunosuppressive therapy is allowed).

   a. subjects who require the start of an HMA (e.g., azacitidine) due to progressing MDS may receive up to 1 cycle of azacitidine within 30 days prior to planned first dose (Cycle 1 Day 1)

7. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0, 1, or 2.

8. Adequate organ function as evidenced by:

   • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤2.5 × the upper limit of normal (ULN).
   • Total bilirubin ≤1.5 × ULN or total bilirubin of ≤2 mg/dL, whichever is higher. Total bilirubin < 3 x ULN for patients with Gilbert-Meulengracht Syndrome
   • Serum creatinine <1.5 mg/dL, or creatinine clearance>40 mL/min.
   • QTcF interval ≤450 msec using the mean of triplicate electrocardiograms (ECGs).

9. Female subjects of childbearing potential and male subjects with female partners of childbearing potential are required to use two forms of acceptable contraception, including one barrier method, during their participation in the study and for 30 days following last dose. Female subjects of childbearing potential must not be breastfeeding, or planning to breastfeed, and must have a negative pregnancy test ≤7 days before first study drug administration.

   Male subjects must also refrain from donating sperm during their participation in the study.

10. Voluntary written informed consent before performance of any study-related procedure not part of normal medical care.
11. Have the willingness and ability to understand the nature of this study and to comply with the study and follow-up procedures.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Bone marrow blasts ≥20%, indicating a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

2. Received any of the following within the specified time frame prior to administration of study medication:

   • Any investigational agent within 14 days or 5 half-lives prior to enrollment, whichever is longer.
   • Hydroxyurea within 48 hours prior to first day of study treatment.
   • Hematopoietic growth factors: erythropoietin, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), or thrombopoietin receptor agonists at least 7 days (14 days for Aranesp), prior to study enrollment.
   • Major surgery within 28 days prior to first study treatment.
3. Subjects who have not recovered from side effects of previous therapy.

4. Cardiopulmonary function criteria:

   • Current unstable arrhythmia requiring treatment.
   • History of symptomatic congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association [NYHA] Class III or IV).
   • History of myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism or cerebrovascular accident within 6 months of enrollment.
   • Current unstable angina.
5. Prior treatment for MDS with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors Zolinza (vorinostat), Belenodaq (belinostat), Farydak (panobinostat), Istodax (romidepsin/depsipetide), or investigational agent with significant action as an HDAC inhibitor.
6. Clinical evidence of central nervous system involvement.
7. Subjects with gastrointestinal (GI) tract disease causing the inability to take oral medication, malabsorption syndrome, a requirement for intravenous (IV) alimentation, prior surgical procedures affecting absorption, uncontrolled inflammatory GI disease (e.g., Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis).
8. Uncontrolled infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or chronic hepatitis B or C.
9. Life-threatening illness unrelated to cancer or any serious medical or psychiatric illness that could, in the Investigator's opinion, potentially interfere with participation in this study.
10. Presence of a malignant disease within the last 12 months, with the exception of adequately treated in-situ carcinomas, basal or squamous cell carcinoma, non-melanomatous skin cancer, or malignancies treated with curative intent and no evidence of active disease in prior 12 months and felt to be low risk for recurrence. Other malignancies may be considered after consultation with the Medical Monitor
11. An unwillingness or inability (including breastfeeding women, prohibited concomitant medications, uncontrolled infections, psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical conditions) to comply with study and/or follow-up procedures as outlined in the protocol
12. Known hypersensitivity to any components of pracinostat, azacitidine or mannitol
13. Current smoking or vaporizing of tobacco or cannabis-related products (use of patches, chewing tobacco, or nicotine gum is permitted). Subjects who stopped smoking at least 8 days prior to first pracinostat dosing can be, provided they refrain from smoking during the whole study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Stage 1a and 1b open-label pracinostat plus azacitidine; open-label single arm pracinostat plus azacitidine. Pracinostat: 45 mg administered orally 3 days each week for 3 consecutive weeks, followed by 1 week of rest, in 28-day cycles. In later cycles (i.e., after Cycle 4), pracinostat dose reduction to 45 mg orally 3 days each week × 2 weeks (instead of 3 weeks) or dose interruption is allowed to manage toxicity such as fatigue, gastrointestinal toxicity, or myelosuppression. Azacitidine: 75 mg/m2 for 7 days of each 28-day cycle. Administration will occur by subcutaneous (SC) injection, or IV infusion if SC injections are not tolerated, on one of two schedules: Schedule 1 - daily therapy on Days 1 through 7; Schedule 2 - 5-2-2 schedule in which subjects receive azacitidine for 5 consecutive days (Days 1 through 5) with rest on Days 6 and 7, and resume azacitidine dosing the first two days of the next week (Days 8 and 9) of each 28-day cycle

Drug: Azacitidine; SC or IV injection; Drug: Pracinostat; 45 mg capsule; Other Names: SB939

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Overall Response Rate (ORR)	Percentage of subjects with confirmed complete remission (CR), partial remission (PR) and marrow CR, as per modified International Working Group (IWG) criteria: CR: Bone marrow: ≤5% myeloblasts with normal maturation of all cell lines; Peripheral blood Hemoglobin (Hb) ≥11 g/dL; Platelets ≥100 × 10^9/L; Neutrophils ≥1.0 × 10^9/L; Blasts 0%. PR: All CR criteria if abnormal before treatment except: Bone marrow blasts decreased by ≥ 50% over pre-treatment but still >5%; Cellularity and morphology not relevant Marrow CR: Bone marrow: ≤5% myeloblasts and decrease by ≥50% over pre-treatment	36 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Complete Response (CR) Rate	Percentage of subjects with confirmed CR (i.e., 2 CRs at least 28 days apart) as per modified IWG criteria: CR: Bone marrow: ≤5% myeloblasts with normal maturation of all cell lines; Peripheral blood Hb ≥11 g/dL; Platelets ≥100 × 109/L; Neutrophils ≥1.0 × 109/L; Blasts 0%.	36 months
Overall Hematologic Improvement (HI) Response Rate	Percentage of subjects demonstrating major hematologic improvement according to modified IWG: Erythroid response (pre-treatment, <11 g/dL): Hb increase by ≥1.5 g/dL; Relevant reduction of units of RBC transfusions by an absolute number of at least 4 RBC transfusions/8 weeks compared with the pre-treatment transfusion number in the previous 8 weeks. Only RBC transfusions given for a Hb of ≤9.0 g/dL pre-treatment will count in the RBC transfusion response evaluation. Platelet response (pre-treatment, <100 × 10^9/L): Absolute increase of ≥30 × 10^9/L for patients starting with >20 × 10^9/L platelets; Increase from <20 × 10^9/L to >20 × 10^9/L and by at least 100%. Neutrophil response (pre-treatment, <1.0 × 10^9/L): At least 100% increase and an absolute increase >0.5 × 10^9/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 Hb by≥1.5 g/dL; Transfusion dependence	36 months
Clinical Benefit Rate	Percentage of subjects with confirmed CR, PR, Marrow CR, and HI with clinical benefit rate, defines as rate of CR + PR + HI + Marrow CR. All subjects who achieve hematologic CR, PR, marrow CR, or hematologic improvement on the erythrocytic lineage per modified IWG response criteria will be considered responders	36 months
Rate of Cytogenetic CR	Percentage of subjects with confirmed CR by cytogenetic assessment. Complete cytogenetic response is defined per modified IWG response criteria: Complete: Disappearance of the chromosomal abnormality without appearance of new ones Partial: At least 50% reduction of the chromosomal abnormality	36 months
Duration of Response (DoR)	For subjects who have achieved CR, PR, Marrow CR, or HI, DoR is defined as the time from the initial determination of response to the time of disease progression or death on study, whichever occurs first.	36 months
Rate of Leukemic Transformation	Percentage of subjects with leukemic transformation at landmark time point of 6 months	6 months
Event-free Survival (EFS)	time from the first day of study drug administration (Day 1) to failure or death from any cause	36 months
Progression-free Survival (PFS)	time from the first day of study drug administration (Day 1) to disease recurrence or progression as defined by the IWG criteria, or death on study: Disease progression for subjects with: Less than 5% blasts: ≥50% increase in blasts to >5% blasts 5%-10% blasts: ≥50% increase to >10% blasts 10%-20% blasts: ≥50% increase to >20% blasts 20%-30% blasts: ≥50% increase to >30% blasts Any of the following: At least 50% decrement from maximum remission/response in granulocytes or platelets Reduction in Hb by ≥2 g/dL Transfusion dependence	36 months
Overall Survival (OS)	time from the first day of study drug administration (Day 1) to death on study	form day 1 to death on study, assessed up to 36 months
Rate of Leukemic Transformation	Percentage of subjects with leukemic transformation at landmark time point of 12 months	12 months
Rate of Leukemic Transformation	Percentage of subjects with leukemic transformation at landmark time point of 18 months	18 months
Rate of Leukemic Transformation	Percentage of subjects with leukemic transformation at landmark time point of 24 months	24 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Helsinn Healthcare SA
• Investigators: Study Director: Richard Ghalie, MD, MEI Pharma; Study Chair: Ehab Atallah, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin adn Froedtert Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 1, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 5, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 10, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): May 12, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 2, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 4, 2022
• Last Verified: February 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: MDS
• 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; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; Antimetabolites; Antineoplastic Agents; Azacitidine
• Other Study ID Numbers: MEI-011

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No