On December 9, 2019 Seattle Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:SGEN) and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) reported additional analyses of results from the ECHELON-1 and ECHELON-2 frontline phase 3 trials of ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin) (Press release, Seattle Genetics, DEC 9, 2019, View Source [SID1234552140]). These analyses were presented at the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) taking place December 7-10, 2019 in Orlando, Fla. ADCETRIS is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) directed to CD30, a defining marker of classical Hodgkin lymphoma and expressed on the surface of several types of peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL).
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
The ECHELON-1 analysis highlighted a four-year update of the phase 3 clinical trial in a poster presentation. ECHELON-1 is evaluating ADCETRIS in combination with AVD (Adriamycin [doxorubicin], vinblastine and dacarbazine) compared to ABVD (Adriamycin [doxorubicin], bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine) in patients with Stage III or IV frontline classical Hodgkin lymphoma.
The ECHELON-2 phase 3 clinical trial data were presented in an oral session at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) and focused on the outcomes of the subset of patients who underwent consolidative stem cell transplant. ECHELON-2 is evaluating ADCETRIS in combination with CHP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, prednisone) compared to CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) in frontline CD30-expressing PTCL.
"For decades, the standard of care for the treatment of frontline Hodgkin lymphoma has been combination chemotherapy, called ABVD. Unfortunately, approximately 30 percent of patients with advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma do not respond or relapse following treatment with this therapy," said Roger Dansey, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Seattle Genetics. "The four-year update from the ECHELON-1 trial continues to support the robust and durable frontline treatment benefit of ADCETRIS plus AVD, including in both Stage III and IV disease settings, compared to ABVD across subgroups, regardless of PET2 status. These data reinforce ADCETRIS plus AVD as a treatment option that should be offered to all newly diagnosed advanced stage patients with Hodgkin lymphoma."
"Updated data from the ECHELON-1 trial and further insights from ECHELON-2 build upon our continued understanding of the potential ADCETRIS offers patients with CD30-positive lymphomas," said Phil Rowlands, Ph.D., Head, Oncology Therapeutic Area Unit, Takeda. "We’re especially encouraged by the promising four-year follow-up ECHELON-1 results being presented at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper), as approximately one in three patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma do not achieve long-term remission after standard frontline therapy."
Brentuximab Vedotin with Chemotherapy for Stage 3/4 Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL): 4-Year Update of the ECHELON-1 Study (Abstract #4026, poster presentation on Monday, December 9, 2019)
As previously reported, the ECHELON-1 trial achieved its primary endpoint with the combination of ADCETRIS plus AVD resulting in a statistically significant improvement in modified progression-free survival (PFS) compared to the control arm of ABVD as assessed by independent review facility (IRF; hazard ratio (HR), 0.77; p=0.035). A four-year post-hoc exploratory analysis was conducted to examine PFS outcomes per investigator assessment in the intent-to-treat population of 1,334 patients, including results by PET2 status, age, stage and prognostic risk scores. Results include:
The four-year PFS rate for patients in the ADCETRIS plus AVD arm was 81.7 percent compared to 75.1 percent in the ABVD arm, a difference of 6.6 percent (HR, 0.69 [95% CI: 0.542, 0.881]). This represents a 31 percent reduction in the risk of progression or death. Median follow-up time was 48.4 months.
A PFS benefit at four-years for ADCETRIS plus AVD was observed for all patients independent of PET2 status, including in patients who are less than 60 years old.
PET2-negative result was 86.2 percent in the ADCETRIS plus AVD arm compared to 81.0 percent in the ABVD arm (HR, 0.69), a difference of 5.2 percent.
PET2-positive result was 62.1 percent in the ADCETRIS plus AVD arm compared to 47.7 percent in the ABVD arm (HR, 0.65), a difference of 14.4 percent.
Consistent improvement in PFS was observed among patients treated with ADCETRIS plus AVD compared with ABVD across the majority of pre-specified subgroups, including disease stage, age and prognostic score.
Notably, improvements compared to ABVD were observed in patients with Stage III (HR, 0.595; [95% CI: 0.386, 0.917]) and Stage IV (HR, 0.745; [95% CI: 0.555, 1.001]) disease.
As previously reported for the primary analysis, on the ADCETRIS plus AVD arm, peripheral neuropathy events were observed in 67 percent of patients compared to 43 percent in the ABVD arm. The four-year update shows that among patients with peripheral neuropathy, 83 percent in the ADCETRIS plus AVD arm and 84 percent in the ABVD arm reported complete resolution or improvement at last follow-up.
More than 45 countries and regions have approved ADCETRIS in combination with AVD for the treatment of patients with previously untreated Stage III or IV Hodgkin lymphoma. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ADCETRIS in combination with AVD for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated stage III or IV classical Hodgkin lymphoma in March 2018, based on the results of the ECHELON-1 phase 3 clinical trial in which the primary endpoint was modified PFS. In February 2019, the European Commission (EC) approved ADCETRIS for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated CD30+ Stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma in combination with AVD.
An Exploratory Analysis of Brentuximab Vedotin plus CHP (A+CHP) in the Frontline Treatment of Patients with CD30+ Peripheral T-Cell Lymphomas (ECHELON-2): Impact of Consolidative Stem Cell Transplant (Abstract #464, oral presentation on Sunday, December 8, 2019)
As previously reported, the ECHELON-2 trial met its primary endpoint with the combination of ADCETRIS plus CHP resulting in a statistically significant improvement in PFS versus the control arm of CHOP per blinded independent central review (HR, 0.71; p=0.0110). In addition, the overall survival benefit in the ADCETRIS plus CHP arm was statistically significant compared to CHOP (HR, 0.66; p=0.0244). A post-hoc exploratory analysis evaluated the impact of consolidative stem cell transplant in the ECHELON-2 study for the patients who achieved CR treated with ADCETRIS plus CHP. In the ADCETRIS plus CHP arm, this included 38 patients in CR who received a stem cell transplant and 76 patients in CR who did not. Key findings of this analysis include:
The PFS estimate favored the use of stem cell transplant (HR, 0.38; [95% CI: 0.18, 0.82]). After a median follow-up time of 35.9 months, the three-year PFS rate for the 38 patients who received a stem cell transplant was 76.1 percent. After a median follow-up time of 41.6 months, the three-year PFS rate for the 76 patients who did not receive a stem cell transplant was 53.3 percent.
As previously reported, the safety profile of ADCETRIS plus CHP in the ECHELON-2 trial was comparable to CHOP and consistent with the established safety profile of ADCETRIS in combination with chemotherapy.
About Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a general term for a group of cancers that originate in the lymphatic system. There are two major categories of lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Classical Hodgkin lymphoma is distinguished from other types of lymphoma by the presence of one characteristic type of cell, known as the Reed-Sternberg cell. The Reed-Sternberg cell expresses CD30.
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 8,110 cases of Hodgkin lymphoma will be diagnosed in the United States during 2019 and 1,000 will die from the disease. Approximately half of all newly diagnosed Hodgkin lymphoma patients have Stage III/IV disease. According to the Lymphoma Coalition, over 62,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma each year and approximately 25,000 people die each year from this cancer.
About T-Cell Lymphomas
There are more than 60 subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphomas which are broadly divided into two major groups: B-cell lymphomas, which develop from abnormal B-lymphocytes, and T-cell lymphomas, which develop from abnormal T-lymphocytes. There are many different forms of T-cell lymphomas, some of which are extremely rare. T-cell lymphomas can be aggressive (fast-growing) or indolent (slow-growing). PTCL accounts for approximately 10 percent of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases in the U.S. and Europe and may be as high as 24 percent in parts of Asia.
About ADCETRIS
ADCETRIS is being evaluated broadly in more than 70 clinical trials in CD30-expressing lymphomas. These include three completed phase 3 trials: ECHELON-2 trial in frontline peripheral T-cell lymphomas, ECHELON-1 in previously untreated Hodgkin lymphoma, and ALCANZA in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
ADCETRIS is an ADC comprising an anti-CD30 monoclonal antibody attached by a protease-cleavable linker to a microtubule disrupting agent, monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), utilizing Seattle Genetics’ proprietary technology. The ADC employs a linker system that is designed to be stable in the bloodstream but to release MMAE upon internalization into CD30-expressing tumor cells.
ADCETRIS injection for intravenous infusion has received FDA approval for six indications in adult patients with: (1) previously untreated systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL) or other CD30-expressing peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL), including angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma and PTCL not otherwise specified, in combination with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone, (2) previously untreated Stage III or IV classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), in combination with doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine, (3) cHL at high risk of relapse or progression as post-autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) consolidation, (4) cHL after failure of auto-HSCT or failure of at least two prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimens in patients who are not auto-HSCT candidates, (5) sALCL after failure of at least one prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimen, and (6) primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (pcALCL) or CD30-expressing mycosis fungoides (MF) who have received prior systemic therapy.
Health Canada granted ADCETRIS approval with conditions in 2013 for patients with (1) HL after failure of autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) or after failure of at least two multi-agent chemotherapy regimens in patients who are not ASCT candidates and (2) sALCL after failure of at least one multi-agent chemotherapy regimen. Non-conditional approval was granted for (3) post-ASCT consolidation treatment of patients with HL at increased risk of relapse or progression in 2017, (4) adult patients with pcALCL or CD30-expressing MF who have received prior systemic therapy in 2018, (5) for previously untreated patients with Stage IV HL in combination with doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine in 2019, and (6) for previously untreated adult patients with sALCL, peripheral T-cell lymphoma-not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) or angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL), whose tumors express CD30, in combination with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, prednisone in 2019.
ADCETRIS received conditional marketing authorization from the European Commission in October 2012. The approved indications in Europe are: (1) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory CD30-positive Hodgkin lymphoma following ASCT, or following at least two prior therapies when ASCT or multi-agent chemotherapy is not a treatment option, (2) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory sALCL, (3) for the treatment of adult patients with CD30-positive Hodgkin lymphoma at increased risk of relapse or progression following ASCT, (4) for the treatment of adult patients with CD30-positive cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) after at least one prior systemic therapy and (5) for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated CD30-positive Stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma in combination with AVD (Adriamycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine).
ADCETRIS has received marketing authorization by regulatory authorities in 73 countries for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma and sALCL. See select important safety information, including Boxed Warning, below.
Seattle Genetics and Takeda are jointly developing ADCETRIS. Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, Seattle Genetics has U.S. and Canadian commercialization rights and Takeda has rights to commercialize ADCETRIS in the rest of the world. Seattle Genetics and Takeda are funding joint development costs for ADCETRIS on a 50:50 basis, except in Japan where Takeda is solely responsible for development costs.