Skip to content

Safety and Efficacy of Deferasirox in Combination With Desferoxamine in β-thalassaemia Patients With Severe Cardiac Iron Overload

A Multicenter Open Label Phase II Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Deferasirox in Combination With Deferoxamine Followed by Transitioning to Deferasirox Monotherapy in β-thalassemia Patients With Severe Cardiac Iron Overload

Status
Terminated
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01459718
Enrollment
32
Registered
2011-10-26
Start date
2011-01-31
Completion date
2014-06-30
Last updated
2019-10-23

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Cardiac Iron Overload, Transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia Patients

Keywords

Severe cardiac iron overload, deferasirox, β-thalassaemia, cardiac dysfunction

Brief summary

The primary efficacy endpoint of this interventional study was to evaluate the number of patients achieving a complete response (CR), defined as patients switching from intensive deferasirox -DFO treatment, at any time point during the 24 months of study, to deferasirox monotherapy based on improvement in the cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2\* value to \>10ms, and continue to maintain their MRI T2\* to values \>10 msec.

Detailed description

This study was planned to recruit 52 transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia patients with severe cardiac iron overload. However only 13 patients participated in the study during a 3 year and 5 month timeframe. The study was terminated due to the slow enrollment rate due to scarcity of the patient population with severe cardiac iron overload.

Interventions

DRUGDeferasirox

20-40 mg/kg/day orally, once daily

40 mg/kg/day subcutaneous (sc) infusion, 3-4 days per week

Sponsors

Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Male or female patients with β-thalassemia major, at least 18 years old, having given written consent to participate in the study. * Cardiac MRI T2\* value ranging from \<=4 to \<=10 ms. * LVEF ≥ 56 % as determined by CMR. * Patients with LIC \> 10mg Fe/g dw will be included in the protocol. Study will evaluate the first 10 patients at 6 months, and if no safety signals are present, patients with LIC\>5 mg Fe/g dw will be allowed to be included. * Prior iron chelation treatment with DFO, DFP, DFX or combination DFO-DFP

Exclusion criteria

* Patients with symptoms of cardiac dysfunction symptoms (shortness of breath at rest or exertion, orthopnea, exercise intolerance, lower extremity edema, arrhythmias). * Patients with cardiac T2\* MRI \< 4 or \> 10 ms. * Patients not compliant to intensive iron chelation therapy regimens such i.v DFO 24 hr infusions or DFO-DFP combination. * Patients with documented liver failure (presence of portal hypertension, hepatic edemas, ascites). * Patients unable to undergo study assessments, including blood sampling, MRI, e.g., are claustrophobic to MRI, have a pacemaker, ferromagnetic metal implants other than those approved as safe for use in MRI scanners (e.g., some types of aneurysm clips, shrapnel in proximity to vital organs such as the retina), are obese (exceeding the equipment limits). * Patients with serum creatinine \> ULN or with significant proteinuria as indicated by a urinary protein/creatinine ratio ≥ 1.0 in a non-first void urine sample at baseline. Patients with creatinine clearance \<60 ml/min will be excluded. * Patients with ALT (SGPT) levels \> 5 x ULN. * Patients with considerable impaired gastrointestinal (GI) function or GI disease that may significantly alter the absorption of oral deferasirox / ICL670 (e.g., ulcerative diseases, uncontrolled nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, malabsorption syndrome, or small bowel resection. * History or clinical evidence of pancreatic injury or pancreatitis. * Patients with a known hypersensitivity to any of the study drugs or the drug's excipients. * History of clinically relevant ocular and/or auditor toxicity related to iron chelation therapy. * Patients with psychiatric or addictive disorders which prevent them from giving their informed consent or undergoing any of the treatment options or patients unwilling or unable to comply with the protocol. * Patients with a known history of HIV seropositivity (Elisa or Western blot). * History of malignancy of any organ system, treated or untreated, within the past 5 years whether or not there is evidence of local recurrence or metastases, with the exception of localized basal cell carcinoma of the skin. * Female patients who are pregnant or breast feeding. * Female patients of reproductive potential not employing an effective method of birth control. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test ≤ 48 hours prior to the study drugs. * Patients participating in another clinical trial or receiving an investigational drug. * History of non-compliance with medical regimens or patients who are considered potentially unreliable and/or not cooperative, unwilling or unable to comply with the protocol. Other protocol-defined inclusion/

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Patients Achieving a Complete Response (CR)24 monthsComplete Response is defined as patients that stop intensive deferasirox -DFO treatment, at any time point during the 24 months of study, based on an improvement in the cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging T2 star technique (MRI T2\*) value being \>10ms, and continue to be treated with deferasirox monotherapy without any further need for reverting back to intensive iron chelation treatment during the 24 months of study.
Number of Patients Achieving a Partial Response (PR)24 monthsPartial Response is defined as patients that stop intensive deferasirox -DFO treatment at any time point during the 24 months study and transition to receive deferasirox monotherapy, but due to a deterioration in cardiac MRI T2\* to a value \< 10 ms revert back to intensive deferasirox -DFO iron chelation therapy during the 24 months of study.
Number of Patients With Stable Disease (SD)24 monthsStable Disease is defined as those patients that never achieved an improvement in the cardiac MRI T2\* to values \>10ms during the 24 months of study.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Correlation Between Change From Baseline in Serum Ferritin and LIC LevelsBaseline, 6, 12, 18, 24 monthsSpearman correlation coefficients between serum ferritin and LIC changes from baseline levels were reported.
Change From Baseline in Cardiac Iron Overload of Patients in Intensive Iron Chelation Therapy Consisting of Deferasirox-DFO and After Transition to Deferasirox MonotherapyBaseline, 6, 12, 18, 24 monthsCardiac iron overload was determined by cardiac MRI T2\*. Cardiac iron overload also was measured by the monthly velocity of heart MRI T2\*.
Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF)6, 12, 18, 24 monthsLVEF % was measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).
Time to Response24 monthsTime to response was defined as the time from baseline when the participant had severe cardiac iron overload to the time when the participant achieved mild/moderate cardiac overload (T2\*\>10 milliseconds \[ms\]).
Change From Baseline in Liver Iron Concentration (LIC)Baseline, 6, 12, 18, 24 monthsChange from baseline in LIC was determined by change in liver MRI T2\*.

Countries

Greece

Participant flow

Recruitment details

In this open-label, single arm study 31 participants were enrolled (one participant was screened twice and was assigned 2 screening numbers; therefore the number enrolled = 32). Of these enrolled participants, 13 were randomized.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)
During Phase A, the induction treatment at entry, participants received Deferasirox -DFO combination. During Phase B, when participants transitioned to less intensive chelation therapy, participants received Deferasirox monotherapy.
13
Total13

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000
Overall StudyAdverse Event1
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up1
Overall StudyPhysician Decision1

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicDeferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)
Age, Continuous32.7 Years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4
Sex: Female, Male
Female
8 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
5 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
12 / 13
serious
Total, serious adverse events
5 / 13

Outcome results

Primary

Number of Patients Achieving a Complete Response (CR)

Complete Response is defined as patients that stop intensive deferasirox -DFO treatment, at any time point during the 24 months of study, based on an improvement in the cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging T2 star technique (MRI T2\*) value being \>10ms, and continue to be treated with deferasirox monotherapy without any further need for reverting back to intensive iron chelation treatment during the 24 months of study.

Time frame: 24 months

Population: The full analysis set included all the participants entered in the study with at least a valid post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable.

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Number of Patients Achieving a Complete Response (CR)4 Participants
Primary

Number of Patients Achieving a Partial Response (PR)

Partial Response is defined as patients that stop intensive deferasirox -DFO treatment at any time point during the 24 months study and transition to receive deferasirox monotherapy, but due to a deterioration in cardiac MRI T2\* to a value \< 10 ms revert back to intensive deferasirox -DFO iron chelation therapy during the 24 months of study.

Time frame: 24 months

Population: The full analysis set included all the participants entered in the study with at least a valid post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable.

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Number of Patients Achieving a Partial Response (PR)0 Participants
Primary

Number of Patients With Stable Disease (SD)

Stable Disease is defined as those patients that never achieved an improvement in the cardiac MRI T2\* to values \>10ms during the 24 months of study.

Time frame: 24 months

Population: The full analysis set included all the participants entered in the study with at least a valid post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable.

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Number of Patients With Stable Disease (SD)8 Participants
Secondary

Change From Baseline in Cardiac Iron Overload of Patients in Intensive Iron Chelation Therapy Consisting of Deferasirox-DFO and After Transition to Deferasirox Monotherapy

Cardiac iron overload was determined by cardiac MRI T2\*. Cardiac iron overload also was measured by the monthly velocity of heart MRI T2\*.

Time frame: Baseline, 6, 12, 18, 24 months

Population: The full analysis set included all the participants entered in the study with at least a valid post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable. Here 'n' number analyzed signifies number of participants evaluable at each time point.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Change From Baseline in Cardiac Iron Overload of Patients in Intensive Iron Chelation Therapy Consisting of Deferasirox-DFO and After Transition to Deferasirox Monotherapy6 months0.1 Milliseconds (ms)Standard Deviation 1.4
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Change From Baseline in Cardiac Iron Overload of Patients in Intensive Iron Chelation Therapy Consisting of Deferasirox-DFO and After Transition to Deferasirox Monotherapy12 months0.7 Milliseconds (ms)Standard Deviation 1.9
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Change From Baseline in Cardiac Iron Overload of Patients in Intensive Iron Chelation Therapy Consisting of Deferasirox-DFO and After Transition to Deferasirox Monotherapy18 months1.3 Milliseconds (ms)Standard Deviation 2.4
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Change From Baseline in Cardiac Iron Overload of Patients in Intensive Iron Chelation Therapy Consisting of Deferasirox-DFO and After Transition to Deferasirox Monotherapy24 months2.4 Milliseconds (ms)Standard Deviation 3.9
Secondary

Change From Baseline in Liver Iron Concentration (LIC)

Change from baseline in LIC was determined by change in liver MRI T2\*.

Time frame: Baseline, 6, 12, 18, 24 months

Population: The full analysis set included all the participants entered in the study with at least a valid post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable. Here 'n' number analyzed signifies number of participants evaluable at each time point.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Change From Baseline in Liver Iron Concentration (LIC)6 months-5 mg of iron/gram of dry weight of liverStandard Deviation 7.7
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Change From Baseline in Liver Iron Concentration (LIC)12 months-10.3 mg of iron/gram of dry weight of liverStandard Deviation 9.2
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Change From Baseline in Liver Iron Concentration (LIC)18 months-10.2 mg of iron/gram of dry weight of liverStandard Deviation 10.7
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Change From Baseline in Liver Iron Concentration (LIC)24 months-12.4 mg of iron/gram of dry weight of liverStandard Deviation 10.1
Secondary

Correlation Between Change From Baseline in Serum Ferritin and LIC Levels

Spearman correlation coefficients between serum ferritin and LIC changes from baseline levels were reported.

Time frame: Baseline, 6, 12, 18, 24 months

Population: Full analysis set included all participants entered in study with at least a valid post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable. Here 'N' (overall number of participants analyzed) signifies number of participants evaluable for this outcome measure and 'n' (number analyzed) signifies number of participants evaluable at each time point.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Correlation Between Change From Baseline in Serum Ferritin and LIC Levels6 months0.091 Spearman correlation coefficient
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Correlation Between Change From Baseline in Serum Ferritin and LIC Levels12 months-0.033 Spearman correlation coefficient
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Correlation Between Change From Baseline in Serum Ferritin and LIC Levels18 months0.347 Spearman correlation coefficient
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Correlation Between Change From Baseline in Serum Ferritin and LIC Levels24 months0.273 Spearman correlation coefficient
Secondary

Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF)

LVEF % was measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).

Time frame: 6, 12, 18, 24 months

Population: The full analysis set included all the participants entered in the study with at least a valid post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable. Here 'n' number analyzed signifies number of participants evaluable at each time point.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF)Baseline65 Percentage of ejection fractionStandard Deviation 4.4
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF)6 months65.4 Percentage of ejection fractionStandard Deviation 5
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF)12 months64.8 Percentage of ejection fractionStandard Deviation 4.6
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF)18 months65.1 Percentage of ejection fractionStandard Deviation 4.8
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF)24 months66.2 Percentage of ejection fractionStandard Deviation 4.6
Secondary

Time to Response

Time to response was defined as the time from baseline when the participant had severe cardiac iron overload to the time when the participant achieved mild/moderate cardiac overload (T2\*\>10 milliseconds \[ms\]).

Time frame: 24 months

Population: The full analysis set included all participants entered in the study with at least a valid post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable. Here 'N' (overall number of participants analyzed) signifies number of participants evaluable for this outcome measure at the specified time-point.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Deferasirox / Deferasirox + Deferoxamine (DFO)Time to Response13.0 msStandard Deviation 1.1

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026