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Fludarabine-IV Busulfan ± Clofarabine and Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

A Randomized Study of Once Daily Fludarabine-Clofarabine Versus Fludarabine Alone Combined With Intervenous Busulfan Followed by Allogeneic Hemopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01471444
Enrollment
256
Registered
2011-11-15
Start date
2011-11-02
Completion date
2020-12-14
Last updated
2021-12-16

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

Conditions

Disorder Related to Bone Marrow Transplantation, Leukemia, Transplantation Infection

Keywords

Blood And Marrow Transplantation, Leukemia, Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, Acute myeloid leukemia, AML, Myelodysplastic syndrome, MDS, Progression free survival, Rate of engraftment, Toxicity, Relapse rate, Graft-vs-host disease, GvHD, Progression-free survival, PFS, Overall survival, OS, Fludarabine, Fludarabine Phosphate, Fludara, Clofarabine, Clofarex, Clolar, Busulfan, Busulfex, Myleran, Thymoglobulin, ATG, Antithymocyte Globulin, Methotrexate, Tacrolimus, Prograf

Brief summary

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if combining busulfan with clofarabine and fludarabine can help control the disease better than the previous standard method (using busulfan and fludarabine alone) in patients with AML or MDS. The safety of this combination therapy will also be studied.

Detailed description

Busulfan is designed to kill cancer cells by binding to DNA (the genetic material of cells), which may cause cancer cells to die. Busulfan is commonly used in stem cell transplantation. Clofarabine is designed to interfere with the growth and development of cancer cells. Fludarabine is designed to interfere with the DNA of cancer cells, which may cause the cancer cells to die. Study Groups: You will be randomly assigned (as in the toss of a coin) to 1 of 2 study groups. * Group 1 will receive busulfan, fludarabine, and clofarabine. * Group 2 will receive busulfan and fludarabine. Both groups will have a stem cell transplant. The stem cells will be given by vein. The cells will travel to your bone marrow where they are designed to make healthy, new blood cells after several weeks. For a stem cell transplant, the days before you receive your stem cells are called minus days. The day you receive the stem cells is called Day 0. The days after you receive the stem cells are called plus days. Study Drug Administration and Procedures: Both groups will receive a test dose of busulfan by vein over about 45 minutes to 1 hour. This low-level test dose of busulfan is to check how fast busulfan is processed by your body and cleared from your blood. This information will determine the amount of busulfan you will receive. You may receive the busulfan test dose as an outpatient during the week before you are admitted to the hospital or as an inpatient 8 days before your stem cell transplant. About 11 samples of blood (about 1 teaspoon each time) will be drawn for pharmacokinetic (PK) testing. PK testing measures the amount of study drug in the body at different time points and will also help determine your dose of busulfan. These blood samples will be drawn at various times before you receive busulfan and over the next 11 hours. These blood draws will be repeated again on the first day of high-dose busulfan treatment (Day -6, which is 6 days before the transplant). A heparin lock line will be placed in your vein to lower the number of needle sticks needed for these draws. If it is not possible for the PK tests to be performed for technical or scheduling reasons, you will receive the standard fixed dose of busulfan. On Days -6 through -3, you will receive fludarabine by vein over 1 hour, then clofarabine (if you are in Group 1) by vein over 1 hour, then busulfan by vein over 3 hours. After the transplant, you will receive tacrolimus, methotrexate, or other immunosuppressive (lowering the immune system) drugs in the standard manner to lower the risk of graft-vs-host disease (GvHD), a reaction of the donor's immune cells against the recipient's body. If you are going to be receiving a transplant from an HLA-nonidentical or unrelated donor, you will also receive antithymocyte globulin (ATG) by vein over 4 hours on the 3 days before the transplant. This drug is designed to further weaken your immune system to reduce the risk of rejecting of the transplant. You will receive filgrastim as an injection under the skin 1 time a day, starting 1 week after the transplant, until your blood cell levels return to normal. Filgrastim is designed to help with the growth of white blood cells. While you are in the hospital, you will be checked for any side effects as part of your standard of care. Blood (about 2 teaspoons) will be drawn every day to check for side effects, for routine tests, to check your blood counts, kidney and liver function, and to check for infections. As part of standard care, you will remain in the hospital for about 3-4 weeks after transplant. After you are released from the hospital, you must remain in the Houston area to be monitored for infections and other transplant side effects until about 3 months after transplant. During this time, you will return to the clinic at least 1 time each week. The following tests and procedures will be performed: * You will be asked about how you are feeling and about any side effects you may be having. * Blood (about 2 teaspoons) will be drawn for routine tests. Around 14-30 days after the transplant (when the transplant engrafts, or takes), you will have a bone marrow aspirate to check the status of the disease. Around Day 30, and about 3, 6, and 12 months after the transplant, the following tests and procedures will be performed: * You will have a physical exam, including measurement of your vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and breathing rate). * You will be asked about how you are feeling and about any side effects you may be having. * Blood (about 2 teaspoons) will be drawn to see how well the transplant has taken. * You will have a bone marrow aspiration to check the status of the disease. To collect a bone marrow aspiration, an area of the hip or other site is numbed with anesthetic, and a small amount of bone marrow is withdrawn through a large needle. Length of Study: You will be taken off study 5 years after the end of treatment. You may be taken off study early if the disease gets worse, if you have any intolerable side effects, of if you are unable to follow study directions. You should talk to the study doctor if you want to leave the study early. If you are taken off study early, you still may need to return for routine post-transplant follow-up visits, if your transplant doctor decides it is needed. It may be life-threatening to leave the study after you have begun to receive the study drugs but before you receive the stem cells. This is an investigational study. Busulfan and fludarabine are both FDA approved and commercially available for the treatment of AML and MDS. Clofarabine is FDA approved for treating other types of cancer, but is being used in AML and MDS for research only. The use of these study drugs together at the dose level used in this study is investigational. Up to 250 patients will take part in this study. All will be enrolled at MD Anderson.

Interventions

DRUGFludarabine

Flu + Bu Group: 40 mg/m2 by vein on Days -6 through -3. Flu +Clo + Bu Group: 10 mg/m2 by vein on Days -6 through -3.

DRUGClofarabine

30 mg/m2 diluted in normal saline to produce a final concentration of 0.4 mg/mL, and infused on Days -6 through -3.

DRUGBusulfan

Busulfan systemic exposure dose of 6000 µMol-min in normal saline over three (3) hours by vein every twenty-four (24) hours for four (4) consecutive days (days -6 to -3), starting immediately after the completion of Clofarabine. The dose on day -6 to -3 based on pharmacokinetic analysis of target AUC of 4,000 µMol-min ± 5% for 61-70 years of age (without Pharmacokinetics alternate dose 130 mg/m2).

DRUGThymoglobulin

Both groups who receive a graft from an unrelated donor: 0.5 mg/kg on day -3, 1.5 mg/kg on day -2 and 2.0 mg/kg on day -1. On day -3, administered after the chemotherapy is complete.

PROCEDUREStem Cell Infusion

Cryopreserved bone marrow or peripheral blood progenitor cells infused on day 0.

DRUGTacrolimus

Starting dose: 0.015 mg/kg (ideal body weight) as a 24 hour continuous infusion daily adjusted to achieve a therapeutic level of 5-15 ng/ml. Changed to oral dosing when tolerated and can be tapered off after day +90 if no graft versus host disease (GVHD) present.

DRUGMethotrexate

5 mg/m2 by vein on Days 1, 3, 6 and 11 post transplant.

Sponsors

Sanofi
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
3 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Patients must have one of the following hematologic malignancies: a) Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) any stage and cytogenetic risk-group with the only exception being that patients with AML and favorable cytogenetics (t(8;21, inv 16, or t(15;17) who achieve complete remission with one course of induction chemotherapy are not eligible . Patients with treatment related AML are eligible. b) Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with intermediate or high risk International Prognostic Scoring System score (IPSS scores) or treatment related MDS. Patients with low risk MDS are eligible if they fail to respond to hypomethylating agent therapy such as azacitidine or decitabine. 2. Age 3-70 years old. Eligibility for pediatric patients will be determined in conjunction with an MDACC pediatrician. 3. Performance score of \>/= 60 by Karnofsky or PS 0 to 2 (ECOG) (age \> 12 years), or Lansky Play-Performance Scale \>/= 60 or greater (age \<12 years). 4. Negative Beta HCG test in a woman with child bearing potential, defined as not post-menopausal for 12 months or no previous surgical sterilization. Women of child bearing potential must be willing to use an effective contraceptive measure while on study. 5. Adequate major organ system function as demonstrated by: Left ventricular ejection fraction of at least 40%. 6. Pulmonary function test (PFT) demonstrating a diffusion capacity of least 50% predicted. For children \</=7 years of age who are unable to perform PFT, oxygen saturation \>/=92% on room air by pulse oximetry. 7. Creatinine \< 1.5 mg/dL. If question about renal function discuss with study chairman and do 24 hour creatinine clearance (clearance should be \>50 ml/min). 8. Bilirubin \< to 2.0 x normal (except Gilbert's Syndrome). SGPT (ALT) \< 200. No evidence of chronic active hepatitis or cirrhosis. 9. Histocompatible stem cell donor: Patients must have an HLA matched related or unrelated donor (HLA A, B, C and DR) willing to donate for allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation. High resolution allele level typing is required for donors other than genotypically identical siblings. 10. No uncontrolled infection. Protocol PI or designé will be final arbiter if there is uncertainty regarding whether a previous infection is controlled on appropriate (antibiotic) therapy. 11. Patient or patient's legal representative, parent(s) or guardian able to sign informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

1. Positive for HIV, HBsAg, HCV or other viral hepatitis or cirrhosis from any cause. 2. Prior allogeneic or autologous stem cell transplant using a myeloablative busulfan or total body radiation containing conditioning regimen defined as busulfan-based using a total dose of \>/=12 mg/kg given by mouth or \>/=10 mg/kg given IV; or a total-body irradiation (\> 4 Gy). 3. Active or prior CNS leukemia, unless in complete remission for at least 3 months. 4. Previous therapeutic XRT to the liver as part of involved-field radiation. 5. History of serious chronic mental disorder or drug-abuse accompanied by documented problems of compliance with therapeutic programs. 6. Lack of care-giver for the early (100-day) post-transplant period.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Progression-Free Survival (PFS)From day of transplant to disease of progression or death of any cause, whichever came first, assessed up to 5 yearsNumber of events with progression free survival. (Progression is defined as more than 5% blast in the peripheral blood or bone marrow biopsy.) or expired from treatment related mortality post transplant.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Overall Survival (OS) Post Transplant at 1, 3 and 5 YearsPost transplant after 1, 3 and 5 yearsNumber of participants in the study who are alive and disease free at 1, 3 and 5 years post transplant.
Number of Participants in the Study Who Are With no Grade 3 or 4 Acute Graft-versus-host Disease at Any Time During the First 100 Days Post Transplant.100 days post transplantNumber of participants in the study who are with no Grade 3 or 4 acute graft-versus-host disease at any time during the first 100 days post transplant.
Number of Participants With Non Relapse Mortality at 100 Day Post Transplant100 day Post TransplantNumber of participants expired from complications other than relapsed disease at 100 day Post Transplant.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Recruitment details

Participants recruitment from November 2011 to August 2015 at MD Anderson Cancer Center

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Arm A (Flu+Bu)
Fludarabine 40 mg/m2 intravenous (IV) over 1 hour. Busulfan dose calculated to achieve a systemic exposure dose of 6000 µMol-min IV for 60 years and younger or 4000 uMol-min IV for 61 years and older over 3 hours every 24 hours. Both delivered for 4 consecutive days (days -6 to -3). Stem cell transplant Day 0.
130
Arm B (Flu+Clo+Bu)
FlFludarabine 10 mg/m2 over 1 hour. Clofarabine 40 mg/m2 diluted in normal saline to produce a final concentration of 0.4 mg/mL, infused over 1 hour. Busulfan dose calculated to achieve a systemic exposure dose of 6000 µMol-min IV for 60 years and younger or 4000 uMol-min IV for 61 years and older over 3 hours every 24 hours, immediately after Clofarabine. All delivered on 4 consecutive days (days -6 through -3). Stem cell transplant Day 0.
120
Total250

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyPhysician Decision32
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject01

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicArm B (Flu+Clo+Bu)Arm A (Flu+Bu)Total
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
2 Participants0 Participants2 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
15 Participants25 Participants40 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
103 Participants105 Participants208 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
3 Participants4 Participants7 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
3 Participants5 Participants8 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants1 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
114 Participants120 Participants234 Participants
Region of Enrollment
Qatar
0 Participants1 Participants1 Participants
Region of Enrollment
Saudi Arabia
1 Participants2 Participants3 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
119 Participants127 Participants246 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
55 Participants54 Participants109 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
65 Participants76 Participants141 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
67 / 13059 / 120
other
Total, other adverse events
123 / 130120 / 120
serious
Total, serious adverse events
25 / 13039 / 120

Outcome results

Primary

Progression-Free Survival (PFS)

Number of events with progression free survival. (Progression is defined as more than 5% blast in the peripheral blood or bone marrow biopsy.) or expired from treatment related mortality post transplant.

Time frame: From day of transplant to disease of progression or death of any cause, whichever came first, assessed up to 5 years

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Arm A (Flu+Bu)Progression-Free Survival (PFS)69 Number of events
Arm B (Flu+Clo+Bu)Progression-Free Survival (PFS)61 Number of events
Secondary

Number of Participants in the Study Who Are With no Grade 3 or 4 Acute Graft-versus-host Disease at Any Time During the First 100 Days Post Transplant.

Number of participants in the study who are with no Grade 3 or 4 acute graft-versus-host disease at any time during the first 100 days post transplant.

Time frame: 100 days post transplant

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Arm A (Flu+Bu)Number of Participants in the Study Who Are With no Grade 3 or 4 Acute Graft-versus-host Disease at Any Time During the First 100 Days Post Transplant.125 Participants
Arm B (Flu+Clo+Bu)Number of Participants in the Study Who Are With no Grade 3 or 4 Acute Graft-versus-host Disease at Any Time During the First 100 Days Post Transplant.115 Participants
Secondary

Number of Participants With Non Relapse Mortality at 100 Day Post Transplant

Number of participants expired from complications other than relapsed disease at 100 day Post Transplant.

Time frame: 100 day Post Transplant

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Arm A (Flu+Bu)Number of Participants With Non Relapse Mortality at 100 Day Post Transplant3 Participants
Arm B (Flu+Clo+Bu)Number of Participants With Non Relapse Mortality at 100 Day Post Transplant6 Participants
Secondary

Overall Survival (OS) Post Transplant at 1, 3 and 5 Years

Number of participants in the study who are alive and disease free at 1, 3 and 5 years post transplant.

Time frame: Post transplant after 1, 3 and 5 years

ArmMeasureGroupValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Arm A (Flu+Bu)Overall Survival (OS) Post Transplant at 1, 3 and 5 Years1 Year Post Transplant83 Participants
Arm A (Flu+Bu)Overall Survival (OS) Post Transplant at 1, 3 and 5 Years3 Year Post Transplant69 Participants
Arm A (Flu+Bu)Overall Survival (OS) Post Transplant at 1, 3 and 5 Years5 Year Post Transplant64 Participants
Arm B (Flu+Clo+Bu)Overall Survival (OS) Post Transplant at 1, 3 and 5 Years1 Year Post Transplant82 Participants
Arm B (Flu+Clo+Bu)Overall Survival (OS) Post Transplant at 1, 3 and 5 Years3 Year Post Transplant69 Participants
Arm B (Flu+Clo+Bu)Overall Survival (OS) Post Transplant at 1, 3 and 5 Years5 Year Post Transplant63 Participants

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