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GRASPA Treatment for Patients With Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia

A Multicenter, Open, Randomized, Controlled Phase IIb Trial Evaluating Efficacy and Tolerability of GRASPA (L-asparaginase Encapsulated in Red Blood Cells, Eryaspase) Plus Low-dose Cytarabine vs Low-dose Cytarabine Alone, in Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Elderly Patients, Unfit for Intensive Chemotherapy

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01810705
Acronym
ENFORCE
Enrollment
123
Registered
2013-03-13
Start date
2013-02-28
Completion date
2017-11-10
Last updated
2022-02-21

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

Conditions

Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Keywords

myeloid, leukemia

Brief summary

The protocol aims at adding GRASPA (L-asparaginase encapsulated in red blood cells, eryaspase) to standard chemotherapy (low-dose cytarabine) to treat patients older than 65 years diagnosed with AML and unfit for intensive chemotherapy.

Detailed description

L-asparaginase (ASNase) holds a key role in chemotherapy for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in children and young adults. In elderly patients, its efficacy is counterbalanced by its toxicity, which impairs its use. However, a study conducted with GRASPA (L-asparaginase encapsulated in red blood cells, eryaspase) in elderly ALL (study reference GRASPALL-GRAAL SA2 2008) showed that efficacy/safety profile was positive, paving the way for introducing ASNase benefit into chemotherapy for elderly patients. In adults, Capizzi (1988) reported a significant benefit of ASNase associated with high-dose cytarabine treatment (HiDAC) in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Indeed, there was an overall statistically superior complete remission rate for HiDAC/ASNase (40%) vs HiDAC (24%) and an overall survival benefit for patients treated with HiDAC/ASNase (19.6 weeks vs 15.9 weeks). Another study in elderly patients also displayed positive results for ASNase treatment (Petti, 1989), as well as recent single case reports that point out the potential benefit of ASNase in different AML or mixed lineage leukemia (Horikoshi, 2009; Rubnitz, 2009). Our preclinical results also showed that an AML cell line and blast cells from the bone marrow of AML patients were sensitive to ASNase in vitro. However, up to now, the toxicity of ASNase for elderly had prevented its use in this population that represents the majority of AML patients. Considering the promising results of ASNase for AML treatment and the better safety profile offered by GRASPA (L-aspariginase encapsulated in red blood cells, erysapase), a multicenter, randomized, controlled IIb trial is open for recruitment. Efficacy and tolerability of GRASPA plus low-dose cytarabine will be evaluated versus low-dose cytarabine alone in treatment of AML patients over 65 year-old, unfit for intensive chemotherapy. One hundred and twenty-three patients (65-85 year-old) newly diagnosed for AML are planned for inclusion in the study. A 2:1 randomization will be respected (82 patients treated with GRASPA® plus low-dose cytarabine and 41 patients treated with low-dose cytarabine alone). Each patient will be followed for 24 months.

Interventions

DRUGGRASPA

Patients receiving Intervention (experimental group) will be treated with one injection of graspa per cycle of treatment, each cycle during 28 days, for a duration up to 24 cycles maximum

Sponsors

ERYtech Pharma
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
65 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Patient \> 65 years old and \< 85 years old * Newly diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) or post myelodysplastic syndrome diagnosed within 6 months prior to study enrollment * Unfit for intensive chemotherapy (at risk to suffer treatment related pejorative toxicities /early death) due to the presence of one or more of the following criteria: Dependence in activities of daily living owing to the presence of comorbidities other than those resulting from the deterioration caused by the neoplastic disease. Presence in the patient's medical history of three or more of the following comorbidities, even if they are under control with proper treatment: Congestive heart failure, other chronic cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral neuropathy, chronic kidney failure, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, systemic vasculitis, severe arthritis * Presence of geriatric syndromes such as fecal or urinary incontinence, spontaneous bone fractures, mild and moderate dementia, or patients who fall repeatedly, or, patient unwilling to receive intensive chemotherapy * Eligible to receive low-dose cytarabine treatment * ECOG performance status ≤ 2 * Female patients of childbearing potential and males must agree to use adequate contraception (e.g., hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) for the duration of study treatment and for 6 months after the last dose of Cytarabine or 3 months after last dose of GRASPA (whichever is the longest). * Negative serum pregnancy test at study entry for female subjects of childbearing potential * Subscription to social security insurance (if applicable, in accordance with local regulations) * Ability to understand, and willingness to sign, a written informed consent document and to comply with scheduled visits, treatment plans, laboratory tests, and other study procedures

Exclusion criteria

* Patients with M3 AML of FAB classification (APL, acute promyelocytic leukemia) * Patients with AML involving chromosome 16 abnormalities or translocation (8:21) (CBF-AML) * Patient with secondary AML subsequent to prior malignant blood disorder such as: Myelodysplastic syndrome diagnosed more than 6 months before study entry or Myeloproliferative syndrome * Prior therapy to AML (standard therapy or investigational agents) * Inadequate organ function : Uncontrolled or severe cardiovascular disease including myocardial infarction within 6 months of enrollment, New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III or IV heart failure, uncontrolled angina, clinically significant pericardial disease, or cardiac amyloidosis, Serum creatinine concentration \> 2 x ULN (Upper Limit of Normal), AST or ALT levels \> 3.5xULN or 5xULN if related to AML, Total bilirubin \> 2 x ULN, INR \> 1.5, unless patient under chronic treatment with anticoagulants (in this case, INR should be within expected ranges for the specific condition), Insulin-dependent or uncontrolled diabetes mellitus * Concurrent malignancies other than AML requiring chemotherapy * Severe active infection, HIV seropositivity, or known active type B or C viral hepatitis * Known or suspected hypersensitivity or intolerance to mannitol * Breastfeeding or lactating women

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Overall SurvivalEach patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.OS is defined as the time elapsed between randomization and death from any cause.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Progression Free Survival (PFS)Each patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.Defined as the time elapsed between randomization and resistant disease or relapse or death from any cause
Patient Quality of LifeEach patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.Collecting survey about patients quality of life
Safety of GRASPA Adverse Events and Serious Adverse EventsEach patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.Number of incidences, type, severity and causality of adverse events / serious adverse events
Relapse Free SurvivalEach patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.Defined only for patients who achieve CR or CRi as the time elapsed between date of CR/CRi and date of disease relapse or death from any cause
Number of HospitalizationsEach patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.Hospitalizations (except schedule protocol visit during the study)
Response to TreatmentEach patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.Percentage of patients with Complete remission (CR), Complete remission with incomplete recovery (neutrophil or platelet regeneration, CRi), Partial remission (PR)
Pharmacodynamic and Pharmacokinetic Parameters of GRASPAUntil patient stops treatment (expected average of 8 months)Plasma concentrations of asparagine, aspartate, glutamine, glutamate, whole blood L- asparaginase activity
ImmunogenicityUntil patient stops treatment (expected average of 8 months)Titer of anti L-asparaginase antibodies
Asparagine Synthetase (Optional)Until patient stops treatment (expected average of 8 months)Asparagine synthetase and in vitro sensitivity to aspariginase on the harvested bone marrow cells
Biomarker Cytogenetic Testing (Optional)Until patient stops treatment (expected average of 8 months)Defined as cytogenetic biomarker testing
Percentage of Patients Who Need TransfusionsUntil patient stops treatment (expected average of 8 months)Number of transfusions per patient (red blood cells and or platelets)

Countries

France

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
GRASPA
In the experimental group, the patients will receive one administration of GRASPA (100 IU/kg) at Day 11 in combination with subcutaneous low-dose cytarabine as 40 mg daily (either one single dose of 40 mg or 20 mg twice daily according to local practice) for 10 consecutive days, every 28 days, for duration up to 24 months
83
Control
In the control arm, patients will be treated with subcutaneous low-dose cytarabine as 40 mg daily (either one single dose of 40 mg or 20 mg twice daily according to local practice) for 10 consecutive days, every 28 days, for duration up to 24 months. Each period of 28 days constitute a cycle of chemotherapy.
40
Total123

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicGRASPAControlTotal
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
83 Participants40 Participants123 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected0 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
37 Participants16 Participants53 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
46 Participants24 Participants70 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
70 / 8134 / 39
other
Total, other adverse events
80 / 8139 / 39
serious
Total, serious adverse events
74 / 8132 / 39

Outcome results

Primary

Overall Survival

OS is defined as the time elapsed between randomization and death from any cause.

Time frame: Each patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.

Population: OS was to be assessed by measuring time elapsed between randomisation and death for any cause. Any patient not known to have died at the time of analysis is censored based on the last recorded date on which the patient was known to be alive

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
GRASPAOverall Survival4.8 months
ControlOverall Survival6.4 months
Secondary

Asparagine Synthetase (Optional)

Asparagine synthetase and in vitro sensitivity to aspariginase on the harvested bone marrow cells

Time frame: Until patient stops treatment (expected average of 8 months)

Secondary

Biomarker Cytogenetic Testing (Optional)

Defined as cytogenetic biomarker testing

Time frame: Until patient stops treatment (expected average of 8 months)

Secondary

Immunogenicity

Titer of anti L-asparaginase antibodies

Time frame: Until patient stops treatment (expected average of 8 months)

Secondary

Number of Hospitalizations

Hospitalizations (except schedule protocol visit during the study)

Time frame: Each patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.

Secondary

Patient Quality of Life

Collecting survey about patients quality of life

Time frame: Each patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.

Secondary

Percentage of Patients Who Need Transfusions

Number of transfusions per patient (red blood cells and or platelets)

Time frame: Until patient stops treatment (expected average of 8 months)

Secondary

Pharmacodynamic and Pharmacokinetic Parameters of GRASPA

Plasma concentrations of asparagine, aspartate, glutamine, glutamate, whole blood L- asparaginase activity

Time frame: Until patient stops treatment (expected average of 8 months)

Secondary

Progression Free Survival (PFS)

Defined as the time elapsed between randomization and resistant disease or relapse or death from any cause

Time frame: Each patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.

Secondary

Relapse Free Survival

Defined only for patients who achieve CR or CRi as the time elapsed between date of CR/CRi and date of disease relapse or death from any cause

Time frame: Each patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.

Secondary

Response to Treatment

Percentage of patients with Complete remission (CR), Complete remission with incomplete recovery (neutrophil or platelet regeneration, CRi), Partial remission (PR)

Time frame: Each patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.

Secondary

Safety of GRASPA Adverse Events and Serious Adverse Events

Number of incidences, type, severity and causality of adverse events / serious adverse events

Time frame: Each patient will be followed for a duration of 24 months.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 10, 2026