Integrated Safety From Phase 2 Studies of Monotherapy Carfilzomib in Patients with Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma (MM): An Updated Analysis

Abstract 1876

Carfilzomib (CFZ), a next-generation proteasome inhibitor that selectively and irreversibly binds to its target, resulting in sustained inhibition absent of off-target effects relative to bortezomib, is being evaluated in MM patients. The selectivity of CFZ for the proteasome may explain the low rates of peripheral neuropathy (PN) relative to historical data for bortezomib (BTZ). Safety data have been compiled for >700 patients who received CFZ in 9 Phase (Ph) 1 or 2 trials, 4 of which are completed. The majority of patients had relapsed and refractory (R/R) MM, and many had comorbidities including baseline PN and renal insufficiency. This abstract updates and summarizes mature safety data for single-agent CFZ in 526 patients with R/R MM who took part in 1 of 3 Ph 2 studies and is a follow-up with more mature data compared with those presented at ASH 2010.

Patients enrolled and treated with CFZ in the following trials are included in this analysis: PX-171-003 (conducted in 2 parts, a pilot study, PX-171-003-A0 [R/R MM], followed by PX-171-003-A1 [R/R MM]), PX-171-004 (relapsed MM), and PX-171-005 (R/R MM with varying degrees of renal function). In all studies, CFZ was dosed on Days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 of a 28-day cycle (C). Doses were 20 mg/m² in C1, escalating to 27 mg/m² in C2 for all studies with the exception of 005 (15 mg/m² in C1, 20 mg/m² in C2, and 27 mg/m² in C3).

Overall, CFZ had a favorable safety profile in these studies. The most frequently reported adverse events (AEs) occurring in ≥30% of patients included fatigue (55%), anemia (47%), nausea (45%), thrombocytopenia (36%), dyspnea (35%), diarrhea (33%), and pyrexia (30%). The most common (≥10% of patients overall) ≥G3 AEs were thrombocytopenia (23%), anemia (22%), lymphopenia (18%), pneumonia (11%), and neutropenia (10%).

The assessment of PN was based on a pooled aggregate of PN preferred terms, including neuropathy peripheral, neuropathy, peripheral sensory neuropathy, and peripheral motor neuropathy. PN was reported infrequently (14% overall) across all studies. Although 378 (72%) patients had baseline PN (≤G 2), only 13% reported treatment-emergent symptoms during the study. PN was generally mild to moderate in severity (1.3% G3 PN with no G4 PN), and only 5 patients (1%) required dose modification or discontinuation due to PN. Renal AEs (mainly ≤G2) were reported in 174 (33%) patients, and CFZ was discontinued because of a renal AE in only 21 patients (4%). A summary of CFZ exposure and discontinuation rates is reported in the table. There were a total of 37 (7%) deaths on study, including within 30 days of the last dose of study drug. The primary cause of death was due to disease progression in 22/37 patients (4.2%); however, AEs, including in order of frequency, cardiac events, hepatic failure, and infection, contributed to 14 of these deaths.

Of the 526 patients included in these analyses, >50% were treated on the 003-A1 dose and schedule (20/27 mg/m²), and fewer than 10% required dose reduction. 18% of patients completed ≥12 cycles (∼1 y) and were eligible to participate in an ongoing, multicenter, open-label Ph 2 study (PX-171-010) to monitor long-term single-agent CFZ safety. To date, patients in this extension trial have not shown evidence of cumulative toxicity.

In summary, these data confirm and extend results that were previously presented, namely that single-agent CFZ has an acceptable safety profile in heavily pretreated patients with R/R MM, including those with pre-existing renal dysfunction and PN.