Chemo-Immunotherapy Combination Of Idelalisib With Bendamustine/Rituximab Or Chlorambucil/Rituximab In Patients With Relapsed/Refractory CLL Demonstrates Efficacy and Tolerability

PI3K-delta signaling is critical for proliferation, survival, homing and tissue retention of malignant B cells. Idelalisib is a selective, oral inhibitor of PI3Kδ that has been previously shown to be safe and tolerable and has demonstrated considerable activity as monotherapy or in combination with other agents in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) CLL. We provide an update on the safety and efficacy of a phase 1 study of idelalisib (IDELA) 150mg po BID administered continuously on a 28-day cycle in combination with two chemo-immunotherapy regimens: bendamustine/rituximab (IDELA+BR) and chlorambucil/rituximab (IDELA+ChR).

Twenty-nine adult subjects (15/14 IDELA+BR; IDELA+ChR) with R/R CLL requiring treatment were enrolled between April and Aug 2011 for the IDELA+BR cohort and Mar and Jul 2012 for the IDELA+ChR cohort. Median age 64 yrs (Min, Max: 41, 82), gender M/F (%) 65/35, WHO PS (%) 0/1/2 59/38/3, current Binet stage (%) A/B/C 21/28/41, and 62% of subjects had bulky adenopathy (presence of ≥1 node with diameter ≥5 cm). Median number of prior therapies was 3 (Min, Max: 1, 9). Thirty-five percent of subjects had refractory disease (not responding to a standard regimen or progressing within 6 month of the last course of a standard regimen) and 55% of subjects were refractory to rituximab. The treatment schedule was as follows: IDELA+BR (IDELA 150 mg BID po d1-28 until progression or withdrawal, rituximab 375 mg/m² IV on d1 of cycles 1-6, bendamustine 70 or 90 mg/m² intravenously on d1 and d2 of cycles 1-6). For the IDELA+RCh cohort (IDELA 150 mg BID po on d1-28 until progression or withdrawal, chlorambucil 10 mg/m² po once a d1-7 of cycles 1-12, rituximab 375 mg/m² IV d1 of cycles 1-6). Response was assessed by the investigators based on scheduled CT evaluations and clinical criteria following IWCLL 2008.

The data cut-off date for this analysis was May 2013. Objective response rates for the 2 cohorts were 89.7% (95% CI (%): 72.6-97.8). Median time to response in both cohorts was 1.9 months. For IDELA+BR, the ORR was 86.7% (95% CI (%): 59.5-98.3) (CR 6.7%, PR 80%), neither median DOR nor median PFS have been reached and median exposure was 18.4 months (Min, Max: 1.2, 24.7). For IDELA+ChR, the ORR was 92.9% (95% CI (%): 66.1-99.8) (CR 14.3%, PR 78.6%), neither median DOR nor median PFS has been reached, and median exposure was 7.7 months (Min, Max: 1.9, 11.1).

Commonly reported treatment-emergent AEs (≥20% of all subjects) and lab abnormalities of interest for IDELA+BR were (total(%)/≥grade 3 (%)): pyrexia (46.7/0) diarrhea (26.7/13.3), fatigue (20/0), neutropenia (86.7/60), thrombocytopenia (26.7/6.7), transaminase elevations (26.7/0), anemia (33.3/13.3). For IDELA+ChR, common TEAEs were: pyrexia (57.1/7.1), diarrhea (64.3/7.1), fatigue (42.9/21.4), neutropenia (64.3/42.9), thrombocytopenia (42.9/21.4), transaminase elevations (50.0/21.4), and anemia (42.9/14.3).

The combination of IDELA+BR or IDELA+ChR is tolerable and demonstrates strong activity with an ORR of 89.7%. Median PFS and DOR have not been reached in the IDELA+BR or the IDELA+ ChR cohorts. The ability to induce responses in this particularly difficult-to-treat patient population with refractory disease, the non-overlapping toxicity with these agents, and the ease of administration makes this an option in this patient population. These results support further studies with these chemo-immunotherapy regimens in patients with CLL.

Barrientos:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Off Label Use: Idelalisib is a PI3K-delta inhibitor currently in phase III trials for multiple hematologic malignancies. Wagner-Johnston:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. De Vos:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Coutre:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Schreeder:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Flinn:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Sharman:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Rai:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Leonard:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Dansey:Gilead Sciences: Employment. Kim:Gilead Sciences: Employment. Holes:Gilead Sciences: Employment. Adewoye:Gilead Sciences: Employment. Furman:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding.