Venetoclax + Chemotherapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Recruiting at 5 trial locations

Overseen By Jeffrey E. Rubnitz, MD, PhD

Age: < 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 2

Sponsor: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Must not be taking: CYP3A inducers, CYP3A inhibitors

Disqualifiers: Down syndrome, Fanconi anemia, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Prior Safety Data This treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

Breakthrough Therapy This drug has been fast-tracked for approval by the FDA given its high promise

Approved in 2 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

70 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This is a phase 2 study to test the hypothesis that venetoclax in combination with standard chemotherapy will be tolerable and active in pediatric patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Primary Objectives: * Establish the tolerability adding venetoclax to standard chemotherapy in pediatric patients with AML * Estimate the proportion of patients who become minimal residual disease (MRD) negative by flow cytometry after one course of venetoclax-based induction therapy Secondary Objectives: - Estimate the rates of complete remission (CR), event-free survival (EFS), and overall survival (OS) in pediatric patients who receive venetoclax-based chemotherapy

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that you stop taking certain medications, specifically strong or moderate CYP3A inducers and inhibitors, at least 3 days before enrolling. If you're on these medications, you may need to discuss alternatives with your doctor.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug Venetoclax for treating acute myeloid leukemia?

Research shows that Venetoclax, when combined with other therapies, has shown promising results for patients with acute myeloid leukemia, especially those who are newly diagnosed, older, or have relapsed. It has been effective in both initial and relapsed cases, although it is often used in combination with other treatments. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is Venetoclax safe for use in humans?

Venetoclax has been shown to have an acceptable safety profile in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia, with common side effects including nausea, diarrhea, and low blood cell counts. Serious side effects are rare, and the drug is generally well-tolerated, although there is a risk of tumor lysis syndrome, a condition where cancer cells break down rapidly. ^{2 5 6 7 8}

How is the drug Venetoclax unique for treating acute myeloid leukemia?

Venetoclax is unique because it targets a specific protein called BCL-2, which helps cancer cells survive, and is taken orally, making it more convenient than some other treatments. It is particularly effective when combined with other therapies for older patients or those who cannot undergo aggressive treatments, and it can be used as a bridge to potentially curative transplants. ^{2 4 5 6 9}

Research Team

Hiroto Inaba, MD, PhD

Principal Investigator

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for pediatric patients aged over 28 days and under 22 years with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), who haven't had prior treatment except possibly one dose of intrathecal therapy or specific low-dose chemotherapy. Participants must be able to tolerate the protocol therapy, not have certain infections or diseases that could affect safety or results, and agree to use effective contraception if applicable.

Inclusion Criteria

Written informed consent from the patient and/or parent/legal guardian

I agree to use effective birth control during and for 6 months after the study.

I am older than 28 days and younger than 22 years.

Exclusion Criteria

I haven't taken strong medications like rifampin in the last 3 days.

I do not have any severe infections or diseases that could affect my safety or participation in the study.

I have been treated with anthracycline or anthracenedione before.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Induction 1

Venetoclax and chemotherapy drugs are administered to patients based on risk category

4 weeks

Multiple visits for drug administration

Induction 2

Continuation of venetoclax and chemotherapy regimen with adjustments based on response

4 weeks

Multiple visits for drug administration

Intensification

Further chemotherapy courses with venetoclax, adjusted for patient risk and response

8-12 weeks

Multiple visits for drug administration

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

3 years

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Venetoclax

Trial Overview The study tests whether adding Venetoclax to standard chemotherapy is tolerable and effective in children with AML. It aims to see if this combination can reduce disease traces after one treatment course and improve rates of complete remission, event-free survival, and overall survival.

Participant Groups

Group I: Low Risk Experimental Treatment 8 Interventions

All eligible patients receive intervention according to the Detailed Description section with the following: Venetoclax, Cytabrine, Danunorubicin Hydrochloride, Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin, Etoposide, Mitoxantrone Hydrochloride, Gilteritinib

Group II: Intermediate Risk Experimental Treatment 9 Interventions

All eligible patients receive intervention according to the Detailed Description section with the following: Venetoclax, Cytabrine, Danunorubicin Hydrochloride, Fludarabine Phosphate, Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin, Etoposide, Idarubin Hydrochloride, Mitoxantrone Hydrochloride, Gilteritinib

Group III: High Risk Experimental Treatment 9 Interventions

All eligible patients receive intervention according to the Detailed Description section with the following: Venetoclax, Azacitidine, Cytabrine, Danunorubicin Hydrochloride, Fludarabine Phosphate, Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin, Etoposide, Idarubin Hydrochloride, Gilteritinib

Venetoclax is already approved in United States, European Union for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Venclexta for:

• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
• Small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL)
• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

Approved in European Union as Venclyxto for:

• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
• Small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL)
• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Lead Sponsor

Trials

451

Recruited

5,326,000+

AbbVie

Industry Sponsor

Trials

1,079

Recruited

535,000+

Founded

2013

Headquarters

North Chicago, USA

Known For

Immunology treatments

Top Products

Humira (adalimumab), Skyrizi (risankizumab), Rinvoq (upadacitinib)

Dr. Roopal Thakkar

AbbVie

Chief Medical Officer since 2023

MD from Wayne State University School of Medicine

Robert A. Michael

AbbVie

Chief Executive Officer

Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Illinois

Findings from Research

In a study of 26 adult patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML), the combination of venetoclax (VEN) with demethylating agents (azacitidine or decitabine) resulted in a 57.7% overall response rate, including 13 complete responses, indicating its efficacy as a salvage therapy.

Patients who achieved minimal residual disease negativity had significantly better overall survival and event-free survival, highlighting the importance of this outcome in improving long-term prognosis for R/R AML patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Clinical Observation of Venetoclax Combined with Demethylating Agents on the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia]. Wang, Y., Huang, SL., Zhang, XX., et al.[2023]

Venetoclax is a highly effective treatment for relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), achieving response rates of about 80% in clinical trials involving 240 patients from 2011 to 2016.

While venetoclax has an acceptable safety profile, common side effects include neutropenia and diarrhea, and there is a risk of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS), which can be managed through careful dose ramp-up and patient education, leading to no reported TLS events in ongoing trials.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Venetoclax: Management and Care for Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia . Brumbaugh Paradis, H., Alter, D., Llerandi, D.[2018]

In a study comparing treatment regimens for relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML), the venetoclax (VEN) combination therapy showed a comparable overall response rate (59.3%) to intensive chemotherapy (IC) (44.0%), suggesting it is an effective alternative for patients who have failed previous treatments.

Patients receiving the VEN combination had a significantly higher percentage of successful stem cell transplants at blast clearance (86.5% vs. 62.3% for IC), indicating better disease control and potentially lower treatment-related mortality.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A retrospective comparison of salvage intensive chemotherapy versus venetoclax-combined regimen in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Park, S., Kwag, D., Kim, TY., et al.[2022]

Venetoclax combined with hypomethylators and low-dose cytarabine has shown high response rates and improved overall survival in older, untreated patients with acute myeloid leukemia, based on preliminary data from small, uncontrolled studies.

The efficacy of venetoclax appears to stem from its ability to target leukemia stem cells by altering the metabolic environment, which is particularly effective in this patient population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Why are hypomethylating agents or low-dose cytarabine and venetoclax so effective? Pollyea, DA., Jordan, CT.[2020]

In a study of 82 adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 57% were able to start venetoclax treatment safely in an outpatient setting, demonstrating its feasibility outside of the hospital.

The risk of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) was very low, with only 2.1% of patients experiencing TLS after starting venetoclax, and 98% of patients did not require hospitalization for TLS within the first week of treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Outpatient initiation of venetoclax in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Palmer, S., Patel, A., Wang, C., et al.[2023]

Venetoclax is an oral medication with a favorable side-effect profile that shows promise in treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML), particularly for patients with refractory or relapsed cases.

This drug can serve as a bridge to hematopoietic cell transplant for curative treatment and may significantly extend survival for older patients who cannot tolerate more aggressive therapies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

BCL2 Inhibition by Venetoclax: Targeting the Achilles' Heel of the Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cell? Pullarkat, VA., Newman, EM.[2021]

The combination of venetoclax and alvocidib was found to be safe and tolerable in patients with relapsed/refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), with no maximum tolerated dose reached, although significant gastrointestinal side effects were common.

The overall response rate to this treatment was modest, with only 11.4% achieving complete or incomplete remission, indicating that while the combination is safe, it may not significantly enhance efficacy compared to using each drug alone.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A phase 1b study of venetoclax and alvocidib in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia. Jonas, BA., Hou, JZ., Roboz, GJ., et al.[2023]

Venetoclax is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for advanced hematological malignancies, particularly in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, showing a satisfactory overall event rate of 73%.

The most common adverse events associated with venetoclax include nausea, diarrhea, and thrombocytopenia, but these are generally mild and manageable, with few cases of severe complications like tumor lysis syndrome.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy and Safety of Bcl-2 Inhibitor Venetoclax in Hematological Malignancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials. Li, Q., Cheng, L., Shen, K., et al.[2020]

Venetoclax, a BCL-2 inhibitor, shows promise in combination therapies for newly diagnosed or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), achieving high remission rates and deep molecular responses.

Despite these encouraging results, there are concerns about side effects such as incomplete blood count recovery and increased infection rates, particularly when used with chemotherapy, and more research is needed to understand the long-term effectiveness and durability of these treatments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Venetoclax combination therapy in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. Shimony, S., Stone, RM., Stahl, M.[2023]

References

1. China pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Clinical Observation of Venetoclax Combined with Demethylating Agents on the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia]. [2023]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Venetoclax: Management and Care for Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia . [2018]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A retrospective comparison of salvage intensive chemotherapy versus venetoclax-combined regimen in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Why are hypomethylating agents or low-dose cytarabine and venetoclax so effective? [2020]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Outpatient initiation of venetoclax in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. [2023]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

BCL2 Inhibition by Venetoclax: Targeting the Achilles' Heel of the Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cell? [2021]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A phase 1b study of venetoclax and alvocidib in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia. [2023]

8. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy and Safety of Bcl-2 Inhibitor Venetoclax in Hematological Malignancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials. [2020]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Venetoclax combination therapy in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. [2023]