Azacitidine + Venetoclax for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 2

Sponsor: University of Colorado, Denver

Must not be taking: CYP3A inhibitors, CYP3A inducers

Disqualifiers: HIV, Hepatitis B/C, CNS involvement, 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

Approved in 5 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

42 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial protocol does not specify if you must stop taking your current medications. However, you cannot take certain medications like strong CYP3A inhibitors or inducers within 7 days before starting the study drugs.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug Azacitidine + Venetoclax for Acute Myeloid Leukemia?

Research shows that the combination of venetoclax and azacitidine improves remission rates and survival in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) compared to azacitidine alone, especially in those who are older or not fit for intensive chemotherapy. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the combination of Azacitidine and Venetoclax safe for treating acute myeloid leukemia?

The combination of Azacitidine and Venetoclax has been studied for safety in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, particularly those who are older or cannot undergo intensive chemotherapy. Common side effects include blood-related issues, but the treatment is generally considered safe and effective for this patient group. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

What makes the drug combination of Azacitidine and Venetoclax unique for treating acute myeloid leukemia?

The combination of Azacitidine and Venetoclax is unique because it is specifically used for older patients or those who cannot undergo intensive chemotherapy, improving remission rates and survival compared to Azacitidine alone. This combination is particularly beneficial for patients who are newly diagnosed and unfit for standard treatments. ^{1 2 3 7 9}

What is the purpose of this trial?

This study is being done to determine if treatment with azacitidine and venetoclax is effective treatment for elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who have not received previous treatment. Azacitidine and venetoclax will be given as induction treatment followed by venetoclax maintenance treatment for patients who respond to the induction treatment.

Research Team

Dan Pollyea

Principal Investigator

University of Colorado, Denver

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for elderly patients (≥60 years old) with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), who can't or won't undergo standard treatment due to health issues. They must have a life expectancy of at least 12 weeks, be able to perform daily activities with minimal assistance (ECOG ≤2), and have proper kidney and liver function. Men and postmenopausal or surgically sterile women must agree to use contraception.

Inclusion Criteria

My kidneys work well enough, with a creatinine clearance rate of at least 30 mL/min.

My liver functions within normal limits, except for conditions like Gilbert's syndrome.

I agree to use birth control and not donate sperm from the start of the study until 90 days after the last dose.

Exclusion Criteria

Subject is known to be positive for hepatitis B or C infection with the exception of those with an undetectable viral load. Hepatitis B or C testing is not required and subjects with serologic evidence of prior vaccination to HBV (i.e., HBs Ag, anti-HBs+ and anti-HBc-) may participate

My leukemia has spread to my brain or spinal cord.

I haven't taken steroids, certain medications, or consumed grapefruit and related products recently.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Induction Treatment

Participants receive azacitidine and venetoclax until a minimal residual disease (MRD) negative response is achieved

4-8 weeks

Weekly visits for azacitidine administration

Maintenance Treatment

Participants continue with venetoclax alone at a maintenance dose after achieving MRD negative response

Up to 1 year

Monthly visits for monitoring

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

1 year

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Azacitidine
• Venetoclax

Trial Overview The study tests azacitidine combined with venetoclax as an initial ('induction') therapy followed by maintenance doses of venetoclax alone in elderly AML patients who respond well to the first phase. The goal is to see if this regimen is effective when standard treatments aren't suitable.

Participant Groups

Group I: Azacitidine and Venetoclax Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

On day 1 of cycle 1, Azacitidine 75 mg/m2 will be given by injection or infusion, and will continue for 7 days. Azacitidine doses will be given in subsequent cycles for patients who do not achieve response. Venetoclax will be administered orally once daily on days 2 through 28 in cycle 1. Beginning with cycle 2, and each subsequent cycle, venetoclax will be administered Days 1 through 28.

Azacitidine is already approved in European Union, United States, Canada, Japan for the following indications:

Approved in European Union as Vidaza for:

• Acute myeloid leukemia
• Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
• Myelodysplastic syndromes

Approved in United States as Vidaza for:

• Myelodysplastic syndromes
• Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

Approved in Canada as Vidaza for:

• Myelodysplastic syndromes
• Acute myeloid leukemia

Approved in Japan as Vidaza for:

• Myelodysplastic syndromes
• Acute myeloid leukemia

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Colorado, Denver

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,842

Recruited

3,028,000+

Findings from Research

In a phase II study involving 60 older or unfit patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the combination of venetoclax with cladribine and low-dose cytarabine alternating with venetoclax and 5-azacitidine resulted in a high composite complete response rate of 93%.

The treatment showed promising overall survival and disease-free survival rates, with only one death occurring within 4 weeks, indicating that this regimen is effective and has a favorable safety profile for this patient population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Phase II Study of Venetoclax Added to Cladribine Plus Low-Dose Cytarabine Alternating With 5-Azacitidine in Older Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Kadia, TM., Reville, PK., Wang, X., et al.[2023]

In a Japanese subgroup of the phase 3 VIALE-A trial, venetoclax-azacitidine significantly improved overall survival rates compared to placebo-azacitidine, with 67% of patients alive at 12 months versus 46% in the placebo group.

The treatment also resulted in a high complete response (CR) and CR with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi) rate of 67%, while maintaining a safety profile similar to the global study, indicating it is a viable first-line treatment for Japanese patients with acute myeloid leukemia ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Venetoclax plus azacitidine in Japanese patients with untreated acute myeloid leukemia ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. Yamamoto, K., Shinagawa, A., DiNardo, CD., et al.[2023]

In patients with newly diagnosed unfit acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the combination of azacitidine and venetoclax is a standard first-line treatment.

However, patients with TP53-mutated AML and poor-risk cytogenetics do not benefit from adding venetoclax to azacitidine, suggesting that alternative treatment regimens should be considered for these individuals.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

TP53 or Not TP53: That Is the Question. Green, SD., Zeidner, JF.[2023]

In treatment-naïve patients with IDH1/2-mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the combination of venetoclax and azacitidine resulted in a high composite complete remission rate of 79% and a median overall survival of 24.5 months, significantly outperforming the azacitidine-only group, which had an 11% remission rate and 6.2 months of survival.

The treatment was found to be safe, with no unexpected toxicities reported, and the favorable outcomes for patients with IDH1/2 mutations were consistent regardless of their cytogenetic risk, indicating a robust efficacy of this regimen.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of Venetoclax and Azacitidine in Treatment-Naïve Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and IDH1/2 Mutations. Pollyea, DA., DiNardo, CD., Arellano, ML., et al.[2023]

In a study of 20 elderly patients with relapsed refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the combination of azacytidine and venetoclax showed a total treatment efficiency of 90%, significantly higher than the 40% efficiency observed with azacytidine alone.

The combination treatment improved hematological parameters, such as platelet and white blood cell counts, while maintaining a similar safety profile to azacytidine alone, indicating it is a promising option for enhancing treatment efficacy in this patient population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Analysis of the Clinical Efficacy of Azacytidine + Venetoclax in the Treatment of Elderly Patients with Relapsed Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Wang, W., Luo, Q., Chen, Q., et al.[2023]

In a study of 57 elderly patients (average age 69.9 years) with acute myeloid leukemia, the combination of venetoclax and azacitidine (VEN + AZA) showed a high overall response rate of 87.5% and a complete remission (CR) rate of 68.8%, indicating strong efficacy in this population.

The treatment was associated with a median overall survival (OS) of 11.5 months, and achieving minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity (<0.1%) was more common with VEN + AZA compared to traditional chemotherapy, although older patients (≥75 years) and those with higher ECOG scores faced more challenges in achieving MRD negativity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Single-institution experience of venetoclax combined with azacitidine in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia patients. Yu, H., Wang, C., Lei, Y., et al.[2023]

In a phase 1/2 study involving six Japanese patients aged 60 and older with acute myeloid leukaemia, the combination of venetoclax and azacitidine demonstrated a high response rate, with 83% of patients achieving a response, including three complete remissions.

The treatment was generally well tolerated, with a median overall survival of 15.7 months, although some patients experienced serious adverse events, including grade 3 fungal pneumonia, which required treatment adjustments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Venetoclax in combination with azacitidine in Japanese patients with acute myeloid leukaemia: phase 1 trial findings. Taniguchi, S., Yamauchi, T., Choi, I., et al.[2021]

In a study of 50 adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in Mexico and Peru, venetoclax-based therapy showed a high complete response rate of 78.6% in newly diagnosed patients and 45.5% in those with relapsed/refractory disease, indicating its efficacy in treating AML.

The median overall survival was 9.6 months for newly diagnosed patients and 8 months for relapsed/refractory patients, suggesting that venetoclax is a viable treatment option even in real-world settings, despite common hematologic toxicities and dose adjustments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Venetoclax-based combinations for acute myeloid leukemia: optimizing their use in Latin-America. Gómez-De León, A., Demichelis-Gómez, R., Pinedo-Rodríguez, A., et al.[2022]

In a study of 13 patients with acute leukemia treated with venetoclax and azacitidine, 46% developed COVID-19, highlighting a significant risk associated with this treatment during the pandemic.

The study found that 33% of those who contracted COVID-19 died from the virus, indicating that COVID-19 can lead to severe outcomes in patients receiving AZA-VEN therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Patients Treated with Azacitidine and Venetoclax for Acute Leukemia: A Report of a Case Series Treated in a Single Institution. Drozd-Sokołowska, J., Mądry, K., Barankiewicz, J., et al.[2023]

References

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

Phase II Study of Venetoclax Added to Cladribine Plus Low-Dose Cytarabine Alternating With 5-Azacitidine in Older Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia. [2023]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Venetoclax plus azacitidine in Japanese patients with untreated acute myeloid leukemia ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. [2023]

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

TP53 or Not TP53: That Is the Question. [2023]

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

Impact of Venetoclax and Azacitidine in Treatment-Naïve Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and IDH1/2 Mutations. [2023]

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

Analysis of the Clinical Efficacy of Azacytidine + Venetoclax in the Treatment of Elderly Patients with Relapsed Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia. [2023]

6. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Single-institution experience of venetoclax combined with azacitidine in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia patients. [2023]

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

Venetoclax in combination with azacitidine in Japanese patients with acute myeloid leukaemia: phase 1 trial findings. [2021]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Venetoclax-based combinations for acute myeloid leukemia: optimizing their use in Latin-America. [2022]

9. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Patients Treated with Azacitidine and Venetoclax for Acute Leukemia: A Report of a Case Series Treated in a Single Institution. [2023]