Phase I/II Study of Vosaroxin and Decitabine in Newly Diagnosed Older Patients (pts) with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and High Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

Background: Vosaroxin, is a first-in-class anti-cancer quinolone derived (AQD) DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor, which is not a substrate for p53 or P-glycoprotein, has limited toxicity, and is currently under evaluation for the treatment of pts with AML and high-risk MDS.

Methods: Pts were eligible if they had AML or high-risk MDS (defined as having ³ 10% blasts in the bone marrow), were 60 years of age or older, and had adequate performance status (ECOG ² 2) and organ function. Pts younger than 60 who were unsuitable for standard chemotherapy were also eligible. In the phase I part of the study the first six pts received vosaroxin 90 mg/m² daily on days 1 and 4 with decitabine 20 mg/m² daily for 5 days. This dose was well tolerated with no dose limiting toxicity identified and pts were then enrolled on phase II at this dose and schedule. However, due to mucositis in a few subsequent pts, the induction dose of vosaroxin was reduced to 70 mg /m², starting with pt #25. The vosaroxin dose could be maintained at 70 mg/m² or reduced to 50 mg/m² in consolidation cycles, which were repeated in approximately 4 to 5-week intervals for a total of up to 7 cycles. Dose adjustments and dose delays of one or both agents, were allowed based on toxicity. The primary endpoint was to determine the overall response rate including complete response (CR) + CR without platelet recovery (CRp) + CR with insufficient hematological recovery (CRi). Secondary endpoints were: CR duration, disease-free survival, overall survival, safety, and early mortality.

Results: To date, 35 pts (32 AML, 3 high-risk MDS) with a median age of 71 years (range, 41-78) have been enrolled; 34 (97%) pts were older than 60 years. They included 15 (43%) pts with diploid cytogenetics, 12 (34%) with complex cytogenetic abnormalities including chromosome 5 and/or 7 abnormalities, and 8 (23%) with other miscellaneous abnormalities. 13 (37%) pts with AML had antecedent hematological disorders (AHD) including 7 (20%) with MDS, 4 (11%) with myeloproliferative neoplasm and 2 (6%) with MDS/MPN. Three pts with AHD had received prior therapy including 5-azacytidine (n=1), ruxolitinib + 5-azacytidine (n=1), and lenalidomide (n=1). Additionally, 5 (15%) pts had therapy-related disease with prior exposure to chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Median bone marrow blast %, median white blood cell, hemoglobin, & platelet counts were 40% (9-97), 4.1 x 10⁹/L (0.4-57.0), 9.4 g/dL (6.8-11.5), and 40 x 10⁹/L (7-333), respectively. 34 pts were evaluable for response; 17 (50%) achieved CR, 6 (18%) CRp, and 3 (9%) CRi for an overall response rate of 77%. One pt is too early for response assessment. Responses by age, cytogenetic and molecular characteristics are shown in table 1. The median follow-up is 5.1 months (range, 0.9-11.0). Pts have received a median of 2 (1-6) treatment cycles with the median number of cycles to response being 1 (1-4). Three pts have relapsed and the median duration of CR/CRp/CRi has not been reached (0.5-9.9+ months). Four (12%) pts have proceeded to allogeneic stem cell transplant (ASCT). 4-week and 8-week mortality were 0% and 14%, respectively. The regimen is well tolerated with the main grade ³ 3 toxicity being mucositis in 9 (26%) pts and liver enzyme elevation in 3 (9%).

Conclusion: Combination of vosaroxin and decitabine is effective and feasible in older pts with AML and high-risk MDS. Enrollment is ongoing.