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Acute Leukemias

Phase IB study of the FLT3 kinase inhibitor midostaurin with chemotherapy in younger newly diagnosed adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract

This phase 1b trial investigated several doses and schedules of midostaurin in combination with daunorubicin and cytarabine induction and high-dose cytarabine post-remission therapy in newly diagnosed patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The discontinuation rate on the 50-mg twice-daily dose schedule was lower than 100 mg twice daily, and no grade 3/4 nausea or vomiting was seen. The complete remission rate for the midostaurin 50-mg twice-daily dose schedule was 80% (FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 receptor (FLT3)–wild-type: 20 of 27 (74%), FLT3-mutant: 12 of 13 (92%)). Overall survival (OS) probabilities of patients with FLT3-mutant AML at 1 and 2 years (0.85 and 0.62, respectively) were similar to the FLT3–wild-type population (0.78 and 0.52, respectively). Midostaurin in combination with standard chemotherapy demonstrated high complete response and OS rates in newly diagnosed younger adults with AML, and was generally well tolerated at 50 mg twice daily for 14 days. A phase III prospective trial is ongoing (CALGB 10603, NCT00651261).

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the study coordinators, nurses and physicians who contributed to this study and the patients and their families for their participation. Susie Crowley provided secretarial assistance. Sandra Harris and Erinn Goldman of Articulate Science, LLC, provided medical writing assistance. This study was sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

Conception and design: Richard M Stone, Thomas Fischer, Charles A Schiffer, Gerhard Ehninger, Jorge Cortes, Hagop M Kantarjian, Daniel J DeAngelo and Francis Giles. Collection and assembly of data: Richard M Stone, Ronald Paquette, Charles A Schiffer, Gerhard Ehninger, Jorge Cortes, Hagop M Kantarjian, Daniel J DeAngelo, Alice Huntsman-Labed, Catherine Dutreix, Adam del Corral and Francis Giles. Data analysis and interpretation: Richard M Stone, Thomas Fischer, Gary Schiller, Charles A Schiffer, Jorge Cortes, Hagop M Kantarjian, Daniel J DeAngelo, Alice Huntsman-Labed, Catherine Dutreix, Adam del Corral and Francis Giles. Manuscript writing: Richard M Stone wrote the first draft of the manuscript and all authors edited and commented on subsequent drafts. Final approval of manuscript: All authors gave final approval of the manuscript. Provision of study materials or patients: Richard M Stone, Thomas Fischer, Gary Schiller, Charles A Schiffer, Jorge Cortes, Daniel J DeAngelo and Francis Giles.

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Correspondence to R M Stone.

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Employment or Leadership Position: Alice Huntsman-Labed, Novartis Pharma AG (C); Catherine Dutreix, Novartis Pharma AG (C); Adam del Corral, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (C); Consultant or Advisory Role: Richard M Stone, Genzyme (C), Celgene (C), Ariad (C); Ronald Paquette, Novartis (C); Gary Schiller, Genzme (C); Charles A Schiffer, Pfizer (C), Micromet (C), Celgene (C), Ambit (C), Ariad (C); Jorge Cortes, Novartis (C), Ariad (C), Ambit (U); Hagop M. Kantarjian, Novartis (C); Daniel J DeAngelo, Novartis (C); Francis Giles, Novartis (C); Stock Ownership: Gerhard Ehninger, Novartis; Alice Huntsman-Labed, Novartis; Honoraria: Thomas Fischer, Novartis; Ronald Paquette, Novartis; Gerhard Ehninger, Novartis; Research Funding: Richard M Stone, Novartis; Thomas Fischer, Novartis; Gary Schiller, Genzyme; Charles Schiffer, Pfizer, Ariad, Novartis, Celgene, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Ambit; Jorge Cortes, Novartis, Ariad, Ambit; Hagop M Kantarjian, Novartis, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb; Francis Giles, Novartis; Expert Testimony: None; Other Remuneration: None.

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Previous presentations: Preliminary data from this study were presented at the 51st American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting in 2009.

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Stone, R., Fischer, T., Paquette, R. et al. Phase IB study of the FLT3 kinase inhibitor midostaurin with chemotherapy in younger newly diagnosed adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia 26, 2061–2068 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/leu.2012.115

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