Venetoclax and Navitoclax for the Treatment of Recurrent or Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Lymphoma, The RAVEN Trial
This phase I/II trial studies the side effects and best dose of venetoclax and navitoclax in combination with other chemotherapy drugs in treating patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoma that has come back (relapsed) or does not respond to treatment (refractory). Venetoclax and navitoclax are in a class of medications called B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) inhibitors. They may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking Bcl-2, a protein needed for cancer cell survival. Chemotherapy drugs work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving venetoclax and navitoclax in combination with other chemotherapy drugs may kill cancer cells directly or make them more sensitive to other chemotherapy.
Inclusion Criteria
- Relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoma with >= 1% bone marrow disease as measured by flow cytometry, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or next generation sequencing. However, if an adequate bone marrow sample cannot be obtained, patients may be enrolled if there is unequivocal evidence of leukemia with >= 5% blasts in the peripheral blood * Patients with 1-4.99% bone marrow involvement must have disease confirmed in one of the following ways: an alternative minimal residual disease assay (e.g. flow cytometry and PCR or next generation sequencing [NGS]), cytogenetic abnormality consistent with patient’s leukemia, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) abnormality, or a second bone marrow with MRD >= 1% separated by 1-4 weeks * Patients with >= 5% bone marrow disease by a single measurement as measured by flow cytometry, PCR, or next generation sequencing do not require a second confirmatory test * Refractory disease is defined as residual leukemia >= 1% after at least 2 prior lines of frontline therapy with curative intent * Patients in exploratory cohort I must have measurable extramedullary disease but may have < 1% bone marrow disease * Patients in exploratory cohort M must have >= 1% bone marrow disease as measured by flow cytometry of mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL)/ acute leukemia of ambiguous lineage (ALAL)
- Age >= 4 to < 30 years. Patients >= 22 years old are only eligible for exploratory cohort O. Sites may have different (lower) maximum ages based on institutional guidelines but may not exceed 30 years
- Patient weighs >= 20 kg
- Patient is able to swallow pills
- Lansky/Karnofsky score is >= 60%. The Lansky performance score should be used for participants < 16 years and the Karnofsky performance score for participants >= 16 years
- Direct bilirubin =< 1.5 x the institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) unless attributable to leukemic involvement. At institutions which do not obtain a direct bilirubin in patients with a normal total bilirubin, a normal total bilirubin may be used as evidence that the direct bilirubin is not > 1.5 x the ULN. Patients with a direct bilirubin ≥ 2 mg/dl may not enroll regardless of attribution
- Aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) < 3.0 x the ULN unless increase is attributable to leukemic involvement
- Normal creatinine for age or a calculated creatinine clearance >= 60 mL/min/1.73 m^2
- Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >= 40% or shortening fraction >= 25% * Patients with a history of reduced LVEF which subsequently improved with medical management are eligible if they meet the criteria above
- Patients must have fully recovered from the acute effects of all prior therapy (defined as resolution of all such toxicities to =< grade 2)
- For patients with prior hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), at least 90 days must have elapsed since transplant, the patient cannot have evidence of active graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and they must be off calcineurin inhibitors for >= 4 weeks, and off other immunosuppression for >= 2 weeks
- Patients with Down Syndrome/ germline Trisomy 21 are eligible for Block 1 and Block 2b therapies but are ineligible for Block 2a therapy. Patients with Down Syndrome and CD19-negative disease are off therapy after the response evaluation to Block 1
- Prior therapy * >= 14 days must have elapsed since the completion of cytotoxic therapy, with the exception of standard maintenance therapy (glucocorticoids, vincristine, methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine), tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and steroids * Cytoreduction with prednisone, methylprednisolone, or hydroxyurea for =< 120 hours (5 days) in patients with hyperleukocytosis or extramedullary disease compromising organ function can be initiated and continued until up to 24 hours prior to the start of protocol therapy * At least 21 days must have elapsed since completion of therapy with a biologic agent excluding blinatumomab. For agents that have known adverse events occurring beyond 21 days after administration, this period prior to enrollment must be extended beyond the time during which adverse events are known to occur. At least 7 days must have elapsed since blinatumomab infusion and patients must have recovered from all toxicities as described above * Intrathecal cytotoxic therapy: No waiting period is required for patients having received intrathecal cytarabine, methotrexate, and/or hydrocortisone. Intrathecal chemotherapy given at the time of diagnostic lumbar puncture (LP) to evaluate for relapse prior to study enrollment is allowed * Patient has not had prior exposure to navitoclax
- Male or female participant of reproductive potential must agree to use appropriate methods of contraception for the duration of study treatment and for at least 30 days after last dose of protocol treatment
- COHORT I: Diagnosis of isolated extramedullary relapse as defined by bone marrow blasts of < 1% AND 1) central nervous system white blood cell count (WBC) of >= 5 WBC/mL with blasts or 2) biopsy confirmed extramedullary leukemia
- COHORT M: Diagnosis of relapsed or refractory mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL)/ acute leukemia of ambiguous lineage (ALAL)
- COHORT N: Patients with relapsed or refractory ALL who, in the view of the provider, are unable to tolerate further asparaginase therapy due to prior toxicities
- COHORT O: Patients with relapsed or refractory ALL who are ages 22-29.9 years. This cohort may not enroll patients at all sites based on institutional guidelines or capacity
Exclusion Criteria
- Known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or active hepatitis B (defined as hepatitis B surface antigen– positive) or C (defined as hepatitis C antibody–positive)
- Pregnant or lactating (female participant of childbearing potential must have negative serum or urine pregnancy test required within 7 days prior to start of treatment)
- Concomitant medications and food * Treatment with moderate or strong cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) inhibitors within 3 days of starting protocol therapy * Treatment with moderate or strong CYP3A inducers within 7 days of starting protocol therapy * Administration or consumption within 3 days prior to the first dose of study drug or grapefruit or grapefruit products, Seville oranges (including marmalade containing Seville oranges), or star fruit
- Inability or unwillingness of research participant or legal guardian/representative to give written informed consent
Additional locations may be listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for NCT05192889.
See trial information on ClinicalTrials.gov for a list of participating sites.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To compare minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative complete remission (CR)/complete remission with incomplete blood count recovery (CRi) rate in children with relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoma (rALL) following Block 1 therapy with venetoclax and navitoclax based reinduction to historical controls.
II. To identify the recommended phase 2 combination dose (RP2D) of venetoclax based consolidation in novel combinations with a) high-dose cytarabine and navitoclax or b) blinatumomab.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To estimate the tolerability and activity of venetoclax based consolidation in novel combinations with a) high-dose cytarabine and navitoclax or b) blinatumomab.
II. To describe event-free and overall survival in patients treated with this regimen.
EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:
I. To evaluate MRD-negative CR/CRi rates in each prespecified groups: late first relapse B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL); early first relapse and second or greater relapse B-ALL; and relapsed T acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL).
II. To identify drug sensitivity patterns in patient samples prior to and after receiving combination therapy and evaluate mechanisms of disease resistance/ escape.
III. To explore immune subsets during and after this regimen.
IV. Evaluate response to therapy in rare relapse patient subsets.
V. Explore breakthrough infections in children and young adults with relapsed or refractory ALL.
OUTLINE: This is a phase I, dose-escalation study of cytarabine (in Block 2A) and venetoclax (in Block 2B) followed by a phase II study.
BLOCK 1: Patients receive venetoclax orally (PO) once daily (QD) on days 1-22, navitoclax PO QD on days 3-22, dexamethasone PO twice daily (BID) or intravenously (IV) on days 1-7 and 15-22, vincristine sulfate IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, and calaspargase IV on day 2. Patients also receive IT-MHA consisting of methotrexate, hydrocortisone and cytarabine intrathecally (IT) Between day -4 and day 1, then weekly for a maximum of 2 weeks. Patients with ABL gene fusion mutations or T-ALL also receive dasatinib PO QD on days 1-28. Treatment continues for 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Patients with persistent testicular involvement by leukemia at the end of Block 1 may continue on study and may receive testicular radiation during Block 2 therapy.
BLOCK 2: Patients who are MRD-negative proceed to Block 2 up to 2 weeks after Block 1. Patients who are MRD-positive should start Block 2 immediately. Patients with CD19-negative disease are assigned to Block 2A and patients with CD19-positive disease are assigned to Block 2B.
BLOCK 2A: Patients receive venetoclax PO QD on days 1-7, navitoclax PO QD on days 1-7, dexamethasone PO BID or IV on days 1-5, calaspargase IV on day 3, cytarabine IV on days 1-2. Patients also receive dasatinib as in Block 1 and IT-MHA at the time of the end of cycle bone marrow assessment. Treatment continues for 28 days in the absence of progression or unacceptable toxicity.
BLOCK 2B: Patients receive blinatumomab IV on days 1-7, 8-28, or 1-28, dexamethasone PO or IV on days 1 and 8, venetoclax PO QD on days 8-28. Patients also receive dasatinib as in Block 1 and IT-MHA at the time of the end of cycle bone marrow assessment. Treatment continues for 28 days in the absence of progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Patients with late first relapse of B-ALL (>= 36 months from diagnosis) and who are MRD-negative after Block 1 continue to Intensification Interim Continuation, and Continuation. All other patients discontinue study treatment after completion of Block 2.
INTENSIFICATION: Patients receive methotrexate IV over 24 hours on days 1 and 15, mercaptopurine PO QD on days 1-28, and IT-MHA on day 15. Treatment continues for 28 days in the absence of progression or unacceptable toxicity.
INTERIM CONTINUATION 1 & 2: Patients receive dexamethasone PO BID or IV on days 1-5, vincristine sulfate IV on day 1, mercaptopurine PO QD on days 1-49, methotrexate PO or IV on days 8, 15, 22, 29, and 36, cyclophosphamide IV over 15-30 minutes on days 43 and 50, etoposide phosphate IV over 1-2 hours on days 43 and 50, cytarabine IV over 1-30 minutes on days 44-47, and 51-54, dasatinib (patients with ABL gene fusion mutations only) PO QD on days 1-56, and IT-MHA on days 22 and 43. Cycles repeat every 56 days (8 weeks) for up to 2 cycles in the absence of progression or unacceptable toxicity.
BLOCK 2 REPEAT: After completion of cycle 1 of Interim Continuation 1, patients repeat their original Block 2 treatment (2A or 2B) with the exception of venetoclax or navitoclax. After completion of Block 2 repeat, patients receive an additional cycle of Interim Continuation treatment, then continue to Continuation.
CONTINUATION: Patients receive dexamethasone PO BID or IV on days 1-5 and 29-33, vincristine sulfate IV on days 1 and 29, mercaptopurine PO QD on days 1-56, methotrexate PO or IV on days 8, 15, 22, 36, 43, and 50, dasatinib PO QD (patients with ABL gene fusion mutations only) on days 1-56, and IT-MHA on days 1 and 29. Cycles repeat every 56 days (8 weeks) for 2 years from the start of study treatment in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
CHEMORADIATION: After completion of cycle 2 of Continuation, patients with leukemia in their spinal fluid at late first relapse of B-ALL (>= 36 months from diagnosis) and who are MRD-negative after Block 1 receive cranial radiation therapy. Patients also receive dexamethasone PO BID or IV on days 1-5 and 15-19, vincristine sulfate IV on days 1, 8, and 15, amend; calaspargase IV on day 2, and dasatinib (patients with ABL gene fusion mutations only) PO QD on days 1-21. Treatment continues for 21 days in the absence of progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Patients undergo echocardiography and diagnostic imaging during screening, skin biopsy on study and bone marrow biopsy and aspiration and blood sample collection throughout the study.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 4 months for 1 year and then every 6 months for 1 additional year.
Trial PhasePhase I/II
Trial Typetreatment
Lead OrganizationSaint Jude Children's Research Hospital
Principal InvestigatorSeth Evan Karol
- Primary IDRAVEN
- Secondary IDsNCI-2022-00304
- ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT05192889