Ramucirumab as second-line treatment in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) following first-line sorafenib: Pooled efficacy and safety in Japanese patients across two global randomized phase III studies (REACH-2 and REACH).

Authors

null

Masatoshi Kudo

Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan

Masatoshi Kudo , Takuji Okusaka , Kenta Motomura , Izumi Ohno , Manabu Morimoto , Satoru Seo , Yoshiyuki Wada , Shinpei Sato , Tatsuya Yamashita , Masayuki Furukawa , Takeshi Aramaki , Seijin Nadano , Kazuyoshi Ohkawa , Hirofumi Fujii , Toshihiro Kudo , Junji Furuse , Hiroki Takai , Gosuke Homma , Reigetsu Yoshikawa , Andrew X. Zhu

Organizations

Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, Aso Iizuka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan, Kanagawa Cancer Center, Yokohama, Japan, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan, National Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical Center, Fukuoka, Japan, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoundo Hospital of the Sasaki Institute, Tokyo, Japan, Advanced Preventive Medical Sciences Research Center, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan, National Hospital Organization Shikoku Cancer Center, Matsuyama, Japan, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan, Department of Frontier Science for Cancer and Chemotherapy, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan, Kyorin University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan, Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Kobe, Japan, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA

Research Funding

Pharmaceutical/Biotech Company

Background: Ramucirumab (RAM), a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody, inhibits ligand activation of VEGFR2. REACH and REACH-2 were two global, randomized, double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled multicenter, phase III studies of RAM versus PBO in patients with HCC after prior sorafenib. REACH-2 confirmed RAM treatment benefit for patients with baseline AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL, consistent with results in a prespecified subgroup of patients in REACH with AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL. Methods: Other than AFP levels, study designs and eligibility for both studies were similar. All patients received RAM (8 mg/kg) I.V. or PBO every 14 days. Pooled analyses were performed to further support the assessments of efficacy and safety in Japanese patients with baseline AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL. Results: In total, 101 Japanese patients were pooled from REACH and REACH-2 (n = 61 RAM; n = 40 PBO). Pooled baseline patient characteristics were balanced between arms including baseline AFP and etiology. As in the individual studies, improvement in OS (median OS 10.78 vs 4.47 mo; HR 0.555; 95% CI 0.348, 0.885; p = .0124) was observed. Improvements in PFS (median PFS 3.88 vs 1.41 mo; HR 0.341; 95% CI 0.212, 0.550; p < .0001), ORR (9.8% vs 2.5%, p = .1285), and disease control rate (67.2% vs 35.0%, p = .0035) were also observed. Consistent with individual study results, hypertension was the only grade 3 or higher adverse events of special interest among ≥ 5% patients that was more frequently observed in the RAM arm (13.1%) compared with the PBO arm (5.0%). Conclusions: Pooled analysis of two phase III trials of RAM as second-line treatment in patients with HCC following first-line sorafenib demonstrated a clinically meaningful benefit with a manageable safety profile in Japanese HCC patients with baseline AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL. Treatment benefits in OS observed in the Japanese subpopulation were consistent with the entire population (median OS 8.1 vs 5.0 mo; HR 0.694; p = .0002. Zhu AX et al., World GI 2018). Further analysis to characterize the Japanese patients compared to the non-Japanese population is planned. Clinical trial information: NCT01140347 (REACH), NCT02435433 (REACH-2)

Disclaimer

This material on this page is ©2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology, all rights reserved. Licensing available upon request. For more information, please contact licensing@asco.org

Abstract Details

Meeting

2019 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B: Cancers of the Pancreas, Small Bowel, and Hepatobiliary Tract

Track

Cancers of the Pancreas, Small Bowel, and Hepatobiliary Tract

Sub Track

Multidisciplinary Treatment

Clinical Trial Registration Number

NCT01140347 (REACH), NCT02435433 (REACH-2)

Citation

J Clin Oncol 37, 2019 (suppl 4; abstr 320)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2019.37.4_suppl.320

Abstract #

320

Poster Bd #

G18

Abstract Disclosures