Safety, Tolerability, PK/PD of FE 203799 in Adults With Lymphomas

Overview

RATIONALE: The integrity of the intestinal mucosa is a key factor for the preservation of a normal gut function. Damage of the epithelium (i.e. by chemotherapy) results in significant cellular and molecular alterations that ultimately lead to intestinal dysfunction/failure. This intestinal dysfunction manifests as several pathological processes, such as inability to absorb nutrients, intestinal inflammation, immune system dysregulation, and disequilibrium of normal intestinal microbiota leading to increased risk of infection due to bacterial translocation and septicaemia. Gastrointestinal (GI) mucositis is a well-known, frequent and debilitating side effect of most anticancer regimens with a very high incidence in hemato-oncology. The most common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, weight loss, abdominal cramps and pain, diarrhea, and electrolyte imbalance. Patients may also experience ulceration/bleeding and injury of the lining of the entire gastrointestinal tract from the esophagus to the colon. Currently no therapy is available for the prevention or treatment of GI intestinal injury. Treatment of related symptoms is limited to supportive measures to decrease diarrhea and to preventive antibiotic therapy. The GLP-2 analogue, FE 203799, has a favorable pharmacology profile for clinical development in the intended therapeutic indication of myeloablative chemotherapy-induced GI damage. The data collected from animal studies has shown that FE 203799 stimulates the proliferation of the intestinal epithelium and protects the GI mucosa from chemotherapy-induced injury. Hence, the primary pharmacologic activity of FE 203799 would promote a healthy GI microenvironment, thus preventing intestinal dysfunction and related complications. PURPOSE: Prevention by FE 203799 of chemotherapy-induced intestinal damage and related complications in patients with lymphoma receiving Melphalan based (BEAM) myeloablative conditioning regimen followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

OUTLINE: Multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled, ascending dose, randomized Phase IB/2A study to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) profile of s.c. FE 203799 in patients diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) undergoing Melphalan-based myeloablative chemotherapy (BEAM) followed by autologous human stem cell transplantation (AHSCT). In addition, the impact of FE 203799 on post-transplantation outcomes will be assessed. These outcomes include assessment of intestinal mucosal injury and inflammation, incidence of infection and bacteremia, development of neutropenic fever, assessment of nutritional parameters, modification of the composition of the gut microbiome, recovery of the hematopoietic system and quality of life. More specifically: \- PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: Safety and tolerability of s.c. FE 203799 \- SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: 1. Determine the PK profile and dose-effect of s.c. FE 203799. 2. Determine the PD profile of s.c. FE 203799, based on the plasma concentration of citrulline (indicative of intestinal mass) and of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) (indicative of inflammation). 3. Determine the dose/response (PK/PD) relationship of s.c. FE 203799. 4. Determine the impact of treatment with s.c. FE 203799 on the incidence and severity of chemotherapy induced intestinal toxicity, as assessed by both symptomatic and visual manifestations of mucosal injury and associated complications. 5. Assess the effect of s.c. FE 203799 on the prevention of development of neutropenic fever and bacteremia. METHODOLOGY - STUDY DESIGN The patient population will consist of adult female and male Hodgkin's or non-Hodgkin's lymphomas patients who are eligible to receive BEAM as conditioning regimen followed by autologous type AHSCT using peripheral blood or bone marrow stem cells. At the time of enrollment, patients must be in complete or partial remission following their most recent anti-neoplastic therapy. Patients are required to have available a cryopreserved autologous stem cell graft with a minimum CD34+ cell dose of 2 x 106 cells/kg. Three ascending dose levels of FE 203799 will be investigated (5 mg, 10 mg and 25 mg), with 16 patients required per dose cohort. Patients in each dose cohort will be randomized to FE 203799 vs. Placebo in a 3:1 ratio (12 patients per dose level receiving FE 203799, and 4 patients receiving Placebo), in a double-blind manner. Randomization will occur during the screening period upon confirmation that the patient has met all inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 48 subjects, completing the study, is targeted for enrollment. The study will be conducted in approximately 10 clinical centers. Eligibility will be determined at the Screening Visit following signature of the informed consent form (ICF). The inclusion and exclusion criteria will be used to qualify the patient for study entry. Within each cohort, patients will receive 4 doses of the Study Drug (FE 203799 or Placebo). As such, patients will be required to be dosed with the Study Drug the day prior the initiation of the BEAM regimen and subsequently on a weekly basis for 3 consecutive weeks after initiation of chemotherapy. Assessments performed prior to the first dose, will be considered as Baseline. Serial blood samples for determination of the plasma concentration of FE 20799/Placebo, as well as the plasma levels of citrulline and C-Reactive protein (CRP) will be obtained at pre-specified time points. During the Study, patients will be hospitalized during the duration of the conditioning chemotherapy to approximately 3 or 4 weeks post-transplantation depending on their recovery and physical condition. All patients who received at least one treatment, will be required to return to the hospital for the End of Study Visit (Day 30 ±5 post-transplantation) and for two additional follow-up safety visits on Days 45 (±5) and 100 (±5) post-transplantation. A Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) will convene at pre-determined timepoints, or as needed. The grading of adverse events (AEs) will be based on the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.03 (CTCAE v4.03) (Grade 1 to 5).