This phase I/II trial investigates the side effects and best dose of venetoclax when given together with azacitidine and to see how well it works in treating patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia that has come back (relapsed) or has not responded to treatment (refractory). Venetoclax may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Chemotherapy drugs, such as azacitidine, 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 azacitidine together may help to control myelodysplastic syndrome or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. To determine the safety and tolerability (phase 1) and overall response rate (ORR) (phase 2) of venetoclax in combination with azacitidine in patients with high risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) with bone marrow excess blasts \> 5% that are relapsed/refractory to prior hypomethylating agent (HMA) therapy. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. Rate of complete remission (CR). II. Rate of marrow/morphologic complete remission (mCR). III. Rate of hematologic improvement (HI; erythroid/platelet/neutrophil responses). IV. Rate of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion independence. V. Rate of platelet (PLT) transfusion independence. VI. Rate of cytogenetic response. VII. Rate of bone marrow blast response. VIII. Time to transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). IX. Duration of response (DOR). X. Overall survival (OS). XI. Progression-free survival (PFS). XII. Time to next MDS treatment (TTNT). XIII. Event-free survival (EFS). EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVE: I. To investigate the effects of therapy on MDS and to identify biological markers of response to venetoclax and/or its combination with azacitidine. OUTLINE: This is a phase I, dose-escalation study of venetoclax followed by a phase II study. Patients receive venetoclax orally (PO) daily on days 1-14 and azacitidine intravenously (IV) over 15 minutes or subcutaneously (SC) on days 1-5. Cycles repeat every 4-8 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up within 30 days and then every 3-6 months for up to 5 years.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
34
Given IV or SC
Given PO
M D Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, United States
Maximum tolerated dose (MTD) (Phase I)
The MTD is the highest dose level in which \< 2 patients of 6 develop first cycle dose-limiting toxicity (DLT).
Time frame: Up to 28 days
Overall response rate (ORR) (Phase II)
ORR is defined as the proportion of patients who had complete remission (CR), partial remission (PR) or marrow CR (mCR) lasting at least 4 weeks, or hematologic improvement (HI) lasting at least 8 weeks. Will estimate the overall response rate for the combination treatment, along with the 95% credible interval.
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-treatment
Rate of CR
The association between CR and patient's clinical characteristics will be examined by Wilcoxon's rank sum test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate.
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-treatment
Rate of mCR
The association between mCR and patient's clinical characteristics will be examined by Wilcoxon's rank sum test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate.
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-treatment
Rate of hematologic improvement
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-treatment
Rate of platelet transfusion independence
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-treatment
Rate of red blood cell transfusion independence
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-treatment
Rate of cytogenetic response
The correlation between cytogenetic response and patient's clinical characteristics will be examined by Wilcoxon's rank sum test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate.
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-treatment
Rate of bone marrow blast response
The correlation between bone marrow blast response and patient's clinical characteristics will be examined by Wilcoxon's rank sum test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate.
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-treatment
Duration of response
Will be estimated using the method of Kaplan and Meier. Comparisons by important subgroups will be made using the log-rank tests.
Time frame: The number of days from the date of initial response (PR or better) to the date of first documented disease progression/relapse or death, whichever occurs first, assessed up to 5 years post-treatment
Event-free survival
Will be estimated using the method of Kaplan and Meier. Comparisons by important subgroups will be made using the log-rank tests.
Time frame: The number of days from the date of treatment initiation to the date of documented treatment failure, relapses from CR, or death from any cause, whichever occurs first, assessed up to 5 years post-treatment
Overall survival
Will be estimated using the method of Kaplan and Meier. Comparisons by important subgroups will be made using the log-rank tests.
Time frame: The time from treatment start till death or last follow-up, assessed up to 5 years post-treatment
Progression free survival
Will be estimated using the method of Kaplan and Meier. Comparisons by important subgroups will be made using the log-rank tests.
Time frame: The time from treatment to progression or last follow-up, assessed up to 5 years post-treatment
Time to transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
Will be estimated using the method of Kaplan and Meier. Comparisons by important subgroups will be made using the log-rank tests.
Time frame: The time from treatment till transformation of AML or last follow-up, assessed up to 5 years post-treatment
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