Preliminary safety and efficacy of first-line pertuzumab combined with trastuzumab and taxane therapy for HER2-positive locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer (PERUSE).
Pertuzumab combined with trastuzumab and docetaxel is the standard first-line therapy for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, based on results from the phase III CLEOPATRA trial. PERUSE was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of investigator-selected taxane with pertuzumab and trastuzumab in this setting.
In the ongoing multicentre single-arm phase IIIb PERUSE study, patients with inoperable HER2-positive advanced breast cancer (locally recurrent/metastatic) (LR/MBC) and no prior systemic therapy for LR/MBC (except endocrine therapy) received docetaxel, paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel with trastuzumab [8 mg/kg loading dose, then 6 mg/kg every 3 weeks (q3w)] and pertuzumab (840 mg loading dose, then 420 mg q3w) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary end point was safety. Secondary end points included overall response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS).
Overall, 1436 patients received at least one treatment dose (initially docetaxel in 775 patients, paclitaxel in 589, nab-paclitaxel in 65; 7 discontinued before starting taxane). Median age was 54 years; 29% had received prior trastuzumab. Median treatment duration was 16 months for pertuzumab and trastuzumab and 4 months for taxane. Compared with docetaxel-containing therapy, paclitaxel-containing therapy was associated with more neuropathy (all-grade peripheral neuropathy 31% versus 16%) but less febrile neutropenia (1% versus 11%) and mucositis (14% versus 25%). At this preliminary analysis (52 months' median follow-up), median PFS was 20.6 [95% confidence interval (CI) 18.9-22.7] months overall (19.6, 23.0 and 18.1 months with docetaxel, paclitaxel and nab-paclitaxel, respectively). ORR was 80% (95% CI 78%-82%) overall (docetaxel 79%, paclitaxel 83%, nab-paclitaxel 77%).
Preliminary findings from PERUSE suggest that the safety and efficacy of first-line pertuzumab, trastuzumab and taxane for HER2-positive LR/MBC are consistent with results from CLEOPATRA. Paclitaxel appears to be a valid alternative taxane backbone to docetaxel, offering similar PFS and ORR with a predictable safety profile.
NCT01572038.
Bachelot T
,Ciruelos E
,Schneeweiss A
,Puglisi F
,Peretz-Yablonski T
,Bondarenko I
,Paluch-Shimon S
,Wardley A
,Merot JL
,du Toit Y
,Easton V
,Lindegger N
,Miles D
,PERUSE investigators
... -
《-》
Fixed-dose combination of pertuzumab and trastuzumab for subcutaneous injection plus chemotherapy in HER2-positive early breast cancer (FeDeriCa): a randomised, open-label, multicentre, non-inferiority, phase 3 study.
A subcutaneous formulation of pertuzumab and trastuzumab with recombinant human hyaluronidase in one ready-to-use, fixed-dose combination vial (pertuzumab, trastuzumab, and hyaluronidase-zzxf) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 29, 2020. We report the primary analysis of the FeDeriCa study, which was designed to assess the pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of the fixed-dose subcutaneous formulation compared to intravenous pertuzumab plus trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer in the neoadjuvant-adjuvant setting.
FeDeriCa, a randomised, open-label, international, multicentre, non-inferiority, phase 3 study, was done across 106 sites in 19 countries. Patients aged 18 years or older with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1, HER2-positive, operable, locally advanced, or inflammatory stage II-IIIC breast cancer, and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 55% or more were randomly assigned (1:1), using a voice-based or web-based response system, to receive intravenous pertuzumab (840 mg loading dose, followed by 420 mg maintenance doses) plus intravenous trastuzumab (8 mg/kg loading dose, followed by 6 mg/kg maintenance doses) or the fixed-dose combination of pertuzumab and trastuzumab for subcutaneous injection (1200 mg pertuzumab plus 600 mg trastuzumab loading dose in 15 mL, followed by 600 mg pertuzumab plus 600 mg trastuzumab maintenance doses in 10 mL), both administered every 3 weeks with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients were stratified by hormone receptor status, clinical stage, and chemotherapy regimen. The investigator selected one of the two protocol-approved standard chemotherapy regimens before randomisation. Four cycles of HER2-targeted therapy were administered concurrently with the taxane. After surgery, patients continued the HER2-targeted therapy to receive an additional 14 cycles (total of 18). The primary endpoint was non-inferiority of the cycle 7 pertuzumab serum trough concentration (Ctrough; ie, cycle 8 predose pertuzumab concentration) within the fixed-dose combination for subcutaneous injection versus intravenous pertuzumab plus trastuzumab in the per-protocol pharmacokinetic population (all enrolled patients who adhered to prespecified criteria for pharmacokinetic assessment). Non-inferiority was concluded if the lower bound of the 90% CI of the geometric mean ratio was 0·8 or higher. The safety population included all patients who received at least one dose of study medication, including chemotherapy or HER2-targeted therapy. Enrolment, neoadjuvant therapy, and surgery have been completed; adjuvant treatment and follow-up are ongoing. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03493854.
Between June 14, 2018, and Dec 24, 2018, 252 patients were randomly assigned to the intravenous infusion group and 248 to the fixed-dose combination group. The geometric mean ratio of pertuzumab serum Ctrough subcutaneous to serum Ctrough intravenous was 1·22 (90% CI 1·14-1·31). The most common grade 3-4 adverse events occurring during neoadjuvant treatment with HER2-targeted therapy plus chemotherapy in 5% or more of patients were neutropenia (34 [13%] of 252 patients in the intravenous infusion group vs 35 [14%] of 248 patients in the fixed-dose combination group), decreased neutrophil count (31 [12%] vs 27 [11%]), febrile neutropenia (14 [6%] vs 16 [6%]), diarrhoea (12 [5%] vs 17 [7%]), and decreased white blood cell count (18 [7%] vs nine [4%]). At least one treatment-related serious adverse event was reported in 25 (10%) patients in the intravenous infusion group and 26 (10%) patients in the fixed-dose combination group. One patient in each treatment group had an adverse event that led to death (urosepsis in the intravenous infusion group and acute myocardial infarction in the fixed-dose combination group); neither death was related to HER2-targeted therapy.
The study met its primary endpoint: the fixed-dose combination of pertuzumab and trastuzumab for subcutaneous injection provides non-inferior cycle 7 pertuzumab serum Ctrough concentrations to intravenous pertuzumab plus trastuzumab in the neoadjuvant setting with comparable total pathological complete response rates, supporting the FDA approval. Safety was similar between treatment groups, and in line with other pertuzumab, trastuzumab, and chemotherapy trials. Follow-up is ongoing for long-term outcomes, including efficacy and long-term safety.
F Hoffmann-La Roche and Genentech.
Tan AR
,Im SA
,Mattar A
,Colomer R
,Stroyakovskii D
,Nowecki Z
,De Laurentiis M
,Pierga JY
,Jung KH
,Schem C
,Hogea A
,Badovinac Crnjevic T
,Heeson S
,Shivhare M
,Kirschbrown WP
,Restuccia E
,Jackisch C
,FeDeriCa study group
... -
《-》
Pertuzumab and trastuzumab with or without metronomic chemotherapy for older patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (EORTC 75111-10114): an open-label, randomised, phase 2 trial from the Elderly Task Force/Breast Cancer Group.
Despite the high incidence of metastatic breast cancer and its related mortality in the elderly population, our knowledge about optimal treatment for older patients with cancer is far from adequate. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of dual anti-HER2 treatment with or without metronomic chemotherapy in older patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.
We did a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 2 trial in 30 centres from eight countries in Europe, in patients with histologically proven, HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, without previous chemotherapy for metastatic disease, who were 70 years or older, or 60 years or older with confirmed functional restrictions defined by protocol, and had a life expectancy of more than 12 weeks and a performance status according to WHO scale of 0-3. Eligible patients were randomly assigned (1:1) by an online randomisation system based on the minimisation method to receive metronomic oral cyclophosphamide 50 mg per day plus trastuzumab and pertuzumab, or trastuzumab and pertuzumab alone. Trastuzumab was given intravenously with a loading dose of 8 mg/kg, followed by 6 mg/kg every 3 weeks. Pertuzumab was given intravenously with a loading dose of 840 mg, followed by 420 mg every 3 weeks. Patients were stratified by hormone receptor positivity, previous HER2 treatment, and baseline geriatric screening. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed progression-free survival at 6 months as per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1. A difference of 10% or greater between the two groups was sought. Efficacy analyses were by intention to treat; safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study treatment. In case of progression, all patients were offered trastuzumab emtansine. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01597414, and is completed.
Between July 2, 2013, and May 10, 2016, 80 patients, of whom 56 (70%) had a potential frailty profile according to the geriatric screening G8 score (≤14), were randomly assigned to receive trastuzumab and pertuzumab (n=39) or trastuzumab and pertuzumab plus metronomic oral cyclophosphamide (n=41). Estimated progression-free survival at 6 months was 46·2% (95% CI 30·2-60·7) with trastuzumab and pertuzumab versus 73·4% (56·6-84·6) with trastuzumab and pertuzumab plus metronomic oral cyclophosphamide (hazard ratio [HR] 0·65 [95% CI 0·37-1·12], p=0·12). At a median follow-up of 20·7 months (IQR 12·5-30·4), the median progression-free survival was 5·6 months (95% CI 3·6-16·8) with trastuzumab and pertuzumab versus 12·7 months (6·7-24·8) with the addition of metronomic oral cyclophosphamide. The most frequent grade 3-4 adverse events were hypertension (in six [15%] of 39 patients in the trastuzumab and pertuzumab group vs five [12%] of 41 in the trastuzumab and pertuzumab plus metronomic oral cyclophosphamide group), diarrhoea (four [10%] vs five [12%]), dyspnoea (two [5%] vs four [10%]), fatigue (three [8%] vs two [5%]), pain (two [5%] vs two [5%]), and a thromboembolic event (0 [0%] vs four [10%]). Severe cardiac toxicities were occasionally observed in both groups. In the trastuzumab and pertuzumab group four patients died without progression, due to cardiac arrest during treatment (n=1), peritoneal infection (n=1), respiratory failure (n=1), and sudden death without a specified cause (n=1). In the trastuzumab and pertuzumab plus metronomic oral cyclophosphamide group, one patient died from heart failure.
Addition of metronomic oral cyclophosphamide to trastuzumab plus pertuzumab in older and frail patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer increased median progression-free survival by 7 months compared with dual HER2 blockade alone, with an acceptable safety profile. Trastuzumab and pertuzumab plus metronomic oral cyclophosphamide, followed by trastuzumab emtansine after disease progression, might delay or supersede the need for taxane chemotherapy in this population.
F Hoffmann-La Roche.
Wildiers H
,Tryfonidis K
,Dal Lago L
,Vuylsteke P
,Curigliano G
,Waters S
,Brouwers B
,Altintas S
,Touati N
,Cardoso F
,Brain E
... -
《-》