DARZALEX Concentrate for solution for infusion Ref.[8950] Active ingredients: Daratumumab

Pharmacotherapeutic group: Antineoplastic agents, monoclonal antibodies
ATC code: L01XC24

Mechanism of action

Daratumumab is an IgG1κ human monoclonal antibody (mAb) that binds to the CD38 protein expressed at a high level on the surface of multiple myeloma tumour cells, as well as other cell types and tissues at various levels. CD38 protein has multiple functions such as receptor mediated adhesion, signalling and enzymatic activity.

Daratumumab has been shown to potently inhibit the in vivo growth of CD38-expressing tumour cells. Based on in vitro studies, daratumumab may utilise multiple effector functions, resulting in immune mediated tumour cell death. These studies suggest that daratumumab can induce tumour cell lysis through complement-dependent cytotoxicity, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis in malignancies expressing CD38. A subset of myeloid derived suppressor cells (CD38+MDSCs), regulatory T cells (CD38+T regs ) and B cells (CD38+B regs ) are decreased by daratumumab mediated cell lysis. T cells (CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+) are also known to express CD38 depending on the stage of development and the level of activation. Significant increases in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell absolute counts, and percentages of lymphocytes, were observed with daratumumab treatment in peripheral whole blood and bone marrow. In addition, T-cell receptor DNA sequencing verified that T-cell clonality was increased with daratumumab treatment, indicating immune modulatory effects that may contribute to clinical response.

Daratumumab induced apoptosis in vitro after Fc mediated cross-linking. In addition, daratumumab modulated CD38 enzymatic activity, inhibiting the cyclase enzyme activity and stimulating the hydrolase activity. The significance of these in vitro effects in a clinical setting, and the implications on tumour growth, are not well-understood.

Pharmacodynamic effects

Natural killer (NK) cell and T-cell count

NK cells are known to express high levels of CD38 and are susceptible to daratumumab mediated cell lysis. Decreases in absolute counts and percentages of total NK cells (CD16+CD56+) and activated (CD16+CD56 dim ) NK cells in peripheral whole blood and bone marrow were observed with daratumumab treatment. However, baseline levels of NK cells did not show an association with clinical response.

Immunogenicity

Patients treated with daratumumab monotherapy (n=199) and combination therapy (n=1051) were evaluated for anti-therapeutic antibody responses to daratumumab at multiple time points during treatment and up to 8 weeks following the end of treatment. Following the start of daratumumab treatment, none of the monotherapy patients and 2 of the 1051 combination therapy patients tested positive for anti-daratumumab antibodies; 1 of the combination therapy patients developed transient neutralising antibodies against daratumumab. However, the employed assay has limitations in detecting anti-daratumumab antibodies in the presence of high concentrations of daratumumab. Therefore, the incidence of antibody development might not have been reliably determined.

Clinical efficacy and safety

Newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

Combination treatment with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in patients ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant:

Study MMY3008, an open-label, randomized, active-controlled Phase III study, compared treatment with DARZALEX 16 mg/kg in combination with lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone (DRd) to treatment with lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone (Rd) in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Lenalidomide (25 mg once daily orally on Days 1-21 of repeated 28-day [4-week] cycles) was given with low dose oral or intravenous dexamethasone 40 mg/week (or a reduced dose of 20 mg/week for patients >75 years or body mass index [BMI] <18.5). On DARZALEX infusion days, the dexamethasone dose was given as a pre-infusion medication. Dose adjustments for lenalidomide and dexamethasone were applied according to manufacturer’s prescribing information. Treatment was continued in both arms until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

A total of 737 patients were randomized: 368 to the DRd arm and 369 to the Rd arm. The baseline demographic and disease characteristics were similar between the two treatment groups. The median age was 73 (range: 45-90) years, with 44% of the patients ≥75 years of age. The majority were white (92%), male (52%), 34% had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score of 0, 49.5% had an ECOG performance score of 1 and 17% had an ECOG performance score of ≥2. Twenty-seven percent had International Staging System (ISS) Stage I, 43% had ISS Stage II and 29% had ISS Stage III disease. Efficacy was evaluated by progression free survival (PFS) based on International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria.

Study MMY3008 showed an improvement in Progression Free Survival (PFS) in the DRd arm as compared to the Rd arm; the median PFS had not been reached in the DRd arm and was 31.9 months in the Rd arm (hazard ratio [HR]=0.56; 95% CI: 0.43, 0.73; p<0.0001), representing 44% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death in patients treated with DRd. Results of an updated PFS analysis approximately 9 months after the original clinical cutoff, continued to show an improvement in PFS for patients in the DRd arm compared with the Rd arm. Median PFS was not reached in the DRd arm and was 33.8 months in the Rd arm (HR=0.56; 95% CI: 0.44, 0.71; p<0.0001).

Figure 1. Kaplan-Meier Curve of PFS in Study MMY3008:

Additional efficacy results from Study MMY3008 are presented in Table 7 below.

Table 7. Additional efficacy results from Study MMY3008^a:

DRd = daratumumab-lenalidomide-dexamethasone; Rd = lenalidomide-dexamethasone; MRD = minimal residual disease; CI = confidence interval
^a Based on intent-to-treat population
^b p-value from Cochran Mantel-Haenszel Chi-Squared test.
^c Based on threshold of 10^-5
d Mantel-Haenszel estimate of the odds ratio for un-stratified tables is used. An odds ratio >1 indicates an advantage for DRd.
^e p-value from Fisherʼs exact test.

In responders, the median time to response was 1.05 months (range: 0.2 to 12.1 months) in the DRd group and 1.05 months (range: 0.3 to 15.3 months) in the Rd group. The median duration of response had not been reached in the DRd group and was 34.7 months (95% CI: 30.8, not estimable) in the Rd group.

Combination treatment with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone (VMP) in patients ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant:

Study MMY3007, an open-label, randomised, active-controlled Phase III study, compared treatment with DARZALEX 16 mg/kg in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone (D-VMP), to treatment with VMP in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Bortezomib was administered by subcutaneous (SC) injection at a dose of 1.3 mg/m² body surface area twice weekly at Weeks 1, 2, 4 and 5 for the first 6-week cycle (Cycle 1; 8 doses), followed by once weekly administrations at Weeks 1, 2, 4 and 5 for eight more 6-week cycles (Cycles 2-9; 4 doses per cycle). Melphalan at 9 mg/m², and prednisone at 60 mg/m² were orally administered on Days 1 to 4 of the nine 6-week cycles (Cycles 1-9). DARZALEX treatment was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

A total of 706 patients were randomised: 350 to the D-VMP arm and 356 to the VMP arm. The baseline demographic and disease characteristics were similar between the two treatment groups. The median age was 71 (range: 40-93) years, with 30% of the patients ≥75 years of age. The majority were white (85%), female (54%), 25% had an ECOG performance score of 0, 50% had an ECOG performance score of 1 and 25% had an ECOG performance score of 2. Patients had IgG/IgA/Light chain myeloma in 64%/22%/10% of instances, 19% had ISS Stage I, 42% had ISS Stage II, 38% had ISS Stage III disease and 84% had standard risk cytogenetics. Efficacy was evaluated by PFS based on IMWG criteria.

The primary analysis of PFS in Study MMY3007 showed an improvement in the D-VMP arm as compared to the VMP arm; the median PFS had not been reached in the D-VMP arm and was 18.1 months in the VMP arm (HR=0.5; 95% CI: 0.38, 0.65; p<0.0001), representing 50% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death in patients treated with D-VMP. Results of an updated PFS analysis approximately 4 months after the original clinical cutoff, continued to show an improvement in PFS for patients in the D-VMP arm compared with the VMP arm. Median PFS was not reached in the D-VMP arm and was 19.3 months in the VMP arm (HR=0.46; 95% CI: 0.36, 0.60; p<0.0001).

Figure 2. Kaplan-Meier Curve of Primary Analysis of PFS in Study MMY3007:

Additional efficacy results from Study MMY3007 are presented in Table 8 below.

Table 8. Additional efficacy results from Study MMY3007^a:

D-VMP = daratumumab-bortezomib-melphalan-prednisone; VMP = bortezomib-melphalan-prednisone; MRD = minimal residual disease; CI = confidence interval
^a Based on intent-to-treat population
^b p-value from Cochran Mantel-Haenszel Chi-Squared test.
^c Based on threshold of 10^-5
d A Mantel-Haenszel estimate of the common odds ratio for stratified tables is used. An odds ratio >1 indicates an advantage for D-VMP.
^e p-value from Fisherʼs exact test.

In responders, the median time to response was 0.79 months (range: 0.4 to 15.5 months) in the D-VMP group and 0.82 months (range: 0.7 to 12.6 months) in the VMP group. The median duration of response had not been reached in the D-VMP group and was 21.3 months (range: 18.4, not estimable) in the VMP group.

A subgroup analysis was performed on patients at least 70 years old, or those 65-69 years old with ECOG performance score of 2, or aged less than 65 years of age with significant comorbidity or ECOG performance score of 2 (D-VMP: n=273, VMP: n=270). The efficacy results in this subgroup were consistent with the overall population. In this subgroup, median PFS was not reached in the D- VMP group and was 17.9 months in the VMP group (HR=0.56; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.75); p<0.0001). The overall response rate was 90% in the D-VMP group and 74% in theVMP group (VGPR rate:29% in D-VMP group and 26% in VMP group; CR: 22% in D-VMP group and 18% in VMP group; sCR rate: 20% in D-VMP group and 7% in VMP group). The safety results of this subgroup were consistent with the overall population. Furthermore, safety analysis of the subgroup of patients with an ECOG performance score of 2 (D-VMP: n=89, VMP: n=84), was also consistent with the overall population.

Combination treatment with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone (VTd) in patients eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT): Study MMY3006 is a 2 Part, open-label, randomized, active-controlled Phase 3 study. Part 1 compared induction and consolidation treatment with DARZALEX 16 mg/kg in combination with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone (D-VTd) to treatment with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone (VTd) in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma eligible for ASCT. The consolidation phase of treatment began a minimum of 30 days post-ASCT, when the patient had recovered sufficiently, and engraftment was complete. In Part 2, subjects with at least a partial response (PR) by Day 100 post-transplant were re-randomized in a 1:1 ratio to daratumumab maintenance or observation only. Only results from Part 1 are described henceforth.

Bortezomib was administered by SC injection or IV injection at a dose of 1.3 mg/m² body surface area twice weekly for two weeks (Days 1, 4, 8, and 11) of repeated 28 day (4-week) induction treatment cycles (Cycles 1-4) and two consolidation cycles (Cycles 5 and 6) following ASCT after Cycle 4. Thalidomide was administered orally at 100 mg daily during the six bortezomib cycles. Dexamethasone (oral or intravenous) was administered at 40 mg on Days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23 of Cycles 1 and 2, and at 40 mg on Days 1-2 and 20 mg on subsequent dosing days (Days 8, 9, 15, 16) of Cycles 3-4. Dexamethasone 20 mg was administered on Days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16 in Cycles 5 and 6. On the days of DARZALEX infusion, the dexamethasone dose was administered intravenously as a pre-infusion medication. Dose adjustments for bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone were applied according to manufacturer’s prescribing information.

A total of 1085 patients were randomized: 543 to the D-VTd arm and 542 to the VTd arm. The baseline demographic and disease characteristics were similar between the two treatment groups. The median age was 58 (range: 22 to 65) years. All patients were ≤65 years: 43% were in the age group ≥60-65 years, 41% were in the age group ≥ 50-60 years and 16% below age of 50 years. The majority were male (59%), 48% had an ECOG performance score of 0, 42% had an ECOG performance score of 1 and 10% had an ECOG performance score of 2. Forty percent had International Staging System (ISS) Stage I, 45% had ISS Stage II and 15% had ISS Stage III disease.

Efficacy was evaluated by the stringent Complete Response (sCR) rate at Day 100 post-transplant and Progression free survival (PFS).

Table 9. Efficacy results from Study MMY3006^a:

D-VTd = daratumumab-bortezomib-thalidomide-dexamethasone; VTd = bortezomib-thalidomide-dexamethasone; MRD = minimal residual disease; CI = confidence interval
^a Based on intent-to-treat population
^b p-value from Cochran Mantel-Haenszel Chi-Squared test.
^c Based on threshold of 10 -5
^d Regardless of response per IMWG
^e Mantel-Haenszel estimate of the common odds ratio for stratified tables is used.

Results of a PFS analysis by censoring patients who were randomized to daratumumab maintenance in the second randomization, at the date of the second randomization showed HR=0.50; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.75; p=0.0005.

Relapsed/Refractory multiple myeloma

Monotherapy

The clinical efficacy and safety of DARZALEX monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma whose prior therapy included a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory agent and who had demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy, was demonstrated in two open-label studies.

In Study MMY2002, 106 patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma received 16 mg/kg DARZALEX until disease progression. The median patient age was 63.5 years (range, 31 to 84 years), 11% of patients were ≥75 years of age, 49% were male and 79% were Caucasian. Patients had received a median of 5 prior lines of therapy. Eighty percent of patients had received prior autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Prior therapies included bortezomib (99%), lenalidomide (99%), pomalidomide (63%) and carfilzomib (50%). At baseline, 97% of patients were refractory to the last line of treatment, 95% were refractory to both, a proteasome inhibitor (PI) and immunomodulatory agent (IMiD), 77% were refractory to alkylating agents, 63% were refractory to pomalidomide and 48% of patients were refractory to carfilzomib.

Efficacy results of the pre-planned interim analysis based on Independent Review Committee (IRC) assessment are presented in Table 10 below.

Table 10. IRC assessed efficacy results for study MMY2002:

¹ Primary efficacy endpoint (International Myeloma Working Group criteria)
CI=confidence interval; NE=not estimable; MR=minimal response

Overall response rate (ORR) in MMY2002 was similar regardless of type of prior anti-myeloma therapy.

At a survival update with a median duration of follow-up of 14.7 months, median Overall Survival (OS) was 17.5 months (95% CI:13.7, not estimable).

In Study GEN501, 42 patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma received 16 mg/kg DARZALEX until disease progression. The median patient age was 64 years (range, 44 to 76 years), 64% were male and 76% were Caucasian. Patients in the study had received a median of 4 prior lines of therapy. Seventy-four percent of patients had received prior ASCT. Prior therapies included bortezomib (100%), lenalidomide (95%), pomalidomide (36%) and carfilzomib (19%). At baseline, 76% of patients were refractory to the last line of treatment, 64% were refractory to both a PI and IMiD, 60% were refractory to alkylating agents, 36% were refractory to pomalidomide and 17% were refractory to carfilzomib.

Pre-planned interim analysis showed that treatment with daratumumab at 16 mg/kg led to a 36% ORR with 5% CR and 5% VGPR. The median time to response was 1 (range: 0.5 to 3.2) month. The median duration of response was not reached (95% CI: 5.6 months, not estimable).

At a survival update with a median duration of follow-up of 15.2 months, median OS was not reached (95% CI: 19.9 months, not estimable), with 74% of subjects still alive.

Combination treatment with lenalidomide

Study MMY3003, an open-label, randomised, active-controlled Phase III trial, compared treatment with DARZALEX 16 mg/kg in combination with lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone (DRd) to treatment with lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone (Rd) in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who had received at least one prior therapy. Lenalidomide (25 mg once daily orally on Days 1-21 of repeated 28-day [4-week] cycles) was given with low dose dexamethasone at 40 mg/week (or a reduced dose of 20 mg/week for patients >75 years or BMI <18.5). On DARZALEX infusion days, 20 mg of the dexamethasone dose was given as a pre-infusion medication and the remainder given the day after the infusion. Treatment was continued in both arms until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

A total of 569 patients were randomised; 286 to the DRd arm and 283 to the Rd arm. The baseline demographic and disease characteristics were similar between the DARZALEX and the control arm. The median patient age was 65 years (range 34 to 89 years) and 11% were ≥75 years. The majority of patients (86%) received a prior PI, 55% of patients had received a prior IMiD, including 18% of patients who had received prior lenalidomide; and 44% of patients had received both a prior PI and IMiD. At baseline, 27% of patients were refractory to the last line of treatment. Eighteen percent (18%) of patients were refractory to a PI only, and 21% were refractory to bortezomib. Patients refractory to lenalidomide were excluded from the study.

Study MMY3003 demonstrated an improvement in PFS in the DRd arm as compared to the Rd arm; the median PFS had not been reached in the DRd arm and was 18.4 months in the Rd arm (HR=0.37; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.52; p<0.0001), representing 63% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death in patients treated with DRd (see Figure 3).

Figure 3. Kaplan-Meier Curve of PFS in Study MMY3003:

Additional efficacy results from Study MMY3003 are presented in Table 11 below.

Table 11. Additional efficacy results from Study MMY3003:

DRd=daratumumab-lenalidomide-dexamethasone; Rd=lenalidomide-dexamethasone; MRD=minimal residual disease; CI=confidence interval; NE=not estimable.
^a p-value from Cochran Mantel-Haenszel Chi-Squared test.
^b Based on Intent-to-treat population and threshold of 10^-4
c A Chi-Squared estimate of the common odds ratio is used. An odds ratio >1 indicates an advantage for DRd.
^d p-value is from a likelihood-ratio Chi-Squared test.

Median OS was not reached for either treatment group. With an overall median follow-up of 13.5 months, the hazard ratio for OS was 0.64 (95% CI: 0.40, 1.01; p=0.0534).

Combination treatment with bortezomib

Study MMY3004, an open-label, randomised, active-controlled Phase III trial, compared treatment with DARZALEX 16 mg/kg in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone (DVd), to treatment with bortezomib and dexamethasone (Vd) in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who had received at least one prior therapy. Bortezomib was administered by SC injection or IV infusion at a dose of 1.3 mg/m² body surface area twice weekly for two weeks (Days 1, 4, 8, and 11) of repeated 21 day (3-week) treatment cycles, for a total of 8 cycles. Dexamethasone was administered orally at a dose of 20 mg on Days 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, and 12 of each of the 8 bortezomib cycles (80 mg/week for two out of three weeks of the bortezomib cycle) or a reduced dose of 20 mg/week for patients >75 years, BMI <18.5, poorly controlled diabetes mellitus or prior intolerance to steroid therapy. On the days of DARZALEX infusion, 20 mg of the dexamethasone dose was administered as a pre-infusion medication. DARZALEX treatment was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

A total of 498 patients were randomised; 251 to the DVd arm and 247 to the Vd arm. The baseline demographic and disease characteristics were similar between the DARZALEX and the control arm. The median patient age was 64 years (range 30 to 88 years) and 12% were ≥75 years. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of patients had received a prior PI (66% received bortezomib) and 76% of patients received an IMiD (42% received lenalidomide). At baseline, 32% of patients were refractory to the last line of treatment. Thirty-three percent (33%) of patients were refractory to an IMiD only, and 28% were refractory to lenalidomide. Patients refractory to bortezomib were excluded from the study.

Study MMY3004 demonstrated an improvement in PFS in the DVd arm as compared to the Vd arm; the median PFS had not been reached in the DVd arm and was 7.2 months in the Vd arm (HR [95% CI]: 0.39 [0.28, 0.53]; p-value<0.0001), representing a 61% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death for patients treated with DVd versus Vd. (see Figure 4).

Figure 4. Kaplan-Meier Curve of PFS in Study MMY3004:

Additional efficacy results from Study MMY3004 are presented in Table 12 below.

Table 12. Additional efficacy results from Study MMY3004:

DVd = daratumumab-bortezomib-dexamethasone; Vd = bortezomib-dexamethasone; MRD = minimal residual disease; CI = confidence interval; NE = not estimable.
^a p-value from Cochran Mantel-Haenszel Chi-Squared test.
^b Based on Intent-to-treat population and threshold of 10^-4
c A Chi-Squared estimate of the common odds ratio is used. An odds ratio >1 indicates an advantage for DVd.
^d p-value is from a likelihood-ratio chi-squared test.

Median OS was not reached for either treatment group.With an overall median follow-up of 7.4 months (95% CI: 0.0, 14.9), the hazard ratio for OS was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.47, 1.26; p=0.2975).

Cardiac electrophysiology

Daratumumab as a large protein has a low likelihood of direct ion channel interactions. The effect of daratumumab on the QTc interval was evaluated in an open-label study for 83 patients (Study GEN501) with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma following daratumumab infusions (4 to 24 mg/kg). Linear mixed PK-PD analyses indicated no large increase in mean QTcF interval (i.e. greater than 20 ms) at daratumumab C_max.

Paediatric population

The European Medicines Agency has waived the obligation to submit the results of studies with DARZALEX in all subsets of the paediatric population in multiple myeloma (see section 4.2 for information on paediatric use).