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Tolerance and Efficacy of Subcutanous Low Doses Rituximab for CLL Consolidation Treatment

Phase 2
Conditions
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT01521689
Lead Sponsor
Institut Paoli-Calmettes
Brief Summary

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is still an incurable disease. However recent advances have established correlation between the quality of the response (in particular achievement of negativity of minimal residual disease (MRD) and progression free and overall survival. That is why MRD negative complete remission (CR) is the current goal in CLL treatment.

The association of Rituximab fludarabine cyclophosphamide leads to the best response rate with 52 to 72% CR in "medically" fit untreated CLL patients. MRD results in this setting are still preliminary and around 50%. However many other situations (unfit, elderly, relapse, haematological toxicity leading to early interruption of treatment...) are associated with much lower response rate that would be improved by consolidation treatment.

Monoclonal antibodies are the treatment of choice for consolidation because of sparing marrow and targeting CLL cells. Alemtuzumab has been used for this purpose and results confirm improvement of CR and MRD negative responses but alemtuzumab induced immunodeficiency lead to unacceptable infectious complications. Rituximab monotherapy induces low response rate at standard dose regimen. This is at least partially due to shaving of CD20, mechanism by which CD20 is lost from the leukemic cells but these cells are not cleared. Using low doses of rituximab reduced shaving and allowed CLL cells clearance by the mononuclear phagocytic system. Such low doses of rituximab can be administered subcutaneously.

The investigators then propose subcutaneous low dose rituximab in consolidation to CLL patients responding after induction but having not achieved MRD negative CR.

Detailed Description

Objective(s) of the clinical study

Main objective:

- To improve the minimal residual disease (MRD) negative complete response (CR) rate after consolidation using subcutaneous low dose of rituximab

Secondary objectives:

* Progression free survival, treatment free survival, overall survival,

* MRD follow-up,

* Safety

* Medico-economic study

* Quality of life study

* Immune functions study (ancillary study)

Main assessment criteria:

MRD negative CR rate, established by peripheral blood 4colour flow cytometry according to international consensus on CLL MRD study, at the end of the consolidation treatment.

Experimental plan:

Inclusion of patients after the evaluation of response to induction treatment according to NCI-ICLLWG criteria and MRD analysis (2 to 3 months after induction completion): patients having not achieved MRD negative CR.

Consolidation treatment by subcutaneous rituximab given at 20 mg/m²/d thrice weekly during 12 weeks.

Evaluation of the response 3 months after completion of the consolidation treatment.

Subjects number: 35 patients will be needed to accept the hypothesis of an augmentation of CR with negative MRD \>=40%, excluding the hypothesis that this rate is \< 20%. This ensure us an alpha risk at 5% with a 80% power, taking into account that non evaluable patients will be \< 5%.

Brief description of the ancillary study:

Immune functions study before and after consolidation treatment by rituximab

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
35
Inclusion Criteria
  • CLL (Matutes 4 or 5) in CR after induction treatment with negative MRD or PR
  • age>18
  • performance status<=2
  • signed informed consent
Read More
Exclusion Criteria
  • cytopenia
  • other malignant affection
  • HIV or HBV positive
  • steroids treatment
  • richter syndrome
  • pregnant or breastfeeding women
Read More

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
RituximabRituximabConsolidation treatment with sub cutaneaous low doses of Rituximab
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Residual diseaseup to 3 month after the end of treatment

- minimal residual disease (MRD) negative complete response (CR) rate after consolidation using subcutaneous low dose of rituximab, from randomisation up to 3 month after the end of treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
treatment free survivalup to time of new treatment assessed up to 10 years

time between end of treatment and restarting a new treatement

Adverse eventsup to 3 months

Number and description of adverse events recorded according to the CTC-AE V4

overall survivalFrom date of inclusion until date of death, assessed up to 10 years

time between inclusion and death

-Quality of lifeup to 3 months after the end of treatment

-Quality of life study by QLQ-C30

Immune functionsup to 3 months after the end of treatment

NK, monocytes, CD8, and CD 20 expression on leucemic cells or B cells

- Progression free survivalup to time of progression assessed up to 10 years

Time between inclusion and progression

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Institut Paoli Calmettes

🇫🇷

Marseille, France

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