Phase II study of three dose levels of continuous erythropoietin receptor activator (C.E.R.A.) in anaemic patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma receiving combination chemotherapy.

• Abstract: Anaemia is a common complication in the treatment of patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), but there are no published data on the effect of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in such patients. This is the first open-label, phase II, dose-finding study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of continuous erythropoietin receptor activator (C.E.R.A.). Ninety-three anaemic patients with aggressive NHL who were receiving chemotherapy (including many advanced NHL, heavily pretreated patients) were randomised to receive 2.1, 4.2 or 6.3 microg/kg C.E.R.A. subcutaneously once every 3 weeks for 12 weeks. Haematopoietic response was achieved in 45%, 57% and 65% of patients at the respective dose level. During weeks 5-13, the mean haemoglobin changes from baseline in the intent-to-treat population were increases of 0.2, 2.4, and 5.7 g/l in the 2.1, 4.2, and 6.3 microg/kg treatment groups, respectively, and 4.4, 5.7 and 6.8 g/l in the per-protocol population at the respective dose levels. C.E.R.A. was generally well tolerated in all three groups. C.E.R.A. appeared to have dose-dependent clinical activity in most anaemic patients with aggressive NHL who were receiving chemotherapy.
• Authors: Anders Osterborg, Juan Luis Steegmann, Andrzej Hellmann, Stephen Couban, Jiri Mayer, Joseph E Eid (Affiliation: Departments of Oncology and Haematology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. anders.osterborg at karolinska.se)
• Journal: British journal of haematology (Br J Haematol) Vol. 136 Issue 5 Pg. 736-44 (Mar 2007) ISSN: 0007-1048 [Print] England
• PMID: 17313376 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Phase II, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Polyethylene Glycols
• continuous erythropoietin receptor activator
• Erythropoietin

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Anemia (chemically induced, drug therapy)
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (adverse effects)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Erythropoietin (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Lymphoma, B-Cell (drug therapy)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Polyethylene Glycols (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome