Tumor hypoxia causes resistance to radiation and
chemotherapy.
Evofosfamide (TH-302) has exhibited specific
hypoxia-dependent cytotoxicity against primary
acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and
acute myeloid leukemia (AML) samples in vitro. Based on these findings, a Phase I study of
evofosfamide was designed for patients with relapsed/refractory
leukemia (NCT01149915). In this open-label study, patients were treated with
evofosfamide as a 30-60 min/day infusion on Days 1-5 of a 21-day cycle (Arm A, n = 38) or as a continuous infusion over 120 hr over Days 1-5 of a 21-day cycle (Arm B, n = 11). Forty-nine patients were treated including 39 (80%) with AML and 9 (18%) with ALL. Patients had received a median of five prior
therapies. In Arm A, the dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were grade 3
esophagitis, observed at a dose of 550 mg/m(2) . The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was a daily dose of 460 mg/m(2) . In Arm B, the DLTs were grade 3
stomatitis and
hyperbilirubinemia, observed at a daily dose of 460 mg/m(2) . The continuous infusion MTD was a daily dose of 330 mg/m(2) .
Hypoxia markers HIF-1α and CAIX were highly expressed in leukemic bone marrow and were significantly reduced after
evofosfamide therapy. The combined overall response rate in Arms A and B was 6% (2 CR/CRi and 1 PR), with all responses seen in Arm A.
Evofosfamide has shown limited activity in heavily pretreated
leukemia patients. Further evaluation investigating
evofosfamide in combination with cytotoxic or demethylating agents is warranted. Am. J. Hematol. 91:800-805, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.