Pegylated interferon alpha-2a(Janssen)

Superior rates of deep molecular response (DMR) have been reported with the combination of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and pegylated‐interferon‐alpha (Peg‐IFN) in patients with newly diagnosed chronic phase‐chronic myeloid leukaemia (CP‐CML). In this setting, this study investigated the efficacy and safety of dasatinib combined to Peg‐IFN‐α2b (Dasa‐PegIFN, NCT01872442). A total of 79 patients (age ≤65 years) started dasatinib; 61 were eligible for Peg‐IFNα‐2b add‐on therapy at month 3 for a maximum 21‐months duration. Dasatinib was continued thereafter. The primary endpoint was the cumulative rate of molecular response 4.5 log (MR4.5) by 12 months. The results are reported for the 5‐year duration of the study. Grade 3 neutropenia was frequent with the combination but did not induce severe infection (one of grade 3). Other adverse events were generally low grade (4% of grade 3–4) and expected. Seventy‐nine per cent and 61% of patients continued the Peg‐IFN until months 12 and 24, respectively. Overall, at these time points, MR4.5 rates were 25% and 38%, respectively. Thereafter, 32% and 46% of patients achieved a sustained (≥2 years) MR4.5 or MR4, respectively. This work established the feasibility and high rates of achievement of early and sustained DMR (a prerequisite for treatment‐free‐remission) with dasatinib and Peg‐IFNα‐2b combination as initial therapy.

The STI571 prospective randomised trial (SPIRIT) French trial is a four-arm study comparing imatinib (IM) 400 mg versus IM 600 mg, IM 400 mg + cytarabine (AraC), and IM 400 mg + pegylated interferon alpha2a (PegIFN-α2a) for the front-line treatment of chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Long-term analyses included overall and progression-free survival, molecular responses to treatment, and severe adverse events. Starting in 2003, the trial included 787 evaluable patients. The median overall follow-up of the patients was 13.5 years (range 3 months to 16.7 years). Based on intention-to-treat analyses, at 15 years, overall and progression-free survival were similar across arms: 85%, 83%, 80%, and 82% and 84%, 87%, 79%, and 79% for the IM 400 mg (N = 223), IM 600 mg (N = 171), IM 400 mg + AraC (N = 172), and IM 400 mg + PegIFN-α2a (N = 221) arms, respectively. The rate of major molecular response at 12 months and deep molecular response (MR4) over time were significantly higher with the combination IM 400 mg + PegIFN-α2a than with IM 400 mg: p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0035, respectively. Progression to advanced phases and secondary malignancies were the most frequent causes of death. Toxicity was the main reason for stopping AraC or PegIFN-α2a treatment.