Bendamustine offers significantly greater efficacy than chlorambucil, and a manageable toxicity profile, when used as first-line therapy in patients with advanced CLL.

To cite this article: Manco-Johnson MJ, Kempton CL, Reding MT, Lissitchkov T, Goranov S, Gercheva L, Rusen L, Ghinea M, Uscatescu V, Rescia V, Hong W. Randomized, controlled, parallel-group trial of routine prophylaxis vs. on-demand treatment with sucrose-formulated recombinant factor VIII in adults with severe hemophilia A (SPINART). J Thromb Haemost 2013; 11: 1119-27.Summary. Background: The benefits of routine prophylaxis vs. on-demand treatment with factor VIII products have not been evaluated in controlled clinical trials in older patients with hemophilia A. Objectives: To report results from a preplanned analysis of data from the first year of the 3-year SPINART study, which compares routine prophylaxis with on-demand treatment with sucroseformulated recombinant FVIII (rFVIII-FS). Patients/ Methods: SPINART is an open-label, randomized, controlled, parallel-group, multinational trial. Males aged 12-50 years with severe hemophilia A, ! 150 days of exposure to FVIII, no FVIII inhibitors, no prophylaxis for > 12 consecutive months in the past 5 years and 6-24 bleeding episodes in the preceding 6 months were randomized 1 : 1 to rFVIII-FS prophylaxis (25 IU kg À1 , three times weekly) or on-demand treatment. The primary efficacy endpoint, number of total bleeding episodes in the intent-to-treat population, was analyzed after the last patient had completed 1 year of follow-up. A negative binomial model was used for the primary endpoint analysis; analysis of variance was used for confirmatory analysis of annualized bleeding rates. Results: Eighty-four patients were enrolled and analyzed (n = 42 per group; mean age, 30.6 years; median treatment duration, 1.7 years). The median number of total bleeding episodes and total bleeding episodes per year were significantly lower with prophylaxis than with on-demand treatment (total, 0 vs. 54.5; total per year, 0 vs. 27.9; both P < 0.0001). No treatmentrelated adverse events occurred, and no patients developed FVIII inhibitors. Conclusions: Routine prophylaxis with rFVIII-FS leads to a significant reduction in bleeding as compared with on-demand treatment. Adverse events were consistent with the established rFVIII-FS safety profile.

Background Limited data exist on the impact of prophylaxis on adults with severe hemophilia A and pre-existing joint disease. Objectives To describe 3-year bleeding, joint health and structure, health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) and other outcomes from the open-label, randomized, multinational SPINART study. Patients/Methods Males aged 12-50 years with severe hemophilia A, ≥ 150 factor VIII exposure days, no inhibitors and no prophylaxis for > 12 consecutive months in the past 5 years were randomized to sucrose-formulated recombinant FVIII prophylaxis or on-demand therapy (OD). Data collected included total and joint bleeding events (BEs), joint structure (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]), joint health (Colorado Adult Joint Assessment Scale [CAJAS]), HRQoL, pain, healthcare resource utilization (HRU), activity, and treatment satisfaction. Results Following 3 years of prophylaxis, adults maintained excellent adherence, with a 94% reduction in BEs despite severe pre-existing arthropathy; 35.7% and 76.2% of prophylaxis participants were bleed-free or had fewer than two BEs per year, respectively. As compared with OD, prophylaxis was associated with improved CAJAS scores (least squares [LS] mean, - 0.31 [n = 42] versus + 0.63 [n = 42]) and HAEMO-QoL-A scores (LS mean, + 3.98 [n = 41] versus - 6.00 [n = 42]), less chronic pain (50% decrease), and approximately two-fold less HRU; activity, Euro QoL-5D-3L (EQ-5D-3L) scores and satisfaction scores also favored prophylaxis. However, MRI score changes were not different for prophylaxis versus OD (LS mean, + 0.79 [n = 41] versus + 0.96 [n = 38]). Conclusions Over a period of 3 years, prophylaxis versus OD in adults with severe hemophilia A and arthropathy led to decreased bleeding, pain, and HRU, better joint health, activity, satisfaction, and HRQoL, but no reduction in structural arthropathy progression, suggesting that pre-existing joint arthropathy may be irreversible.

SummaryThe efficacy of bendamustine versus chlorambucil in a phase III trial of previously untreated patients with Binet stage B/C chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) was re-evaluated after a median observation time of 54 months in May 2010. Overall survival (OS) was analysed for the first time. At follow-up, investigator-assessed complete response (CR) rate (21Á0% vs 10Á8%), median progression-free survival (21Á2 vs 8Á8 months; P < 0Á0001; hazard ratio 2Á83) and time to next treatment (31Á7 vs 10Á1 months; P < 0Á0001) were improved for bendamustine over chlorambucil. OS was not different between groups for all patients or those 65 years, >65 years, responders and non-responders. However, patients with objective response or a CR experienced a significantly longer OS than non-responders or those without a CR. Significantly more patients on chlorambucil progressed to second/further lines of treatment compared with those on bendamustine (78Á3% vs 63Á6%; P = 0Á004). The benefits of bendamustine over chlorambucil were achieved without reducing quality of life. In conclusion, bendamustine is significantly more effective than chlorambucil in previously untreated CLL patients, with the achievement of a CR or objective response appearing to prolong OS. Bendamustine should be considered as a preferred first-line option over chlorambucil for CLL patients ineligible for fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab.