Phase I study of the anti-CD40 humanized monoclonal antibody lucatumumab (HCD122) in relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Leuk Lymphoma. 2012 Nov;53(11):2136-42. doi: 10.3109/10428194.2012.681655. Epub 2012 Jun 12.

Abstract

Lucatumumab is a fully humanized anti-CD40 antibody that blocks interaction of CD40L with CD40 and also mediates antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). We evaluated lucatumumab in a phase I clinical trial in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Twenty-six patients with relapsed CLL were enrolled on five different dose cohorts administered weekly for 4 weeks. The maximally tolerated dose (MTD) of lucatumumab was 3.0 mg/kg. Four patients at doses of 4.5 mg/kg and 6.0 mg/kg experienced grade 3 or 4 asymptomatic elevated amylase and lipase levels. Of the 26 patients enrolled, 17 patients had stable disease (mean duration of 76 days, range 29-504 days) and one patient had a nodular partial response for 230 days. Saturation of CD40 receptor on CLL cells was uniform at all doses post-treatment but also persisted at trough time points in the 3.0 mg/kg or greater cohorts. At the MTD, the median half-life of lucatumumab was 50 h following the first infusion, and 124 h following the fourth infusion. In summary, lucatumumab had acceptable tolerability, pharmacokinetics that supported chronic dosing and pharmacodynamic target antagonism at doses of 3.0 mg/kg, but demonstrated minimal single-agent activity. Future efforts with lucatumumab in CLL should focus on combination-based therapy.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase I
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / adverse effects
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / pharmacokinetics
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use*
  • CD40 Antigens / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Recurrence

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • CD40 Antigens
  • lucatumumab