Impact of veliparib, paclitaxel dosing regimen, and germline BRCA status on the primary treatment of serous ovarian cancer - an ancillary data analysis of the VELIA trial

Gynecol Oncol. 2022 Feb;164(2):278-287. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2021.12.012. Epub 2021 Dec 18.

Abstract

Objective: In the Phase 3 VELIA trial (NCT02470585), veliparib added to carboplatin plus paclitaxel concomitantly and as maintenance for women with newly-diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) versus chemotherapy alone. Here we present exploratory analyses by paclitaxel dosing schedule and germline BRCA (gBRCA) status.

Methods: Women with untreated ovarian carcinoma were randomized (1:1:1) to: veliparib during chemotherapy and maintenance (veliparib-throughout), veliparib during chemotherapy followed by placebo maintenance (veliparib-combination only), or placebo during chemotherapy and maintenance (control). Chemotherapy included carboplatin plus dose-dense (DD; weekly) or every-3-week (Q3W) paclitaxel (a stratification factor at randomization), selected at the investigator's discretion pre-randomization. PFS was assessed by paclitaxel dosing schedule using a Cox proportional hazard model adjusted by treatment arm and stratification factors; safety was analyzed based on paclitaxel dosing schedule and gBRCA status.

Results: 1132 patients were analyzed by paclitaxel schedule. Pooled treatment arms demonstrated longer median PFS with DD (n = 586) versus Q3W (n = 546) paclitaxel (ITT: 20.5 vs 15.7 months, hazard ratio [HR] 0.77; homologous recombination proficient cancer: 15.1 vs 11.8 months, HR 0.64; BRCAwt: 18.0 vs 12.9 months, HR 0.70). Comparison between arms favored veliparib-throughout versus control in both DD (PFS, 24.2 vs 18.3 months, hazard ratio 0.67) and Q3W (19.3 vs 14.6, hazard ratio 0.69) subgroups. DD paclitaxel was associated with higher incidence of Grade 3/4 neutropenia, fatigue, and anemia versus Q3W. There were no differences in toxicity between gBRCAm (n = 211) and gBRCAwt (n = 902) subgroups.

Conclusions: DD paclitaxel was tolerable and associated with longer PFS in the HR proficient and gBRCAwt groups, versus Q3W. gBRCA status did not impact safety.

Keywords: Dose-dense paclitaxel; Homologous recombination deficiency; Ovarian cancer; PARP inhibitor; Veliparib; gBRCA.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / administration & dosage*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Benzimidazoles / therapeutic use*
  • Carboplatin / administration & dosage
  • Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial / pathology
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Female
  • Genes, BRCA1
  • Genes, BRCA2
  • Germ-Line Mutation
  • Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome / genetics
  • Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome / pathology
  • Humans
  • Induction Chemotherapy
  • Maintenance Chemotherapy
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms, Cystic, Mucinous, and Serous / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms, Cystic, Mucinous, and Serous / genetics
  • Neoplasms, Cystic, Mucinous, and Serous / pathology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • Paclitaxel / administration & dosage*
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Progression-Free Survival
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Benzimidazoles
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors
  • veliparib
  • Carboplatin
  • Paclitaxel