Serial measurement of virological and immunological biomarkers in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 can give valuable insight into the pathogenic roles of viral replication and immune ...dysregulation. We aimed to characterise biomarker trajectories and their associations with clinical outcomes.
In this international, prospective cohort study, patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 and enrolled in the Therapeutics for Inpatients with COVID-19 platform trial within the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines programme between Aug 5, 2020 and Sept 30, 2021 were included. Participants were included from 108 sites in Denmark, Greece, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Uganda, the UK, and the USA, and randomised to placebo or one of four neutralising monoclonal antibodies: bamlanivimab (Aug 5 to Oct 13, 2020), sotrovimab (Dec 16, 2020, to March 1, 2021), amubarvimab-romlusevimab (Dec 16, 2020, to March 1, 2021), and tixagevimab-cilgavimab (Feb 10 to Sept 30, 2021). This trial included an analysis of 2149 participants with plasma nucleocapsid antigen, anti-nucleocapsid antibody, C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6, and D-dimer measured at baseline and day 1, day 3, and day 5 of enrolment. Day-90 follow-up status was available for 1790 participants. Biomarker trajectories were evaluated for associations with baseline characteristics, a 7-day pulmonary ordinal outcome, 90-day mortality, and 90-day rate of sustained recovery.
The study included 2149 participants. Participant median age was 57 years (IQR 46–68), 1246 (58·0%) of 2149 participants were male and 903 (42·0%) were female; 1792 (83·4%) had at least one comorbidity, and 1764 (82·1%) were unvaccinated. Mortality to day 90 was 172 (8·0%) of 2149 and 189 (8·8%) participants had sustained recovery. A pattern of less favourable trajectories of low anti-nucleocapsid antibody, high plasma nucleocapsid antigen, and high inflammatory markers over the first 5 days was observed for high-risk baseline clinical characteristics or factors related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. For example, participants with chronic kidney disease demonstrated plasma nucleocapsid antigen 424% higher (95% CI 319–559), CRP 174% higher (150–202), IL-6 173% higher (144–208), D-dimer 149% higher (134–165), and anti-nucleocapsid antibody 39% lower (60–18) to day 5 than those without chronic kidney disease. Participants in the highest quartile for plasma nucleocapsid antigen, CRP, and IL-6 at baseline and day 5 had worse clinical outcomes, including 90-day all-cause mortality (plasma nucleocapsid antigen hazard ratio (HR) 4·50 (95% CI 3·29–6·15), CRP HR 3·37 (2·30–4·94), and IL-6 HR 5·67 (4·12–7·80). This risk persisted for plasma nucleocapsid antigen and CRP after adjustment for baseline biomarker values and other baseline factors.
Patients admitted to hospital with less favourable 5-day biomarker trajectories had worse prognosis, suggesting that persistent viral burden might drive inflammation in the pathogenesis of COVID-19, identifying patients that might benefit from escalation of antiviral or anti-inflammatory treatment.
US National Institutes of Health.
Abstract only
2031
Background: Brain metastases from NSCLC occur in ~ 20% of pts and if untreated are associated with a 1 to 2 month overall survival (OS). Pre-clinical studies show that TPT added to ...radiation results in a radiotherapy enhancement ratio of 1.4 to 1.6. This trial was designed to test the effect of TPT co-administered with WBRT on OS. Methods: Pts with NSCLC and at least one measurable brain lesion were eligible. 472 pts were randomized to WBRT (3 Gy/day x 10 days) or WBRT and TPT 1.1 mg/m
2
/day for 10 days. Stratification factors: number of brain metastases and recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) class. Two weeks following WBRT, systemic anti-cancer therapy could be restarted at the treating physician’s discretion. Results: 468 pts were in the modified ITT population; 235 pts (WBRT + TPT) and 233 pts (WBRT+ best supportive care BSC). Of the 235 pts administered WBRT + TPT, 91 also received TPT after WBRT. The treatment arms were balanced for gender, age and smoking history. Median daily TPT dose was 2.25 mg. The median OS in the TPT arm was not better than in the BSC alone arm; 4.0 months (95%CI 3.4,4.8) vs.3.6 months (95%CI 3.0, 4.0), respectively; HR 0.88 (0.73, 1.07), P=0.1862. In the ITT population analysis by stratification variables, RPA class (I vs. II/III) was significantly different (HR 0.59) whereas baseline brain lesions (1 vs >1) were not (HR 0.97). Complete response and overall response rates in the WBRT+ TPT were 10% and 27%, and with BSC 5% and 26%, respectively. There were no differences in time to response or neurologic signs and symptoms. All adverse events (AEs) were more frequent in the TPT arm (87% vs. 64%) as were AEs related to study treatment (57% vs. 21%), serious AEs (41% vs. 18%) and fatal AEs (5% vs. 0%). The AEs more frequently seen in the TPT arm were typical for TPT (hematologic toxicity, febrile neutropenia and diarrhea). Conclusions: The study did not achieve its primary objective. There was no difference in OS achieved by the addition of TPT to WBRT. AEs were more common in the TPT arm. Clinical trial information: NCT00390806.
Abstract Objective To evaluate clinical activity of weekly topotecan plus carboplatin in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal carcinoma. Methods An ...open-label, single-arm, multicenter Phase I/II study. Phase II was the activity assessment phase, with overall response rate (ORR) as the primary endpoint. Eligible patients (females aged ≥ 18 years) received study treatment at the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) identified in Phase I: intravenous topotecan 2.5 mg/m2 (Days 1 and 8), followed by carboplatin AUC 5 (Day 1), every 21 days. A two-stage Green–Dahlberg design was used to assess efficacy of treatment. An ORR of ≤ 30% was required to conclude that treatment was ineffective. Results Twenty-two patients in Phase I permitted identification of the MTD. In Phase II, 55 patients (median age 64.0 years) were enrolled and included in the intent-to-treat population. There were six complete responses (10.9%) and 11 partial responses (20.0%), giving an ORR of 30.9% (17 patients; 95% CI: 18.7%, 43.1%). Median time to response and progression-free survival were 6.57 weeks (95% CI: 5.86, 12.57) and 44.29 weeks (95% CI: 36.14, 52.14), respectively. Grade 3/4 hematological toxicity caused dose reductions, treatment delays and study discontinuation. Neutropenia (Grade 3: 29%; Grade 4: 11%) was the most common hematological adverse event (AE). Fatigue (71%) and nausea (71%) were the most common drug-related non-hematologic AEs. Conclusions This study showed an acceptable benefit-risk profile for topotecan plus carboplatin. Further studies using alternative dose levels could help define an optimal dosing schedule for this treatment combination in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent disease.
Abstract only
2536
Background: To determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of the oral anti-angiogenic drug pazopanib in combination with oral topotecan, ...an inhibitor of topoisomerase-I. Methods: Two-stage, two-arm, dose escalation and pharmacokinetic phase I study of pazopanib and oral topotecan in patients with advanced solid tumors, (NCT00732420, www.clinicaltrials.gov). This interim report describes the bioavailability and safety results for daily pazopanib combined with oral topotecan (days 1, 8, 15) in a 28-day cycle. Results: Twenty-eight of 32 patients completed at least one cycle and were evaluable for analysis. Three dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) occurred: grade 3 hand-foot-syndrome, diarrhea and neutropenia. Pazopanib 800 mg/topotecan 10 mg exceeded the MTD with two DLTs in six patients. The most frequent treatment-related toxicities were grade 3 anemia (3/28), leukocytopenia, neutropenia and fatigue (2/28 each). One death due to hepatic failure occurred at pazopanib 800mg/toptecan 2mg in a heavily pre-treated patient with sarcoma that may have been related to paracetamol ingestion but attribution to the pazopanib can not be excluded. Topotecan AUC
0-∞
increased 1.58-fold (90%CI: 1.09–1.29) and C
max
increased 1.78-fold (90%CI: 1.08-2.92) when given with pazopanib compared to single administration (n=7). Pazopanib AUC
0-24
and C
max
ratios were not increased when co-administered with topotecan: 0.98 (90%CI: 0.95-1.02) and 0.96 (90%CI: 0.92-1.01). Twenty-three patients were evaluable for response (RECIST): PR (2/23; 9%, both ovarian cancer); SD (13/23; 57%) and PD (8/23; 35%). Pazopanib 800 mg/topotecan 8 mg is currently being explored in an expansion cohort. A second treatment arm of pazopanib 800 mg with topotecan daily x5 is ongoing and will be reported separately. Conclusions: Daily pazopanib and weekly oral topotecan is tolerable with handfoot syndrome, neutropenia and fatigue as dose limited side effects. Pazopanib increased topotecan exposure 1.58-fold (AUC
0-∞
) and 1.78-fold (C
max
). Clinical trial information: NCT00732420.
Systemic fusarial infections have emerged as a significant cause of mortality in cancer patients. Yet, little is known about the management of these infections. The in vivo antifungal activity of ...amphotericin B in CFj mice with disseminated fusarial infections was studied. Two pathogenic strains of Fusarium solani were used. Intraperitoneal administration of amphotericin B in daily doses of 0.5,1, and 2 mg/kg for <10 days did not prolong survival of treated animals. Clearance of F. solani from kidneys was similar in mice treated with 1 mg/kg per day of amphotericin B and in untreated animals. These results are in agreement with the known in vitro and in vivo resistance of Fusarium species to amphotericin B.
