Folotyn (Pralatrexate Injection) for the Treatment of Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma: U.S. Food and Drug Administration Drug Approval Summary

• Published in: Clinical cancer research Vol. 16; no. 20; pp. 4921 - 4927
• Main Authors: MALIK, Shakun M, KE LIU, TORNOE, Christoffer, SUE CHING LIN, OCHELTREE, Terrance, VIALPANDO, Milinda, KACUBA, Alice, JUSTICE, Robert, PAZDUR, Richard, XU QIANG, SRIDHARA, Rajeshwari, SHENGHUI TANG, MCGUINN, W. David, VERBOIS, S. Leigh, MARATHE, Anshu, WILLIAMS, Gene M, BULLOCK, Julie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA American Association for Cancer Research 15.10.2010
• Subjects: Aged; Aminopterin - adverse effects; Aminopterin - analogs & derivatives; Aminopterin - chemistry; Aminopterin - therapeutic use; Antineoplastic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Drug Approval; Female; Folic Acid Antagonists - adverse effects; Folic Acid Antagonists - chemistry; Folic Acid Antagonists - therapeutic use; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Lymphoma, T-Cell - drug therapy; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; United States; United States Food and Drug Administration; United States; Antineoplastic agent; Human; Drug; Relapse; Treatment resistance; Patient; Malignant hemopathy; Non Hodgkin lymphoma; Peripheral T cell lymphoma; Pralatrexate; Antifolate; Treatment; Lymphoproliferative syndrome; Food and Drug Administration; Cancer
• ISSN: 1078-0432; 1557-3265
• DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-10-1214

On September 24, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval for Folotyn (pralatrexate injection, Allos Therapeutics, Inc.) as a single agent for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL); it is the first drug approved for this indication. This review was based on study PDX-008, a phase II, single-arm, nonrandomized, open-label, international, multicenter trial, designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of pralatrexate when administered concurrently with vitamin B(12) and folic acid supplementation in patients with relapsed or refractory PTCL. The overall response rate was 27% in 109 evaluable patients [95% confidence interval (CI), 19-36%]. Twelve percent of 109 evaluable patients (95% CI, 7-20%)] had a response duration of ≥14 weeks. Six of these 13 patients achieved a complete response, and one patient had complete response unconfirmed. The most common grade 3 and 4 toxicities were thrombocytopenia, mucositis, and neutropenia. This accelerated approval was based on a response rate that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit in this heavily pretreated patient population with this rare disease. The applicant has committed to conducting postmarketing clinical trials to assess clinical benefit. The recommended starting dose of pralatrexate in patients with relapsed or refractory PTCL is 30 mg/m(2) via intravenous push over 3 to 5 min weekly for 6 weeks followed by a one-week rest (one cycle). Intramuscular injection of 1 mg vitamin B(12) should be administered every 8 to 10 weeks along with 1.0 mg folic acid given orally once a day.