The purpose of this randomized, two-arm, open-label expansion phase study was to collect preliminary efficacy data of panobinostat at the recommended phase II dose (RPIID) level in combination with azacytidine (5-Aza) versus an active control arm 5-Aza alone. This randomized phase II part also allowed collecting safety data of panobinostat in combination with 5-Aza in comparison to single-agent 5-aza.

The primary objective of the phase lb portion of this study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD )and/or recommended phase ll dose (RPIID) of oral panobinostat in combination with a fixed dose of 5-Aza in adult patients with International Prognostic Scoring System intermediate-2 (IPSS INT-2) or high risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), or Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).

The primary objective of the phase llb portion of this study was to assess preliminary efficacy of treatment with the panobinostat and 5-Aza combination at the RPIID relative to treatment with single agent 5-Aza through the assessment of composite CR (complete response (CR) or CRi or bone marrow CR).

In the phase lb phase of the study, the patients received escalating oral doses of panobinostat commencing in Cycle 1. The starting dose for panobinostat was 20 mg/day administered orally commencing on Day 3. Each treatment cycle consisted of 28 days (4 weeks). In each cycle, panobinostat was administered twice in Week 1 (Day 3, Day 5), thrice in Week 2 (Day 8, Day 10, and Day 12) and once in Week 3 (Day 15), with no dosing in Week 4. Successive cohorts of patients received escalating doses of panobinostat until the MTD/RPIID was determined. The dose of 5-Aza was fixed at 75 mg/m2/day for 7 days in Week 1 of each cycle.

After the MTD/RPIID was determined, enrollment in the Phase Ib part was closed and the Phase IIb part of the study commenced. Ongoing patients from the Phase Ib part continued their treatment at the assigned dose level according to the regimen and schedule for the Phase Ib part.

Once the RPIID was defined in Phase Ib, additional 80 patients were to be enrolled into the Phase IIb part of the study and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio receiving the RPIID of panobinostat plus 5-Aza (investigational arm) or single agent 5-Aza (active control arm). The treatment schedule for the investigational arm was the same as that for the Phase Ib. Single agent 5-Aza (active control arm) was administered according to the locally approved label (75mg/m2 daily for 7 days). Patients continued treatment until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or consent withdrawal, whichever came first.

Inclusion Criteria:

Phase l:

• Patients with cytopathologically confirmed diagnosis of AML according to WHO criteria, excluding acute promyelocytic leukemia who are eligible for Vidaza treatment
• ECOG performance status greater less than or equal to 2

Phase ll:

• Adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) who were candidates for treatment with 5-Aza and present with one of the following:

  • intermediate-2 or high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes according to the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS). OR
  • AML with multilineage dysplasia and maximum of 30% blasts (former RAEB-T according to FAB) OR
  • chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML)

• Patients must have had the following laboratory values unless elevations are considered due to MDS or leukemia: AST/SGOT and/or ALT/SGPT ≤ 2.5 x ULN; serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 x ULN; serum bilirubin (total and direct) ≤ 2 x ULN; electrolyte panel within normal ranges (WNL) for the institution.

Exclusion Criteria:

Phase l:

• Prior treatment with deacetylase inhibitors
• Concurrent therapy with any other investigational agent

Phase ll:

• Planned hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT)

• Patients with therapy-related MDS

• Patients with therapy-related AML and/or relapsed/refractory AML

• Patients with impaired cardiac function including any of the following:

  • Complete left bundle branch block or use of a permanent cardiac pacemaker, congenital long QT syndrome, history or presence of ventricular tachyarrhythmia, clinically significant resting bradycardia (<50 beats per minute), QTcF > 460 ms on screening ECG, or right bundle branch block + left anterior hemiblock (bifascicular block)
  • Presence of unstable atrial fibrillation (ventricular response rate >100 bpm). Patients with stable atrial fibrillation are eligible provided they do not meet the other cardiac exclusion criteria
  • Previous history of angina pectoris or acute MI within 6 months
  • Screening LVEF <45% by echocardiography or MUGA
  • Other clinically significant heart disease (e.g. uncontrolled hypertension or history of poor compliance with an antihypertensive regimen).

• Any of concurrent severe and/or uncontrolled medical conditions which could compromise participation in the study. For example:

  • Uncontrolled diabetes
  • Active or uncontrolled infection
  • Uncontrolled hypothyroidism
  • Acute or chronic liver or renal disease

• Patient had evidence of clinically significant mucosal or internal bleeding

Novartis is committed to sharing with qualified external researchers, access to patient-level data and supporting clinical documents from eligible studies. These requests are reviewed and approved by an independent expert panel on the basis of scientific merit. All data provided is anonymized to respect the privacy of patients who have participated in the trial in line with applicable laws and regulations.

This trial data is currently available according to the process described on www.clinicalstudydatarequest.com.

Treatment was assigned sequentially for the initial dose escalation part (phase Ib): If a dose was safe, the next cohort started with the next dose level. Randomization applies only for the phase IIb part.