Primary Objective:

To evaluate the safety of aflibercept in participants with mCRC treated with irinotecan/5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) combination (FOLFIRI) after failure of an oxaliplatin-based regimen (participants similar to those evaluated in the VELOUR trial [EFC10262, NCT00561470]) according to side effects prevention and management guidelines.

Secondary Objective:

To document the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) of aflibercept in this participant population.

Each participant was treated until disease progression (DP), unacceptable toxicity, death, Investigator's decision or participant's refusal for further treatment (whichever come first). Participants were followed-up during treatment and for at least 30 days after its last study treatment (either Aflibercept or FOLFIRI) administration, up to a maximum of 6 months.

Inclusion criteria:

• Histologically or cytologically proven adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum.
• Metastatic disease.
• Age ≥18 years.
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0-1.
• One and only one prior chemotherapeutic regimen for metastatic disease. This prior chemotherapy must be an oxaliplatin containing regimen. Participants must progressed during or following the last administration of the oxaliplatin based chemotherapy. Participants relapsing within 6 months of completion of oxaliplatin adjuvant chemotherapy were also eligible.
• Participants must be affiliated to a Social Security System.

Exclusion criteria:

Related to Methodology

• Prior therapy with irinotecan; Absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) <1.5 x 109/L; Platelet count <100 x 109/L; Hemoglobin <9.0 g/dL; Total bilirubin >1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN); Transaminases >3 x ULN (unless liver metastasis are present, 5 x ULN in that case); Alkaline phosphatase >3 x ULN (unless liver metastasis are present, 5 x ULN in that case).
• Less than 4 weeks elapsed from prior radiotherapy or prior chemotherapy or major surgery to the time of inclusion or until the surgical wound was fully healed whichever came later (48 hours in case of minor surgical procedure or until wound full healing observed).
• Treatment with any investigational drug within 30 days prior to inclusion.
• AEs (with exception of alopecia, peripheral sensory neuropathy and those listed in specific exclusion criteria) from any prior anti cancer therapy of grade >1 National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [NCI CTCAE] v.4.0 at the time of inclusion.
• History of brain metastases, uncontrolled spinal cord compression, or carcinomatous meningitis or new evidence of brain or leptomeningeal disease.
• Other prior malignancy. Basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix or any other cancer from which the participant had been disease free for >5 years were allowed.
• Any of the following within 6 months prior to inclusion: myocardial infarction, severe/unstable angina pectoris, coronary/peripheral artery bypass graft, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV congestive heart failure, stroke or transient ischemic attack.
• Any of the following within 3 months prior to inclusion: Grade 3-4 gastrointestinal bleeding/hemorrhage, treatment resistant peptic ulcer disease, erosive oesophagitis or gastritis, infectious or inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, pulmonary embolism or other uncontrolled thromboembolic event.
• Occurrence of deep vein thrombosis within 4 weeks, prior to inclusion.
• Known acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related illnesses or known human deficiency virus (HIV) disease requiring antiretroviral treatment.
• Any severe acute or chronic medical condition, which could impair the ability of the participant to participate to the study or to interfere with interpretation of study results.
• Pregnant or breast-feeding women. Positive pregnancy test for women of reproductive potential.
• Participants with reproductive potential (female and male) who did not agree to use a method of contraception during the study treatment period and for at least 6 months following completion of study treatment. The definition of effective method was left to the investigator's judgment.

Related to Aflibercept:

• Urine protein-creatinine ratio (UPCR) >1 on morning spot urinalysis or proteinuria > 500 mg/24-h.
• Serum creatinine >1.5 x ULN . If creatinine 1.0-1.5 x ULN, creatinine clearance, calculated according to Cockroft-Gault formula, <60 ml/min will exclude the participant.
• Uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure >140/90 mmHg or systolic blood pressure >160 mmHg when diastolic blood pressure <90 mmHg, on at least 2 repeated determinations on separate days, or upon clinical judgement within 3 months prior to study inclusion.
• Participants on anticoagulant therapy with unstable dose of warfarin and/or having an out-of-therapeutic range international normalized ratio (INR) (>3) within the 4 weeks prior to inclusion.
• Evidence of clinically significant bleeding diathesis or underlying coagulopathy (e.g. INR >1.5 without vitamine K antagonist therapy), non-healing wound.

Related to FOLFIRI

• Known dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency.
• Predisposing colonic or small bowel disorders in which the symptoms were uncontrolled as indicated by baseline of >3 loose stools daily.
• Prior history of chronic enteropathy, inflammatory enteropathy, chronic diarrhea, unresolved bowel obstruction/sub-obstruction, more than hemicolectomy, extensive small intestine resection with chronic diarrhea.
• History of anaphylaxis or known intolerance to atropine sulphate or loperamide or appropriate antiemetics to be administered in conjunction with FOLFIRI.
• Treatment with concomitant anticonvulsivant agents that are cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) inducers (phenytoin, phenobarbital, carbamazepine), unless discontinued >7 days.
• Participants with known Gilbert's syndrome.

The above information was not intended to contain all considerations relevant to a participant's potential participation in a clinical trial.

All Adverse Events (AE) were collected from signature of the informed consent form up to the final visit (Day 723) regardless of seriousness or relationship to investigational product.

Reported AEs and deaths are treatment-emergent that is AEs that developed/worsened and deaths that occurred during 'on-treatment period' (from the first dose of treatment to 30 days after the last dose of treatment [either aflibercept or FOLFIRI]).