Meta-analysis of anti-VEGF class adverse events from three double-blind (Db) placebo (Pbo)-controlled phase III trials with IV aflibercept (Afl).

Abstract

561 Background: Three Db Pbo controlled studies were conducted with IV Afl in metastatic cancer patients [colorectal (CRC) Afl+FOLFIRI (WCGC 2011 abstract O-0024), lung (LC) Afl+docetaxel (WCLC 2011, abstract 511) and pancreatic (PC) Afl+gemcitabine (WCGC 2009 abstract O-0006)]. Each study used the same weekly Afl dose intensity (4 mg/kg q2w for CRC and PC; 6mg/kg q3w for LC). A safety meta-analysis of anti-VEGF class adverse events (AE) was performed on data from these studies. Methods: A fixed-effect logistic regression model was used, including study, treatment and study-by-treatment interaction factors as covariates to test the consistency of treatment effect across studies for each of the considered AE. When no evidence of heterogeneity of treatment effects was found across studies, relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. Summary incidences (% of patients [pts]) and RR are presented for NCI grade 3-4 events. Results: Safety data from total of 2,662 pts (Afl: 1,333; Pbo: 1,329) were included for analysis (Table). Among pts treated with Afl, 0.4 and 0.5% experienced grade 4 hypertension and nephrotic syndrome, respectively. Conclusions: The addition of Afl to concurrent chemotherapies did not increase the risk of VTE. The risk of grade 3-4 anti-VEGF class AEs was increased when adding Afl to concurrent chemotherapies. This increased risk was statistically significant (**) only for hypertension, proteinuria and hemorrhage. Further analyses, when more data are available, should improve the precision of these results. Studies were sponsored by Sanofi NCT00561470 , NCT00532155 , and NCT00574275 . [Table: see text]