Objectives

Explore the difference in response and survival rates for individuals with acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) who received mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) plus corticosteroids versus corticosteroids alone.

Background

Individuals with certain cancers, genetic blood diseases, autoimmune diseases, and skeletal dysplasia may be candidates to receive an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) as a potentially curative measure. A common and often fatal complication of receiving the transplant is acute graft-versus host disease (aGVHD). Historically, aGVHD has been treated with corticosteroids alone but favorable response rates are less than half prompting the need for better treatment options.

Participants

Adult and pediatric participants were eligible for this study if they were the recipient of an allogeneic HSCT and newly diagnosed with aGVHD. Participants also needed to be able to swallow the MMF or placebo capsules and have an absolute neutrophil count > 500 cells per μL without growth factors. Disqualifiers for study eligibility included receipt of MMF or mycophenolic acid within 7 days of screening, uncontrolled infections, hepatic veno-occlusive disease, chronic GVHD, or renal failure on dialysis.

A total of 235 patients participated in the study. Participants were randomized into either a treatment or placebo group. There were 116 participants in the treatment or MMF arm and 119 participants in the placebo arm.

Design

BMT CTN 0802 was a phase 3 multicenter randomized double-blinded trial. Randomization was stratified by transplant center and grade of aGVHD (I-II vs III-IV) at study entry. Eligible participants who required GVHD therapy were treated within 72 hours of enrollment. All patients in the study received corticosteroids at a dose of prednisone 2 mg/kg per day orally (or methylprednisolone 1.6 mg/kg per day IV). Patients were also given MMF or the placebo at a dose of 1000 mg or 20 mg/kg (for patients <60 kg) orally or IV every 8 hours.

Response to treatment was classified as complete, partial, progression, no response, or flare. Complete response (CR) was defined as complete resolution of all signs and symptoms of aGVHD, and a partial response (PR) was defined as improvement of 1 stage in 1 or more organs involved by GVHD without progression in others. Progression was defined as worsening in 1 or more organs, and no response was defined as stable disease or absence of improvement in any organ involved by GVHD within 14 days of therapy initiation. A flare in GVHD was defined as any increase in symptoms or therapy for aGVHD after an initial response (CR or PR). All toxicities were reported regardless of whether they were thought to be related to the study treatment.

Adult study participants who were able to communicate in English also completed the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI), a tool used to measure quality of life. Participants completed the inventory at enrolment and at day 56 ± 7 days.

The primary end point was acute or chronic GVHD-free survival at day 56 after initiation of therapy.

Conclusions

Results for this study concluded that the addition of MMF to corticosteroids as initial therapy for acute GVHD does not improve GVHD-free survival compared with corticosteroids alone. There was also no difference between the treatment arms in regards to quality of life measures.

Bolanos-Meade J, Logan B, Alousi A et al. Phase 3 clinical trial of steroids/mycophenolate mofetil vs steroids/placebo as therapy for acute GVHD: BMT CTN 0802. Blood. 2014;124(22):3221-3227. doi:10.1182/blood-2014-06-577023

Request Data

Please note that researchers must be registered on this site to submit a request, and you will be prompted to log in. If you are not registered on this site, you can do so via the Request button. Registration is quick, easy and free.