| Pharmacotherapeutic group: Antihemorrhagics, ATC code: B02BX04Romiplostim is an Fc-peptide fusion protein (peptibody) that signals and activates intracellular transcriptional pathways via the thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor (also known as cMpl) to increase platelet production. The peptibody molecule is comprised of a human immunoglobulin IgG1 Fc domain, with each single-chain subunit covalently linked at the C-terminus to a peptide chain containing 2 TPO receptor-binding domains.Romiplostim has no amino acid sequence homology to endogenous TPO. In pre-clinical and clinical studies no anti-romiplostim antibodies cross reacted with endogenous TPO. Clinical data The safety and efficacy of romiplostim have been evaluated for up to 3 years of continuous treatment. In clinical studies, treatment with romiplostim resulted in dose-dependent increases in platelet count. Time to reach the maximum effect on platelet count is approximately 10-14 days, and is independent of the dose. After a single subcutaneous dose of 1 to 10 µg/kg romiplostim in ITP patients, the peak platelet count was 1.3 to 14.9 times greater than the baseline platelet count over a 2 to 3 week period and the response was variable among patients. The platelet counts of ITP patients who received 6 weekly doses of 1 or 3 µg/kg of romiplostim were within the range of 50 to 450 x 109/l for most patients. Of the 271 patients who received romiplostim in ITP clinical studies, 55 (20%) were age 65 and over, and 27 (10%) were 75 and over. No overall differences in safety or efficacy have been observed between older and younger patients in the placebo-controlled studies.Results from pivotal placebo-controlled studies The safety and efficacy of romiplostim was evaluated in two placebo-controlled, double-blind studies in adults with ITP who had completed at least one treatment prior to study entry and are representative of the entire spectrum of such ITP patients.Study S1 (212) evaluated patients who were non-splenectomised and had an inadequate response or were intolerant to prior therapies. Patients had been diagnosed with ITP for approximately 2 years at the time of study entry. Patients had a median of 3 (range, 1 to 7) treatments for ITP prior to study entry. Prior treatments included corticosteroids (90% of all patients), immunoglobulins (76%), rituximab (29%), cytotoxic therapies (21%), danazol (11%), and azathioprine (5%). Patients had a median platelet count of 19 x 109/l at study entry.Study S2 (105) evaluated patients who were splenectomised and continued to have thrombocytopenia. Patients had been diagnosed with ITP for approximately 8 years at the time of study entry. In addition to a splenectomy, patients had a median of 6 (range, 3 to 10) treatments for ITP prior to study entry. Prior treatments included corticosteroids (98% of all patients), immunoglobulins (97%), rituximab (71%), danazol (37%), cytotoxic therapies (68%), and azathioprine (24%). Patients had a median platelet count of 14 x 109/l at study entry.Both studies were similarly designed. Patients ( 18 years) were randomised in a 2:1 ratio to receive a starting dose of romiplostim 1 µg/kg or placebo. Patients received single subcutaneous weekly injections for 24 weeks. Doses were adjusted to maintain (50 to 200 x 109/l) platelet counts. In both studies, efficacy was determined by an increase in the proportion of patients who achieved a durable platelet response. The median average weekly dose for splenectomised patients was 3 µg/kg and for non-splenectomised patients was 2 µg/kg. A significantly higher proportion of patients receiving romiplostim achieved a durable platelet response compared to patients receiving placebo in both studies. Following the first 4-weeks of study romiplostim maintained platelet counts > 50 x 109/l in between 50% to 70% of patients during the 6 month treatment period in the placebo-controlled studies. In the placebo group, 0% to 7% of patients were able achieve a platelet count response during the 6 months of treatment. A summary of the key efficacy endpoints is presented below.Summary of key efficacy results from placebo-controlled studies | | Study 1 non-splenectomised patients
| Study 2 splenectomised patients | Combined studies 1 & 2 | | romiplostim (n = 41) | Placebo (n = 21) | romiplostim (n = 42) | Placebo (n = 21) | romiplostim (n = 83) | Placebo (n = 42) | No. (%) patients with durable platelet responsea | 25 (61%) | 1 (5%) | 16 (38%) | 0 (0%) | 41 (50%) | 1 (2%) | (95% CI) | (45%, 76%) | (0%, 24%) | (24%, 54%) | (0%, 16%) | (38%, 61%) | (0%, 13%) | p-value | < 0.0001 | 0.0013 | < 0.0001 | No. (%) patients with overall platelet responseb | 36 (88%) | 3 (14%) | 33 (79%) | 0 (0%) | 69 (83%) | 3 (7%) | (95% CI) | (74%, 96%) | (3%, 36%) | (63%, 90%) | (0%, 16%) | (73%, 91%) | (2%, 20%) | p-value | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 | Mean no. weeks with platelet responsec | 15 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 1 | (SD) | 3.5 | 7.5 | 7.9 | 0.5 | 7.8 | 2.5 | p-value | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 | No. (%) patients requiring rescue therapiesd | 8(20%) | 13 (62%) | 11 (26%) | 12 (57%) | 19 (23%) | 25 (60%) | (95% CI) | (9%, 35%) | (38%, 82%) | (14%, 42%) | (34%, 78%) | (14%, 33%) | (43%, 74%) | p-value | 0.001 | 0.0175 | < 0.0001 | No. (%) patients with durable platelet response with stable dosee | 21 (51%) | 0 (0%) | 13 (31%) | 0 (0%) | 34 (41%) | 0 (0%) | (95% CI) | (35%, 67%) | (0%, 16%) | (18%, 47%) | (0%, 16%) | (30%, 52%) | (0%, 8%) | p-value | 0.0001 | 0.0046 | < 0.0001 | a
Durable platelet response was defined as weekly platelet count > 50 x 109/l for 6 or more times for study weeks 18-25 in the absence of rescue therapies any time during the treatment period. b
Overall platelet response is defined as achieving durable or transient platelet responses. Transient platelet response was defined as weekly platelet count > 50 x 109/l for 4 or more times during study weeks 2-25 but without durable platelet response. Patient may not have a weekly response within 8 weeks after receiving any rescue medicinal products. c
Number of weeks with platelet response is defined as number of weeks with platelet counts > 50 x 109/l during study weeks 2-25. Patient may not have a weekly response within 8 weeks after receiving any rescue medicinal products. d
Rescue therapies defined as any therapy administered to raise platelet counts. Patients requiring rescue medicinal products were not considered for durable platelet response. Rescue therapies allowed in the study were IVIG, platelet transfusions, anti-D immunoglobulin, and corticosteroids. e
Stable dose defined as dose maintained within ± 1 µg/kg during the last 8 weeks of treatment. |
Reduction in permitted concurrent ITP medical therapies In both placebo-controlled, double-blind studies, patients already receiving ITP medical therapies at a constant dosing schedule were allowed to continue receiving these medical treatments throughout the study (corticosteroids, danazol and/or azathioprine). Twenty-one non-splenectomised and 18 splenectomised patients received on-study ITP medical treatments (primarily corticosteroids) at the start of study. All (100%) splenectomised patients who were receiving romiplostim were able to reduce the dose by more than 25% or discontinue the concurrent ITP medical therapies by the end of the treatment period compared to 17% of placebo treated patients. Seventy-three percent of non-splenectomised patients receiving romiplostim were able to reduce the dose by more than 25% or discontinue concurrent ITP medical therapies by the end of the study compared to 50% of placebo treated patients (see section 4.5). Bleeding events Across the entire ITP clinical programme an inverse relationship between bleeding events and platelet counts was observed. All clinically significant ( grade 3) bleeding events occurred at platelet counts < 30 x 109/l. All bleeding events > grade 2 occurred at platelet counts < 50 x 109/l. No statistically significant differences in the overall incidence of bleeding events were observed between Nplate and placebo treated patients.In the two placebo-controlled studies, 9 patients reported a bleeding event that was considered serious (5 [6.0%] romiplostim, 4 [9.8%] placebo; Odds Ratio [romiplostim/placebo] = 0.59; 95% CI = (0.15, 2.31)). Bleeding events that were grade 2 or higher were reported by 15% of patients treated with romiplostim and 34% of patients treated with placebo (Odds Ratio; [romiplostim/placebo] = 0.35; 95% CI = (0.14, 0.85)). | |