A randomized phase III trial in patients with recurrent platinum sensitive ovarian cancer comparing efficacy and safety of paclitaxel micellar and Cremophor EL-paclitaxel.

OBJECTIVE

Paclitaxel micellar was developed to avoid Cremophor-EL (Cr-EL) associated dose limiting toxicity and to allow a shorter infusion time. The efficacy and safety of paclitaxel micellar (+carboplatin) was compared to Cr-EL paclitaxel (+carboplatin) in recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian, fallopian tube or peritoneal carcinoma.

METHODS

This was a multicentre, open-label, randomized phase III trial. Adult patients with recurrent disease was assigned to six 3-week cycles of paclitaxel micellar (250 mg/m2) administered as 1-h infusion or Cr-EL paclitaxel (175 mg/m2) as 3-h infusion. Both arms received carboplatin (AUC 5-6). Primary objective was non-inferiority for progression free survival (PFS) using computed tomography scans. Overall survival (OS) was included as secondary endpoint.

RESULTS

Between 2009 and 2013, 789 patients were randomized to receive experimental (N = 397) or control (N = 392) treatment. PFS for paclitaxel micellar was non-inferior to Cr-EL paclitaxel with a hazard ratio of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.72;1.03) in the per protocol population (PP), favouring paclitaxel micellar (non-inferiority margin was 1.2). Non-inferiority of OS was shown in the PP population with a hazard ratio of 0.95 (95% CI: 0.78; 1.16), favouring paclitaxel micellar (non-inferiority margin was 1.185). The most common adverse event was neutropenia (grade ≥ 3); 245 patients (79%) for paclitaxel micellar vs 213 patients (66%) for Cr-EL paclitaxel. The frequency of peripheral sensory neuropathy (any grade) was similar between the arms; 16% for paclitaxel micellar and 20% for Cr-EL paclitaxel.

CONCLUSION

Paclitaxel micellar (+ carboplatin) is non-inferior to Cr-EL paclitaxel (+ carboplatin) in terms of PFS and OS in the studied population. It provides a treatment option of a higher paclitaxel dose with a shorter infusion time without mandatory premedication.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: 2008-002668-32 (EudraCT), NCT00989131 (ClinicalTrials.gov).