Is plerixafor a safe addition to chemotherapy treatment for AML?

This study looked at the safety and effectiveness of adding plerixafor (Mozibil) to FLAG-Ida (fludarabine [Fludara], idarubicin [Idamycin], cytarabine [Cytosar-U] and G-CSF) in the treatment of patients with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia. The study found that adding plerixafor to FLAG-Ida treatment (together called PLERIFLAG) was a safe and effective method of treating AML.

Acute myeloid leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow which leads to abnormal white blood cells in the immune system. It is often treated by destroying abnormal cells with chemotherapy (myeloablation) and replacing them with normal cells (stem cell transplantation). FLAG-Ida is a commonly used chemotherapy treatment in AML. Plerixafor is a drug which stimulates the abnormal immune cells to make the chemotherapy more effective. It is important to research if adding plerixafor to FLAG-Ida treatment is safe and effective in AML.

41 patients received PLERIFLAG treatment. 26 (64%) patients had primary refractory AML (did not respond to treatment) and 15 (36%) were in early relapse (disease was returning).

Overall, 20 (49%) reached complete remission (CR – no sign of cancer). 3 (7%) died during the beginning of the treatment. 25 (61%) received transplantation treatment. CR was reached in 13/26 (50%) of primary refractory patients and 7/15 (47%) of patients in early relapse. Overall survival rate was 9.9 months and survival without disease was 13 months.

Side effects of PLERIFLAG treatment included infection (61%), fever associated with low white blood cells (17%), liver abnormalities (20%), gastrointestinal problems (15%) and tiredness (5%). 7 (17%) of patients had no side effects of treatment. Only fever and blood pressure side effects were linked with plerixafor.

The study concluded that plerixafor was a safe and effective addition to treatment in patients with AML.

The authors note that this study was partly industry-funded.