Purpose: To determine the maximum recommended dose (RD) and pharmacokinetics of Myocet®, a non-pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, in children.
Methods: Eligible patients were children with refractory high-grade glioma who had received prior chemotherapy and radiotherapy but no anthracyclines. Cohorts of at least three patients each received escalating doses of Myocet® starting at 60 mg/m(2) at 3-week intervals, administered intravenously over 1 h, and then doses were escalated to 75 mg/m(2) corresponding to the adult RD. Periodic blood samples were collected, and plasma doxorubicin and doxorubicinol concentrations were quantified to characterise the pharmacokinetics of Myocet®.
Results: Between October 2010 and January 2013, 13 children aged 6-17 years were treated. In total, 27 courses were administered, at the 60 mg/m(2) dose level in seven patients without dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), and at 75 mg/m(2) in six patients of whom two experienced DLT (grade 4 neutropenia). The most common grade 3-4 toxicities reported for all courses were neutropenia (35 and 38 %, respectively), thrombocytopenia (12 and 4 %, respectively); and grade 3 vomiting, nausea, mucositis, and fever (4 % each). Mean estimates of central volume of distribution at steady state, clearance, and elimination half-life of doxorubicin were 24.8 L, 15 L/h/m(2), and 34.8 h, respectively, with a large interpatient variability.
Conclusion: The RD of Myocet® administered every 3 weeks to paediatric patients was 60 mg/m(2). The efficacy of Myocet® in paediatric patients with high-grade glioma remains to be determined and should be studied in Phase II trials.