Population pharmacokinetic and exposure-response analyses from ALTA-1L: Model-based analyses supporting the brigatinib dose in ALK-positive NSCLC

Abstract

The ALK in Lung Cancer Trial of brigAtinib in First Line (ALTA-1L) compared brigatinib versus crizotinib in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor-naive patients with ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A population pharmacokinetic (PK) model was used to estimate brigatinib exposures for exposure-efficacy and exposure-safety analyses in ALTA-1L. A previously developed population PK model for brigatinib was applied to estimate brigatinib PK parameters. Relationships between static (time-independent) and dynamic (time-varying) exposure metrics and efficacy (progression-free survival [PFS], objective response rate [ORR], and intracranial ORR [iORR]) and safety outcomes (selected grade ≥2 and grade ≥3 adverse events [AEs]) were evaluated using logistic regression and time-to-event analyses. There were no meaningful differences in brigatinib PK in the first-line and second-line settings, supporting use of the previous population PK model for the first-line population. Exposure-response analyses showed no significant effect of time-varying brigatinib exposure on PFS. Brigatinib exposure was not significantly related to ORR, but higher exposure was associated with higher iORR (odds ratio: 1.13, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.28, p = 0.049). Across the observed median exposure (5th-95th percentile) at steady state for 180 mg once daily, the predicted probability of iORR was 0.83 (0.58-0.99). AEs significantly associated with higher exposure were elevated lipase (grade ≥3) and amylase (grade ≥2). Time to first brigatinib dose reduction was not related to exposure. These results support the benefit-risk profile of first-line brigatinib 180 mg once daily (7-day lead-in dose at 90 mg once daily) in patients with ALK+ NSCLC.