Model‐Based Benefit/Risk Analysis for the Copanlisib Intermittent Dosing Regimen

Abstract

Copanlisib is an intravenously administered phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, which is approved as monotherapy for relapsed follicular lymphoma in adult patients who have received at least two systemic therapies. In an April 2022 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Oncology Drug Advisory Committee (ODAC), the benefit–risk profile of the class PI3K inhibitors were scrutinized for use in hematological malignancies. Specifically, their unique toxicities may contribute to the high incidences in reported serious and high‐grade treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs), thereby reducing their overall tolerability and potentially limiting their successful use. These tolerability concerns may be contributed by or compounded by inadequate dose optimization. The recommended dosing regimen of copanlisib 60 mg administered on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28‐day cycle was selected as the maximal tolerated dose (MTD) during phase I. Thus, this analysis sought to justify the copanlisib dose regimen selection. Copanlisib exposure‐efficacy relationships were considered from its large phase III trial, CHRONOS‐3, whereas copanlisib safety was investigated by pooling data across its two large clinical trials to comprehensively assess its exposure‐safety relationships. Results demonstrated a statistically significant positive linear exposure‐efficacy relationship at the MTD. Exposure‐safety analyses revealed a borderline significant linear relationship for grade ≥3 TEAEs and no significant exposure‐safety relationships for other investigated safety end points. The model‐based benefit/risk framework considered the established exposure‐response models and defined clinical utility function which confirmed the appropriateness of the copanlisib dosing regimen across the range of its achieved exposures.