Pralatrexate injection combined with oral leucovorin for mucositis management in PTCL/CTCL treatment: a multicenter phase 2 trial

Abstract

Pralatrexate (Folotyn) is an antifolate indicated for the treatment of relapsed/refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), and although durable clinical benefit has been demonstrated, oral and gastrointestinal mucositis and/or skin reactions are frequent toxicity complications associated with pralatrexate treatment. Leucovorin (d,l-folinic acid) administration has been used as a standard rescue for patients receiving high-dose methotrexate therapy and has recently been studied in patients with PTCL and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma receiving pralatrexate. We describe results from a multicenter, phase 2, single-arm, open-label trial, conducted with the primary objective of evaluating the effect of leucovorin in preventing or reducing the incidence of grade 2 or higher oral mucositis associated with pralatrexate treatment in cycle 1. Patients were administered pralatrexate, 30 mg/m² as an IV push, once weekly for 6 weeks in each cycle, followed by a week of rest (no treatment). Leucovorin 25 mg tablets were administered 3 times daily for 2 days (a total of 6 doses [150 mg cumulative weekly dose]), initiated 24 hours (±2 hours) after each pralatrexate dose. The evaluable population included 34 patients, with a mean age of 63.7 years and 60% males, of whom 2 (5.9%) developed grade 2 oral mucositis during the study period (P < .0001) and there were no reports of grade 3 or higher oral mucositis. Dose modifications, including omissions, delays, or reductions, due to oral mucositis were limited to 1 patient. Coadministration of leucovorin resulted in a significant reduction in mucositis and can be considered a prophylactic therapy in patients receiving pralatrexate treatment. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02106650.