A randomized placebo-controlled trial of the anti-nerve growth factor antibody tanezumab in subjects with cancer pain due to bone metastasis

Marie T Fallon, Maciej Sopata, Erika Dragon, Mark Brown, Lars Viktrup, Christine West, Weihang Bao, Alex Agyemang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Background
This phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study assessed the efficacy and safety of tanezumab in subjects with cancer pain predominantly due to bone metastasis receiving background opioid therapy.

Methods
Subjects were randomized (stratified by (1) tumor aggressiveness and (2) presence/absence of concomitant anticancer treatment) to placebo or tanezumab 20 mg. Treatment was administered by subcutaneous injection every 8 weeks for 24 weeks (3 doses) followed by a 24-week safety follow-up period. The primary outcome was change in daily average pain in the index bone metastasis cancer pain site (from 0 = no pain to 10 = worst possible pain) from baseline to week 8.

Results
LS mean (SE) change in pain at week 8 was −1.25 (0.35) for placebo (n = 73) and –2.03 (0.35) for tanezumab 20 mg (n = 72). LS mean (SE) [95% CI] difference from placebo was –0.78 (0.37) [–1.52, –0.04]; P = .0381 with α = 0.0478. The number of subjects with a treatment-emergent adverse event during the treatment period was 50 (68.5%) for placebo and 53 (73.6%) for tanezumab 20 mg. The number of subjects with a prespecified joint safety event was 0 for placebo and 2 (2.8%) for tanezumab 20 mg (pathologic fracture; n = 2).

Conclusion
Tanezumab 20 mg met the primary efficacy endpoint at week 8. Conclusions on longer-term efficacy are limited since the study was not designed to evaluate the durability of the effect beyond 8 weeks. Safety findings were consistent with adverse events expected in subjects with cancer pain due to bone metastasis and the known safety profile of tanezumab. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02609828.
Original languageEnglish
JournalThe Oncologist
Early online date21 Jun 2023
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 21 Jun 2023

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