Olaratumab

Overview

Olaratumab, sold under the brand name Lartruvo, is a monoclonal antibody medication developed by Eli Lilly and Company for the treatment of solid tumors. It is directed against the platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha.[1] WP

It was removed from the United States and European Union markets in 2019, due to insufficient proof of its medical advantage (see below "Medical uses"). WP

Uses, dosage and effects

Medical uses

Olaratumab is used in combination with doxorubicin for the treatment of adults with advanced soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) who cannot be cured by cancer surgery or radiation therapy, and who have not been previously treated with doxorubicin.[2][3] WP

In a randomised controlled trial with 133 STS patients, olaratumab plus doxorubicin improved the median of progression-free survival from 4.1 to 6.6 months as compared to doxorubicin alone (p = 0.0615, narrowly missing statistical significance), and overall survival from 14.7 to 26.5 months (p = 0.0003, highly significant). However, the ANNOUNCE phase 3 trial did not find any advantage in adding olaratumab to doxorubicin. Therefore, in January 2019, FDA and EMA decided to recommend against starting olaratumab for soft tissue sarcoma. In April 2019 the European Medicines Agency explicitly requested the marketing authorisation of the medicine to be revoked. Shortly afterwards the German Physician's Medicines Commission reported that olaratumab will be removed from the German market "in a few weeks" and asked doctors not to treat new patients with this drug outside of clinical trials. Lilly subsequently voluntarily withdrew its approval in the United States.[2][4–8] WP

Risks and side effects

Contraindications

The drug has no contraindications apart from hypersensitivity reactions.[2] WP

Side effects

In studies, the most serious side effects of the combination olaratumab/doxorubicin were neutropenia (low count of neutrophil white blood cells) with a severity of grade 3 or 4 in 55% of patients, and musculoskeletal pain grade 3 or 4 in 8% of patients. Common milder side effects were lymphopenia, headache, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, mucositis, and reactions at the infusion site; all typical effects of cancer therapies.[2] WP

Interactions

Interactions

No pharmacokinetic interactions with doxorubicin were observed in studies. Being a monoclonal antibody, olaratumab is neither metabolised by cytochrome P450 liver enzymes nor transported by transmembrane pumps, and is thus not expected to interact relevantly with other drugs.[2] WP

Pharmacology

Mechanism of action

Olaratumab inhibits growth of tumour cells by blocking subunit alpha of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor, a type of tyrosine kinase.[2] WP

Pharmacokinetics

After intravenous infusion, olaratumab has a volume of distribution of 7.7 litres in steady state and a biological half-life of 11 days.[2] WP

History

History

Olaratumab was originally developed by ImClone Systems, which was acquired by Eli Lilly in 2008. A Phase I clinical trial was conducted in Japanese patients in September 2010, followed by a Phase II trial in 133 patients, starting in October 2010.[9][10][11] WP

In February 2015, the European Medicines Agency assigned olaratumab orphan drug status for the treatment of soft-tissue sarcoma. The European Commission granted a conditional marketing authorisation, based on the mentioned Phase II study, valid throughout the European Union on 9 November 2016.[12][13] WP

Previously considered a promising drug, the FDA granted olaratumab fast track designation, breakthrough therapy designation and priority review status. In October 2016, the US FDA issued an accelerated approval notice for use of olaratumab with doxorubicin to treat adults with certain types of soft-tissue sarcoma, based on the same study.[3][14] WP

A phase III trial completed in 2019, and unfortunately showed no benefit from the addition of olaratumab to doxorubicin. As noted above, these results led to withdrawal of approval in the United States and Europe.[14][15] WP

Chemistry

Harm reduction information

No harm reduction data is on file for this compound yet. That means no dose, timing or combination data from PsychonautWiki or TripSit. Please don't guess a dose from similar compounds. If you have taken it and feel unwell, contact emergency services or a poison control center.

User reports

Pop culture

No references added yet.

Sources

1. Other Statement on a Nonproprietary name adopted by the USAN Council: Olaratumab
2. Journal / agency EPAR – Product information for Lartruvo. 23 November 2016
3. Journal / agency FDA grants accelerated approval to new treatment for advanced soft tissue sarcoma. 19 October 2016
4. Journal / agency Tap WD, Jones RL, Van Tine BA, Chmielowski B, Elias AD, Adkins D, Agulnik M, Cooney MM, Livingston MB, Pennock G, Hameed MR, Shah GD, Qin A, Shahir A, Cronier DM, Ilaria R, Conti I, Cosaert J, Schwartz GK. Olaratumab and doxorubicin versus doxorubicin alone for treatment of soft-tissue sarcoma: an open-label phase 1b and randomised phase 2 trial. Lancet. July 2016. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30587-6 · PMID 27291997 · PMC5647653
5. Other FDA, EMA Recommend Against Starting Olaratumab for Soft Tissue Sarcoma. 25 January 2019
6. Journal / agency EMA recommends withdrawal of marketing authorisation for cancer medicine Lartruvo
7. Other Drug Safety Mail 2019-25 by Arzneimittelkommission der Deutschen Ärzteschaft (in German). 7 May 2019
8. Journal / agency FDA Purple Book Data. August 2020
9. Other Imclone legacy drug gains green light for Lilly in soft tissue sarcoma
10. Journal / agency Doi T, Ma Y, Dontabhaktuni A, Nippgen C, Nippgen J, Ohtsu A. Phase I study of olaratumab in Japanese patients with advanced solid tumors. Cancer Science. July 2014. doi:10.1111/cas.12444 · PMID 24816152 · PMC4317910
11. Other ClinicalTrialsGov NCT01185964 A Study of IMC-3G3 in Soft Tissue Sarcoma
12. Journal / agency Orphan Designation for olaratumab. 9 April 2015
13. Journal / agency EPAR summary for the public for Lartruvo. 23 November 2016
14. Journal / agency Shirley M. Olaratumab: First Global Approval. Drugs. January 2017. doi:10.1007/s40265-016-0680-2 · PMID 27995580
15. Other ClinicalTrialsGov NCT02451943 A Study of Doxorubicin Plus Olaratumab (LY3012207) in Participants With Advanced or Metastatic Soft Tissue Sarcoma (ANNOUNCE)

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