A comparative pharmacokinetic study of DRL_BZ, a candidate biosimilar of bevacizumab, with Avastin® (EU and US) in healthy male subjects

Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2018 Oct;84(10):2352-2364. doi: 10.1111/bcp.13691. Epub 2018 Jul 26.

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetics (PK) of DRL_BZ with that of EU-approved (reference medicinal product; RMP) and US-licensed (reference product; RP) bevacizumab (Avastin® ) in healthy male subjects.

Methods: In this double-blind, parallel-group, Phase 1 study (BZ-01-001), men aged 20-45 years were randomized 1:1:1 to receive a single intravenous infusion of 1 mg kg-1 of bevacizumab as DRL_BZ, RMP or RP. A total of 149 subjects were randomized (DRL_BZ, 50; RMP, 50; RP, 49). Primary endpoints included maximum observed serum concentration (Cmax ), area under the concentration-time curve from time zero (pre-dose) extrapolated to infinity (AUC(0-∞) ), and area under the concentration-time curve from time zero (pre-dose) to last quantifiable concentration (AUC(0-t) ). Secondary objectives were to compare the safety and immunogenicity of DRL_BZ with those of the reference products.

Results: Primary PK parameters were comparable across groups, and 90% confidence intervals for the geometric mean ratios of the primary PK endpoints were within the pre-specified equivalence margins (80-125%) for all pairwise comparisons (DRL_BZ vs. RMP, DRL_BZ vs. RP and RMP vs. RP). No deaths or serious adverse events were reported. Similar numbers of subjects reported similar numbers of treatment-emergent adverse events in the three treatment groups. One subject who received DRL_BZ had anti-drug antibodies at the Day 85 visit; however, no anti-drug antibodies were detected in this subject at the 12-month follow-up visit.

Conclusions: PK, safety and immunogenicity of DRL_BZ were comparable to EU-approved and US-licensed bevacizumab in healthy male subjects.

Keywords: Phase I; bioequivalence; oncology; pharmacokinetics.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase I
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / pharmacokinetics*
  • Area Under Curve
  • Bevacizumab / administration & dosage
  • Bevacizumab / adverse effects
  • Bevacizumab / pharmacokinetics*
  • Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals / administration & dosage
  • Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals / adverse effects
  • Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals / pharmacokinetics*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Humans
  • Infusions, Intravenous
  • Male
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Therapeutic Equivalency
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / immunology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
  • Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals
  • VEGFA protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Bevacizumab