Split First Dose Administration of Intravenous Daratumumab for the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma (MM): Clinical and Population Pharmacokinetic Analyses

Introduction Daratumumab, a human immunoglobulin Gκ monoclonal antibody targeting CD38, is approved as monotherapy and in combination with standard-of-care regimens for multiple myeloma. In clinical studies, the median durations of the first, second, and subsequent intravenous infusions of daratumumab were 7.0, 4.3, and 3.4 h, respectively. Splitting the first intravenous infusion of daratumumab over 2 days is an approved alternative dosing regimen to reduce the duration of the first infusion and provide flexibility for patients and healthcare providers. Methods The feasibility of splitting the first 16-mg/kg infusion into two separate infusions of 8 mg/kg on Days 1 and 2 of the first treatment cycle was investigated in two cohorts [daratumumab, carfilzomib, and dexamethasone (D-Kd) and daratumumab, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (D-KRd)] of the phase 1b MMY1001 study. Additionally, a population pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis and simulations were used to compare the PK profiles of the split first dose regimen with the recommended single first dose regimens of daratumumab in previously approved indications. Results In MMY1001, following administration of the second half of a split first dose on Cycle 1 Day 2, postinfusion median (range) daratumumab concentrations were similar between split first dose [D-Kd, 254.9 (125.8–435.5) µg/ml; D-KRd, 277.2 (164.0–341.8) µg/ml; combined, 256.8 (125.8–435.5) µg/ml] and single first dose [D-Kd, 319.2 (237.5–394.7) µg/ml]. At the end of weekly dosing, median (range) Cycle 3 Day 1 preinfusion daratumumab concentrations were similar between split first dose [D-Kd, 663.9 (57.7–1110.7) µg/ml; D-KRd, 575.1 (237.9–825.5) µg/ml; combined, 639.2 (57.7–1110.7) µg/ml] and single first dose [D-Kd, 463.2 (355.9–792.9) µg/ml]. The population PK simulations demonstrated virtually identical PK profiles after the first day of treatment for all approved indications and recommended dosing schedules of daratumumab. Conclusion These data support the use of an alternative split first dose regimen of intravenous daratumumab for the treatment of MM. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01998971.