Roche announced data from the positive, pivotal phase III GALLIUM study that compared Gazyva/Gazyvaro (obinutuzumab) plus chemotherapy followed by Gazyva/Gazyvaro alone head-to-head against MabThera/Rituxan (rituximab) plus chemotherapy followed by MabThera/Rituxan alone for people with previously untreated follicular lymphoma. At a pre-planned interim analysis in May 2016, an independent data monitoring committee determined that the study met its primary endpoint early. The results showed Gazyva/Gazyvaro-based treatment reduced the risk of disease worsening or death (progression-free survival; PFS, as assessed by investigator) by 34 percent compared to MabThera/Rituxan-based treatment (HR=0.66; 95% CI 0.51-0.85, p=0.0012). Median PFS was not yet reached. Adverse events with either Gazyva/Gazyvaro or MabThera/Rituxan were consistent with those seen in previous studies.

“Follicular lymphoma, the most common slow-growing form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, is an incurable blood cancer characterized by cycles of remission and disease progression, and becomes harder to treat with every relapse,” said Sandra Horning, M.D., Roche’s chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. “This study of Gazyva/Gazyvaro-based treatment is the first and only phase III trial to date to show superior progression-free survival compared to MabThera/Rituxan-based treatment, the current standard of care, in previously untreated follicular lymphoma.”

The primary results from the GALLIUM study (Abstract #6) were presented during the Plenary Scientific Session of the 58th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in San Diego by Dr. Robert Marcus, King’s College Hospital, London and the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI), on December 4. Additionally, an analysis of minimal residual disease (MRD) status in the GALLIUM study (Abstract #613) was presented in a separate oral session by Dr. Christiane Pott, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany, and the German Low Grade Lymphoma Study Group (GLSG) on December 5.

GALLIUM is the third positive phase III study for Gazyva/Gazyvaro, following the CLL11 study in patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and the GADOLIN study in patients with indolent (slow-growing) non-Hodgkin lymphoma whose disease progressed during or within six months of prior MabThera/Rituxan-based therapy. The results of the GALLIUM study will be submitted to health authorities around the world for approval consideration.

GALLIUM (NCT01332968) is a global phase III open-label, multi-centre, randomised two-arm study examining the efficacy and safety of Gazyva/Gazyvaro plus chemotherapy followed by Gazyva/Gazyvaro alone for up to two years, as compared head-to-head against MabThera/Rituxan plus chemotherapy followed by MabThera/Rituxan alone for up to two years. Chemotherapies used were CHOP, CVP or bendamustine and were selected by each participating study site prior to beginning enrolment. GALLIUM included 1401 patients with previously untreated indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL), of which 1202 patients had follicular lymphoma. The primary endpoint of the study was investigator-assessed PFS in patients with follicular lymphoma, with secondary endpoints including PFS assessed by independent review committee (IRC), PFS in the overall study population (iNHL), response rate (overall response, ORR; and complete response, CR), overall survival (OS), and safety. The GALLIUM study is being conducted in cooperation with the GLSG (Germany), the East German Study Group Hematology and Oncology (OSHO; Germany) and the NCRI (United Kingdom).

Gazyva/Gazyvaro is an engineered monoclonal antibody designed to attach to CD20, a protein expressed on certain B cells, but not on stem cells or plasma cells. Gazyva/Gazyvaro is designed to attack and destroy targeted B-cells both directly and together with the body's immune system.

Gazyva/Gazyvaro is currently approved in more than 80 countries in combination with chlorambucil, for people with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The approvals were based on the CLL11 study, showing significant improvements with Gazyva/Gazyvaro plus chlorambucil across multiple clinical endpoints, including PFS, overall response rate (ORR), complete response rate (CR), and minimal residual disease (MRD) when compared head-to-head with MabThera/Rituxan plus chlorambucil.

In February 2016, Gazyva was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in combination with bendamustine followed by Gazyva alone for people with follicular lymphoma who did not respond to a Rituxan-containing regimen, or whose follicular lymphoma returned after such treatment. In June 2016, Gazyvaro was approved by the European Commission in combination with bendamustine followed by Gazyvaro maintenance in people with follicular lymphoma who did not respond or who progressed during or up to six months after treatment with MabThera or a MabThera-containing regimen. Both approvals were based on the phase III GADOLIN study, showing a significant improvement in progression-free survival with Gazyva/Gazyvaro-based therapy compared to bendamustine alone. Gazyva is marketed as Gazyvaro in the EU and Switzerland.

Additional combination studies investigating Gazyva/Gazyvaro with other approved or investigational medicines, including cancer immunotherapies and small molecule inhibitors, are underway across a range of blood cancers.

Follicular lymphoma is the most common indolent (slow-growing) form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), accounting for about one in five cases of NHL. It is considered incurable and relapse is common. It is estimated that more than 75,000 people are diagnosed with follicular lymphoma each year worldwide.