A Study on Pharmacokinetics (PK), Efficacy and Safety of Subcutaneous (SC) Versus Intravenous (IV) Rituximab, in Combination With CHOP (Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine, Prednisone) in Previously Untreated Participants With CD20 Positive Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)

For this pharmacokinetics (PK) primary outcome measure the serum rituximab Ctrough for SC and IV administrations were measured at Cycle 7, 21 days after study treatment administration for Cycle 7 (pre-dose of Cycle 8). Geometric mean ratio and 90% confidence interval were estimated based on an ANCOVA model adjusted for tumor load at baseline and are reported in the statistical analysis.

The area under the curve (AUC) for serum rituximab concentration versus time after dosage was measured for SC and IV administrations during Cycle 7. Geometric mean ratio and 90% confidence interval were estimated based on an ANCOVA model adjusted for tumor load at baseline and are reported in the statistical analysis.

Ctrough was measured at Cycle 2 and Cycle 7, 21 days after study treatment administration for each cycle (pre-dose of Cycle 3 and Cycle 8, respectively).

AUC is the area under the serum concentration curve over the dosing interval of 21 days during Cycle 2 and Cycle 7.

Per LRC, CR based on positron emission tomography- computed tomography (PET-CT) was defined as complete metabolic response (MR) in lymph nodes and extralymphatic sites with a score of 1, 2, or 3 with or without residual mass, on 5-point scale (5PS), where, 1= no uptake above background; 2 = uptake ≤ mediastinum; 3 = uptake > mediastinum but ≤ liver; 4 = uptake moderately > liver; 5 = uptake markedly higher than liver and/or new lesions; no new lesions and no evidence of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-avid disease in bone marrow. Per LRC, CR based on CT was defined as complete radiologic response in lymph nodes and extralymphatic sites with target nodes/nodal masses regressing to ≤ 1.5 centimeters (cm) in longest transverse diameter (LDi) and no extralymphatic sites of disease; absence of non-measured lesion; organ enlargement regressing to normal; no new lesions; normal bone marrow by morphology, if indeterminate, immunohistochemistry (IHC) negative.

ORR=CR+PR. Per LRC: CR by PET-CT: complete MR in lymph nodes and extralymphatic sites with a score of 1, 2, or 3 with or without residual mass; no new lesions, no FDG-avid disease in bone marrow; CR by CT: complete radiologic response in lymph nodes and extralymphatic sites with target nodes/nodal masses regressing to ≤ 1.5 cm in LDi, no extralymphatic disease; absence of non-measured lesion; organ enlargement regressing to normal; no new lesions; normal bone marrow; PR by PET-CT: partial MR in lymph nodes and extralymphatic sites with a score of 4 or 5 with reduced uptake compared with baseline + residual masses of any size; no new lesions, residual uptake higher than in normal bone marrow but reduced compared with baseline; PR by CT: ≥ 50% decrease in sum of the product of the perpendicular diameters (SPD) of up to 6 target nodes and extranodal sites; non-measured lesion absent/normal, regressed, but no increase; spleen regressed by >50 % in length beyond normal; no new lesions.

CRR was assessed according to the IWG Response Criteria for NHL 1999 guidelines and included CR and CR unconfirmed (CRu). CR was defined as complete disappearance of all clinical and radiographic evidence of disease and disease-related symptoms, regression of lymph nodes to normal size, absence of splenomegaly, and absence of bone marrow involvement. CRu was defined as disappearance of clinical and radiographic evidence of disease and absence of splenomegaly, with regression of lymph nodes by > 75 % but still >1.5 cm in size, and indeterminate bone marrow assessment.

Per LRC, CR based on PET-CT was defined as complete metabolic response (MR) in lymph nodes and extralymphatic sites with a score of 1, 2, or 3 with or without residual mass, on 5-point scale (5PS), where, 1= no uptake above background; 2 = uptake ≤ mediastinum; 3 = uptake > mediastinum but ≤ liver; 4 = uptake moderately > liver; 5 = uptake markedly higher than liver and/or new lesions; no new lesions and no evidence of FDG-avid disease in bone marrow. Per LRC, CR based on CT was defined as complete radiologic response in lymph nodes and extralymphatic sites with target nodes/nodal masses regressing to ≤ 1.5 centimeters (cm) in longest transverse diameter (LDi) and no extralymphatic sites of disease; absence of non-measured lesion; organ enlargement regressing to normal; no new lesions; normal bone marrow by morphology, if indeterminate, IHC negative.

AE: any untoward medical occurrence in a subject administered a pharmaceutical product, regardless of causal attribution. An AE can be any unfavorable and unintended sign, symptom, or disease temporally associated with the use of a medicinal product, whether or not considered related to the medicinal product. New disease, exacerbation of existing disease, recurrence of an intermittent medical condition not present at baseline, any deterioration in a laboratory value or other clinical test associated with symptoms or leading to a change in study/concomitant treatment or discontinuation from study drug as well as events related to protocol-mandated interventions are considered AEs. SAEs: any event that met any of these criteria: fatal, life-threatening, required or prolonged in-patient hospitalization, resulted in persistent or significant disability/incapacity, a congenital anomaly/birth defect, medically significant or required intervention to prevent any of the outcomes listed here.

Adverse events occurring within 24 hours after administration of rituximab (rituximab IV or rituximab SC) and considered related to the study drug, were considered as ARRs. ARRs could present with one or more of the following symptoms: allergic reaction, arthralgia, bronchospasm, chills, cough, dizziness, dyspnoea, headache, hypertension, hypotension, myalgia, nausea, pruritus, pyrexia, rash, tachycardia, urticaria, vomiting.

Reported here is the number of participants who had a positive ADA assay result at baseline or post-baseline. The post-baseline results are divided in treatment-enhanced ADAs and treatment-induced ADAs. Treatment-enhanced ADAs are participants with a positive ADA result at baseline who had one or more post-baseline titer results that was at least 0.60 titer unit greater than the baseline titer result. Treatment-induced ADAs include participants with negative or missing baseline ADA result(s) and at least one positive post-baseline ADA result.

Reported here is the number of participants who had a positive anti-rHuPH20 antibody assay result at baseline or post-baseline. The post-baseline results are divided in treatment-enhanced anti-rHuPH20 antibodies and treatment-induced anti-rHuPH20 antibodies. Treatment-enhanced anti-rHuPH20 antibodies are participants with a positive anti-rHuPH20 antibody result at baseline who had one or more post-baseline titer results that was at least 0.60 titer unit greater than the baseline titer result. Treatment-induced anti-rHuPH20 antibodies include participants with negative or missing baseline anti-rHuPH20 antibody result(s) and at least one positive post-baseline anti-rHuPH20 antibody result.