A trial of magrolimab for acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndrome (CAMELLIA)
Cancer type:
Status:
Phase:
This trial looked at an immunotherapy drug called magrolimab to treat acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Magrolimab is pronounced mah-grow-lih-mab.
The trial was for people whose AML or MDS had:
- not responded to treatment (refractory) or
- come back after treatment (relapsed)
The trial was open for people to join between 2015 and 2018. The team presented the results at a conference in 2018.
More about this trial
It can be difficult to treat AML or MDS that has not responded to treatment or come back.
We know from research that cancer cells have a large amount of a protein called CD47. This protein can stop the body’s immune system removing and destroying cancer cells.
Magrolimab is a type of 
called a monoclonal antibody. It works by blocking the signals of CD47 that stop the immune system from working.
We know that AML and MDS cells have a large amount of CD47. And have shown that magrolimab can successfully treat AML. So, the trial team wanted to see if magrolimab could help people with AML and MDS.
It was the first time magrolimab was being looked at in people with AML or MDS.
The main aims of this trial were to find out:
- the best dose of magrolimab
- about the side effects of treatment
- how magrolimab works in the body
Summary of results
The trial showed the side effects of magrolimab weren’t too bad. And the team found the best dose to use.
Results
This was a phase 1 trial.
15 people joined the trial and had treatment with magrolimab.
Everyone had AML.
This trial was a . The first few people taking part had a low dose of magrolimab. As they didn’t have any serious side effects, the next few people had a higher dose. There were 5 dose groups in total.
Side effects
The trial team found that magrolimab didn’t cause too many side effects, even at the highest dose. They used the results from all the groups to decide the best dose to use in future trials.
The researchers looked at the side effects of treatment. The most common side effects were:
- a low number of red blood cells (
anaemia ) - red blood cell clumping seen using a microscope
- fever
- headache
They were nearly all mild or didn’t last long. Nobody had a very severe side effect of treatment.
How well treatment worked
The trial team looked at how well magrolimab worked for the people taking part.
They found that there were fewer AML cells in the after treatment in 6 out of the 15 people (40%). The leukaemia stopped getting worse in 11 out of 15 people (73%).
Conclusion
The researchers found a dose of magrolimab to use in future studies. And how often people should have the drug.
The trial team used the results to set up a phase 1b trial looking at magrolimab and the chemotherapy drug azacitidine.
More detailed information
There is more information about this research in the reference below.
Please note, the information we link to here is not in plain English. It has been written for healthcare professionals and researchers.
Initial phase 1 results of the first in class Anti-CD47 antibody Hu5F9-G4 in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukaemia patients
P Vyas and others
European Hematology Association, Poster Presentation, June 2018.
Where this information comes from
We have based this summary on information from the research team. As far as we are aware, the information they sent us has not been reviewed independently () or published in a medical journal yet. The figures we quote above were provided by the research team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.
Recruitment start:
Recruitment end:
How to join a clinical trial
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Chief Investigator
Professor Paresh Vyas
Supported by
Bloodwise
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
Forty Seven Inc
Medical Research Council (MRC)
NIHR Clinical Research Network: Cancer
Stanford University
University of Oxford
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM)
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
