Bosutinib (BOS) Versus Imatinib for Newly Diagnosed Chronic Phase (CP) Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML): Final 5-Year Results from the Bfore Trial

▪ Introduction: BOS is approved for patients (pts) with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) CML resistant/intolerant to prior therapy and pts with newly diagnosed Ph+ CP CML. Approval of first-line BOS was based on the primary results from the phase 3 BFORE trial, which showed superior efficacy vs imatinib (IMA) in the modified intent-to-treat (ITT) population (pop; Ph+ with e13a2/e14a2 transcripts) after ≥12 mo of follow-up. We report the final efficacy and safety results from the BFORE trial after 5 y of follow-up. Methods: In the open-label BFORE trial (NCT02130557), 536 pts with newly diagnosed CP CML were randomized 1:1 to receive BOS (n=268) or IMA (n=268; 3 untreated), both at 400 mg once daily. Efficacy was assessed in the ITT pop (all randomized pts). Long-term secondary endpoints included duration of response (DOR), on-treatment event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). Safety was assessed in the safety pop (all treated pts). This final analysis was based on an April 17, 2020 last pt last visit (June 12, 2020 database lock), 5 y (240 weeks) after the last enrolled pt. Results: At study completion in BOS and IMA arms, respectively, 59.7% and 57.4% were still on treatment, 86.6% and 86.2% completed 5 y on study. Median duration of treatment and time on study was 55.2 mo for pts receiving BOS or IMA; respective median (range) dose intensity was 394 (39-583) vs 400 (189-765) mg/d. Cumulative major molecular response (MMR) rate by 60 mo was higher with BOS vs IMA (73.9% vs 64.6%), as was cumulative molecular response (MR)4 (58.2% vs 48.1%) and MR4.5 rate (47.4% vs 36.6%; Table). Among evaluable pts, more pts in the BOS arm achieved BCR-ABL1 ≤10% at 3 months (Table); cumulative MMR by 60 mo was higher in pts with transcripts ≤10% vs >10% in both treatment arms (BOS, HR 2.67 [95% CI, 1.90-3.75]; IMA, HR 3.12 [2.19-4.45]). Pts in the BOS arm achieved responses earlier than pts in the IMA arm; cumulative incidence function for MMR, MR4 and MR4.5 was higher with BOS vs IMA (HR [95% CI]: MMR 1.34 [1.10-1.64], MR4 1.34 [1.07-1.69], MR4.5 1.41 [1.09-1.83]). Among responders, duration of MMR was similar for BOS and IMA (Table). Superior MRs with BOS vs IMA were consistent across Sokal risk groups, with the greatest difference seen in pts with high Sokal risk (Table). On-treatment transformations to accelerated/blast phase (AP/BP) occurred in 6 (AP 3; BP 3) BOS- and 7 (AP 6; BP 1) IMA-treated pts. No transformation occurred after the 24-mo follow-