Primary analysis of KAITLIN: A phase III study of trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) + pertuzumab versus trastuzumab + pertuzumab + taxane, after anthracyclines as adjuvant therapy for high-risk HER2-positive early breast cancer (EBC).

500 Background: The standard of care for HER2-positive EBC is chemotherapy plus one year of HER2-directed therapy. However, recurrence—particularly in high-risk populations—remains a problem, as does systemic chemotherapy-associated toxicity. In KAITLIN, we aimed to improve efficacy and reduce toxicity by replacing taxanes and trastuzumab with T-DM1. Methods: KAITLIN (NCT01966471) is a phase 3, randomized, open-label study that enrolled 1846 patients with adequately excised, centrally confirmed HER2-positive EBC either node-positive (LN+); or node-negative, HR-negative, and tumor size > 2.0 cm. Within 9 weeks of surgery, patients were randomized 1:1 to 3-4 cycles of anthracycline-based chemotherapy followed by 18 cycles of T-DM1 3.6 mg/kg + pertuzumab 420 mg q3w (loading dose [LD] 840 mg) (AC-KP) or taxane (3-4 cycles) + concurrent trastuzumab 6 mg/kg (LD 8 mg/kg) + pertuzumab 420 mg q3w (LD 840 mg) (AC-THP). Patients were stratified by world region, nodal status, HR status, and anthracycline type. Adjuvant radiotherapy and/or endocrine therapy was administered after 4 cycles of HER2-targeted therapy when indicated. The co-primary endpoints were invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) in the LN+ and in the ITT populations applying a hierarchical testing procedure. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and safety. Results: KAITLIN did not meet its co-primary endpoints. In LN+ patients (n = 1658), there was no significant difference between arms in IDFS event risk (stratified hazard ratio = 0.97; 95%CI 0.71–1.32). Three-year IDFS was 94.1% with AC-THP and 92.7% with AC-KP. Results were similar in the ITT population (stratified hazard ratio = 0.98; 95%CI 0.72–1.32; 3-year IDFS: 94.2% vs 93.1%). OS data are immature with an event rate of ~4%–5% in each arm. During the study overall, there was a similar incidence of grade ≥3 AEs (55.4% vs 51.8%) and SAEs (23.3% vs 21.4%) with AC-THP and AC-KP, respectively. More patients receiving AC-KP than AC-THP discontinued T-DM1 or trastuzumab, respectively, because of AEs (26.8% vs 4.0%). PRO data will be presented. Conclusions: Replacing adjuvant taxane and trastuzumab with T-DM1 did not result in significantly improved efficacy or overall safety. Nonetheless, in this high-risk population, a favorable IDFS outcome was achieved in both study arms. HP + chemotherapy remains the standard of care for patients with high-risk HER2-positive EBC. Clinical trial information: NCT01966471 .