Biosimilar granulocyte colony-stimulating factor is effective in reducing the duration of neutropenia after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND

Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) is the standard of therapy for patients with multiple myeloma and refractory Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is widely used to accelerate hematopoietic recovery after transplantation and to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with prolonged neutropenia. Biosimilar G-CSF is approved for the same indications as the originator G-CSF. This is one of the first reported uses of a biosimilar G-CSF for neutrophil recovery after APBSCT.

METHODS

A total of 23 consecutive patients with hematological malignancy (multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, and acute myelogenous leukemia) were recruited at the Department of Haematooncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation at the Medical University of Lublin. Patients (12 men and 11 women; median age, 47 ± 13 years) received biosimilar G-CSF (Zarzio, Sandoz Biopharmaceuticals) after myeloablative chemotherapy (primarily BiCnU, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan or melphalan 140/200 mg/m(2)) followed by PBSCT. The median number of transplanted CD34+ cells was 4.2 ± 0.8 × 10(6)/kg body wt. G-CSF therapy was started when absolute neutrophil count (ANC) was <0.5 × 10(9)/L and was continued until ANC reached >1.5 × 10(9)/L for 3 consecutive days. Hematopoietic recovery parameters were compared with those in the control group, which consisted of 23 consecutive patients transplanted in the period before the biosimilar G-CSF group and receiving originator G-CSF (Neupogen, Amgen).

RESULTS

The mean duration of treatment with biosimilar and originator G-CSF was 14.4 ± 5.1 and 18.6 ± 11.5 days, respectively (P = .43). The adverse event profile was comparable between the biosimilar G-CSF and originator G-CSF groups, with similar occurrence of neutropenic fever (5 versus 6 patients) and bone pain (7 patients in each group). One patient in the biosimilar group had neutropenic enterocolitis and sepsis. There was no case of death in either group. Granulocyte recovery in the study group was as follows: mean days to ANC >0.5 × 10(9)/L was 13.0 ± 4.0 days; to ANC >1.5 × 10(9)/L, 13.6 ± 4.5 days; and to ANC >1.5 × 10(9)/L, 14.0 ± 4.7 days. Mean duration until platelet recovery >20 × 10(9)/L was 16.1 ± 4.4 days. There were no statistically significant differences between the biosimilar and originator G-CSF groups in hematopoietic recovery parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Biosimilar G-CSF is safe and effective in reducing the duration of neutropenia in patients undergoing myeloablative therapy followed by APBSCT and probably in cost savings in transplantation budgets.