Safety and efficacy of rilzabrutinib vs placebo in adults with immune thrombocytopenia: the phase 3 LUNA3 study

D David J. Kuter (Hematology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston) W Waleed Ghanima (6Østfold Hospital Trust, Kalnes, Norway) N Nichola Cooper (4Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Haematology, London, United Kingdom) H Howard A. Liebman (4Department of Hematology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA) L Lei Zhang Y Yu Hu Y Yoshitaka Miyakawa (3Department of Hematology, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan) W Wojciech Homenda (14Regional Hospital of Slupsk and Institute of Health Sciences, Pomeranian University of Slupsk, Slupsk, Poland) L Luisa Elena Morales Galindo (9Department of Hematology, IC La Serena Research SpA, La Serena, Chile) A Ana Lisa Basquiera (10Department of Hematology, Hospital Privado Universitario de Córdoba, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Biomédicas de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina) C Chuen Wen Tan (11Department of Hematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore) G Güray Saydam (9Ege University Medical Faculty Hospital, Department of Internal Diseases, Division of Hematology, Izmir, Türkiye) M Marie Luise Hütter-Krönke (5Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Berlin, Germany) C Chatree Chai-adisaksopha D David Gomez-Almaguer (1Hospital Universitario Dr. Jose Eleuterio Gonzalez, Hematologia, monterrey, Mexico) H Huy Tran (2Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, United States) H Ho-jin Shin (Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea, Republic of) A Ademar Dantas da Cunha Junior (18Department of Hematology, Hospital do Cancer de Cascavel, Uniao Oeste Paranaense de Estudos e Combate ao Cancer, Cascavel, Brazil) Z Zsolt Lazar (3Petz Aladár County Teaching Hospital, Győr, Hungary) C Cristina Pascual Izquierdo (20Department of Hematology, Hospital General Univdersitario Gregorio Marañon, Instituto de Investigación Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain) I Ilya Kirgner (21Department of Hematology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel) E Elisa Lucchini (26Unit of Hematology, Dipartimento di Medicina Specialistica, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale, Udine, Italy) G Ganna Kuzmina (23Department of Hematology, Municipal Enterprise Kryvyi Rih City Clinical Hospital No. 2 of Kryvyi Rih City Council, SI Dnipropetrovsk Medical Academy under the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine) M Michael Fillitz (14Hanusch Krankenhaus, Department of Internal Medicine, Vienna, Austria) S Sylvain Audia M Minakshi Taparia (25University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada) M Matias Cordoba (16Sanofi, Cambridge, United States) R Remco Diab (28Sanofi, Zug, Switzerland) M Mengjie Yao (29Sanofi, Bridgewater, NJ) I Imene Gouia (9Sanofi, Gentilly, France) M Michelle Lee A Ahmed Daak (16Sanofi, Cambridge, United States)

Abstract

Abstract Rilzabrutinib is a covalent, reversible Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting multiple immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)-related mechanisms. The phase 3 LUNA3 study in previously treated adults with persistent/chronic ITP evaluated oral rilzabrutinib 400 mg twice daily (n = 133) vs placebo (n = 69) for 24 weeks. At baseline overall, median age was 47 years, 63% female, 7.7 year median ITP duration, and 28% prior splenectomy. Overall (N = 202), 85 (64%) rilzabrutinib and 22 (32%) placebo patients achieved platelet response (≥50 × 109/L or 30 × 109/L to <50 × 109/L and doubled from baseline) during the first 12 weeks and were eligible to continue. The primary end point, durable platelet response (platelet count ≥50 × 109/L for ≥two-thirds of ≥8 of the last 12 of 24 weeks without rescue therapy), was observed in 31 (23%) rilzabrutinib vs 0 placebo patients (P < .0001). All secondary efficacy end points were significantly superior for rilzabrutinib (P < .05). Median time to first platelet response was 15 days in rilzabrutinib responders. Rilzabrutinib significantly reduced rescue therapy use by 52% (P = .0007) and improved week 25 bleeding scores (P = .0006). Improved physical fatigue was sustained from week 13 (P = .01) through 25 (P = .0003). Treatment-related adverse events were mainly grade 1/2. One rilzabrutinib patient with multiple risk factors had serious treatment-related grade 3 peripheral embolism (lower left leg), and another died from unrelated pneumonia. Rilzabrutinib in patients who failed multiple previous ITP therapies showed rapid and durable platelet response, reduced rescue medication and bleeding, improved physical fatigue, and favorable safety. Trial registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov (#NCT04562766) and www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu (#2020-002063-60).

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 145, Issue 24
Published June 12, 2025
Pages 2914-2926
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (32)

D

David J. Kuter

Hematology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

W

Waleed Ghanima

6Østfold Hospital Trust, Kalnes, Norway

N

Nichola Cooper

4Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Haematology, London, United Kingdom

H

Howard A. Liebman

4Department of Hematology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

L

Lei Zhang

Y

Yu Hu

Y

Yoshitaka Miyakawa

3Department of Hematology, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan

W

Wojciech Homenda

14Regional Hospital of Slupsk and Institute of Health Sciences, Pomeranian University of Slupsk, Slupsk, Poland

L

Luisa Elena Morales Galindo

9Department of Hematology, IC La Serena Research SpA, La Serena, Chile

A

Ana Lisa Basquiera

10Department of Hematology, Hospital Privado Universitario de Córdoba, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Biomédicas de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina

C

Chuen Wen Tan

11Department of Hematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore

G

Güray Saydam

9Ege University Medical Faculty Hospital, Department of Internal Diseases, Division of Hematology, Izmir, Türkiye

M

Marie Luise Hütter-Krönke

5Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Berlin, Germany

C

Chatree Chai-adisaksopha

D

David Gomez-Almaguer

1Hospital Universitario Dr. Jose Eleuterio Gonzalez, Hematologia, monterrey, Mexico

H

Huy Tran

2Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, United States

H

Ho-jin Shin

Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea, Republic of

A

Ademar Dantas da Cunha Junior

18Department of Hematology, Hospital do Cancer de Cascavel, Uniao Oeste Paranaense de Estudos e Combate ao Cancer, Cascavel, Brazil

Z

Zsolt Lazar

3Petz Aladár County Teaching Hospital, Győr, Hungary

C

Cristina Pascual Izquierdo

20Department of Hematology, Hospital General Univdersitario Gregorio Marañon, Instituto de Investigación Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain

I

Ilya Kirgner

21Department of Hematology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel

E

Elisa Lucchini

26Unit of Hematology, Dipartimento di Medicina Specialistica, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale, Udine, Italy

G

Ganna Kuzmina

23Department of Hematology, Municipal Enterprise Kryvyi Rih City Clinical Hospital No. 2 of Kryvyi Rih City Council, SI Dnipropetrovsk Medical Academy under the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine

M

Michael Fillitz

14Hanusch Krankenhaus, Department of Internal Medicine, Vienna, Austria

S

Sylvain Audia

M

Minakshi Taparia

25University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

M

Matias Cordoba

16Sanofi, Cambridge, United States

R

Remco Diab

28Sanofi, Zug, Switzerland

M

Mengjie Yao

29Sanofi, Bridgewater, NJ

I

Imene Gouia

9Sanofi, Gentilly, France

M

Michelle Lee

A

Ahmed Daak

16Sanofi, Cambridge, United States