MALIBU Trial - Combination of Ibrutinib and Rituximab in Untreated Marginal Zone Lymphomas

NCT ID: NCT03697512

Last Updated: 2026-01-15

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 175 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2019-09-27
• Study Completion Date: 2027-06-15

Brief Summary

Single-arm, phase II clinical trial of patients with Extranodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma (EMZL). It is planned to recruit 130 patients.

Additional patients with Splenic Marginal Zone Lymphoma (SMZL), up to 30, and Nodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma (NMZL), up to 15, will be included in the trial in order to preliminary explore the clinical activity and safety of the combination treatment proposed.

The study primary endpoints will be analysed on the EMZL population. Outcome of patients with SMZL and NMZL will be analysed and reported separately

Detailed Description

Marginal zone lymphomas (MZL) represent a group of indolent B-cell lymphomas that arises from marginal zone B-cells in extranodal tissues, such as spleen and mucosa associated lymphoid tissues, and more rarely also in nodal tissues. MZL comprises 5 to 17% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) in adults. The 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) recognized three separate subtypes of MZL according to their primary localization, namely the:

1. extranodal MZL (EMZL) of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), also known as MALT lymphoma

2. splenic MZL (SMZL)

3. nodal MZL (NMZL). These three subtypes are distinct disease entities that are classified together because they all seem to originate from post germinal centre marginal zone B-cells.

MALIBU trial is a prospective multicenter trial combining rituximab and ibrutinib in front-line for patients with MZL, including EMZL, SMZL and NMZL Aim of the study is to assess the safety and efficacy of the combination of rituximab and ibrutinib in EMZL patients and to explore its activity in SMZL and NMZL as exploratory subset.

Conditions

Marginal Zone Lymphoma; Nodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma; Splenic Marginal Zone Lymphoma

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Ibrutinib and Rituximab

Induction PART A, from Day 1 to Day 56.

Patients will be treated with:

• Ibrutinib 560 mg/day continuously up to Day 56;
• Rituximab 375 mg/m2 intravenously at Day 1, and then subcutaneous (1400 mg, flat dose) at Day 8, 15 and 22 of cycle 1.

Induction PART B, from Day 57 to Day 196.

Patients will be treated with:

• Ibrutinib 560 mg/day continuously up to Day 196;
• Rituximab subcutaneous (1400 mg, flat dose) at Day 1 every 28 days for 4 cycles.

Maintenance PART C, from Day 197 to Day 730.

Patients will be treated with:

• Ibrutinib 560 mg/day continuously up to Day 730.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Ibrutinib

Intervention Type: DRUG

capsules for oral intake in a dosage of 560 mg (four capsules) daily

Rituximab

Intervention Type: DRUG

Concentrate solution for infusion - intravenous use; Solution for injection - subcutaneous use.

Interventions

Ibrutinib

capsules for oral intake in a dosage of 560 mg (four capsules) daily

Intervention Type: DRUG

Rituximab

Concentrate solution for infusion - intravenous use; Solution for injection - subcutaneous use.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Chemotherapy and immunotherapy-naïve, symptomatic and in need of treatment patients, with histologically proven CD20-positive MZL, not eligible for local therapy, including:

1. EMZL (MALT Lymphoma) patients with MALT- IPI score 1-2 in need of systemic therapy.

Either de novo or relapsed following local therapy (including surgery, radiotherapy and antibiotics for H. pylori-positive gastric lymphoma) arisen at any extranodal site with MALT-international prognostic index (IPI) score 1-2 at the time of study entry.

1.1.The following patients with gastric MALT Lymphoma can be entered:

1. H. pylori-negative cases, either de novo (non pretreated) or at relapse following local therapy (i.e., surgery, radiotherapy or antibiotics).

2. H. pylori-positive cases at diagnosis, who either first line antibiotics or further local treatment (surgery or radiotherapy), including patients with:

• clinical (endoscopic) and histological evidence of disease progression at any time post H. pylori eradication;
• clinical (endoscopic) and histological relapse (without H. pylori re-infection), after a remission patients;
• persistent (stable) lymphoma at ≥ 1 year post H. pylori eradication. 1.2. Similar consideration may be applied to patients with ocular adnexal lymphoma treated with antibiotics.

2. SMZL patients in need of therapy. Either de novo or relapsed following local therapy [including surgery and antiviral therapy for Hepatitis C virus (HCV)]. Patient must have a symptomatic disease requiring treatment and be not eligible for splenectomy or not willing to undergo splenectomy.

2.1. Patients with SMZL can be entered if any of the following criteria is present:

1. bulky progressive or painful splenomegaly;

2. enlarged lymph nodes or involvement of extranodal sites with or without cytopenias , i.e. involvement of ≥3 nodal sites, each with a diameter of ≥3 cm. Any nodal tumor mass with a diameter of ≥7 cm (GELG criteria, as adopted in follicular lymphoma);

3. one of the following symptomatic/progressive cytopenias:

• Hgb < 10 g/dL;
• ANC < 1000/μL:
• PLT< 80 000/μL whatever the reason (autoimmune or hypersplenism or bone marrow infiltration).

2.2. Splenectomised patients with rapidly raising lymphocyte counts, lymphadenopathy or involvement of extranodal sites can be entered.

2.3. SMZL with concomitant HCV infection who have not responded to or are relapsed after antiviral therapy can be entered.

3. NMZL patients in need of therapy Either, de novo presenting with disseminated disease or relapsed after local radiotherapy or following antiviral therapy for HCV. Localized nodal MZL is not eligible.

• Measurable or evaluable disease.
• Ann Arbor II-IV. Stage I disease may be eligible only if not candidate to local therapy (surgery or radiotherapy).
• Age ≥ 18.
• Life expectancy of at least 1 year.
• ECOG Performance status 0-2.
• Adequate bone marrow, kidney and liver function
• For women of childbearing potential only: negative serum pregnancy test done within 7 days prior to study drugs administration or within 14 days if with a confirmatory urine pregnancy test within 7 days prior to the first study drugs administration.
• Fertile male or female patients of childbearing potential and their partners must use higly effective contraception methods during the study and for at least 12 months after the last dose of subcutaneous rituximab. In case hormonal methods of birth control is used a barrier method must be added.
• Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document

Exclusion Criteria

1. Any type of lymphoma other than MZL (including MZL with histologic transformation to high-grade lymphoma).

2. Localized (stage IE and IIE) MALT lymphoma, for example gastric, ocular and cutaneous lymphoma, that may benefit from local therapy only (surgery or radiotherapy).

3. Known CNS involvement of MZL.

4. Any previous systemic treatment with immunotherapy or chemotherapy or with BTK inhibitors.

5. Major surgery within 4 weeks prior to registration.

6. History of stroke or intracranial bleeding within 6 months.

7. Known bleeding diathesis (eg, von Willebrand's disease) or hemophilia.

8. Concurrent use of warfarin of other vitamin K antagonists.

9. Concurrent use of strong cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A4/5 inhibitors (see http://medicine.iupui.edu/clinpharm/ddis/clinical-table/).

10. Any life-threatening illness, medical condition, or organ system dysfunction which, in the investigator's opinion, could compromise the subject's safety, interfere with the absorption or metabolism of ibrutinib capsules, or put the study outcomes at undue risk.

11. International normalized ratio (INR) or prothrombin time (PT) ≥1.5 ULN. Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) or activated PTT (aPTT) ≥1.5 ULN unless due to lupus anticoagulant.

12. Vaccinated with live, attenuated vaccines within 4 weeks prior to randomization.

13. Clinically significant hypersensitivity (e.g., anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reactions to the compound of ibrutinib and/or rituximab themselves or to the excipients in their formulation).

14. Positive test results for chronic HBV infection (defined as positive HBsAg serology).

15. Patients with occult or prior HBV infection (defined as negative HBsAg and positive total HBcAb) may be included if HBV DNA is undetectable, provided that they are willing to undergo monthly DNA testing and taking specific antiviral prophylaxis, according to local policy. Patients who have protective titers of hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) after vaccination are eligible.

16. Positive test results for hepatitis C. Patients positive for HCV antibody are eligible only if PCR is negative for HCV RNA.

17. HIV infection or immunodeficiency.

18. Active, severe infections

19. Pregnancy or breastfeeding.

20. Clinically significant cardiovascular diseases such as uncontrolled or symptomatic arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, or myocardial infarction within 6 months of screening, or any Class 3 (moderate) or Class 4 (severe) cardiac disease as defined by the New York Heart Association Functional Classification.

21. Any serious medical or psychiatric illness likely to interfere with participation in this clinical study.

22. Prior history of malignancies other than MZL within 3 years,with the exception of adequately treated cervical carcinoma in situ or localized non-melanoma skin cancer.

23. Current enrolment or participation in another therapeutic clinical trial within 28 days prior to treatment start

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group (IELSG)

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Catherine Thieblemont, MD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Saint-Louis Hospital, Paris, France

Annarita Conconi, MD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Ospedale degli Infermi - Biella, Italy

Locations

CHU UCL Namur / site Godinne

Yvoir, , Belgium

CHU de Tours - Hôpital Bretonneau

Tours, Cedex 01, France

CHU de Montpellier

Montpellier, Cedex 05, France

CHU d'Estaing

Clermont-Ferrand, Cedex 1, France

CHU de Rennes Pontchaillou

Rennes, Cedex 9, France

Institut Bergonié

Bordeaux, , France

IHBN - CHU Côte de Nacre

Caen, , France

CHU Dijon Bourgogne - Hôpital François Mitterand

Dijon, , France

CHU de Grenoble - Hôpital Albert MICHALLON

La Tronche, , France

Saint Louis Hospital

Paris, , France

Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud

Pierre-Bénite, , France

CHRU de Strasbourg

Strasbourg, , France

IUCT Oncopole Toulouse

Toulouse, , France

CHU de Nancy - Hôpital Brabois

Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, , France

Ospedale degli Infermi

Ponderano, BI, Italy

Ospedale San Raffaele

Milan, MI, Italy

A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino Ospedale Molinette

Torino, TO, Italy

Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti - Università Politecnica delle Marche

Ancona, , Italy

Giovanni Paolo II/I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori

Bari, , Italy

A.O. Spedali Civili di Brescia

Brescia, , Italy

Ospedale Oncologico Businco

Cagliari, , Italy

Fondazione IRCCS - Cà Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico

Milan, , Italy

Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori

Milan, , Italy

AAST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda

Milan, , Italy

Fondazione IRCCS - Policlinico San Matteo

Pavia, , Italy

U.O. Ematologia AUSL Ravenna

Ravenna, , Italy

Azienda Ospedaliera Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova IRCCS

Reggio Emilia, , Italy

Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza

Roma, , Italy

Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina (ASUGI)

Trieste, , Italy

Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi di Varese

Varese, , Italy

Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil, E.P.E.

Lisbon, , Portugal

Istituto Oncologico della Svizzera Italiana (IOSI)

Bellinzona, Canton Ticino, Switzerland

Kantonalspital Baden

Baden, , Switzerland

Inselspital Bern

Bern, , Switzerland

Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève

Geneva, , Switzerland

Universitätsspital Zürich

Zurich, , Switzerland

Countries

Belgium; France; Italy; Portugal; Switzerland

Other Identifiers

2018-002364-44

Identifier Type: EUDRACT_NUMBER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

IELSG47

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id