A Phase III Trial to Compare the Efficacy, Safety and Pharmacokinetics of HD201 to Herceptin® in HER2+ Early Breast Cancer Patients

This is a randomised, double-blind, parallel group, equivalence, multicentre Phase III study. 500 patients with HER2+ early breast cancer (EBC) will be randomised (1:1) to receive either HD201 in combination with chemotherapy (n=250) or Herceptin® in combination with chemotherapy (n=250). HD201 or Herceptin® will be administered every 3 weeks for 8 cycles(24 weeks). After administration of the final neoadjuvant study drug dose, surgery will be done within 3-8 weeks followed by an adjuvant treatment period for 10 cycles. Patients completing the 18 cycles of treatment and those discontinuing the study will attend an End of Treatment (EOT) visit 4 weeks (+/- 2 days), after last administration of study medication, followed by a follow-up period of 2 years. Patients will attend study visits every 3 weeks. At each visit, patients will undergo a complete physical examination, vital signs, weight, performance status, clinical laboratory tests and adverse events (AEs), concomitant medication will be recorded. After the EOT visit patients will be followed every 6 months for an additional 24 months or until death, whichever occurs first, to collect data on cardiac safety and disease status. Cardiac safety will be assessed by echocardiography or multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan to evaluate the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (at screening, before cycle 5, before surgery, before cycles 12 and 16, EOT visit, and at 6 and 12 months after the completion of trastuzumab (more frequent if necessary)) and by means of a 12-lead ECG (at screening, before cycle 5, before surgery, before cycles 12 and 16, EOT visit, and at 6 and 12 months after the completion of trastuzumab). The primary efficacy endpoint, total pathological complete response (tpCR) will be assessed at the time of surgery after neoadjuvant treatment completion after 24 weeks. tpCR will be assessed both by local and by central reading. Sampling for pharmacokinetics (PK) analysis (determination of Ctrough values) will be performed in all patients before cycle 5 and cycle 8. An Independent Data Monitoring Committee will be implemented that reviews accumulating data of the clinical trial with respect to any potential safety issues, study progress and critical efficacy endpoints. The members will be selected on the basis of relevant experience and understanding of clinical research and the issues specific to the therapeutic area, as well as previous data monitoring committee experience.