This will be an open-label, dose escalating study with a starting dose of 2mg. Up to 4 additional cohorts will be enrolled at subsequently higher doses of 4mg, 8mg, 16mg, and 32mg.
- Cohort 1 - Two (2) patients will be enrolled at the 2mg dose level for 8 weeks of treatment. After both patients have received at least 4 weeks of treatment, if there are no adverse events ≥Grade 2 that are related (possibly, probably, or definitely) to the study drug, then the study will proceed to the next dose level. Note that if ≥Grade 2 toxicity is seen at this dose level, the study drug regimen may be modified (eg, twice or thrice weekly versus daily dosing).
- Cohort 2 - Two (2) patients will be enrolled at the 4mg dose level for 8 weeks of treatment. After both patients have received at least 4 weeks of treatment, if there are no adverse events ≥Grade 2 that are related to the study drug, then the study will proceed to the next dose level.
- Cohort 3 - Three (3) patients will be enrolled at the 8mg dose level for 8 weeks of treatment. After all patients have received at least 4 weeks of treatment, if <2 patients experience a related adverse event ≥Grade 2, then the study will proceed to the next dose level. (If ≥2 patients experience a related adverse event ≥Grade 2, the previous cohort will be expanded.)
- Cohort 4 - Three (3) patients will be enrolled at the 10mg dose level for 8 weeks of treatment. After all patients have received at least 4 weeks of treatment, if <2 patients experience a related adverse event ≥Grade 2, then the study will proceed to the next dose level. (If ≥2 patients experience a related adverse event ≥Grade 2, the previous cohort will be expanded.)
- Cohort 5 - Three (3) patients will be enrolled at the 12mg dose level for 8 weeks of treatment. After all patients have received at least 4 weeks of treatment, if <2 patients experience a related adverse event ≥Grade 2, then the study will proceed to the next dose level. (If ≥2 patients experience a related adverse event ≥Grade 2, the previous cohort will be expanded.)
- Cohort 6 - Three (3) patients will be enrolled at the 16mg dose level for 8 weeks of treatment. After all patients have received at least 4 weeks of treatment, if <2 patients experience a related adverse event ≥Grade 2, then the study will proceed to the next and final dose level. (If ≥2 patients experience a related adverse event ≥Grade 2, the previous cohort will be expanded.)
- Cohort 7 - Three (3) patients will be enrolled at the 32mg dose level for 8 weeks of treatment.
- An additional cohort may be explored at the 24mg dose level if deemed appropriate based on safety and activity parameters.
If there are any adverse events Grade ≥2 that are related (possibly, probably, or definitely) to study drug, at the 4mg cohort or in ≥2 patients in any subsequent cohort, the dose may be reduced to the previous cohort and an additional 3-6 patients (total of up to 9) may be enrolled into that cohort. Additionally, if Hbf levels increase >15% (expressed as a percentage of total Hb) in any cohort, the cohort can be expanded to an additional 3 to 6 patients as well as continue to the next cohort if safety parameters have been met. In the expansion cohort, patients will receive study drug treatment for an additional 4 weeks (total of 12 weeks)..
Approximately 6 to 39 patients may be enrolled for the entire study. Patients are eligible to enroll in a higher cohort of the study after a minimum of one-month washout from AB1 dosing, if their HbF levels return to baseline (<15%) and the investigator deems the patient eligible.