Comparison of the efficacy of a generic plerixafor versus Mozobil as adjunct peripheral blood stem cell mobilization agents in multiple myeloma patients

Background Plerixafor is an adjunct peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) mobilization agent with well‐demonstrated safety and efficacy. The routine use of the originator brand drug (Mozobil) has been limited by cost. This retrospective study was conducted to compare the mobilization efficacy of a lower‐cost generic plerixafor and Mozobil in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Study Design and Methods The study included two near‐concurrent cohorts of MM patients mobilized with brand ( n = 64) or generic ( n = 61) plerixafor in addition to filgrastim. Collection and early engraftment outcomes were compared. Results The two cohorts had comparable distributions of sex, age, and weight. Previous treatment histories and proportions of upfront versus just‐in‐time plerixafor use were similar. There was no significant difference in their median overall cumulative total yield (10 6 CD34+ cells/kg) (brand, 5.91; generic, 5.80; p = .51). However, the generic cohort had a significantly higher median yield after the first dose (4.79 vs. 3.78, p = .03), and consequently lower median numbers of plerixafor doses ( p = .001) and collection days ( p = .002). Only 31.1% of patients in the generic arm required more than one dose versus 59.4% of patients in the brand arm ( p = .006). All transplanted patients in the brand and generic arms (90.6% and 85.2% respectively, p = .42) achieved engraftment. There was no significant difference in their median times to platelet and neutrophil engraftment, nor their transfusion requirements during the first 30 days post‐transplant. Conclusion The generic plerixafor produced comparable cumulative collection yields and early engraftment outcomes as Mozobil, but fewer doses and collection days were needed to reach collection goal.