A phase I, dose-escalation study of cyclical weekly oral temozolomide and weekly PEG-interferon alpha-2b in patients with refractory or advanced solid tumours.

BACKGROUND: Temozolomide (TMZ) is an oral alkylating agent used in the treatment of central nervous system neoplasms and metastatic melanoma. Preclinical and clinical data suggested that combining TMZ with interferon alpha-2b (IFN-alpha-2b) may result in increased anti-tumour efficacy. METHODS: This was a phase I, dose-escalation study to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) of cyclical oral TMZ (days 1-7 and 15-21) in combination with pegylated IFN-alpha-2b (PEG-IFN-alpha-2b) in patients with advanced solid tumours. RESULTS: We treated 19 patients (10 female and nine male), median age 58 years (range: 41-79 years). Ten patients tolerated TMZ at 100 mg/m² on days 1-7 and 15-21 plus PEG-IFN-alpha-2b at 1.5 mcg/kg/week on 28-day cycles which was the MTD of the combination. The pharmacokinetic parameters of PEG-IFN-alpha-2b were not altered by TMZ, at the MTD. CONCLUSION: The MTD of cyclical oral TMZ was 100 mg/m² on days 1-7 and 15-21 when combined with weekly subcutaneous PEG-IFNα-2b at 1.5 mcg/kg/week on 28 days cycles. The PK of PEG-IFN-alpha-2b appeared consistent with those when it is used as monotherapy.

A phase II study of bevacizumab and high-dose interleukin-2 in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a Cytokine Working Group (CWG) study.

Overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) leads to angiogenesis, tumor progression, and inhibition of immune function. We conducted the first phase II study to estimate the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab with high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy in patients with metastatic RCC. Eligible patients had predominantly clear cell metastatic RCC, measurable disease, a Karnofsky Performance Status of ≥80%, and adequate end-organ function. IL-2 (600,000 IU/kg) was infused intravenously every 8 hours (maximum 28 doses) during two 5-day cycles on days 1 and 15 of each 84-day course. Bevacizumab (10 mg/kg) was infused intravenously every 2 weeks beginning 2 weeks before initiating IL-2. Fifty of 51 eligible patients from 8 centers were enrolled. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 11.2 months (90% confidence interval, 5.7-17.7), and 2-year PFS was 18% (90% confidence interval, 8%-27%). Responses included 4 complete (8%) and 11 partial (22%) responses. Toxicities did not exceed those expected from each agent alone. Combining IL-2 plus bevacizumab is feasible, with a response rate and PFS at least as high as reported previously for the single agents. The regimen did not appear to enhance the rate of durable major responses over that of IL-2 alone.

The effect of food on the bioavailability of panobinostat, an orally active pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor, in patients with advanced cancer.

PURPOSE: Panobinostat is a novel oral pan-deacetylase inhibitor with promising anti-cancer activity. The study aimed to determine the influence of food on the oral bioavailability of panobinostat. METHODS: This multicenter study consisted of a randomized, three-way crossover, food-effect study period (cycle 1) followed by single-agent panobinostat continual treatment phase in patients with advanced cancer. Patients received panobinostat 20 mg twice weekly, and panobinostat pharmacokinetics was investigated on days 1, 8, and 15 with a randomly assigned sequence of three prandial states (fasting, high-fat, and normal breakfast). RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were assessed for the food effect on pharmacokinetics and safety in cycle 1, after which 29 patients continued treatment, receiving single-agent panobinostat. Safety and antitumor activity were assessed during the extension period. Panobinostat systemic exposure was marginally reduced (14-16%) following food [geometric mean ratio (GMR) of the AUC(0-∞)/high-fat breakfast/fasting, 0.84 (90% confidence interval {CI}, 0.74-0.96); normal breakfast/fasting, 0.86 (90% CI, 0.75-1.00)], and interpatient variability (coefficient of variation, 59%) remained essentially unchanged with or without food. Panobinostat C (max) was reduced by 44% (high-fat) and 36% (normal) with median T (max) prolonged by 1-1.5 h following food. Panobinostat was well tolerated, with thrombocytopenia, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting as common adverse events, and demonstrated antitumor activity with one patient with a partial response and six patients with stable disease as best response. CONCLUSIONS: Food produced minor changes in oral panobinostat exposure; thus, panobinostat can be given without regard to food intake in future clinical studies.

Lack of effect of casopitant on the pharmacokinetics of docetaxel in patients with cancer.

PURPOSE: The neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, casopitant, is a weak-to-moderate inhibitor of cytochrome P450 isoenzyme 3A4 (CYP3A) and has the potential to inhibit the metabolism of CYP3A substrates such as docetaxel. METHODS: Fourteen cancer patients were enrolled in this phase 1, open-label, randomized, two-period crossover study. Intravenous (i.v.) docetaxel was coadministered with oral ondansetron and dexamethasone with (Regimen B) or without (Regimen A) 150 mg single-dose oral casopitant. RESULTS: The geometric least-squares mean Regimen B: Regimen A ratios (90% confidence interval) for docetaxel maximum plasma concentration and area under the concentration-time curve from time 0 extrapolated to infinity were 0.97 (0.83, 1.12) and 1.06 (0.94, 1.19), respectively. Coadministration of casopitant and docetaxel was well tolerated, with adverse event profiles and absolute neutrophil count nadirs similar for both treatments. CONCLUSIONS: C(max) and AUC of docetaxel were similar when given as monotherapy or when given in combination with casopitant. Likewise, absolute neutrophil count nadirs were similar for docetaxel alone or docetaxel with casopitant.

Warfarin genotyping using three different platforms.

Genetic testing for common variants in the CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genes may provide useful clinical information to guide dosing patients receiving oral warfarin. Specifically, the CYP2C9*2, CYP2C9*3 and either the VKORC1-1639 G>A or VKORC1 1173C>T polymorphisms can be used to help predict an approximate warfarin maintenance dose needed for a particular patient. Although clinical uptake and use of this genotyping has been slow, an increasing body of literature provides evidence of the clinical utility of supplementing traditional warfarin dosing algorithms with a pharmacogenetic approach. The availability of multiple methods for clinical genotyping provides the opportunity for molecular diagnostic laboratories to introduce genotyping assays tailored to their specific needs based on variables such as testing volumes, staffing, available instrumentation and needed turnaround times. Three assays (Invader, Verigene and TaqMan) designed to detect three genetic variations associated with warfarin dosing are evaluated and compared as potential clinical tests to assist in patient care. Identical genotypes were reported by each assay for all samples tested but the assays were found to differ in turnaround time, approval status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), requirements for amount of input genomic DNA and other logistical factors that might make each assay more favorable in different settings.