Clinical Development Strategies and Outcomes in First-in-Human Trials of Monoclonal Antibodies.

PURPOSE: We conducted a comprehensive review of the design, implementation, and outcome of first-in-human (FIH) trials of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to clearly determine early clinical development strategies for this class of compounds. METHODS: We performed a PubMed search using appropriate terms to identify reports of FIH trials of mAbs published in peer-reviewed journals between January 2000 and April 2013. RESULTS: A total of 82 publications describing FIH trials were selected for analysis. Only 27 articles (33%) reported the criteria used for selecting the starting dose (SD). Dose escalation was performed using rule-based methods in 66 trials (80%). The median number of planned dose levels was five (range, two to 13). The median of the ratio between the highest planned dose and the SD was 27 (range, two to 3,333). Although in 56 studies (68%) at least one grade 3 or 4 toxicity event was reported, no dose-limiting toxicity was observed in 47 trials (57%). The highest planned dose was reached in all trials, but the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) was defined in only 13 studies (16%). The median of the ratio between MTD and SD was eight (range, four to 1,000). The recommended phase II dose was indicated in 34 studies (41%), but in 25 (73%) of these trials, this dose was chosen without considering toxicity as the main selection criterion. CONCLUSION: This literature review highlights the broad design heterogeneity of FIH trials testing mAbs. Because of the limited observed toxicity, the MTD was infrequently reached, and therefore, the recommended phase II dose for subsequent clinical trials was only tentatively defined.

Serum Matrix Metalloproteinase-7 is an independent prognostic biomarker in advanced bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: Urine markers have been studied extensively but there is a lack of blood prognostic markers in bladder cancer. MMP-7 is produced by stromal cells and by tumor cells and is overexpressed in a variety of epithelial and mesenchymal tumors. In this study, we assessed with an immunoassay we developed, the prognostic value of serum MMP-7 in a series of patients with advanced bladder cancer. METHODS: Serum samples were collected from 56 patients with advanced bladder cancer who were treated at the Montpellier Cancer Institute between March 2003 and December 2004. MMP-7 was quantified in serum samples by using a homogeneous sandwich fluoroimmunoassay we developed based on the time resolved amplified cryptate emission (TRACE) technology. RESULTS: The median overall survival of the study population was 2.2 years (95% CI, 1.4 to 3.0) with 1- and 5-year survival rates of 73% (95% CI, 59% to 82%) and 25% (95% CI, 14% to 37%), respectively. High MMP-7 serum levels were associated with poor survival. Using a cut-off value of 11.5 ng/mL, the median overall survival was 3.0 years (95% CI, 1.5 to 5.1) for patients with MMP-7 serum level <11.5 ng/mL and 1.3 years (95% CI, 0.8 to 2.5) for patients with serum level ?11.5 ng/mL. Multivariate analysis identified high MMP-7 serum concentration as an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with advanced bladder cancer (R?=?2.1, 95% CI, 1.1 to 4.4). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the MMP-7 serum concentration is an independent prognostic factor in patients with locally advanced and or metastatic bladder cancer.