Genetics-guided therapy in neuroendocrine carcinoma: response to BRAF- and MEK-inhibitors.

Background: Metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) is associated with short survival. Other than platinum-based chemotherapy, there is no clear standard regimen. Current guidelines suggest that combination treatment with BRAF-inhibitors should be considered for patients with BRAF V600E-mutated NEC. However, since only eight such patients have been reported in the literature, our object was to confirm the validity of this recommendation. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study conducted at Uppsala University Hospital. The included patients 1) had a histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of NEC, 2) were diagnosed between January 1st, 2018 and December 31st, 2023, 3) had tumor tissue genetically screened by a broad next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel, and 4) showed a tumor mutation for which there is a currently available targeted therapy. Results: We screened 48 patients diagnosed with NEC between January 1st, 2018 and December 31st, 2023. Twelve had been analyzed with a broad NGS-panel, and two had a targetable mutation. Both these patients harbored a BRAF V600E-mutated colon-NEC and were treated with BRAF- and MEK-inhibitors dabrafenib and trametinib in second-line. At first radiological evaluation (RECIST 1.1), both patients had a reduction of tumor size, which decreased by 31 and 40%. Both had short response periods, and their overall survival was 12 and 9 months. Conclusions: BRAF-mutated NEC is sensitive to treatment with BRAF- and MEK-inhibitor combination. These results further support that DNA sequencing should be considered as standard of care in NECs to screen for potential treatment targets.

Nanofiber-based Delivery of Luliconazole: Fabrication, Characterization, and Therapeutic Performance Assessment.

This study introduces and assesses the potential of a Luliconazole-loaded nanofiber (LUL-NF) patch, fabricated through electrospinning, for enhancing topical drug delivery. The primary objectives involve evaluating the nanofiber structure, characterizing physical properties, determining drug loading and release kinetics, assessing antifungal efficacy, and establishing the long-term stability of the NF patch. LUL-NF patches were fabricated via electrospinning and observed by SEM at approximately 200 nm dimensions. The comprehensive analysis included physical properties (thickness, folding endurance, swelling ratio, weight, moisture content, and drug loading) and UV analysis for drug quantification. In vitro studies explored sustained drug release kinetics, while microbiological assays evaluated antifungal efficacy against Candida albicans and Aspergillus Niger. Stability studies confirmed long-term viability. Comparative analysis with the pure drug, placebo NF patch, LUL-NF patch, and Lulifod gel was conducted using agar diffusion, revealing enhanced performance of the LUL-NF patch. SEM analysis revealed well-defined LUL-NF patches (0.80 mm thickness) with exceptional folding endurance (> 200 folds) and a favorable swelling ratio (12.66 ± 0.73%). The patches exhibited low moisture uptake (3.4 ± 0.09%) and a moisture content of 11.78 ± 0.54%. Drug loading in 1 cm2 section was 1.904 ± 0.086 mg, showing uniform distribution and sustained release kinetics in vitro. The LUL-NF patch demonstrated potent antifungal activity. Stability studies affirmed long-term stability, and comparative analysis highlighted increased inhibition compared to a pure drug, LUL-NF patch, and a commercial gel. The electrospun LUL-NF patch enhances topical drug delivery, promising extended therapy through single-release, one-time application, and innovative drug delivery strategies, supported by thorough analysis.

Efficacy and safety of surufatinib plus toripalimab, a chemotherapy-free regimen, in patients with advanced gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, or biliary tract cancer.

BACKGROUND: The programmed death 1 inhibitor toripalimab plus the angio-immuno kinase inhibitor surufatinib showed a tolerable safety profile and preliminary efficacy in patients with advanced solid tumors in a phase I study. METHODS: This open-label, multi-cohort study in China enrolled patients with advanced solid tumors who had failed or were intolerable to standard treatment into tumor-specific cohorts. Patients received surufatinib (250 mg orally, once daily) plus toripalimab (240 mg intravenously, once every three weeks). Results for three cohorts (gastric/gastroesophageal junction [GC/GEJ] adenocarcinoma, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma [ESCC], and biliary tract carcinoma [BTC]) are reported here. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed objective response rate (ORR) per Response Evaluation criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. RESULTS: Between December 17, 2019, and January 29, 2021, 60 patients were enrolled (GC/GEJ, n = 20; ESCC, n = 20; BTC, n = 20). At data cutoff (February 28, 2023), ORRs were 31.6%, 30.0%, and 11.1%, respectively. Median progression-free survival was 4.1, 2.7, and 2.9 months, respectively. Median overall survival was 13.7, 10.4, and 7.0 months, respectively. Overall, grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 28 (46.7%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Surufatinib plus toripalimab showed promising antitumor activity and a tolerable safety profile in immunotherapy-naïve patients with GC/GEJ adenocarcinoma, ESCC, or BTC. These findings warrant further study in larger randomized trials comparing surufatinib plus toripalimab with standard therapies in these tumors. CLINICALTRIALS: gov NCT04169672.

Injectable hydrogel with doxorubicin-loaded ZIF-8 nanoparticles for tumor postoperative treatments and wound repair.

The need for tumor postoperative treatments aimed at recurrence prevention and tissue regeneration have raised wide considerations in the context of the design and functionalization of implants. Herein, an injectable hydrogel system encapsulated with anti-tumor, anti-oxidant dual functional nanoparticles has been developed in order to prevent tumor relapse after surgery and promote wound repair. The utilization of biocompatible gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) was geared towards localized therapeutic intervention. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8@ceric oxide (ZIF-8@CeO2, ZC) nanoparticles (NPs) were purposefully devised for their proficiency as reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers. Furthermore, injectable GelMA hydrogels loaded with ZC NPs carrying doxorubicin (ZC-DOX@GEL) were tailored as multifunctional postoperative implants, ensuring the efficacious eradication of residual tumor cells and alleviation of oxidative stress. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to substantiate the efficacy in cancer cell elimination and the prevention of tumor recurrence through the synergistic chemotherapy approach employed with ZC-DOX@GEL. The acceleration of tissue regeneration and in vitro ROS scavenging attributes of ZC@GEL were corroborated using rat models of wound healing. The results underscore the potential of the multifaceted hydrogels presented herein for their promising application in tumor postoperative treatments.

Patient preference, efficacy, and compliance with zoledronic acid for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in patients with autoimmune diseases.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the preference, patient satisfaction, and efficacy of zoledronic acid compared with oral bisphosphonates (BPs) for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) in patients with autoimmune diseases. METHODS: We enrolled 50 patients with new fractures or osteoporosis detected on follow-up bone densitometry after at least 1 year of oral BP use among patients diagnosed with GIOP during treatment for autoimmune diseases. After 1 year of zoledronic acid treatment, patients completed a survey for preference and satisfaction assessment. Treatment efficacy was analysed by comparing bone mineral density changes and fractures with those in a control group of patients who continued oral BP use. RESULTS: Age, sex, treatment duration, and medication history did not differ significantly between the two groups. Among the participants, 86.7% preferred and were more satisfied with intravenous zoledronic acid than with oral BPs, primarily because of the convenience of its administration interval. Only two patients (4%) reported infusion-related adverse events with zoledronic acid. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in the annualized percentage change in the bone mineral density of the lumbar spine, femur neck, and hip between patients receiving zoledronic acid and those receiving oral BPs. The occurrence of new fractures was consistent across both groups, with two cases in each, showing no significant differences. CONCLUSION: Patients showed a preference for and greater satisfaction with zoledronic acid, and its efficacy in treating osteoporosis was comparable to that of oral BPs. Therefore, zoledronic acid is a suitable treatment option for GIOP in patients with autoimmune diseases.

A phase 1 study of triple-targeted therapy with BRAF, MEK, and AKT inhibitors for patients with BRAF-mutated cancers.

BACKGROUND: Aberrant PI3K/AKT signaling in BRAF-mutant cancers contributes to resistance to BRAF inhibitors. The authors examined dual MAPK and PI3K pathway inhibition in patients who had BRAF-mutated solid tumors (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01902173). METHODS: Patients with BRAF V600E/V600K-mutant solid tumors received oral dabrafenib at 150 mg twice daily with dose escalation of oral uprosertib starting at 50 mg daily, or, in the triplet cohorts, with dose escalation of both oral trametinib starting at 1.5 mg daily and oral uprosertib starting at 25 mg daily. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were assessed within the first 56 days of treatment. Radiographic responses were assessed at 8-week intervals. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (22 evaluable) were enrolled in parallel doublet and triplet cohorts. No DLTs were observed in the doublet cohorts (N = 7). One patient had a DLT at the maximum administered dose of triplet therapy (dabrafenib 150 mg twice daily and trametinib 2 mg daily plus uprosertib 75 mg daily). Three patients in the doublet cohorts had partial responses (including one who had BRAF inhibitor-resistant melanoma). Two patients in the triplet cohorts had a partial response, and one patient had an unconfirmed partial response. Pharmacokinetic data suggested reduced dabrafenib and dabrafenib metabolite exposure in patients who were also exposed to both trametinib and uprosertib, but not in whose who were exposed to uprosertib without trametinib. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant inhibition of both the MAPK and PI3K-AKT pathways for the treatment of BRAF-mutated cancers was well tolerated, leading to objective responses, but higher level drug-drug interactions affected exposure to dabrafenib and its metabolites.

Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Efficacy of Sofosbuvir-Velpatasvir and Sofosbuvir-Daclatasvir Treatment Regimens in End-stage Renal Disease Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis.

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are at an increased risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study evaluated the prevalence of HCV infection in patients with ESRD on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) and studied the effectiveness of sofosbuvir-velpatasvir and sofosbuvir-daclatasvir regimens in these patients. This study included patients with ESRD on MHD between January 2019 and December 2021 who were screened for HCV serology status. HCV-positive patients received sofosbuvir-velpatasvir or sofosbuvir-daclatasvir. Efficacy was assessed by the sustained virological response (SVR), and safety assessments included monitoring adverse events and laboratory parameters. Out of 1330 patients, 188 patients (14.1%) were positive for anti-HCV, with Genotype 1 being the most common genotype. Of these, 106 patients were included. The majority were males (61.3%), and the mean age was 48.4 years. Hypertension (45.3%) was the most common cause of renal failure, followed by diabetes (31.1%). Most patients (63.2%) were positive for HCV in the first 2 years of their dialysis treatment. Out of 106 patients, only 54 had received blood transfusions. Ninety-four (88.7%) patients received sofosbuvir-velpatasvir, whereas 12 (11.3%) received sofosbuvir-daclatasvir. SVR at 12 and 24 weeks after stopping treatment was seen in all (100%) patients. Asthenia and fatigue were the most common adverse events (11.2%). No patients reported on-treatment virologic failure or discontinuation of treatment because of adverse events. The prevalence of HCV infection in this population was 14.1%, and treatment of HCV infection using sofosbuvir-velpatasvir or sofosbuvir-daclatasvir regimens was well tolerated and effective.

Efficacy of minodronic acid for the prevention of osteoporosis in premenopausal women with gynaecologic disease who undergo bilateral oophorectomy: a single-centre, non-randomised controlled, experimental study.

We evaluated the efficacy of minodronic acid for osteoporosis prevention after bilateral oophorectomy for gynaecologic disease in premenopausal women. Bone mineral density (BMD) and young adult mean (YAM) data from the lumbar vertebrae and femur and bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP)/tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5 b (TRACP 5 b) data were obtained for 101 patients. The primary endpoint was the efficacy of minodronic acid for osteoporosis prevention. Fifty-five and 31 patients were assigned to medication and no medication groups, respectively. The decrease in BMD and YAM and the increase in BAP/TRACP-5b were significantly more suppressed in the medication group. There were no significant between-group differences in age at oophorectomy, cancer type, body mass index (BMI), and adjuvant therapy. There were no adverse events due to minodronic acid. Minodronic acid may prevent osteoporosis after oophorectomy in premenopausal women with gynaecologic disease, independent of age at oophorectomy, cancer type, BMI, or adjuvant therapy. Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Although the current strategy for osteoporosis prevention after premenopausal bilateral oophorectomy (b-OVX) is hormone therapy (HT), there is no consensus on the treatment duration or adverse events.What do the results of this study add? Therefore, we planned a prospective study to evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic treatment for osteoporosis after b-OVX in premenopausal women with gynaecologic disease using minodronic acid, an oral bisphosphonate, which have a strong evidence of the treatment for osteoporosis. The result showed minodronic acid significantly suppressed the decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) and young adult mean (YAM) and the increase in bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP)/tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP 5b). Minodronic acid may prevent osteoporosis after oophorectomy in premenopausal women with gynaecologic disease, independent of age at oophorectomy, cancer type, BMI, or adjuvant therapy.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Minodronic acid treatment for osteoporosis prevention after premenopausal b-OVX may be effective as a therapeutic agent after the cessation of HT, or alternative for patients who are contraindicated for HT in breast cancer and thrombosis and should be administered with caution with a history of uterine or ovarian cancer.

BMS-470539 Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Neuronal Apoptosis via MC1R/cAMP/PKA/Nurr1 Signaling Pathway in a Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Rat Model.

Neuronal apoptosis induced by oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Previous studies reported that activation of melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) exerts antioxidative stress, antiapoptotic, and neuroprotective effects in various neurological diseases. However, whether MC1R activation can attenuate oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis after hypoxic-ischemic- (HI-) induced brain injury remains unknown. Herein, we have investigated the role of MC1R activation with BMS-470539 in attenuating oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis induced by HI and the underlying mechanisms. 159 ten-day-old unsexed Sprague-Dawley rat pups were used. HI was induced by right common carotid artery ligation followed by 2.5 h of hypoxia. The novel-selective MC1R agonist BMS-470539 was administered intranasally at 1 h after HI induction. MC1R CRISPR KO plasmid and Nurr1 CRISPR KO plasmid were administered intracerebroventricularly at 48 h before HI induction. Percent brain infarct area, short-term neurobehavioral tests, Western blot, immunofluorescence staining, Fluoro-Jade C staining, and MitoSox Staining were performed. We found that the expression of MC1R and Nurr1 increased, peaking at 48 h post-HI. MC1R and Nurr1 were expressed on neurons at 48 h post-HI. BMS-470539 administration significantly attenuated short-term neurological deficits and infarct area, accompanied by a reduction in cleaved caspase-3-positive neurons at 48 h post-HI. Moreover, BMS-470539 administration significantly upregulated the expression of MC1R, cAMP, p-PKA, Nurr1, HO-1, and Bcl-2. However, it downregulated the expression of 4-HNE and Bax, as well as reduced FJC-positive cells, MitoSox-positive cells, and 8-OHdG-positive cells at 48 h post-HI. MC1R CRISPR and Nurr1 CRISPR abolished the antioxidative stress, antiapoptotic, and neuroprotective effects of BMS-470539. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that BMS-470539 administration attenuated oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis and improved neurological deficits in a neonatal HI rat model, partially via the MC1R/cAMP/PKA/Nurr1 signaling pathway. Early administration of BMS-470539 may be a novel therapeutic strategy for infants with HIE.

Protective effects of necrostatin-1 on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rat heart.

Background: Doxorubicin (Dox) is one of the most effective antineoplastic drugs which has severe cardiotoxic effects, limiting its clinical usage. Though the exact mechanism of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity is yet to be elucidated, it is shown that production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) increases oxidative stress and leads to cardiomyocyte apoptosis and necroptosis which is also defined as a programmed cell death.Purpose: In the present study, we investigate the effects of necrostatin-1 (Nec-1)-an inhibitor of receptor interaction proteins 1 (RIP1) and necroptosis-on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats.Research Design: Hearts were isolated and perfused by the Langendorff system in all four groups. Perfusion pressure (PP), left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and heart rate per minute (HR), LV (dP/dt) max, and LV (dP/dt) min which shows cardiac contractility and relaxation were recorded.Results: Results showed that PP significantly increased with Dox treatment and significantly decreased with Nec-1 treatment, while HR, LVDP, LV (dP/dt) max, and LV (dP/dt) min values significantly decreased with the Dox-treated group and significantly increased with Nec-1 treatment. Also with Nec-1 treatment, gene expression levels of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 significantly increased and pro-apoptotic protein Bax, apoptotic marker caspase-3, and Nox-2 significantly decreased compared to the Dox-treated group. In heart tissues, MDA levels were significantly increased with Dox and decreased with Nec-1 treatment. These results were supported by the histological analysis indicated that Nec-1 reduced doxorubicin-induced cellular injury.Conclusions: In conclusion, our data indicate that Nec-1 ameliorates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by reducing oxidative stress injury and attenuating apoptosis and necroptosis.

A sensitive and rapid bioanalytical method for the quantitative determination of luliconazole in rabbit eye tissues using UPLC-MS/MS assay.

Luliconazole (LCZ) is a novel antifungal imidazole with broad-spectrum and high susceptibility of Aspergillus and Fusarium are the dominant species of fungal keratitis, may potentially be a new medical treatment option for ocular fungal infection. To evaluate LCZ distribution in ocular tissues after topical application for the development of ophthalmic delivery system, it is important to have a bioanalytical method for measuring the drug concentrations in different ocular tissues and aqueous humor (AH). A selective and sensitive ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the quantification of LCZ in rabbit ocular tissues, including conjunctiva, cornea, AH, iris, lens, vitreous humor (VH), retinal choroid and sclera, using lanoconazole as internal standard (IS). Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Xterra MS, C18 column (2.1 × 50 mm, 3.5 µm) using mobile phase with formic acid solution (0.2%, v/v): acetonitrile (50:50, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.2 ml/min, and the run time was 2.5 min. Detection was performed using the transitions 354.1 → 150.3 m/z for LCZ and 320.1 → 150.3 m/z for IS by positive ion electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Method validation was conducted in accordance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration's regulatory guidelines for bioanalytical method validation. The calibration curves were linear over the concentration range from 2.80 ng/ml to 2038 ng/ml for conjunctiva, cornea and sclera, 2.09 ng/ml to 1019 ng/ml for AH, 2.09 ng/ml to 509.5 ng/ml for iris, 2.09 ng/ml to 203.8 ng/ml for retinal choroid and VH, 2.04 ng/ml to 101.9 ng/ml for lens, with all the squared correlation coefficients (r2) more than 0.99. The accuracy of the method was within the acceptable limit of 89.34%∼112.78% at the lower limit of quantification and other concentrations, Inter-day and intra-day precision values, expressed in terms of RSD (%), in all tissues were within 15% at all concentrations. The mean recoveries of LCZ in rabbit ocular tissues was 84.85%∼100.52%. No interference was found due to matrix components. Luliconazole was stable during the stability studies, including autosampler stability, benchtop stability, freeze/thaw stability and long-term stability. The method was successfully applied to the ocular pharmacokinetic and tissues distribution studies of LCZ in rabbit after topical administration of LCZ ophthalmic drug delivery system.

Dabrafenib- and trametinib-associated glomerular toxicity: A case report.

RATIONALE: Combined treatment with dabrafenib, a B-RAF inhibitor, and trametinib, a mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor, is an effective option for patients with metastatic melanoma. A few cases of acute kidney injury associated with tubulointerstitial nephritis and 1 case of nephrotic syndrome have been reported in patients on this drug combination; however, progressive renal injury has not been reported. In this case study, we report a patient with metastatic melanoma who developed glomerular capillary endothelial toxicity and progressive glomerular sclerosis during combination therapy. PATIENT CONCERN: Our patient was an 80-year-old woman with a history of type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. DIAGNOSIS AND INTERVENTION: She was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma and commenced combination therapy with dabrafenib and trametinib. OUTCOMES: Her renal function progressively deteriorated; by month 20 after treatment commencement, her serum creatinine level had increased from 1.59 to 3.74 mg/dL. The first kidney biopsy revealed marked glomerular and endothelial cell damage. Her medication was stopped, but no improvement was evident. At 5 months after the first biopsy, her serum creatinine level had increased to 5.46 mg/dL; a second kidney biopsy revealed focal segmental glomerular sclerosis and marked tubulointerstitial fibrosis. She was started on hemodialysis. LESSONS: We describe a patient with a metastatic melanoma who developed progressive kidney failure during treatment with dabrafenib and trametinib. The most prominent microscopy findings were glomerular endothelial damage in the initial kidney biopsy and accelerated glomerular sclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis in the follow-up biopsy. We hypothesize that a decreased renal reserve and impairment of kidney repair capacity caused by inhibition of B-RAF, a downstream mediator of vascular endothelial growth factor, may explain the progressive kidney injury.

Differential effects of renin-angiotensine-aldosteron system inhibition, sympathoinhibition and low sodium diet on blood pressure in women with a history of preeclampsia: A double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over trial (the PALM study).

Current guidelines lack sufficient evidence to recommend a specific blood pressure lowering strategy to prevent cardiovascular disease after preeclampsia. We conducted a double-blind cross-over trial to identify the most potent antihypertensive strategy: renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibition (losartan), sympathoinhibition (moxonidine), low sodium diet and placebo (n = 10). Due to low inclusion rate our study stopped prematurely. Initiatory analyses showed no significant effect of antihypertensive strategy on office blood pressure and 24-hour blood pressure. However, nocturnal dipping was significantly higher on RAAS inhibition and low sodium diet compared to placebo and sympathoinhibition. Optimal cardiovascular prevention after preeclampsia should be further explored.

Nafamostat reduces systemic inflammation in TLR7-mediated virus-like illness.

BACKGROUND: The serine protease inhibitor nafamostat has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19, by inhibiting TMPRSS2-mediated viral cell entry. Nafamostat has been shown to have other, immunomodulatory effects, which may be beneficial for treatment, however animal models of ssRNA virus infection are lacking. In this study, we examined the potential of the dual TLR7/8 agonist R848 to mimic the host response to an ssRNA virus infection and the associated behavioural response. In addition, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of nafamostat in this model. METHODS: CD-1 mice received an intraperitoneal injection of R848 (200 µg, prepared in DMSO, diluted 1:10 in saline) or diluted DMSO alone, and an intravenous injection of either nafamostat (100 µL, 3 mg/kg in 5% dextrose) or 5% dextrose alone. Sickness behaviour was determined by temperature, food intake, sucrose preference test, open field and forced swim test. Blood and fresh liver, lung and brain were collected 6 h post-challenge to measure markers of peripheral and central inflammation by blood analysis, immunohistochemistry and qPCR. RESULTS: R848 induced a robust inflammatory response, as evidenced by increased expression of TNF, IFN-γ, CXCL1 and CXCL10 in the liver, lung and brain, as well as a sickness behaviour phenotype. Exogenous administration of nafamostat suppressed the hepatic inflammatory response, significantly reducing TNF and IFN-γ expression, but had no effect on lung or brain cytokine production. R848 administration depleted circulating leukocytes, which was restored by nafamostat treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that R848 administration provides a useful model of ssRNA virus infection, which induces inflammation in the periphery and CNS, and virus infection-like illness. In turn, we show that nafamostat has a systemic anti-inflammatory effect in the presence of the TLR7/8 agonist. Therefore, the results indicate that nafamostat has anti-inflammatory actions, beyond its ability to inhibit TMPRSS2, that might potentiate its anti-viral actions in pathologies such as COVID-19.

Regression of liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma development after HCV eradication with oral antiviral agents.

We prospectively investigated the changes of liver stiffness (LS) and the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication using direct antiviral agents (DAA) over three years. LS measurement using transient elastography and serum fibrosis surrogate markers before treatment and at 48, 96, 144 weeks after starting direct-acting antivirals (DAA) according to the protocol were evaluated. Patients were also compared with historical cohort treated with pegylated interferon (peg-IFN). Sustained viral response (SVR) was observed in 95.8%. LS value in the patients achieving SVR significantly decreased over time (19.4 ± 12.9 kPa [baseline], 13.9 ± 9.1 kPa [48 weeks], 11.7 ± 8.2 kPa [96 weeks], 10.09 ± 6.23 [144 weeks], all p < 0.001). With matched analysis, the decrease in LS value was significantly larger in DAA group than peg-IFN group at both 48 weeks (29% vs. 9%) and 96 weeks (39% vs. 17%). The incidence of HCC was not significantly different between DAA and peg-IFN groups (5.5% vs. 5.4%) at 144 weeks. HCV eradication with DAA can lead to improvement of liver stiffness over time. The regression of fibrosis was greater in the group with DAA than peg-IFN.Clinical trials registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02865369).

Semi-Mechanistic PK/PD Modeling and Simulation of Irreversible BTK Inhibition to Support Dose Selection of Tirabrutinib in Subjects with RA.

Tirabrutinib is an irreversible, small-molecule Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, which was approved in Japan (VELEXBRU) to treat B-cell malignancies and is in clinical development for inflammatory diseases. As an application of model-informed drug development, a semimechanistic pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model for irreversible BTK inhibition of tirabrutinib was developed to support dose selection in clinical development, based on clinical PK and BTK occupancy data from two phase I studies with a wide range of PK exposures in healthy volunteers and in subjects with rheumatoid arthritis. The developed model adequately described and predicted the PK and PD data. Overall, the model-based simulation supported a total daily dose of at least 40 mg, either q.d. or b.i.d., with adequate BTK occupancy (> 90%) for further development in inflammatory diseases. Following the PK/PD modeling and simulation, the relationship between model-predicted BTK occupancy and preliminary clinical efficacy data was also explored and a positive trend was identified between the increasing time above adequate BTK occupancy and better efficacy in treatment for RA by linear regression.

A pilot study of Pan-FGFR inhibitor ponatinib in patients with FGFR-altered advanced cholangiocarcinoma.

Background Biliary tract cancers (BTC) are rare, chemo resistant and are associated with a poor prognosis. Preclinical and early clinical work had demonstrated interesting anti-tumor activity from targeting fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) pathway. We hypothesized that ponatinib, a multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor with activity against FGFR, would be active in BTC patients with FGFR alterations. Methods This was a multi-center, single institution pilot study of ponatinib in patients with advanced, refractory BTC with FGFR alterations. The primary end point was overall response rate, with secondary points of overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) assessment. Results Twelve patients were enrolled prior to early termination of the trial. Partial responses were observed in 1 from 12 patients. Median PFS was 2.4 months and median OS was 15.7 months. All observed toxicities were manageable and reversible. Toxicities were mild, with lymphopenia (75%), rash (63%) and fatigue (50%) being the most frequent. No significant detriment in global QoL was observed. Conclusions Ponatinib as a single agent in FGFR altered BTC is tolerable with limited clinical activity. This is the first report of prospective assessment of FGFR inhibition in BTC using ponatinib, and the first study to report its effect on HRQoL. Further development of ponatinib will involve correlative studies to better refine patient selection, focus on combinations with other molecular targeted agents, conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy, and studies to better understand mechanisms of treatment resistance.

Dabrafenib inhibits ABCG2 and cytochrome P450 isoenzymes; potential implications for combination anticancer therapy.

Dabrafenib is a BRAF inhibitor used in combination treatment of malignant melanoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma. In this study, we aimed to characterize its interactions with cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) efflux transporters that have critical impact on the pharmacokinetics of drugs and play a role in drug resistance development. Using accumulation assays, we showed that dabrafenib inhibited ABCG2 and, less potently, ABCB1 transporter. We also confirmed dabrafenib as a CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5 inhibitor. Importantly, inhibition of ABCG2 and CYP3A4 by dabrafenib led to the potentiation of cytotoxic effects of mitoxantrone and docetaxel toward respective resistant cell lines in drug combination studies. On the contrary, the synergistic effect was not consistently observed in ABCB1-expressing models. We further demonstrated that mRNA levels of ABCB1, ABCG2, ABCC1, and CYP3A4 were increased after 24 h and 48 h exposure to dabrafenib. Overall, our data confirm dabrafenib as a drug frequently and potently interacting with ABC transporters and CYP isoenzymes. This feature should be addressed with caution when administering dabrafenib to patients with polypharmacy but also could be utilized advantageously when designing new dabrafenib-containing drug combinations to improve the therapeutic outcome in drug-resistant cancer.

Targeting abundant survivin expression in liposarcoma: subtype dependent therapy responses to YM155 treatment.

PURPOSE: Liposarcoma (LPS) represent the largest group of malignant soft tissue tumours comprising a heterogeneous group of subtypes in which the degrees of chemoresistance and radiosensitivity strongly vary. Consequently, it is of utmost interest to establish novel therapeutic regimens based on molecular targets. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining of survivin was performed in tissue microarrays comprising 49 primary LPS specimens. LPS cell lines were treated with survivin antagonist YM155 and doxorubicin or etoposide alone as well as in combination. Changes in cell viability were investigated and the synergistic effect of a combined therapy analysed. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry revealed an abundant expression of survivin in LPS that significantly concurred with less-differentiated tumour subtypes and grading. In vitro, we demonstrated the impact of the survivin inhibitor YM155 on dedifferentiated LPS (DDLPS) and, even more imposing, pleomorphic LPS (PLS) tumour cell viability with a strong induction of apoptosis. A combined treatment of doxorubicin or etoposide with YM155 augmented the cytotoxic effects on DDLPS and PLS cells. CONCLUSION: These findings support the significant role of survivin in the oncogenesis and progression of LPS subtypes providing a rationale to target survivin in eligible in-vivo models and to pioneer clinical applications of survivin-specific substances unfolding their therapeutic potential in LPS patients prospectively.

Dabrafenib plus trametinib in patients with BRAFV600E-mutant low-grade and high-grade glioma (ROAR): a multicentre, open-label, single-arm, phase 2, basket trial.

BACKGROUND: Effective treatments are needed to improve outcomes for high-grade glioma and low-grade glioma. The activity and safety of dabrafenib plus trametinib were evaluated in adult patients with recurrent or progressive BRAFV600E mutation-positive high-grade glioma and low-grade glioma. METHODS: This study is part of an ongoing open-label, single-arm, phase 2 Rare Oncology Agnostic Research (ROAR) basket trial at 27 community and academic cancer centres in 13 countries (Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the USA). The study enrolled patients aged 18 years or older with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0, 1, or 2. Patients with BRAFV600E mutation-positive high-grade glioma and low-grade glioma received dabrafenib 150 mg twice daily plus trametinib 2 mg once daily orally until unacceptable toxicity, disease progression, or death. In the high-grade glioma cohort, patients were required to have measurable disease at baseline using the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology high-grade glioma response criteria and have been treated previously with radiotherapy and first-line chemotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Patients with low-grade glioma were required to have measurable non-enhancing disease (except pilocytic astrocytoma) at baseline using the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology low-grade glioma criteria. The primary endpoint, in the evaluable intention-to-treat population, was investigator-assessed objective response rate (complete response plus partial response for high-grade glioma and complete response plus partial response plus minor response for low-grade glioma). This trial is ongoing, but is closed for enrolment, NCT02034110. FINDINGS: Between April 17, 2014, and July 25, 2018, 45 patients (31 with glioblastoma) were enrolled into the high-grade glioma cohort and 13 patients were enrolled into the low-grade glioma cohort. The results presented here are based on interim analysis 16 (data cutoff Sept 14, 2020). In the high-grade glioma cohort, median follow-up was 12·7 months (IQR 5·4-32·3) and 15 (33%; 95% CI 20-49) of 45 patients had an objective response by investigator assessment, including three complete responses and 12 partial responses. In the low-grade glioma cohort, median follow-up was 32·2 months (IQR 25·1-47·8). Nine (69%; 95% CI 39-91) of 13 patients had an objective response by investigator assessment, including one complete response, six partial responses, and two minor responses. Grade 3 or worse adverse events were reported in 31 (53%) patients, the most common being fatigue (five [9%]), decreased neutrophil count (five [9%]), headache (three [5%]), and neutropenia (three [5%]). INTERPRETATION: Dabrafenib plus trametinib showed clinically meaningful activity in patients with BRAFV600E mutation-positive recurrent or refractory high-grade glioma and low-grade glioma, with a safety profile consistent with that in other indications. BRAFV600E testing could potentially be adopted in clinical practice for patients with glioma. FUNDING: Novartis.