Targeting the IL-2 inducible kinase in melanoma; a phase 2 study of ibrutinib in systemic treatment-refractory distant metastatic cutaneous melanoma: preclinical rationale, biology, and clinical activity (NCI9922).

BACKGROUND: IL-2 inducible kinase (ITK) is highly expressed in metastatic melanomas and its inhibition suppresses melanoma cell proliferation. We hypothesize that ibrutinib has a direct antitumor effect in melanoma cell lines and that treatment of metastatic melanomas with ibrutinib induces antitumor responses. METHODS: We assessed the ibrutinib effect on melanoma cell proliferation, apoptosis, and motility. Patients with metastatic melanoma refractory to PD-1 and MAPK inhibitors (if BRAFV600-mutant) were treated with ibrutinib, 840 mg PO QD, as part of a phase II clinical trial (clinicaltrials.gov NCT02581930). RESULTS: Melanoma cell lines frequently express ITK, YES1, and EGFR. Ibrutinib suppressed cell motility and proliferation in most cell lines. Eighteen patients (13 male; median age 63.5 years, range 37-82; 12 with ipilimumab resistance) were enrolled. The most frequent side effects were fatigue (61%), anorexia (50%), hyponatremia (28%), nausea, and vomiting (22% each). No antitumor responses were seen. At a median follow-up of 6 months (0.3-35.8 months), the median progression-free survival was 1.3 months (range 0.2-5.5 months). Fifteen patients were discontinued from the study due to progression, and 14 patients had died from metastatic melanoma. All archived tumors expressed ITK, 41% had no expression of p16 and PTEN, and 61% had absent tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Ibrutinib significantly suppressed proliferating (Ki67+) CD19+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells and had no significant effect on other lymphocyte subsets. CONCLUSION: Ibrutinib did not induce any meaningful clinical benefit. ITK expression may not be clinically relevant. Treatment-refractory metastatic melanomas have other fundamental defects (i.e. absent PTEN and p16 expression, absent TILs) that may contribute to an adverse prognosis.

A Phase I Trial of the IGF-1R Antibody Ganitumab (AMG 479) in Combination with Everolimus (RAD001) and Panitumumab in Patients with Advanced Cancer.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the maximum tolerated dose or recommended phase II dose (RPTD) and safety and tolerability of the ganitumab and everolimus doublet regimen followed by the ganitumab, everolimus, and panitumumab triplet regimen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a standard 3 + 3 dose escalation trial. Doublet therapy consisted of ganitumab at 12 mg/kg every 2 weeks; doses of everolimus were adjusted according to dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs). Panitumumab at 4.8 mg/kg every 2 weeks was added to the RPTD of ganitumab and everolimus. DLTs were assessed in cycle 1; toxicity evaluation was closely monitored throughout treatment. Treatment continued until disease progression or undesirable toxicity. Pretreatment and on-treatment skin biopsies were collected to assess insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) target modulation. RESULTS: Forty-three subjects were enrolled. In the doublet regimen, two DLTs were observed in cohort 1, no DLTs in cohort -1, and one in cohort -1B. The triplet combination was discontinued because of unacceptable toxicity. Common adverse events were thrombocytopenia/neutropenia, skin rash, mucositis, fatigue, and hyperglycemia. In the doublet regimen, two patients with refractory non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) achieved prolonged complete responses ranging from 18 to >60 months; one treatment-naïve patient with chondrosarcoma achieved prolonged stable disease >24 months. In dermal granulation tissue, the insulin-like growth factor receptor and mTOR pathways were potently and specifically inhibited by ganitumab and everolimus, respectively. CONCLUSION: The triplet regimen of ganitumab, everolimus, and panitumumab was associated with unacceptable toxicity. However, the doublet of ganitumab at 12 mg/kg every 2 weeks and everolimus five times weekly had an acceptable safety profile and demonstrated notable clinical activity in patients with refractory NSCLC and sarcoma. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This trial evaluated the maximum tolerated dose or recommended phase II dose and safety and tolerability of the ganitumab and everolimus doublet regimen followed by the ganitumab, everolimus, and panitumumab triplet regimen. Although the triplet regimen of ganitumab, everolimus, and panitumumab was associated with unacceptable toxicity, the doublet of ganitumab at 12 mg/kg every 2 weeks and everolimus at five times weekly had an acceptable safety profile and demonstrated notable clinical activity in patients with refractory non-small cell lung cancer and sarcoma.

Phase I study of pazopanib plus TH-302 in advanced solid tumors.

PURPOSE: To define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), recommended phase II dose (RPTD), and assess safety and tolerability for the combination of pazopanib plus TH-302, an investigational hypoxia-activated prodrug (HAP), in adult patients with advanced solid tumors. METHODS: This was an open-label, non-randomized, single-center, phase I trial consisting 2 stages. Stage 1 was a standard "3 + 3" dose escalation design to determine safety and the RPTD for TH-302 plus pazopanib combination. Stage 2 was an expanded cohort to better describe the tolerability and toxicity profile at the MTD. Pazopanib was orally dosed at 800 mg daily on days 1-28 for all cohorts. TH-302 was administered intravenously on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle at doses of 340 mg/m2 (cohort 1) or 480 mg/m2 (cohort 2). Dose limiting toxicity (DLT) was assessed in the first 28-day cycle. Efficacy was assessed every 2 cycles. RESULTS: Thirty patients were enrolled between December 2011 and September 2013. In the dose escalation stage, 7 patients were enrolled in the 340 mg/m2 TH-302 cohort and 6 patients in the 480 mg/m2 TH-302 cohort. Ten patients were evaluable for DLT. DLTs included grade 2 intolerable esophagitis (n = 1) in the 340 mg/m2 TH-302 cohort, and grade 3 vaginal inflammation (n = 1) and grade 3 neutropenia with grade 3 thrombocytopenia (n = 1, same patient) in the 480 mg/m2 TH-302 cohort. The 340 mg/m2 TH-302 cohort was determined to be MTD and RPTD. The most common treatment-related adverse events were hematologic (anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia), nausea/vomiting, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, constipation, fatigue, mucositis, anorexia, pain, and hypertension. Partial response (PR) was observed in 10% (n = 3) of patients, stable disease (SD) in 57% (n = 17), and progressive disease (PD) in 23% (n = 7). Due to toxicity, 3 patients were discontinued from study drug prior to first radiographic assessment but were included in these calculations. Disease control ≥6 months was observed in 37% of patients (n = 11). CONCLUSIONS: The RPTD for this novel combination is pazopanib 800 mg daily on days 1-28 plus TH-302 340 mg/m2 on days 1, 8 and 15 of each 28-day cycle. Preliminary activity was seen in treatment-refractory cancers and supports potential value of co-targeting tumor angiogenesis and tumor hypoxia.

Phase I study of capecitabine, oxaliplatin, bevacizumab, and everolimus in advanced solid tumors.

PURPOSE: To define maximum tolerated dose (MTD), toxicities, and pharmacodynamics of capecitabine, oxaliplatin, bevacizumab, and everolimus in advanced solid tumor patients. DESIGN: This was a standard "3 + 3" dose-escalation trial. All subjects received bevacizumab 7.5 mg/kg on day 1 of each cycle. Doses for capecitabine, oxaliplatin and everolimus were modified per dose limiting toxicity (DLT). Baseline and on-treatment plasma biomarkers were analyzed. Archived tumor mRNA levels were evaluated for NRP1, NRP2 and VEGF-A isoforms. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were evaluable for toxicity and 30 for efficacy. Two DLTs were observed in cohort 1 and one DLT each was observed in cohort -1 and -1b. Grade ≥3 toxicities included neutropenia, hypertension, perforation/fistula/hemorrhage, hypertriglyceridemia, diarrhea, and thromboembolism. Twelve subjects experienced partial response (PR); 12 had stable disease as best response. Three of seven chemorefractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) subjects experienced PR; 8 of 15 chemonaive mCRC subjects experienced PR. Plasma TßRIII and IL-6 increased on treatment but without correlation to outcome. Increased VEGF165 levels significantly correlated with longer progression free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Everolimus with full dose capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and bevacizumab had unacceptable toxicity. MTD was: everolimus 5 mg daily; capecitabine 680 mg/m(2) BID days 1-14; oxaliplatin 100 mg/m(2) and bevacizumab 7.5 mg/kg, day 1. Activity was noted in mCRC.

A phase II study of capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and bevacizumab in the treatment of metastatic esophagogastric adenocarcinomas.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal and gastric cancers often present at an advanced stage. Systemic chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment, but survival with current regimens remains poor. We evaluated the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of the combination capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and bevacizumab in the treatment of metastatic esophagogastric adenocarcinomas. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with metastatic or unresectable gastric/gastroesophageal junction tumors were enrolled and treated with capecitabine 850 mg/m(2) BID on days 1-14, and oxaliplatin 130 mg/m(2) with bevacizumab 15 mg/kg on day 1 of a 21-day cycle. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included response rate (RR) and overall survival (OS). Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) and -2 (NRP2) mRNA expression was evaluated in archived tumor. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were evaluable for efficacy. Median PFS was 7.2 months; median OS was 10.8 months. RR was estimated at 51.4%. The regimen was tolerable with expected drug class-related toxicities. NRP2 mRNA levels significantly correlated with PFS (p = 0.042) and showed a trend toward significance with OS (p = 0.051). Nonsignificant trends for NRP1 were noted for higher expression levels and worse outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Bevacizumab can be given safely with chemotherapy in patients with metastatic esophagogastric adenocarcinomas. The combination of capecitabine, oxaliplatin, plus bevacizumab has activity comparable to other bevacizumab-containing regimens in metastatic gastroesophageal cancer.