A Single Arm Phase 2 Trial of Trametinib in Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma.

PURPOSE: Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare vascular cancer with pathogenic TAZ-CAMTA1 operating as an oncogenic driver through activation of MAPK pathway. Trametinib is an inhibitor of MEK, a critical kinase in the MAPK pathway. We sought to evaluate the effect of trametinib in patients with EHE. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A phase 2 trial of trametinib was conducted in patients with locally advanced or metastatic EHE. Eligibility requirements included evidence of tumor progression or presence of EHE-related pain requiring opiates for management prior to enrollment. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST1.1 in cases with TAZ-CAMTA1 confirmed by fusion-FISH. Secondary objectives were to estimate ORR for all patients, median PFS, 2-year OS rate, patient safety, and change in patient-reported global health and pain scores per PROMIS questionnaires. RESULTS: 44 patients enrolled and 42 started trametinib. TAZ-CAMTA1 was detected in 27 tumor samples. The ORR was 3.7% (95% CI: 0.094, 19.0), median PFS was 10.4 months (95% CI: 7.1, NA), and 2-year OS rate was 33.3% (95% CI: 19.1, 58.2) in the target population. Median pain intensity and interference scores improved significantly after 4 weeks of trametinib in patients using opiates. Common AEs related to trametinib were rash, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea/constipation, alopecia and edema; one Grade 5 ARDS/pneumonitis was related to trametinib. CONCLUSIONS: Trametinib was associated with reduction in EHE-related pain and median PFS of more than 6 months providing palliative benefit in patients with advanced EHE, but the trial did not meet the ORR goal.

Accuracy of Time to Treatment Initiation Data in Musculoskeletal Soft Tissue Sarcoma.

Background: Time to treatment initiation (TTI) is a quality metric in cancer care. The purpose of this study is to determine the accuracy of TTI data from a single cancer center registry that reports to the National Cancer Database (NCDB) for sarcoma diagnoses. Methods: A retrospective analysis of a single Commission on Cancer (CoC)-accredited cancer center's tumor registry between 2006 and 2016 identified 402 patients who underwent treatment of a musculoskeletal soft tissue sarcoma and had TTI data available. Registry-reported TTI was extracted from the tumor registry. Effective TTI was manually calculated by medical record review as the number of days from the date of tissue diagnosis to initiation of first effective treatment. Effective treatment was defined as oncologic surgical excision or initiation of radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Registry-reported TTI and effective TTI values were compared for concordance in all patients. Results: In the entire cohort, 25% (99/402) of patients had TTI data discordance, all related to surgical treatment definition. For patients with a registry-reported value of TTI = 0 days, 74% (87/118) had a diagnostic surgical procedure coded as their first treatment event, with 73 unplanned incomplete excision procedures and 14 incisional biopsies. In these patients, effective TTI was on average 59 days (P < 0.001). For patients with a registry-reported value of TTI >0 days, only 4% (12/284) had discordant TTI values. Conclusions: Nearly three-fourths of patients with a registry-reported value of TTI = 0 days in a large, CoC-accredited cancer center registry had a diagnostic procedure coded as their first treatment event, though their effective treatment had not yet started. These data suggest that TTI is likely longer than what is reported to the NCDB. Redefinition of what constitutes surgical treatment should be considered to improve the accuracy of data used in measuring TTI in sarcoma.

A phase I, open-label study evaluating the safety and pharmacokinetics of trifluridine/tipiracil in patients with advanced solid tumors and varying degrees of renal impairment.

PURPOSE: Trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) is approved for advanced colorectal and gastric/gastroesophageal cancer; however, data in patients with renal impairment (RI) are limited. This phase I study evaluated FTD/TPI in patients with advanced solid tumors and varying degrees of RI to develop dosing guidance. METHODS: Patients were enrolled into normal renal function (CrCl ≥ 90 mL/min), mild RI (CrCl 60-89 mL/min), or moderate RI (CrCl 30-59 mL/min) cohorts and administered the recommended FTD/TPI dose (35 mg/m2 twice daily, days 1-5 and 8-12; 28-day cycle). Based on interim pharmacokinetics/safety data, patients with severe RI (CrCl 15-29 mL/min) were enrolled and received FTD/TPI 20 mg/m2 twice daily. RESULTS: Forty-three patients (normal renal function [n = 12]; mild RI [n = 12]; moderate RI [n = 11]; severe RI [n = 8]) were enrolled and treated. At steady state, compared to values in patients with normal renal function, FTD area under the curve (AUC) was not significantly different in patients with RI, but TPI AUC was significantly higher and increased with RI severity. FTD/TPI safety profile was consistent with prior experience, but grade ≥ 3 adverse events (AEs) were more frequent in the RI cohorts (83.3% [mild], 90.9% [moderate], 75.0% [severe], and normal [50.0%]). Hematologic AEs (anemia and neutropenia) were more frequent with RI. Overall, seven patients discontinued because of unrelated, nonhematologic AEs. CONCLUSION: FTD/TPI is safe and tolerable at the recommended 35 mg/m2 dose in patients with mild/moderate RI and at the reduced 20 mg/m2 dose in patients with severe RI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02301117, registration date: November 21, 2014.

Intratumoral Injection of Clostridium novyi-NT Spores in Patients with Treatment-refractory Advanced Solid Tumors.

PURPOSE: Intratumorally injected Clostridium novyi-NT (nontoxic; lacking the alpha toxin), an attenuated strain of C. novyi, replicates within hypoxic tumor regions resulting in tumor-confined cell lysis and inflammatory response in animals, which warrants clinical investigation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This first-in-human study (NCT01924689) enrolled patients with injectable, treatment-refractory solid tumors to receive a single intratumoral injection of C. novyi-NT across 6 dose cohorts (1 × 104 to 3 × 106 spores, 3+3 dose-escalation design) to determine dose-limiting toxicities (DLT), and the maximum tolerated dose. RESULTS: Among 24 patients, a single intratumoral injection of C. novyi-NT led to bacterial spores germination and the resultant lysis of injected tumor masses in 10 patients (42%) across all doses. The cohort 5 dose (1 × 106 spores) was defined as the maximum tolerated dose; DLTs were grade 4 sepsis (n = 2) and grade 4 gas gangrene (n = 1), all occurring in three patients with injected tumors >8 cm. Other treatment-related grade ≥3 toxicities included pathologic fracture (n = 1), limb abscess (n = 1), soft-tissue infection (n = 1), respiratory insufficiency (n = 1), and rash (n = 1), which occurred across four patients. Of 22 evaluable patients, nine (41%) had a decrease in size of the injected tumor and 19 (86%) had stable disease as the best overall response in injected and noninjected lesions combined. C. novyi-NT injection elicited a transient systemic cytokine response and enhanced systemic tumor-specific T-cell responses. CONCLUSIONS: Single intratumoral injection of C. novyi-NT is feasible. Toxicities can be significant but manageable. Signals of antitumor activity and the host immune response support additional studies of C. novyi-NT in humans.

Time to Treatment Initiation and Survival in Adult Localized High-Grade Bone Sarcoma.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have evaluated the prognostic implication of the length of time from diagnosis to treatment initiation in bone sarcoma. The purpose of this study is to determine if time to treatment initiation (TTI) influences overall survival in adults diagnosed with primary bone sarcoma. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database identified 2,122 patients who met inclusion criteria with localized, high-grade bone sarcoma diagnosed between 2004 and 2012. TTI was defined as length of time in days from diagnosis to initiation of treatment. Patient, disease-specific, and healthcare-related factors were also assessed for their association with overall survival. Kruskal-Wallis analysis was utilized for univariate analysis, and Cox regression modeling identified covariates associated with overall survival. RESULTS: Any 10-day increase in TTI was not associated with decreased overall survival (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.00; P=0.72). No differences in survival were detected at 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years, when comparing patients with TTI = 14, 30, 60, 90, and 150 days. Decreased survival was significantly associated (P < 0.05) with patient ages of 51-70 years (HR = 1.66; P=0.004) and > 71 years (HR = 2.89; P < 0.001), Charlson/Deyo score ≥2 (HR = 2.02; P < 0.001), pelvic tumor site (HR = 1.58; P < 0.001), tumor size >8 cm (HR = 1.52; P < 0.001), radiation (HR = 1.81; P < 0.001) as index treatment, and residing a distance of 51-100 miles from the treatment center (HR = 1.30; P=0.012). Increased survival was significantly associated (P < 0.05) with chordoma (HR = 0.27; P=0.010), chondrosarcoma (HR = 0.75; P=0.002), treatment at an academic center (HR = 0.64; P=0.039), and a private (HR = 0.67; P=0.006) or Medicare (HR = 0.71; P=0.043) insurer. A transition in care was not associated with a survival disadvantage (HR = 0.90; P=0.14). CONCLUSIONS: Longer TTI was not associated with decreased overall survival in localized, high-grade primary bone sarcoma in adults. This is important in counseling patients, who may delay treatment to receive a second opinion or seek referral to a higher volume sarcoma center.

Who Needs What? Perceptions of Patients and Caregivers in Oncology Phase 1 Trials.

BACKGROUND: The study design and nature of oncology phase 1 clinical trials create a uniquely vulnerable patient population yet little research has been conducted to identify the added burden these trials create for both cancer patients and their caregiver(s). OBJECTIVE: Examining the perceptions and needs of patients and their caregivers participating in phase 1 oncology clinical trials, the investigators tested the hypothesis that the caregiver will exhibit a higher level of burden and/or distress than the patient. METHOD: A mixed-methods exploratory process utilizing patient and caregiver interviews and quality-of-life questionnaires was used to assess the psychosocial burdens associated with oncology clinical trial participation. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the responses were 8 performed. RESULT: Both patients and caregivers reported similar themes identifying the burdens and benefits related to phase 1 clinical trial participation. However, the caregivers' expressed burden exceeded that of the patients' validating the study's hypothesis. CONCLUSION: The need for ongoing additional support services for not only the patient but also the caregiver was identified.

Adenosine 2A Receptor Blockade as an Immunotherapy for Treatment-Refractory Renal Cell Cancer.

Adenosine mediates immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment through triggering adenosine 2A receptors (A2AR) on immune cells. To determine whether this pathway could be targeted as an immunotherapy, we performed a phase I clinical trial with a small-molecule A2AR antagonist. We find that this molecule can safely block adenosine signaling in vivo. In a cohort of 68 patients with renal cell cancer (RCC), we also observe clinical responses alone and in combination with an anti-PD-L1 antibody, including subjects who had progressed on PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Durable clinical benefit is associated with increased recruitment of CD8+ T cells into the tumor. Treatment can also broaden the circulating T-cell repertoire. Clinical responses are associated with an adenosine-regulated gene-expression signature in pretreatment tumor biopsies. A2AR signaling, therefore, represents a targetable immune checkpoint distinct from PD-1/PD-L1 that restricts antitumor immunity. SIGNIFICANCE: This first-in-human study of an A2AR antagonist for cancer treatment establishes the safety and feasibility of targeting this pathway by demonstrating antitumor activity with single-agent and anti-PD-L1 combination therapy in patients with refractory RCC. Responding patients possess an adenosine-regulated gene-expression signature in pretreatment tumor biopsies.See related commentary by Sitkovsky, p. 16.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1.

A phase Ib study of utomilumab (PF-05082566) in combination with mogamulizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: Expressed on activated T and natural killer cells, 4-1BB/CD137 is a costimulatory receptor that signals a series of events resulting in cytokine secretion and enhanced effector function. Targeting 4-1BB/CD137 with agonist antibodies has been associated with tumor reduction and antitumor immunity. C-C chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4) is highly expressed in various solid tumor indications and associated with poor prognosis. This phase Ib, open-label study in patients with advanced solid tumors assessed the safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of utomilumab (PF-05082566), a human monoclonal antibody (mAb) agonist of the T-cell costimulatory receptor 4-1BB/CD137, in combination with mogamulizumab, a humanized mAb targeting CCR4 reported to deplete subsets of regulatory T cells (Tregs). METHODS: Utomilumab 1.2-5 mg/kg or 100 mg flat dose every 4 weeks plus mogamulizumab 1 mg/kg (weekly in Cycle 1 followed by biweekly in Cycles ≥2) was administered intravenously to 24 adults with solid tumors. Blood was collected pre- and post-dose for assessment of drug pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and pharmacodynamic markers. Baseline tumor biopsies from a subset of patients were also analyzed for the presence of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), CD8, FoxP3, and 4-1BB/CD137. Radiologic tumor assessments were conducted at baseline and on treatment every 8 weeks. RESULTS: No dose-limiting toxicities occurred and the maximum tolerated dose was determined to be at least 2.4 mg/kg per the time-to-event continual reassessment method. No serious adverse events related to either treatment were observed; anemia was the only grade 3 non-serious adverse event related to both treatments. Utomilumab systemic exposure appeared to increase with dose. One patient with PD-L1-refractory squamous lung cancer achieved a best overall response of partial response and 9 patients had a best overall response of stable disease. No patients achieved complete response. Objective response rate was 4.2% (95% confidence interval: 0.1-21.1%) per RECIST 1.1. Depletion of Tregs in peripheral blood was accompanied by evidence of T-cell expansion as assessed by T-cell receptor sequence analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of utomilumab/mogamulizumab was safe and tolerable, and may be suitable for evaluation in settings where CCR4-expressing Tregs are suppressing anticancer immunity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02444793.

A Phase Ib Study of Axitinib in Combination with Crizotinib in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer or Other Advanced Solid Tumors.

LESSONS LEARNED: The combination of axitinib and crizotinib has a manageable safety and tolerability profile, consistent with the profiles of the individual agents when administered as monotherapy.The antitumor activity reported here for the combination axitinib/crizotinib does not support further study of this combination treatment in metastatic renal cell carcinoma given the current treatment landscape. BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors have been successfully used to treat metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC); however, resistance eventually develops in most cases. Tyrosine protein kinase Met (MET) expression increases following VEGF inhibition, and inhibition of both has shown additive effects in controlling tumor growth and metastasis. We therefore conducted a study of axitinib plus crizotinib in advanced solid tumors and mRCC. METHODS: This phase Ib study included a dose-escalation phase (starting doses: axitinib 3 mg plus crizotinib 200 mg) to estimate maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in patients with solid tumors and a dose-expansion phase to examine preliminary efficacy in treatment-naïve patients with mRCC. Safety, pharmacokinetics, and biomarkers were also assessed. RESULTS: No patients in the dose-escalation phase (n = 22) experienced dose-limiting toxicity; MTD was estimated to be axitinib 5 mg plus crizotinib 250 mg. The most common grade ≥3 adverse events were hypertension (18.2%) and fatigue (9.1%). In the dose-expansion phase, overall response rate was 30% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.9-54.3), and progression-free survival was 5.6 months (95% CI, 3.5-not reached). CONCLUSION: The combination of axitinib plus crizotinib, at estimated MTD, had a manageable safety profile and showed evidence of modest antitumor activity in mRCC.

Open-label study to evaluate trifluridine/tipiracil safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics in patients with advanced solid tumours and hepatic impairment.

AIMS: Trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) prolongs survival in refractory metastatic colorectal cancer, but limited data exist on its use in patients with hepatic impairment. This Phase I, open-label, nonrandomized study investigated the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of FTD/TPI in patients with advanced solid tumours (except breast cancer) and varying degrees of hepatic impairment, to provide dosing recommendations. METHODS: Patients aged ≥18 years with advanced solid tumours and normal hepatic function, or mild, moderate or severe hepatic impairment according to National Cancer Institute criteria, were planned to be enrolled. Patients received FTD/TPI 35 mg/m2 orally twice daily on days 1-5 and 8-12 of each 28-day cycle. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients were enrolled to the normal hepatic function (n = 8) and mild (n = 10) and moderate (n = 6) hepatic impairment cohorts. Overall, 12 patients (50.0%) had at least 1 adverse event leading to study discontinuation. In the moderate hepatic impairment cohort, 5 of 6 patients experienced grade ≥ 3 elevation in bilirubin. No patients with severe hepatic impairment were enrolled. FTD area under the curve at steady state decreased by 18% and 22% in the mild and moderate cohorts, respectively; however, no clear change was observed in TPI area under the curve. CONCLUSIONS: FTD/TPI can be safely administered in patients with normal hepatic function and mild hepatic impairment, with no initial dose adjustment. FTD/TPI is not recommended for use in patients with moderate hepatic impairment because of findings of grade 3 or 4 increased blood bilirubin. Therefore, FTD/TPI is not recommended for patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment.

Adult Primary Bone Sarcoma and Time to Treatment Initiation: An Analysis of the National Cancer Database.

OBJECTIVE: The time to treatment interval (TTI), defined as the period from diagnosis to first definitive treatment, has very limited descriptions toward understanding delays in primary bone sarcoma (PBS) care. Our primary goal was to determine the national standard for time to treatment initiation (TTI) in PBS in adults and to identify characteristics associated with TTI variability. METHODS: An analysis of the National Cancer Database identified 15,083 adult patients with PBS diagnosed from 2004 to 2013. Kruskal-Wallis analysis identified differences between covariates regarding TTI and regression modeling identified covariates that independently influenced TTI. RESULTS: The median TTI was 22 days. Approximately 60% of patients were definitively treated in the same center where the index diagnosis was made. Increased TTI was correlated with a transition in care institution (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.89; P < 0.001), being uninsured (IRR = 1.36; P < 0.001), primary tumor site in the pelvis (IRR = 1.26; P < 0.001), Medicaid insurance status (IRR = 1.22; P < 0.001), care at an academic center (IRR = 1.14; P < 0.001), non-white race (IRR = 1.12; P=0.002), and Medicare insurance status (IRR = 1.08; P=0.017). Decreased TTI was correlated with a diagnosis of chondrosarcoma (IRR = 0.85; P < 0.001), having surgery as the index treatment (IRR = 0.88; P < 0.001), a primary tumor site of the lower (IRR = 0.91; P=0.001) or upper extremity (IRR = 0.92; P=0.023), and stage II or stage III disease (IRR = 0.91; P=0.010). CONCLUSIONS: TTI is associated with tumor, treatment, and socioeconomic and healthcare system characteristics. Transitions in care between institutions are responsible for the greatest increase in TTI. As TTI is more commonly used as a quality metric, physicians need to be aware of the causes for prolonged TTI, as we work to improve national delays in diagnosis and treatment initiation.

Adult soft tissue sarcoma and time to treatment initiation: An analysis of the National Cancer Database.

BACKGROUND: The primary goal of this investigation is to determine the current national standards for time to treatment initiation (TTI) in soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Additionally, we aim to identify the variables affecting TTI variability in STS. METHODS: An analysis of the National Cancer Database identified 41 529 patients diagnosed with STS between 2004 and 2013. Kruskall-Wallis tests identified differences between covariates regarding TTI. Negative binomial regression models identified variables that independently influenced TTI, and adjusted for confounders. RESULTS: The median TTI was 22.0 days and the mean TTI was 29.7 days. Longer TTI was correlated with transitions in care between institutions (Incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.76; P < 0.001), neoadjuvant radiotherapy (IRR = 1.53; P < 0.001), neoadjuvant systemic therapy (IRR = 1.40; P < 0.001), treatment at an academic center (IRR = 1.23; P < 0.001), Medicaid (IRR = 1.18; P < 0.001), being uninsured (IRR = 1.13; P = 0.001), and Medicare (IRR = 1.05 P = 0.016) status. Shorter TTI was correlated with tumor size >5 cm (IRR = 0.93; P < 0.001), high grade (IRR = 0.92; P = 0.015), truncal tumor site (IRR = 0.94; P = 0.003), and median income >$63 000 (IRR = 0.95; P = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: The median TTI in the United States for STS is 22 days. Increased TTI in STS are associated with tumor and treatment characteristics, socio-economic factors and hospital systems issues. Transitions in care between institutions are responsible for the greatest increases.

A phase I study to assess the mass balance, excretion, and pharmacokinetics of [14C]-ixazomib, an oral proteasome inhibitor, in patients with advanced solid tumors.

This two-part, phase I study evaluated the mass balance, excretion, pharmacokinetics (PK), and safety of ixazomib in patients with advanced solid tumors. In Part A of the study, patients received a single 4.1 mg oral solution dose of [14C]-ixazomib containing ~500 nCi total radioactivity (TRA), followed by non-radiolabeled ixazomib (4 mg capsule) on days 14 and 21 of the 35-day PK cycle. Patients were confined to the clinic for the first 168 h post dose and returned for 24 h overnight clinic visits on days 14, 21, 28, and 35. Blood, urine, and fecal samples were collected during Part A to assess the mass balance (by accelerator mass spectrometry), excretion, and PK of ixazomib. During Part B of the study, patients received non-radiolabeled ixazomib (4 mg capsules) on days 1, 8, and 15 of 28-day cycles. After oral administration, ixazomib was rapidly absorbed with a median plasma Tmax of 0.5 h and represented 70% of total drug-related material in plasma. The mean total recovery of administered TRA was 83.9%; 62.1% in urine and 21.8% in feces. Only 3.23% of the administered dose was recovered in urine as unchanged drug up to 168 h post dose, suggesting that most of the TRA in urine was attributable to metabolites. All patients experienced a treatment-emergent adverse event, which most commonly involved the gastrointestinal system. These findings suggest that ixazomib is extensively metabolized, with urine representing the predominant route of excretion of drug-related material.Trial ID: ClinicalTrials.gov # NCT01953783.

Lack of pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction between ramucirumab and irinotecan in patients with advanced solid tumors.

PURPOSE: The objective of this phase II study was to evaluate the potential of pharmacokinetic (PK) drug-drug interactions between ramucirumab and irinotecan or its metabolite, SN-38, when administered with folinic acid and 5-fluorouracil (FOLFIRI). METHODS: Patients received intravenous infusions of FOLFIRI and ramucirumab 8 mg/kg on Day 1 of a 2-week cycle. FOLFIRI was administered alone in Cycle 1; ramucirumab followed by FOLFIRI was administered in all subsequent cycles. Blood was collected at regular intervals after infusions in Cycles 1 and 2 to determine irinotecan, SN-38, and ramucirumab concentrations. PK parameters were derived by noncompartmental analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients received treatment. The dose-normalized area under the concentration versus time curve from zero to infinity [AUC(0-∞)] and the maximum observed concentration (C max) of irinotecan and SN-38 were comparable between Cycle 1 (FOLFIRI alone) and Cycle 2 (ramucirumab + FOLFIRI). The ratios of geometric least squares (LS) means for irinotecan were 0.93 (90 % CI 0.83-1.05) for AUC(0-∞) and 1.04 (90 % CI 0.97-1.12) for C max. The ratios of geometric LS means for SN-38 were 0.95 (90 % CI 0.88-1.04) for AUC(0-∞) and 0.97 (90 % CI 0.85-1.12) for C max. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events, regardless of grade, were fatigue (19 patients, 65.5 %), diarrhea, (16 patients, 55.2 %), and neutropenia (15 patients, 51.7 %). Grade ≥3 neutropenia was reported in 7 (24.1 %) patients. CONCLUSIONS: There was no PK drug-drug interaction between ramucirumab and irinotecan or its metabolite, SN-38. Ramucirumab with FOLFIRI was well tolerated in this study, with no new safety concerns.

Lack of pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction between ramucirumab and paclitaxel in a phase II study of patients with advanced malignant solid tumors.

PURPOSE: The objective of this phase II study was to evaluate pharmacokinetic interaction potential between ramucirumab and paclitaxel in patients with advanced cancer. METHODS: This study was designed to assess 2-way pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions between ramucirumab and paclitaxel. Twenty-four patients participated in Part A, which consisted of a 2-week monotherapy period in which paclitaxel 80 mg/m(2) was administered on day 1, followed by a 4-week cycle of combination treatment with ramucirumab (8 mg/kg on days 1 and 15; paclitaxel on days 1, 8, and 15). Patients could continue to receive combination therapy with ramucirumab and paclitaxel. In 16 patients in Part B, ramucirumab monotherapy was administered on day 1 of a 3-week cycle. Patients could continue to receive ramucirumab monotherapy or combination therapy with paclitaxel. RESULTS: Concomitant administration of ramucirumab had no effect on pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel, with ratios of geometric least squares (LS) means (with ramucirumab vs. alone) of 1.09 (90 % confidence interval [CI] 0.93, 1.29) for AUC(0-∞) and 0.97 (90 % CI 0.83, 1.13) for C max. In addition, similar ramucirumab pharmacokinetic characteristics were observed with or without paclitaxel administration. The ratios of geometric LS means of AUC(0-∞) and C max of ramucirumab (with paclitaxel vs. alone) were 1.00 (90 % CI 0.84, 1.19) for AUC(0-∞) and 1.07 (90 % CI 0.93, 1.24) for C max, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant paclitaxel administration is unlikely to affect the pharmacokinetics of ramucirumab, and vice versa. The incidence and severity of adverse events were consistent with the known safety profiles of paclitaxel and ramucirumab.

Evaluation of the effect of necitumumab on the corrected QT interval in patients with advanced solid tumors.

PURPOSE: Necitumumab is a second-generation, recombinant, human immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody that blocks the ligand binding site of the epidermal growth factor receptor. The primary objective of this phase 2 study, conducted in accordance with International Conference on Harmonisation E14 guidance, was to determine the effect of necitumumab treatment on QT/QTc interval in patients with advanced solid tumors. METHODS: Patients received necitumumab monotherapy at an absolute dose of 800 mg, once per week for each 6-week cycle. Triplicate electrocardiogram readings were taken at pretreatment (baseline) and then weekly at multiple timepoints that were time-matched with blood samples to determine necitumumab concentrations. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients received treatment. Overall, the upper bound of the two-sided 90 % confidence interval for mean change from baseline in QTc in cycle 1 did not exceed 10 ms. No patients had a mean QTcF interval >500 ms, and no patients had an increase of >60 ms. Necitumumab concentration-QTc analysis also showed that necitumumab is unlikely to cause QTc prolongation. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate lack of effect of necitumumab on the QTc interval in heavily pretreated patients with advanced solid tumors, suggesting that QT prolongation is not a major safety concern for necitumumab at the recommended therapeutic dose. The safety profile was consistent with the known safety profile of necitumumab.

A phase II study of tandutinib (MLN518), a selective inhibitor of type III tyrosine receptor kinases, in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Therapies which target VEGF and mTOR are now available for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, but there is a continued need to develop agents for patients who become refractory to these initial agents. Tandutinib is a relatively selective inhibitor of type III tyrosine kinase receptor kinases with promising activity in some tumors. In this trial, 10 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma refractory to previous therapy with sunitinib or sorafenib (median age 61 years, 80% performance status 0, 60% intermediate MSKCC risk classification) received tandutinib 500 mg bid daily with RECIST-defined response as the primary endpoint and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) as secondary endpoints. No patient had more than 2 cycles of therapy and 50% of patients only received 1 cycle with 70% of patients discontinuing for progressive disease and 30% for toxicity. Tandutinib was not well tolerated with dose reduction in 60% of patients due to adverse events. The most common grade 3 toxicity was fatigue (30%). Tandutinib had no clinical activity and due to the excessive toxicity should not be developed further in patients with sunitinib or sorafenib-refractory metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Zibotentan for the treatment of castrate-resistant prostate cancer.

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD: Patients with prostate cancer who have progression of their disease while on androgen deprivation therapy have limited therapeutic options. Docetaxel is currently the only agent that increases overall survival in patients with metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer; additional agents are needed. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW: This review will describe the importance of endothelin-1 (ET-1) for growth of prostate cancer cells, development of bone metastases, and pain responses; the preclinical data for zibotentan, a specific inhibitor of the ET(A) receptor; and the clinical development of atrasentan, a first-generation ET receptor inhibitor, and zibotentan, a more selective inhibitor of the ET(A) receptor. WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN: Readers will understand the importance of ET-1 as a novel pathway to target for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer due to its association with prostate cancer growth, metastases to bone, and pain. Readers will learn about the preclinical and clinical development of zibotentan, including the promising Phase II results that have resulted in an extensive Phase III clinical trials program. TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Modulating the activity of ET-1 through the ET(A) receptor is a novel target for treating patients with metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer. There are currently three ongoing Phase III trials with zibotentan, a selective ET(A) inhibitor, to determine the effect of this agent on overall survival in these patients.