Jean-Luc Van Laethem1, Hanno Riess2, Jacek Jassem3, Michael Haas4, Uwe M Martens5, Colin Weekes6, Marc Peeters7, Paul Ross8, John Bridgewater9, Bohuslav Melichar10, Stefano Cascinu11, Piotr Saramak12, Patrick Michl13,14, David Van Brummelen15, Alberto Zaniboni16, Wollf Schmiegel17, Svein Dueland18, Marius Giurescu19, Vittorio L Garosi20, Katrin Roth19, Anke Schulz19, Henrik Seidel19, Prabhu Rajagopalan21, Michael Teufel21, Barrett H Childs21. 1. Department of Gastroenterology, Erasme University Hospital, CP 572/10, route de Lennik 808, 1070, Brussels, Belgium. JL.VanLaethem@erasme.ulb.ac.be. 2. Medical Department, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charity Hospital, Virchow-Klinikum Campus, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany. 3. Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdansk, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 3a Street, Gdansk, 80-210, Poland. 4. Department of Hematology and Oncology, University of Munich Medical Center, Marchioninistraße 15, 81366, Munich, Germany. 5. Department of Hematology and Oncology, Cancer Center Heilbronn-Franken, Am Gesundbrunnen 20-26, 74078, Heilbronn, Germany. 6. Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Cancer Center, 1665 Aurora Ct, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. 7. Department of Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650, Edegem, Belgium. 8. Department of Medical Oncology, Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK. 9. Department of Oncology, UCL Cancer Institute, 72 Huntley Street, London, WC1E 6DD, UK. 10. Department of Oncology, Palacky University Medical School and University Hospital Olomouc, Křížkovského 8, 771 47, Olomouc, Czech Republic. 11. Department of Medical Oncology, A.O.U. United Hospitals, Polytechnic University of Marche, Piazza Roma, 22, Ancona, Italy. 12. Department of Oncological Gastroenterology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center, ul. W.K. Roentgena 5, 02-781, Warsaw, Poland. 13. Department of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Metabolism and Infectiology, University Hospital of Giessen and Marburg, Baldingerstraße, 35043, Marburg, Germany. 14. Universitätsklinikum Halle - University Hospital Halle (Saale), Ernst-Grube-Straße 40, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany. 15. Department of Radiotherapy, UZ Brussels, Avenue du Laerbeek 101, 1090, Brussels, Belgium. 16. Department of Medical Oncology, Poliambulanza Foundation Hospital Institute, Via Bissolati, 57, Brescia, Italy. 17. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University Hospital Bochum, Alexandrinenstraße 1, Bochum, 44791, Germany. 18. Department of Oncology, Oslo University Radium Hospital, Trondheimsveien 235, Bjerke, 0514, Oslo, Norway. 19. Bayer Pharma AG, Müllerstraße 178, 13353, Berlin, Germany. 20. Bayer S.p.A., Viale Certosa 126-130, 20156, Milan, Italy. 21. Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 100 Bayer Blvd, Whippany, NJ, 07981, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Activating KRAS mutations are reported in up to 90% of pancreatic cancers. Refametinib potently inhibits MEK1/2, part of the MAPK signaling pathway. This phase I/II study evaluated the safety and efficacy of refametinib plus gemcitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Phase I comprised dose escalation, followed by phase II expansion. Refametinib and gemcitabine plasma levels were analyzed for pharmacokinetics. KRAS mutational status was determined from circulating tumor DNA. RESULTS: Ninety patients overall received treatment. The maximum tolerated dose was refametinib 50 mg twice daily plus standard gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 weekly). The combination was well tolerated, with no pharmacokinetic interaction. Treatment-emergent toxicities included thrombocytopenia, fatigue, anemia, and edema. The objective response rate was 23% and the disease control rate was 73%. Overall response rate, disease control rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival were higher in patients without detectable KRAS mutations (48% vs. 28%, 81% vs. 69%, 8.8 vs. 5.3 months, and 18.2 vs. 6.6 months, respectively). CONCLUSION: Refametinib plus gemcitabine was well tolerated, with a promising objective response rate, and had an acceptable safety profile and no pharmacokinetic interaction. There was a trend towards improved outcomes in patients without detectable KRAS mutations that deserves future investigation.
BACKGROUND: Activating KRAS mutations are reported in up to 90% of pancreatic cancers. Refametinib potently inhibits MEK1/2, part of the MAPK signaling pathway. This phase I/II study evaluated the safety and efficacy of refametinib plus gemcitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Phase I comprised dose escalation, followed by phase II expansion. Refametinib and gemcitabine plasma levels were analyzed for pharmacokinetics. KRAS mutational status was determined from circulating tumor DNA. RESULTS: Ninety patients overall received treatment. The maximum tolerated dose was refametinib 50 mg twice daily plus standard gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 weekly). The combination was well tolerated, with no pharmacokinetic interaction. Treatment-emergent toxicities included thrombocytopenia, fatigue, anemia, and edema. The objective response rate was 23% and the disease control rate was 73%. Overall response rate, disease control rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival were higher in patients without detectable KRAS mutations (48% vs. 28%, 81% vs. 69%, 8.8 vs. 5.3 months, and 18.2 vs. 6.6 months, respectively). CONCLUSION:Refametinib plus gemcitabine was well tolerated, with a promising objective response rate, and had an acceptable safety profile and no pharmacokinetic interaction. There was a trend towards improved outcomes in patients without detectable KRAS mutations that deserves future investigation.
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Authors: Ritu R Singh; Johanna Goldberg; Anna M Varghese; Kenneth H Yu; Wungki Park; Eileen M O'Reilly Journal: Cancer Treat Rev Date: 2019-03-22 Impact factor: 12.111
Authors: M Trajkovic-Arsic; I Heid; K Steiger; A Gupta; A Fingerle; C Wörner; N Teichmann; S Sengkwawoh-Lueong; P Wenzel; A J Beer; I Esposito; R Braren; J T Siveke Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2017-12-06 Impact factor: 4.379