Lack of effect of palifermin on the anti-tumor activity of cisplatin, cetuximab or panitumumab in the FaDu human head and neck carcinoma model

Abstract

6060 Background: The FaDu human pharyngeal carcinoma cell line expresses the receptors for both KGF and EGF. Palifermin is a recombinant form of human KGF. The objective of this study was to determine whether the combination of palifermin with cisplatin and the EGFR inhibitors cetuximab or panitumumab interferes with the anti-tumor activities of these agents in the FaDu head and neck xenograft model. Methods: FaDu tumor cells were implanted subcutaneously in CD1 nude mice. For the combination of palifermin with cetuximab and cisplatin, treatment began on day 9 and for the combination of palifermin with panitumumab and cisplatin, treatment began on day 10. The primary endpoint was the measure of tumor volume. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in tumor volume between the control arm and palifermin alone (p = 0.9993, 0.9831). Neither was there a statistically significant difference between the combination of palifermin, cisplatin and cetuximab compared to the combination of cisplatin and cetuximab (p = 0.7730). Similarly, there was no significant difference between the combination of palifermin, cisplatin and panitumumab compared to the combination of cisplatin and panitumumab (p = 0.9739). Conclusions: In drug combination settings, the addition of palifermin did not affect the therapeutic efficacy of cisplatin, cetuximab or panitumumab in any of the two- or three-way drug combinations. When used alone, palifermin did not promote the growth of the FaDu human xenograft despite the fact that these tumors express KGFR. The lack of interference of palifermin with the anti-tumor activity of cisplatin and the anti-EGFR target therapeutics suggests it is appropriate to move forward clinically investigating the use of palifermin in solid tumor settings in which these therapeutic modalities are used. No significant financial relationships to disclose.