Placebo-controlled Randomized Phase Research Articles

Atezolizumab Combined With Platinum and Maintenance Niraparib for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer With a Platinum-Free Interval >6 Months: ENGOT-OV41/GEICO 69-O/ANITA Phase III Trial.

To evaluate atezolizumab combined with platinum-based chemotherapy (CT) followed by maintenance niraparib for late-relapsing recurrent ovarian cancer. The multicenter placebo-controlled double-blind randomized phase III ENGOT-OV41/GEICO 69-O/ANITA trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03598270) enrolled patients with measurable high-grade serous, endometrioid, or undifferentiated recurrent ovarian cancer who had received one or two previous CT lines (most recent including platinum) and had a treatment-free interval since last platinum (TFIp) of >6 months. Patients were stratified by investigator-selected carboplatin doublet, TFIp, BRCA status, and PD-L1 status in de novo biopsy and randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either atezolizumab or placebo throughout standard therapy comprising six cycles of a carboplatin doublet followed (in patients with response/stable disease) by maintenance niraparib until progression. The primary end point was investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) per RECIST v1.1. Between November 2018 and January 2022, 417 patients were randomly assigned (15% BRCA-mutated, 36% PD-L1-positive, 66% TFIp >12 months, 11% previous poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase inhibitor after frontline CT, and 53% previous bevacizumab). Median follow-up was 28.6 months (95% CI, 26.6 to 30.5 months). Atezolizumab did not significantly improve PFS (hazard ratio, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.71 to 1.10]; P = .28). Median PFS was 11.2 months (95% CI, 10.1 to 12.1 months) with atezolizumab versus 10.1 months (95% CI, 9.2 to 11.2 months) with standard therapy. Subgroup analyses generally showed consistent results, including analyses by PD-L1 status. The objective response rate (ORR) was 45% (95% CI, 39 to 52) with atezolizumab and 43% (95% CI, 36 to 49) with standard therapy. The safety profile was as expected from previous experience of these drugs. Combining atezolizumab with CT and maintenance niraparib for late-relapsing recurrent ovarian cancer did not significantly improve PFS or the ORR.

Overall survival and patient-reported outcome results from the placebo-controlled randomized phase III IMagyn050/GOG 3015/ENGOT-OV39 trial of atezolizumab for newly diagnosed stage III/IV ovarian cancer

ObjectiveTo determine the impact on overall survival (OS) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of combining atezolizumab with standard therapy for newly diagnosed stage III/IV ovarian cancer. MethodsThe placebo-controlled double-blind randomized phase III IMagyn050/GOG 3015/ENGOT-OV39 trial (NCT03038100) assigned eligible patients to 3-weekly atezolizumab 1200 mg or placebo for 22 cycles with platinum-based chemotherapy and bevacizumab. Coprimary endpoints were progression-free survival (already reported) and OS in the PD-L1-positive and intent-to-treat (ITT) populations, tested hierarchically. Prespecified PRO analyses focused on disease-related abdominal pain and bloating symptoms (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-OV28), functioning, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (QLQ-C30). ResultsAfter 38 months’ median follow-up, the OS hazard ratio in the PD-L1-positive population was 0.83 (95% CI, 0.66–1.06; p = 0.13); median OS was not estimable with atezolizumab versus 49.2 months with placebo. The hazard ratio for OS in the ITT population was 0.92 (95% CI, 0.78–1.09; median 50.5 versus 46.6 months, respectively). At week 9, similar proportions of patients in both arms of the neoadjuvant cohort showed ≥10-point improvement from baseline in abdominal pain and bloating, functioning, and HRQoL. In the primary surgery cohort, similar proportions of patients in each arm had improved, stable, or worsened physical and role function and HRQoL from baseline over time. Neither cohort showed differences between arms in treatment-related symptoms or overall side-effect bother. ConclusionsIncorporation of atezolizumab into standard therapy for newly diagnosed ovarian cancer does not significantly improve efficacy or impose additional treatment burden for patients.ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03038100.

A novel approach for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

35 Background: No established treatments for patients with advanced HCC and moderate hepatic dysfunction (Child-Pugh B; CPB) are available. Namodenoson is an A3 adenosine-receptor agonist currently under clinical development as a treatment for advanced HCC with CPB. Methods: Wereport the results of a prospective placebo-controlled randomized (2:1) phase 2 trial investigating namodenoson (25 mg BID) as a second-line therapy in HCC with CPB and focus on a case of a long-term complete response (CR). Results: The study included 78 patients (50 namodenoson-treated, 28 placebo-treated). Namodenoson was well-tolerated and no treatment-related deaths were reported. Median overall survival (OS, the primary endpoint) was not statistically significantly different between the namodenoson and placebo arms (4.1 and 4.3 months, respectively, hazard ratio [HR], 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49‒1.38; p=.46). The difference in 12-month OS was statistically significant (44% vs 18%, respectively, p=.028). Pre-planned analysis of patients with CPB7 (34 namodenoson-treated, 22 placebo-treated) showed nonsignificant improvements in OS and progression-free survival (PFS). OS: 6.9 vs 4.3 months; HR, 0.81; 95% CI: 0.45‒1.43; p=.46. PFS: 3.5 vs 1.9 months; HR, 0.89; 95% CI: 0.51‒1.55; p=.67. Of the patients with ≥1 assessment post-baseline, partial response (PR) was reported in 3 of 34 (8.8%) namodenoson-treated patients and none of the 21 placebo-treated patients. One of 3 the patients who achieved a PR (a 61-year old woman with CPB7, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 2) continued treatment with namodenoson under an open-label extension program (treatment is ongoing for >6 years). The patient achieved a CR (determined via CT scans) 4 years after treatment initiation. Furthermore, the patient's baseline ALT and AST levels which were elevated at baseline (68 U/L and 44 U/L, respectively) normalized after 4 weeks, and her serum α-fetoprotein level, which was 47 ng/ml at baseline, declined to normal levels after 20 weeks of treatment and reached 1.3 ng/mL at time of CR. The patient experienced no treatment-related adverse events. At present (6 years from treatment initiation), the response is ongoing as shown by liver function evaluation and imaging studies. Conclusions: Treatment with namodenoson can result in a complete and long-term response. The findings support the clinical development of namodenoson as a treatment for HCC with CPB7. Clinical trial information: NCT02128958 .

Pathogenetic therapy of cognitive impairment: results of a multicenter placebo-controlled clinical trial of the efficacy and safety of Miladean

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of the use of the drug Miladean in the treatment of patients with cognitive disorders (CDs) of vascular genesis. In during the double-blind multicenter prospective randomized placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial, 300 patients with CDs and chronic cerebral ischemia were randomized into 3 groups: group 1 (n=100) received Miladean (daily dose: memantine 10 mg + melatonin 6 mg), group 2 (n=101) - memantine (10 mg/day), group 3 - placebo (n=99) for 8 weeks. The dynamics of the overall score (the primary criterion of effectiveness) and the proportion of patients with improvement on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-Cog), the dynamics of visual-spatial orientation disorders (Benton test), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scale) and the safety of therapy were evaluated. Miladean demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of CDs: a statistically and clinically significant decrease in the overall score on the ADAS-Sod scale was shown (by 6.1 versus 4.7 and 3.5 points in the 2nd (p=0.009) and 3rd (p<0.05) groups) and an increase in the proportion of patients (96.9%) with clinically and statistically a significant improvement compared to the 2nd and 3rd groups (p=0.019 and p<0.001 respectively). Miladean significantly improved the performance in the Benton test (1.20±1.66 vs. 0.64±1.69 points in group 3, p=0.026) and sleep quality (84.7% of patients with CDs), compared to placebo (63.9%) and memantine (64.3%) (p=0.002 in both cases). Miladean was well tolerated, there were no cases of interaction with basic therapy drugs. The combination of many different pathogenetic effects of Miladean suggests that it has the ability to slow down the rate of progression of CDs and stabilize the condition of patients. The unique combination of active substances in Miladean has been proven to be effective and safe in the treatment of patients with CDs.

The Unfulfilled Promise of Inhaled Therapy in Ventilator-Associated Infections: Where Do We Go from Here?

Respiratory infection is common in intubated/tracheotomized patients and systemic antibiotic therapy is often unrewarding. In 1967, the difficulty in treating Gram-negative respiratory infections led to the use of inhaled gentamicin, targeting therapy directly to the lungs. Fifty-three years later, the effects of topical therapy in the intubated patient remain undefined. Clinical failures with intravenous antibiotics persist and instrumented patients are now infected by many more multidrug-resistant Gram-negative species as well as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses suggest that there may be a role for inhaled delivery but “more research is needed.” Yet there is still no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved inhaled antibiotic for the treatment of ventilator-associated infection, the hallmark of which is the foreign body in the upper airway. Current pulmonary and infectious disease guidelines suggest using aerosols only in the setting of Gram-negative infections that are resistant to all systemic antibiotics or not to use them at all. Recently two seemingly well-designed large randomized placebo-controlled Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials of adjunctive inhaled therapy for the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia failed to show more rapid resolution of pneumonia symptoms or effect on mortality. Despite evolving technology of delivery devices and more detailed understanding of the factors affecting delivery, treatment effects were no better than placebo. What is wrong with our approach to ventilator- associated infection? Is there a message from the large meta-analyses and these two large recent multisite trials? This review will suggest why current therapies are unpredictable and have not fulfilled the promise of better outcomes. Data suggest that future studies of inhaled therapy, in the milieu of worsening bacterial resistance, require new approaches with completely different indications and endpoints to determine whether inhaled therapy indeed has an important role in the treatment of ventilated patients.

Improvements in the Tolerability Profile of 2'-O-Methoxyethyl Chimeric Antisense Oligonucleotides in Parallel with Advances in Design, Screening, and Other Methods.

The development process of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) as therapeutic agents in humans has advanced through the implementation of chemical compound modifications as well as increasingly sophisticated toxicological preclinical screening techniques. The Ionis Integrated Safety Database was utilized to determine if advances in ASO screening and clinical lead identification methods have improved the tolerability profiles of 2′-O-methoxyethyl (2′MOE)-modified ASOs as a class, relative to the first 2′MOE ASO approved for use in humans, mipomersen. Tolerability was assessed by the incidence and percentage of subcutaneous doses leading to adverse events at the injection site or flu-like reactions (FLRs), as well as by the incidence of dose discontinuations due to these events. In randomized placebo-controlled phase 1 and phase 2 trials, the incidence of each measure of tolerability was lower in the test group of 12 ASOs (713 ASO-treated subjects) compared with the reference, mipomersen (266 ASO-treated subjects); with the most marked reduction in the incidence of FLRs (0.6% vs. 9.4%). A similar reduction in the incidence of dose discontinuation due to FLRs was also observed (0.2% vs. 0.9%). When compared with mipomersen, 8 of 12 ASOs showed significant improvements in their respective mean percentage of doses leading to adverse events at the injection site, whereas 7 ASOs showed a significant improvement in mean percentage of doses leading to FLRs. These results support an overall improvement in the tolerability profile in 2′MOE ASOs that entered development after mipomersen, in parallel with advances in the drug discovery screening process as well as the gains in clinical experience during development of each ASO.

Abstract PD1-11: Mature survival update of the double-blind placebo-controlled randomised phase II PAKT trial of first-line capivasertib plus paclitaxel for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

Abstract Background: In the PAKT study, addition of the oral AKT inhibitor capivasertib to 1st-line paclitaxel therapy for metastatic TNBC resulted in significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS; primary endpoint; Schmid, J Clin Oncol 2020). The stratified PFS hazard ratio was 0.74 (95% CI, 0.50-1.08; one-sided P=0.06; predefined significance level of 0.10, one-sided; median PFS 5.9 vs 4.2 months with capivasertib vs placebo). Overall survival (OS) results were immature at the primary analysis with 53% of events but suggested long OS with capivasertib (HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.37-0.99; two-sided P=0.04). Here we report final results. Methods: This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised phase II trial, recruited women with untreated, metastatic TNBC. Total of 140 patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to paclitaxel 90mg/m2 (days 1, 8, 15) with either capivasertib (400mg twice daily) or placebo (days 2-5, 9-12, 16-19) every 28 days until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was PFS. Secondary endpoints included OS in the ITT population and in patients with and without PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN-alterations. Results: With a median F/U of 40.0 months, median OS was longer in the capivasertib arm (19.1 vs 13.5 months, stratified HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.47-1.05, p=0.085). In contrast to the earlier analysis, no meaningful differences were seen in terms of benefit with capivasertib between patients with or without alterations of PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN. Median OS numerically favoured capivasertib vs placebo both in the PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN-altered (stratified HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.21-1.58, p=0.290) and PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN non-altered subgroup (stratified HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.47-1.18, p=0.207). The safety profile of capivasertib plus paclitaxel was unchanged. Conclusions: Final OS results show a numerical trend favouring capivasertib; effects were observed regardless of PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN alterations. Consistent with the previously observed PFS benefit, these findings support further evaluation of first-line Capivasertib plus paclitaxel for metastatic TNBC in the ongoing Capitello290 randomised phase III trial in patients with and without PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN alterations. Citation Format: Peter Schmid, Jacinta Abraham, Stephen Chan, Adrian Murray Brunt, Gia Nemsadze, Richard D Baird, Yeon Hee Park, Peter Hall, Timothy Perren, Robert C Stein, László Mangel, Jean-Marc Ferrero, Melissa Phillips, John Conibear, Javier Cortes, Andrew Foxley, Elza de Bruin, Robert McEwen, Myria Nikolaou, Daniel Stetson, Brian Dougherty, Aaron Prendergast, Max McLaughlin-Callan, Matthew Burgess, Cheryl Lawrence, Hayley Cartwright, Kelly Mousa, Nicholas Turner, Duncan Wheatley. Mature survival update of the double-blind placebo-controlled randomised phase II PAKT trial of first-line capivasertib plus paclitaxel for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD1-11.

Anti-Angiogenic Agents in Management of Sarcoma Patients: Overview of Published Trials.

We reviewed all fully published clinical trials assessing anti-angiogenic agents in sarcoma patients (last issue, January 13, 2020). Anti-angiogenic macromolecules (e.g., bevacizumab or ombrabulin) provide disappointing results. Many multikinase inhibitors have been assessed with non-randomized phase II trials with limited samples and without stratification according to histological subtypes, therefore interpretation of such trials is very challenging. On the contrary, pazopanib, regorafenib, and sorafenib have been assessed using double-blind placebo-controlled randomized phase II or phase III trials. Compared to placebo, sorafenib demonstrates activity in desmoid-type fibromatosis patients. Based on results of phase 3 trial, pazopanib had obtained approval for treatment of pretreated non-adipocytic soft tissue sarcoma. Regorafenib is currently assessed in several clinical settings and provides significant improvement of progression-free survival in pre-treated non-adipocytic soft tissue sarcoma and in advanced pretreated osteosarcoma. Multikinase inhibitors are a breakthrough in sarcoma management. Many trials are ongoing. Nevertheless, predictive factors are still missing.

LBA15 Primary results from IMpassion131, a double-blind placebo-controlled randomised phase III trial of first-line paclitaxel (PAC) ± atezolizumab (atezo) for unresectable locally advanced/metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC)

LBA15 Primary results from IMpassion131, a double-blind placebo-controlled randomised phase III trial of first-line paclitaxel (PAC) ± atezolizumab (atezo) for unresectable locally advanced/metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC)

A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized phase II trial assessing the activity and safety of regorafenib in non-adipocytic sarcoma patients previously treated with both chemotherapy and pazopanib

BackgroundMetastatic soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) management remains an unmet medical need. We assessed the activity and safety of regorafenib in patients with metastatic non-adipocytic STS who were previously treated with both chemotherapy and pazopanib. Patients and methodsThis double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter comparative randomized phase II trial included patients with histologically proven advanced and inoperable STS. Patients receiving placebo were offered optional cross-over for centrally confirmed disease progression. Primary end-point was centrally reviewed Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours–based progression-free survival (PFS), analysed on the intent-to-treat data set. In total, 24 events were required for 90% power, hazard ratio (HR) = 0.33 (median PFS, 3.6 versus 1.2 months), and 1-sided α = 0.1 (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01900743). ResultsFrom December 2015 to October 2017, 37 patients were randomized; 18 to regorafenib and 19 to placebo. Thirteen patients assigned to placebo switched to regorafenib after progression. Median follow-up was 27.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 24.4–not reached). We observed a significant PFS benefit of regorafenib compared with placebo (adjusted HR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.15–0.74; p = 0.0007 median PFS = 2.1 versus 1.1 months, respectively), and a large and nearly significant overall survival (OS) benefit despite the cross-over (adjusted HR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.23–1.06; p = 0.007; median OS = 17.8 versus 8.2 months). Before cross-over, the most common grade III or higher adverse events were lymphopenia (5 versus 1, respectively), diarrhoea (4 versus 0), dyspnoea (3 versus 1), skin toxicity (3 versus 0), arterial hypertension (2 versus 0), and increased transaminases (2 versus 0). ConclusionThe present study demonstrated a meaningful clinical anti-tumour activity with regorafenib in heavily pre-treated patients with non-adipocytic STS.

Performance of randomization-based causal methods with and without integrating external data sources for adjusting overall survival in case of extensive treatment switches in placebo-controlled randomized oncology phase 3 trials

ABSTRACT In recent placebo-controlled randomized phase 3 oncology trials, evaluation of overall survival with frequent crossover is crucial for regulatory and pricing decisions. The problem is that an intention-to-treat based analysis causes a substantial loss of power to detect causal survival effect without crossover, and performance of existing methods is not satisfactory. In this article, our aims were to evaluate properties of the existing and a proposed Bayesian power prior method where data from an external trial is available. Simulation results suggested that proposed method was the most powerful under typical scenarios where patients with better prognosis are likely to crossover.

A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized phase II trial assessing the activity and safety of regorafenib (REG) in patients (pts) with nonadipocytic soft tissue sarcoma (STS) previously treated with pazopanib (PAZ).

11021 Background: After we demonstrated the activity of REG in pts with advanced non-adipocytic STS (MirTLO 2016), we conducted a dedicated study in pts previously treated with PAZ+chemo. Methods: We report here the 5th cohort of a double-blind randomized phase 2 trial (NCT01900743). Pts were treated with regorafenib (160mg/d, 21/28d) or placebo (PB). Pts receiving placebo were offered optional cross-over in case of centrally confirmed disease progression. The primary endpoint was centrally-reviewed RECIST-based progression-free survival (PFS), evaluated on the intent-to-treat dataset. A total of 24 events was required to ensure a 90%-power for HR = 0.33 (median PFS, 3·6 vs 1·2 months), with a 1-sided α = 0·1. Overall survival (OS) was a secondary endpoint. Results: From 12/2015 to 10/2017, 37 pts were randomized (18 REG vs 19 PB) and included in the final analysis. The median age was 60 (36-76). There were 28 women (76%). All pts had a performance status 0 or 1. Histological subtypes included 24 leiomyosarcoma (11 vs 13, in REG and PB, respectively), 1 synovial sarcoma (REG), 12 other sarcoma (7 vs 5). All pts had previously been treated with PAZ +chemo (including doxorubicin: 19 vs 17; ifosfamide: 11 vs 3; trabectedin: 11 vs 9; and dacarbazine: 7 vs 6), with 2-6 prior lines. The median relative dose intensity of REG was 0·86, range 0·41-1. Out of 19 pts assigned to placebo, 13 switched to REG after progression. There was no reported objective response. We observed a significant benefit of REG compared to PB in terms of PFS (HR = 0·38; 95%CI, 0·19-0·76; p = 0·007; median PFS = 2·1 vs 1·1 months, respectively), and OS despite the cross-over (HR = 0·41; 95%CI, 0·17-0·98; p = 0·04; median OS = 18·6 vs 8·2 months). Before cross-over, the most common clinically significant grade 3 or higher adverse events were diarrhea (4 vs 0), dyspnea (3 vs 1), arterial hypertension (2 vs 0), hand-foot skin reaction (2 vs 0). Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that regorafenib has a clinically meaningful anti-tumor activity in pts with non-adipocytic soft tissue sarcoma pretreated by both chemotherapy and pazopanib, improving PFS and OS. Clinical trial information: NCT01900743.

Regorafenib after failure of gemcitabine and platinum-based chemotherapy for locally advanced (nonresectable) and metastatic biliary tumors: A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled phase II trial.

345 Background: A high clinical unmet need remains in treating advanced or metastatic biliary tract cancers (BTC) after failure of gemcitabine and platinum-based chemotherapy, with no standard of care. Regorafenib is potent oral multi-kinase inhibitor of kinases involved in tumor angiogenesis, oncogenesis and tumor microenvironment. It has demonstrated efficacy and acceptable safety in some GI tumors that have progressed on standard therapies. Methods: REACHIN (NCT02162914) is a multicenter double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized phase II study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of regorafenib (REG) in patients with locally advanced (non resectable) and metastatic histologically proven BTC, progressing after gemcitabine-platinum. 66 patients were randomized (1:1) to receive BSC plus REG160 mg od, 3 weeks on/ one week off (cycle = 4 weeks) or BSC + placebo (P) until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Sample size calculation was based on the logrank test, assuming a one-sided significance of 10%, 80% power, and an improvement in median PFS of 50% (6 to 12 weeks in the REG group). Primary endpoint is PFS. Secondary endpoints are response rate and OS. Results: Between May 2014 and February 2018, 68 (33 REG, 35 P) patients have been included (2 patients died before starting treatment and were replaced). Of 66 patients treated (26 F/ 40 M), tumors were intra-hepatic and hilar (n = 48), extra-hepatic (n = 10) and gallbladder (n = 8). One patient remains on REG treatment. Median PFS for REG is 3.0 months (95% CI: 2.3-4.9) and 1.5 months (95% CI : 1.2-2.0) for P with a HR of 0.48 (95% CI : 0.29-0.80), p = 0.004. Rates of PR+SD are 23/33 (70%) for REG and 11/33 (33%) for P (p = 0,002). Median treatment duration is 10,9 weeks for REG vs 6,3 weeks for P (p = 0,004). Dose reductions were applied in 14/33 patients in REG and in 5/33 patients in P. There is no unexpected/new safety signal. Median OS is 5.3 months for REG and 5.1 months for P (p = 0.21). Conclusions: Regorafenib significantly increases median PFS and tumor control in patients with previously treated metastatic/ unresectable biliary tract cancer. Clinical trial information: NCT02162914.

Bevacizumab plus paclitaxel versus placebo plus paclitaxel as first-line therapy for HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (MERiDiAN): A double-blind placebo-controlled randomised phase III trial with prospective biomarker evaluation

AimMERiDiAN evaluated plasma vascular endothelial growth factor-A (pVEGF-A) prospectively as a predictive biomarker for bevacizumab efficacy in metastatic breast cancer (mBC). MethodsIn this double-blind placebo-controlled randomised phase III trial, eligible patients had HER2-negative mBC previously untreated with chemotherapy. pVEGF-A was measured before randomisation to paclitaxel 90 mg/m2 on days 1, 8 and 15 with either placebo or bevacizumab 10 mg/kg on days 1 and 15, repeated every 4 weeks until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or consent withdrawal. Stratification factors were baseline pVEGF-A, prior adjuvant chemotherapy, hormone receptor status and geographic region. Co-primary end-points were investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) in the intent-to-treat and pVEGF-Ahigh populations. ResultsOf 481 patients randomised (242 placebo–paclitaxel; 239 bevacizumab–paclitaxel), 471 received study treatment. The stratified PFS hazard ratio was 0.68 (99% confidence interval, 0.51–0.91; log-rank p = 0.0007) in the intent-to-treat population (median 8.8 months with placebo–paclitaxel versus 11.0 months with bevacizumab–paclitaxel) and 0.64 (96% confidence interval, 0.47–0.88; log-rank p = 0.0038) in the pVEGF-Ahigh subgroup. The PFS treatment-by-VEGF-A interaction p value (secondary end-point) was 0.4619. Bevacizumab was associated with increased incidences of bleeding (all grades: 45% versus 27% with placebo), neutropenia (all grades: 39% versus 29%; grade ≥3: 25% versus 13%) and hypertension (all grades: 31% versus 13%; grade ≥3: 11% versus 4%). ConclusionThe significant PFS improvement with bevacizumab is consistent with previous placebo-controlled first-line trials in mBC. Results do not support using baseline pVEGF-A to identify patients benefitting most from bevacizumab. Clinical trials registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01663727.

A novel antimetabolite: TAS-102 for metastatic colorectal cancer

ABSTRACTTAS-102 is a new oral anti-tumor drug, composed of a thymidine-based nucleoside analog (trifluridine: FTD) and a thymidine phosphorylase inhibitor (tipiracil hydrochloride: TPI). TAS-102 has been shown to significantly improve overall survival and progression-free survival in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in placebo-controlled randomized phase II and III trials. The current review summarizes mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics/dynamics and preclinical and clinical data of TAS-102 in colorectal cancer. TAS-102 is a new salvage-line treatment option for patients with mCRC. TAS-102 is well tolerated and has great potential in future clinical drug combination therapies.

Preventive effect of oral goshajinkigan on chronic oxaliplatin-induced hypoesthesia in rats.

Oxaliplatin, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, induces peripheral neuropathy that manifests itself as two distinct phases: acute cold hyperesthesia and chronic peripheral hypoesthesia/dysesthesia. The latter is a serious dose-limiting side effect that can often lead to withdrawal of treatment. We have developed a rat model expressing both phases and used the model to investigate the action of goshajinkigan (GJG), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, which was reported to ameliorate oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy in a placebo-controlled double-blind randomized phase II study. In this study, neuropathy was induced by injection of oxaliplatin twice weekly for 8 wks. The maximum level of cold hyperesthesia was observed at 4 wks with heat hypoesthesia developing later. Microscopy studies revealed atrophy of axons of myelinated sciatic nerve fibers in oxaliplatin-treated rats at 8 wks. Co-administration of GJG ameliorated both abnormal sensations as well as histological damage to the sciatic nerve. A pharmacokinetic study revealed numerous neuroprotective components of GJG that are rapidly absorbed into the blood. GJG and some of its components attenuated the generation of oxaliplatin-induced reactive oxygen species, which is a possible mechanism of oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity. The present study provides a useful animal model for oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity as well as a promising prophylactic agent.

Efficacy and safety of chemotherapy (CT) ± pertuzumab (P) for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC): AGO-OVAR 2.20/ENGOT-ov14/PENELOPE double-blind placebo-controlled randomized phase III trial.

5504 Background: Adding P to gemcitabine (GEM) for PROC improved progression-free survival (PFS) in a subset of patients (pts) with low tumor HER3 mRNA expression [Makhija 2010]. Methods: Eligible ...

Long-term donepezil use for dementia with Lewy bodies: results from an open-label extension of Phase III trial.

IntroductionThe long-term efficacy and safety of donepezil 10 mg in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) were investigated in a 52-week Phase 3 trial.MethodsThis 52-week study consisted of 16-week randomized placebo-controlled (RCT) and 36-week open-label extension phases. Of 142 DLB patients enrolled in the RCT phase (three arms: placebo, 5 mg, and 10 mg), 110 entered the extension phase. The placebo group of the RCT phase initiated active treatment at week 16, and the active groups maintained allocated treatment and dosages until week 24. After week 24, all patients received 10 mg. Dose reduction to 5 mg for safety concerns was allowed. Efficacy measures included Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for cognitive function and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) for behavioral symptoms. Safety evaluations included adverse events (AEs) and the unified Parkinson disease rating scale.ResultsIn total, 100 subjects completed the study. Cognitive function improvement was sustained for 52 weeks (MMSE at week 52 in 10 mg: 2.8 ± 3.5 (mean ± standard deviation); P <0.001, Student paired t test)). Those who received placebo in the RCT phase showed an improvement after starting active treatment. NPI improved in all the groups throughout the study, including the placebo period. In the subgroup of the 5 mg group without remarkable cognitive or behavioral improvement at week 24, further improvement was observed after a dose increase to 10 mg. After week 24, 21 patients experienced dose reduction. The incidence of any AEs did not increase over time.ConclusionsThe long-term administration of donepezil at 10 mg/day improved cognitive function for up to 52 weeks in patients with DLB without increasing the risk of clinically significant safety events.Trial registrationNCT01278407. Trial registration date: January 14, 2011.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13195-014-0081-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Efficacy of Goshajinkigan for prophylaxis against oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy.

576 Background: Oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (OPN) is often observed and is the most frequent dose-limiting toxicity. However, there is no effective therapeutic option for preventing OPN. Goshajinkigan (GJG), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, has widely been used for disease-assessed neuropathy in Japan. Recently, the preventive effect of GJG against OPN in a placebo-controlled double-blind randomized phase II study was reported (Kono T et al., Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2013, 72,1283-90). However, the precise mechanisms underlying preventive effect of GJG are unknown. Methods: To be established the OPN rat model, oxaliplatin (4 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally twice weekly for 8 weeks in rats. Animals were treated with oral administration of GJG (0.3, 1.0 g/kg) five times a week for 8 weeks. We performed behavioral tests (acetone test and hot plate test) and pathological examination of neuronal tissue using the OPN rat model. We carried out pharmacokinetic study of GJG and searched for active ingredients in GJG in order to explore the mechanism of GJG. Results: The rats injected with oxaliplatin for a long-term showed both cold hypersensitivity and heat hyposensitivity. Co-administration of GJG ameliorated OPN in the rat. In light and electron microscopic study, scattered axonal damages in sciatic nerve of oxaliplatin groups were observed, which were substantially suppressed by GJG. Pharmacokinetic study revealed that considerable neuroprotective and analgesic ingredients were detected after oral administration of GJG in rat plasma. Some ingredients in GJG significantly suppressed oxidative stress caused by oxaliplatin in the experiment using neuronal cells. Conclusions: Oxaliplatin-induced chronic neuropathy symptoms are similar to human symptoms caused by long-term oxaliplatin administration. Oral administration of GJG in rat substantially diminished OPN, and promises to provide an effective and convenient treatment at risk of developing peripheral neuropathy in oxaliplatin-treated patients.

749TiP - Regorafenib in Locally Advanced and Metastatic Intrahepatic or Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma: a Randomized Double-Blinded Phase Ii Trial. Reach In

ABSTRACT Background: There is no standard of care for advanced cholangiocarcinoma (CCK) after failure of gemcitabine and platinum-based chemotherapy. Regorafenib is potent oral multi-kinase inhibitor binding to and inhibiting kinases involved in tumor angiogenesis (VEGFR-1, -2,-3, TIE2), oncogenesis (KIT, RET, RAF-1, BRAF, BRAFV600E) and tumor microenvironment (PGDFR, FGFR). Regorafenib has recently shown to be effective in several GI tumors. Despite that CCK are usually not hypervascular tumors, regorafenib is of interest in this type of disease because of its triplepathway of kinase inhibition: -molecular alterations (disruption of MAPK pathway, activation of RAS, BRAF mutations) have been described in CCK: interest of antiproliferative profile -CCK is characterized by a dense desmoplastic stroma in which macrophages and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) : interest of antistromagenesis profile -inhibition of angiogenesis in CCK is of interest as in preclinical models, sorafenib inhibits the growth of human CCK cell lines; several phase II trials treating CCK and biliary tract tumors with sorafenib have demonstrated low response rate but a trend to improve PFS and OS. Trial design: This is a multicenter (12 Belgian centers) double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized phase II study, aiming to include 66 patients (33 patients per arm, randomization 1:1) with locally advanced (non resectable) and metastatic histologically proven intra-hepatic or hilum (mass forming) cholangiocarcinoma, progressing after gemcitabine-CDDP (or gemcitabine-oxaliplatin) or after gemcitabine alone followed or preceded by platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients will receive regorafenib / placebo (+ BSC) 160 mg od, 3 weeks on/ one week off (one cycle= 4 weeks) until progression of the disease. Primary endpoint is PFS and hypothesis made is to improve median PFS by at least 50 % (6 weeks to 12 weeks in Regorafenib group). Secondary endpoints are overall survival at one year, response rate, translational analysis. The sample size calculation is based on the logrank test, assuming a one-sided significance level of 10%, a power of 80%, a 1:1 randomization, and an improvement in median PFS of 50%. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.