Phase 1B study of amuvatinib in combination with five standard cancer therapies in adults with advanced solid tumors

• Published in: Cancer chemotherapy and pharmacology 2014-07, Vol.74 (1), p.195-204
• Main Authors: Mita, Monica, Gordon, Michael, Rosen, Lee, Kapoor, Nirmal, Choy, Gavin, Redkar, Sanjeev, Taverna, Pietro, Oganesian, Aram, Sahai, Amarpal, Azab, Mohammad, Bristow, Robert, Tolcher, Anthony W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antineoplastic agents; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - pharmacokinetics; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer Research; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - blood; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - metabolism; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - pathology; Clinical Trial Report; Cohort Studies; DNA Damage; DNA Repair - drug effects; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Interactions; Drug Synergism; Female; Half-Life; Humans; Lung Neoplasms - blood; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - metabolism; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Multiple tumors. Solid tumors. Tumors in childhood (general aspects); Neoplasm Staging; Neuroendocrine Tumors - blood; Neuroendocrine Tumors - drug therapy; Neuroendocrine Tumors - metabolism; Neuroendocrine Tumors - pathology; Oncology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Protein Kinase Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Protein Kinase Inhibitors - adverse effects; Protein Kinase Inhibitors - pharmacokinetics; Protein Kinase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit - antagonists & inhibitors; Pyrimidines - administration & dosage; Pyrimidines - adverse effects; Pyrimidines - pharmacokinetics; Pyrimidines - therapeutic use; Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha - antagonists & inhibitors; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma - blood; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma - drug therapy; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma - metabolism; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma - pathology; Tumor Burden - drug effects; Tumors
• ISSN: 0344-5704; 1432-0843
• DOI: 10.1007/s00280-014-2481-1

Purpose Amuvatinib is an oral multi-kinase inhibitor that suppresses RAD51, inhibits mutant c-KIT and platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha, and has synergistic activity with DNA-damaging agents and topoisomerase inhibitors such as etoposide, doxorubicin, and topotecan. We conducted a phase 1B study to estimate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) levels of amuvatinib with standard chemotherapy regimens and to define the safety profiles of specific amuvatinib + standard regimens. Methods Five therapies each co-administered with amuvatinib 100–800 mg/day every 21 days were evaluated in treatment-naïve or moderately pre-treated subjects: paclitaxel IV followed by carboplatin IV; carboplatin IV followed by etoposide; topotecan IV; docetaxel IV; and erlotinib by mouth. Results Among 97 treated subjects, no treatment arm reached the MTD. Dose-limiting toxicities included febrile neutropenia and diarrhea. No pharmacokinetic interactions of amuvatinib with any cancer regimens occurred. Of 12/97 (12 %) partial responses overall, 11 were seen in the amuvatinib and paclitaxel/carboplatin or carboplatin/etoposide arms and most commonly in the neuroendocrine (NE), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) tumors. Forty-four subjects (45 %) had stable disease. Adverse events reflected combination treatment and were primarily non-hematologic (fatigue, alopecia, diarrhea, nausea, anorexia) and hematologic (neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia). Pharmacodynamic effects as measured by decreased levels of RAD51 and increased residual DNA damage (53BP1 foci) were seen in skin punch biopsies. Conclusion Amuvatinib was well tolerated, modulated RAD51, and showed antitumor activity when combined with paclitaxel/carboplatin and carboplatin/etoposide in NE, NSCLC, and SCLC tumors.