Abstract 3454
Background
The clinical benefit of combined treatment with BRAF- and MEK-inhibitors (BRAFi; MEKi) in BRAFV600 mutant (BRAFm) melanoma is limited due to resistance after 6-14 months, associated with emerging secondary mutations. Withholding of treatment leads to reversible hyperactivation of the MAPK pathway, causing transient growth arrest and increase in Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in preclinical studies. Treatment of BRAFi/MEKi resistant melanoma cells with vorinostat leads to a further increase in ROS, effectively killing BRAFi resistant cells. In vivo, switch from BRAFi to vorinostat in BRAFi resistant BRAFm melanoma resulted in a decline in tumor volume. Six patients with resistant BRAFm melanoma were treated with vorinostat 360 mg QD continuously. These patients revealed regression of mutant clones and progression of BRAFi sensitive clones. Tumor biopsies showed newly developed secondary MAPK pathway mutations, e.g. NRASQ61H and KRASG12C amplifications at start and a complete absence of these resistant mutations after two weeks of vorinostat. Based on these findings we postulate that BRAFi resistant BRAFm melanoma cells can be eliminated by a short treatment with vorinostat due to killing of tumor cells harboring a secondary mutation in the MAPK pathway. In vitro experiments confirmed this hypothesis.
Trial design
This is a proof of concept study to determine the efficacy of sequential treatment with vorinostat and BRAFi/MEKi in BRAFi resistant BRAFm melanoma. Patients with age ≥ 18 years, WHO performance 0-2 and progression on BRAFi/MEKi are eligible. 26 evaluable patients with resistant BRAFm melanoma will be treated with vorinostat 360 mg continuously for 2 weeks and thereafter switch back to BRAFi/MEKi. The primary aim is to demonstrate ≥ 30% anti-tumor response of progressive lesions according to RECIST 1.1 upon sequenced treatment with vorinostat and BRAFi/MEKi. Secondary endpoints are to demonstrate that emerging resistant clones with a secondary mutation in the MAPK pathway can be detected by ctDNA analysis and purged by short term treatment with vorinostat. Blood and tumor biopsies will be taken for pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and pharmacogenetic exploratory analyses.
Clinical trial identification
NCT02836548.
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The Netherlands Cancer Institute.
Funding
Oncode.
Disclosure
J.H.M. Schellens: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, and patent holder on oral taxenes: Modra Pharmaceutical. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
2241 - KEYNOTE-641: Phase 3 Study of Pembrolizumab (pembro) Plus Enzalutamide for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC)
Presenter: Julie Graff
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2507 - KEYLYNK-010: Phase 3 Study of Pembrolizumab (pembro) Plus Olaparib (OLA) vs Enzalutamide (ENZA) or Abiraterone (ABI) in ENZA- or ABI-Pretreated Patients (pts) With Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) Who Had Progression on Chemotherapy (CTx)
Presenter: Evan Yu
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2944 - PROSTRATEGY: A Spanish Genitourinary Oncology Group (SOGUG) multi-arm multistage (MAMS) phase III trial of immunotherapy strategies in high-volume metastasic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.
Presenter: Jose Arranz Arija
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3535 - A phase 1 study of AMG 160, a half-life extended bispecific T cell engager (HLE BiTE) immuno-oncology therapy targeting PSMA, in patients (pts) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC)
Presenter: Ben Tran
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4951 - ProBio: An outcome-adaptive, multi-arm, open-label, multiple assignment randomised controlled biomarker-driven trial in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (EudraCT: 2018-002350-78, NCT03903835)
Presenter: Johan Lindberg
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2892 - A phase 3 randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study of niraparib plus abiraterone acetate and prednisone versus abiraterone acetate and prednisone in patients with metastatic prostate cancer (NCT03748641)
Presenter: Kim Chi
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2427 - The Extended/Phase II Study of Safety And Tolerability Of Proxalutamide (GT0918) In Subjects With Metastatic Castrate Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) Who Failed Either Abiraterone (Abi) Or Enzalutamide (Enza)
Presenter: Nicholas Vogelzang
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3224 - Addition of an oral docetaxel treatment (ModraDoc006/r) to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in patients with high risk N+M0 prostate cancer
Presenter: Marit Vermunt
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3312 - A phase II randomized, open-label study comparing salvage radiotherapy in combination with 6 months of androgen-deprivation therapy with LHRH agonist or antagonist versus anti-androgen therapy with apalutamide in patients with biochemical progression after radical prostatectomy.
Presenter: Piet Dirix
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2829 - Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and Updated Follow-Up From KEYNOTE-057: Phase 2 Study of Pembrolizumab (pembro) for Patients (pts) With High-Risk (HR) Non–Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) Unresponsive to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)
Presenter: Ronald de Wit
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract