A phase II double-blind study to investigate efficacy and safety of two doses of the triple angiokinase inhibitor BIBF 1120 in patients with relapsed advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

To assess the efficacy, safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of BIBF 1120 in patients with stage IIIB/IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

Patients with locally advanced or metastatic relapsed NSCLC in whom first- or second-line platinum-based chemotherapy failed were randomly allocated to daily 250 mg BIBF 1120 b.i.d. or 150 mg BIBF 1120 b.i.d. Primary end points were progression-free survival (PFS) and objective tumour response (RECIST). Incidence and severity of adverse events (AEs) were reported.

RESULTS

Seventy-three patients received BIBF 1120. Median PFS was 6.9 weeks, with no significant difference between treatment arms. Median overall survival (OS) was 21.9 weeks. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0-1 patients (n = 56) had a median PFS of 11.6 weeks and a median OS of 37.7 weeks. Tumour stabilisation was achieved in 46% of patients (ECOG 0-1 patients: 59%), with one confirmed partial response (250 mg b.i.d.). Most commonly reported drug-related AEs were nausea (57.5%), diarrhoea (47.9%), vomiting (42.5%), anorexia (28.8%), abdominal pain (13.7%) and reversible alanine transaminase (13.7%) and aspartate aminotransferase elevations (9.6%). BIBF 1120 displayed dose-linear pharmacokinetic characteristics.

CONCLUSION

Continuous treatment with BIBF 1120 was well tolerated, with no difference in efficacy between treatment arms. PFS and objective response with single-agent treatment in advanced disease warrants further exploration.

Efficacy and safety of axitinib in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: results from a phase II study

PURPOSE

This phase II study evaluated efficacy and safety of single-agent axitinib, an oral, potent, selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR) -1, -2, and -3, in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was an open-label, single-arm, multicenter, phase II study with a Simon two-stage minimax design. Patients received a starting dose of axitinib 5 mg orally BID. The primary end point was Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) -defined objective response rate. Secondary end points included safety and tolerability, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients were enrolled, with a median age of 66.5 years. The majority of patients (75%) had adenocarcinoma. Nine patients (28%) had received no prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease, and 23 (72%) had received > or = one regimen. Three patients (9%) had a RECIST investigator-assessed, confirmed partial response (PR); disease control rate (PR + stable disease) was 41%. Median PFS was 4.9 months overall (95% CI, 3.6 to 7.0 months). Median OS was 14.8 months (95% CI, 10.7 months to not estimable) overall and 14.8 months (95% CI, 12.5 months to not estimable) in patients receiving first-line axitinib. One-year survival rates for patients with or without prior therapy for metastatic disease were 57% and 78%, respectively. Grade 3 treatment-related adverse events in > or = 5% of patients comprised fatigue (22%), hypertension (9%), and hyponatremia (9%).

CONCLUSION

Axitinib demonstrated single-agent activity in patients with advanced NSCLC. Therapy was well tolerated with manageable toxicities. Further investigation of this VEGFR inhibitor in NSCLC is of interest.

Retrospective evaluation of the clinical and radiographic risk factors associated with severe pulmonary hemorrhage in first-line advanced, unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer treated with Carboplatin and Paclitaxel plus bevacizumab

PURPOSE

Severe (grade >or= 3) pulmonary hemorrhage (PH) in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer was observed in two prospective, randomized, phase II (N = 99) and phase III (N = 878) trials of bevacizumab plus carboplatin and paclitaxel. Retrospective case-control and cohort analyses were conducted to identify associated radiographic and clinical risk factors for PH.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Six patients with PH from the phase II trial, 15 potential PH patients with hemorrhage at any site from the phase III trial, and their matched controls were evaluated with review of baseline and on-treatment radiographs by an independent radiology facility, blinded to patient/control status. Patients with severe (grade >or= 3) PH from each trial were matched with up to three controls based on sex, age group, histology (phase II), or sex and age group (phase III).

RESULTS

Seven PH patients in the phase III trial were identified as severe PH. Six of the patients were early onset (occurred < 150 days of initiating bevacizumab) and one was late onset. Baseline tumor cavitation, not tumor location, was identified as the only potential risk factor for patients with early onset. Combined analysis of severe PH patients from the phase II and phase III trials (n = 13), compared with their pooled matched controls (n = 42), did not identify any additional baseline radiographic or clinical variables associated with PH.

CONCLUSION

PH was an uncommon event. Based on these analyses, baseline tumor cavitation may be a potential risk factor for PH. No other baseline clinical variables were predictive for PH although the number of events was small.

[NSCLC: update on second line therapy following ASCO 2007]

Since the year 2000 second line therapy for pre-treated non-small cell lung cancer patients has been established. There are currently two chemotherapeutic agents - docetaxel (Taxotere) and pemetrexed (Alimta) - which have been approved for second line treatment in Austria in addition to the tyrosinkinase-inhibitor erlotinib (Tarceva). In randomised trials these agents have shown a clear advantage over best supportive care in pre-treated patients in terms of overall survival and quality of life. However, these compounds also cause considerable drug-specific toxicities. Therefore there is an urgent need for new treatment options with higher efficacy and a lower burden of toxicity. At ASCO 2007, results of randomised trials were presented concerning new chemotherapeutic agents, such as vinflunine as well as targeting agents such as gefitinib, without affecting outcome. Another trial comparing a standard dose of pemetrexed with a higher dose also showed no improvement in outcome. A comparison of immediate application with delayed application of docetaxel after primary treatment demonstrated improved progression-free survival in selected patients in the immediate study arm but this did not translate to a survival benefit. The results of these trials may add further treatment options to the present portfolio of agents and concepts in this setting and give some optimism for the near future. At present, no changes need to be made in the options for standard second-line treatment of NSCLC in view of the results presented at ASCO 2007.