Randomized phase II study of three doses of the integrin inhibitor cilengitide versus docetaxel as second-line treatment for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Introduction This multicenter, open-label, phase II study was carried out to compare the efficacy and safety of cilengitide (EMD 121974), a selective inhibitor of the cell-surface integrins αVβ3 and αVβ5, with that of docetaxel in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods Patients (n = 140) with advanced NSCLC who had failed first-line chemotherapy were randomized to cilengitide 240, 400, or 600 mg/m² twice weekly, or docetaxel 75 mg/m² once every 3 weeks for eight cycles. Non-progressing patients could continue cilengitide for up to 1 year. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). No statistical tests were performed since the study was exploratory in nature and the number of patients enrolled was relatively small. Results Median PFS was 54, 63, 63, and 67 days for cilengitide 240, 400, and 600 mg/m², and docetaxel 75 mg/m², respectively. One-year survival rates were 13 %, 13 %, 29 %, and 27 %, respectively. The response rate (partial response only) with docetaxel was 15 %. No responses were reported in any cilengitide arm. The most frequent grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events in the docetaxel group were leukopenia and neutropenia (experienced by 13 % of patients). Hematologic toxicity of this severity did not occur in cilengitide-treated patients. Conclusion With the highest dose of cilengitide (600 mg/m²), median PFS and 1-year survival were similar to those in patients treated with docetaxel 75 mg/m² and there were fewer grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events.