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Moyer H, Bittlinger M, Nelson A, Fernandez L, Sheng J, Wang Y, Del Paggio JC, Kimmelman J. Bypassing phase 2 in cancer drug development erodes the risk/benefit balance in phase 3 trials. J Clin Epidemiol 2023; 158:134-140. [PMID: 37028684 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2023.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Drug developers sometimes launch phase 3 (P3) trials without supporting evidence from phase 2 (P2) trials. We call this practice "P2 bypass." The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of P2 bypass and to compare the safety and efficacy results for P3 trials that bypassed with those that did not. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING We created a sample of P3 solid tumor trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with primary completion dates between 2013 and 2019. We then attempted to match each with a supporting P2 trial using strict and broad criteria. P3 outcomes were meta-analyzed using a random effects model with subgroup contrast between trials that bypassed and those that did not. RESULTS 129 P3 trial arms met eligibility and nearly half involved P2 bypass. P3 trials involving P2 bypass produced significantly and nonsignificantly worse pooled efficacy estimates using broad and strict matching criteria, respectively. We did not observe significant differences in safety outcomes between P3 trials that bypassed P2 and those that did not. CONCLUSION The risk/benefit balance of P3 trials that bypassed P2 is less favourable than for trials supported by P2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Moyer
- Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Merlin Bittlinger
- Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Angela Nelson
- Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Luciano Fernandez
- Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jacky Sheng
- Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yuetong Wang
- Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Joseph C Del Paggio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Northern Ontario School of Medicine University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jonathan Kimmelman
- Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Balasubramanian A, Gunjur A, Hafeez U, Menon S, Cher LM, Parakh S, Gan HK. Inefficiencies in phase II to phase III transition impeding successful drug development in glioblastoma. Neurooncol Adv 2021; 3:vdaa171. [PMID: 33543145 PMCID: PMC7850118 DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdaa171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Improving outcomes of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) represents a significant challenge in neuro-oncology. We undertook a systematic review of key parameters of phase II and III trials in GBM to identify and quantify the impact of trial design on this phenomenon. Methods Studies between 2005 and 2019 inclusive were identified though MEDLINE search and manual bibliography searches. Phase II studies (P2T) were restricted to those referenced by the corresponding phase III trials (P3T). Clinical and statistical characteristics were extracted. For each P3T, corresponding P2T data was “optimally matched,” where same drug was used in similar schedule and similar population; “suboptimally matched” if dis-similar schedule and/or treatment setting; or “lacking.” Phase II/III transition data were compared by Pearson Correlation, Fisher’s exact or chi-square testing. Results Of 20 P3Ts identified, 6 (30%) lacked phase II data. Of the remaining 14 P3T, 9 had 1 prior P2T, 4 had 2 P2T, and 1 had 3 P2T, for a total of 20 P3T-P2T pairs (called dyads). The 13 “optimally matched” dyads showed strong concordance for mPFS (r2 = 0.95, P < .01) and mOS (r2 = 0.84, P < .01), while 7 “suboptimally matched” dyads did not (P > .05). Overall, 7 P3Ts underwent an ideal transition from P2T to P3T. “Newly diagnosed” P2Ts with mPFS < 14 months and/or mOS< 22 months had subsequent negative P3Ts. “Recurrent” P2Ts with mPFS < 6 months and mOS< 12 months also had negative P3Ts. Conclusion Our findings highlight the critical role of optimally designed phase II trials in informing drug development for GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adithya Balasubramanian
- Medical Oncology Department, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ashray Gunjur
- Medical Oncology Department, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Umbreen Hafeez
- Medical Oncology Department, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Siddharth Menon
- Medical Oncology Department, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lawrence M Cher
- Medical Oncology Department, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sagun Parakh
- Medical Oncology Department, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hui Kong Gan
- Medical Oncology Department, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
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Capitanio U, Pepe G, Incerti E, Larcher A, Trevisani F, Lucianò R, Mapelli P, Bettinardi V, Monterisi C, Necchi A, Cascinu S, Bernardi R, Bertini R, Doglioni C, Gianolli L, Salonia A, Picchio M, Montorsi F. The role of 18F-FAZA PET/CT in detecting lymph node metastases in renal cell carcinoma patients: a prospective pilot trial. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2021; 48:554-60. [PMID: 32638098 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-020-04936-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The accurate detection of nodal invasion is an unmet need in the clinical staging of renal cancer. Positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluoroazomycin arabinoside (18F-FAZA), a hypoxia specific tracer, is a non-invasive imaging method that detects tumour hypoxia. The aim of this work was to evaluate the role of 18F-FAZA PET/CT in the identification of lymph node metastases in renal cancer. METHODS A proof-of-concept phase 2 study including 20 kidney cancer patients ( ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03955393) was conducted. Inclusion criteria were one or more of the following three criteria: (1) clinical tumour size > 10 cm, (2) evidence of clinical lymphadenopathies at preoperative CT scan and (3) clinical T4 cancer. Before surgery, 18F-FAZA PET/CT was performed, 2 h after the intravenous injection of the radiotracer. An experienced nuclear medicine physician, aware of patient's history and of all available diagnostic imaging, performed a qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis on 18F-FAZA images. Histopathological analysis was obtained in all patients on surgical specimen. RESULTS Fourteen/19 (74%) patients had a non-organ confined renal cell carcinoma (RCC) at final pathology (either pT3 or pT4). Median number of nodes removed was 12 (IQR 7-15). The rate of lymph node invasion was 16%. No patient with pN1 disease showed positive 18F-FAZA PET, thus suggesting the non-hypoxic behaviour of the lesions. In addition, neither primary tumour nor distant metastases presented a pathological 18F-FAZA uptake. No adverse events were recorded during the study. CONCLUSIONS 18F-FAZA PET/CT scan did not detect RCC lymph neither nodal nor distant metastases and did not show any uptake in the primary renal tumour.
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Walters C, Harter ZJ, Wayant C, Vo N, Warren M, Chronister J, Tritz D, Vassar M. Do oncology researchers adhere to reproducible and transparent principles? A cross-sectional survey of published oncology literature. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e033962. [PMID: 31892667 PMCID: PMC6955516 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES As much as 50%-90% of research is estimated to be irreproducible, costing upwards of $28 billion in USA alone. Reproducible research practices are essential to improving the reproducibility and transparency of biomedical research, such as including preregistering studies, publishing a protocol, making research data and metadata publicly available, and publishing in open access journals. Here we report an investigation of key reproducible or transparent research practices in the published oncology literature. DESIGN We performed a cross-sectional analysis of a random sample of 300 oncology publications published from 2014 to 2018. We extracted key reproducibility and transparency characteristics in a duplicative fashion by blinded investigators using a pilot tested Google Form. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome of this investigation is the frequency of key reproducible or transparent research practices followed in published biomedical and clinical oncology literature. RESULTS Of the 300 publications randomly sampled, 296 were analysed for reproducibility characteristics. Of these 296 publications, 194 contained empirical data that could be analysed for reproducible and transparent research practices. Raw data were available for nine studies (4.6%). Five publications (2.6%) provided a protocol. Despite our sample including 15 clinical trials and 7 systematic reviews/meta-analyses, only 7 included a preregistration statement. Less than 25% (65/194) of publications provided an author conflict of interest statement. CONCLUSION We found that key reproducibility and transparency characteristics were absent from a random sample of published oncology publications. We recommend required preregistration for all eligible trials and systematic reviews, published protocols for all manuscripts, and deposition of raw data and metadata in public repositories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corbin Walters
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Zachery J Harter
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Cole Wayant
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Nam Vo
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Michael Warren
- Internal Medicine, Oklahoma State University Medical Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Justin Chronister
- Internal Medicine, Oklahoma State University Medical Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Daniel Tritz
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Matt Vassar
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
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