Aditya Shetty

A phase I study of folate immune therapy (EC90 vaccine administered with GPI-0100 adjuvant followed by EC17) in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

This is the first phase I, open-label study to assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity of a novel immunotherapeutic regimen known as Folate Immune (EC90 vaccine administered with GPI-0100 adjuvant followed by EC17, a folate-targeted hapten immunotherapy that targets folate receptor expressing cancer cells), which is designed to convert poorly immunogenic tumors to highly immunogenic tumors in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Three to 6 patients were enrolled in each cohort. In the vaccination phase, patients were given once weekly vaccinations of 0.2 mg of EC90 plus 3.0 mg of GPI-0100 for 3–5 weeks. In the treatment phase, patients were treated with 0.031, 0.092, or 0.276 mg/kg of EC17, 5 d/wk, for weeks 3, 4, or 6. Forty-one patients were enrolled in the study of which 33 patients received ≥1 treatment of EC17. Two dose-limiting toxicities were observed including grade 4 anaphylaxis and grade 3 pancreatitis. During the vaccination phase, mild to moderate injection site reactions were the most frequently reported adverse events. During the treatment phase, transient hypersensitivity reactions were the most common adverse event. Partial response was noted in 4% (1/28) of patients, and stable disease was noted in 54% (15/28) of patients after cycle 1 and was maintained in the majority of patients entering the extension phase of the study. EC90 vaccine with GPI-0100 adjuvant followed by EC17 is safe and well tolerated. The recommended regimen for further studies is 4 weekly vaccinations with 0.2 mg of EC90 plus 3.0 mg GPI-0100 followed by treatment with 0.3 mg of EC17.

Outcomes of patients with metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma treated with pazopanib after disease progression with other targeted therapies

AIM The multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor pazopanib prolongs progression-free survival (PFS) versus placebo in treatment-naive and cytokine-refractory metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Outcomes and safety data with pazopanib after targeted therapy (TT) are limited. METHODS We retrospectively evaluated records of consecutive patients with metastatic ccRCC who had progressive disease (PD) after TT and received pazopanib from November 2009 through November 2011. Tumour response was assessed by a blinded radiologist using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumours (RECIST). PFS and overall survival (OS) were estimated by Kaplan-Meier methods. RESULTS Ninety-three patients were identified. Median number of prior TTs was 2 (range, 1-5). There were 68 events (PD or death). Among 85 evaluable patients, 13 (15%) had a partial response. Median PFS was 6.5 months (95% CI: 4.5-9.7); median OS was 18.1 months (95% CI: 10.26-NA). Common adverse events (AEs) included fatigue (44%), elevated transaminases (35%), diarrhoea (30%), hypothyroidism (18%), nausea/vomiting (17%), anorexia (14%) and hypertension exacerbation (14%); 91% of AEs were grade 1/2. Eleven patients (12%) discontinued therapy due to AEs. There were no treatment-related deaths. CONCLUDING STATEMENT Pazopanib demonstrated efficacy in patients with metastatic ccRCC after PD with other TTs. Toxicity overall was mild/moderate and manageable.

A Phase I/Ib study of folate immune (EC90 vaccine administered with GPI-0100 adjuvant followed by EC17) with interferon-α and interleukin-2 in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Folate immune (EC90 vaccine with GPI-0100 adjuvant followed by EC17) is a novel folate-targeted hapten immunotherapy designed to exploit the overexpression of folate receptors on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells. In this open-label, phase I/II clinical study, we report the safety, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity of folate immune with concurrent interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-&agr; (IFN-&agr;) in patients with recurrent or metastatic RCC. Twenty-four patients were enrolled. Following 2 phase I cohorts of 6 patients each, we extended the study to 12 additional patients: 18 received weekly vaccination of 1.2 mg of EC90 with 3.0 mg of GPI-0100 adjuvant for 4 weeks. Beginning on cycle 1, day 8, 0.3 mg/kg of EC17 was administered once daily, 5 days per week (Monday–Friday) for 4 consecutive weeks. Beginning on cycle 1, day 15, IL-2 and IFN-&agr; were administered at doses of 12 and 3.0 MIU, respectively, after the EC17 dose, 3 times per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) for 3 weeks. In cycle 2, IL-2 and IFN-&agr;, doses of 7.0 and 3.0 MIU, respectively, were administered 3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) for 4 consecutive weeks. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed. Most adverse events reported were grade 1 or 2, with only twelve grade ≥3 toxicities reported. Sixteen patients had progressive disease, 7 patients were observed to have stable disease, and 1 patient achieved a partial response lasting 71 days. Overall, folate immune plus low-dose IFN-&agr; and IL-2 was safe and well tolerated with some observed clinical activity.

Impact of molecular alterations and targeted therapy in appendiceal adenocarcinomas

UNLABELLED Appendiceal adenocarcinomas (AAs) are rare and this has limited their molecular understanding. The purpose of our study was to characterize the molecular profile of AA and explore the role of targeted therapy against cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). PATIENTS AND METHODS We performed a retrospective review of 607 patients with AA at a single institution. A total of 149 patients underwent molecular testing for at least one of the following: activating mutations in KRAS, BRAF, cKIT, EGFR, or PI3K; protein expression of c-KIT or COX-2; or microsatellite instability (MSI) status by immunohistochemistry. Kaplan-Meier product limit method and log-rank test were used to estimate overall survival (OS) and to determine associations among OS, COX-2 expression, KRAS mutations, and other characteristics. RESULTS Age, grade, stage, signet ring cells, mucinous histology, and completeness of cytoreduction score correlated with survival outcomes. COX-2 expression, KRAS, PI3K, and BRAF mutations were seen in 61%, 55%, 17%, and 4% of patients, respectively. High MSI was seen in 6% of patients. KRAS mutation was strongly associated with well differentiated or moderately differentiated AA (p < .01). COX-2 expression (p = .33) and the presence of KRAS mutation (p = .91) had no impact on OS. The use of celecoxib in patients whose tumors expressed COX-2 (p = .84) and the use of cetuximab or panitumumab in patients with KRAS wild-type tumors (p = .83) also had no impact on OS. CONCLUSION In this cohort, we demonstrated that COX-2 expression and KRAS mutations were frequently seen in AA, although neither exhibited any prognostic significance. MSI was infrequent in AA. Targeted therapy against COX-2 and EGFR appeared to provide no clinical benefit. Well and moderately differentiated AA were molecularly distinct from poorly differentiated AA.

Outcomes of patients (pts) with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with pazopanib after progression on other targeted therapies (TT): Updated results.

367 Background: Pazopanib is an multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor shown to prolong progression-free survival (PFS) compared to placebo in treatment-naive and cytokine-refractory mRCC. Outcomes and safety on its use after TT are limited. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed records of consecutive pts with mRCC who were treated with pazopanib between November 2009-November 2011 after having progressive disease (PD) with other TT. Radiographic response was assessed by a blinded radiologist using RECIST v1.1 criteria. PFS and overall survival (OS) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated by fitting univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate the association of PFS with patient co-variates. RESULTS 112 pts (median age 63 years, 67% male, 83% clear cell) met inclusion criteria. Median number of previous TT was 2 (range 1-5). 85 events (PD or death) occurred. 14 pts (12.5%) had a partial response. Median PFS was 5.7 months (95% CI: 4.3-8.9 months). PFS was significantly associated with male gender (HR=0.55; 95% CI: 0.34-0.87; p=0.011), clear-cell histology (HR=0.42; 95% CI: 0.24-0.74; p=0.0031), number of metastatic sites (HR= 1.26; 95% CI: 1.05-1.52; p=0.0123), pancreatic metastases (HR=0.40; 95% CI: 0.18-0.85;p=0.0185), Karnofsky PS< 80 (HR=2.07; 95% CI: 1.22-3.48; p=0.0062), and elevated LDH (HR=1.63; 95% CI: 1.03-2.573; p=0.035). Median OS was 16.9 months (95% CI: 10.3-21.9). 26% of pts were still receiving pazopanib at the time of analysis. 51% discontinued pazopanib due to PD and 12% died of PD on treatment. 11% discontinued pazopanib due to adverse events (AEs). There were no treatment related deaths. Common AEs included fatigue (43%), increase LFTs (34%), diarrhea (28%), nausea/vomiting (14%), anorexia (14%), hypertension exacerbation (12%), and hypothyroidism (11%). 89% of AEs were grade 1/2. CONCLUSIONS Pazopanib demonstrated meaningful clinical activity in heavily pretreated pts with mRCC following PD with other TT. AEs were mild/moderate and manageable.