Phase 2 study of CT-322, a targeted biologic inhibitor of VEGFR-2 based on a domain of human fibronectin, in recurrent glioblastoma

Invest New Drugs. 2015 Feb;33(1):247-53. doi: 10.1007/s10637-014-0186-2. Epub 2014 Nov 13.

Abstract

VEGF signaling through VEGFR-2 is the major factor in glioblastoma angiogenesis. CT-322, a pegylated protein engineered from the 10th type III human fibronectin domain, binds the VEGFR-2 extracellular domain with high specificity and affinity to block VEGF-induced VEGFR-2 signaling. This study evaluated CT-322 in an open-label run-in/phase 2 setting to assess its efficacy and safety in recurrent glioblastoma. Eligible patients had 1st, 2nd or 3rd recurrence of glioblastoma with measurable tumor on MRI and no prior anti-angiogenic therapy. The initial CT-322 dose was 1 mg/kg IV weekly, with plans to escalate subsequent patients to 2 mg/kg weekly if tolerated; within each CT-322 dose cohort, patients were randomized to ±irinotecan IV semiweekly. The primary endpoint was 6-month progression-free survival (PFS-6). Sixty-three patients with a median age of 56 were treated, the majority at first recurrence. One-third experienced serious adverse events, of which four were at least possibly related to study treatment (two intracranial hemorrhages and two infusion reactions). Twenty-nine percent of subjects developed treatment-emergent hypertension. The PFS-6 rate in the CT-322 monotherapy groups was 18.6 and 0.0 % in the 1 and 2 mg/kg treatment groups, respectively; results from the 2 mg/kg group indicated that the null hypothesis that PFS-6 ≤12 % could not be rejected. The study was terminated prior to reaching the planned enrollment for all treatment groups because data from the completed CT-322 2 mg/kg monotherapy treatment arm revealed insufficient efficacy. Despite biological activity and a tolerable side effect profile, CT-322 failed to meet the prespecified threshold for efficacy in recurrent glioblastoma.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase II
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Brain Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Fibronectins / adverse effects
  • Fibronectins / therapeutic use*
  • Glioblastoma / drug therapy*
  • Glioblastoma / genetics
  • Glucuronosyltransferase / genetics
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / drug therapy
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / genetics
  • Peptide Fragments / adverse effects
  • Peptide Fragments / therapeutic use*
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / adverse effects
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • CT-322
  • Fibronectins
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • UGT1A1 enzyme
  • Glucuronosyltransferase
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2