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Background Futibatinib is an oral, irreversible, highly selective fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)1–4 inhibitor with potent preclinical activity against tumors harboring FGFR aberrations. This first-in-human, phase I dose-escalation trial (NCT02052778) evaluates the safety and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of futibatinib in advanced solid tumors. Patients and methods Following a standard 3+3 dose-escalation design, eligible patients with advanced solid tumors refractory to standard therapies received 8–200 mg futibatinib three times a week (t.i.w.) or 4–24 mg once daily (q.d.). Results A total of 86 patients were enrolled in the nine t.i.w. (n = 42) and five q.d. cohorts (n = 44); 71 patients (83%) had tumors harboring FGF/FGFR aberrations. Three of nine patients in the 24-mg q.d. cohort experienced dose-limiting toxicities, including grade 3 increases in alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and blood bilirubin (n = 1 each). The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was determined to be 20 mg q.d.; no MTD was defined for the t.i.w. schedule. Across cohorts (n = 86), the most common treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were hyperphosphatemia (59%), diarrhea (37%), and constipation (34%); 48% experienced grade 3 TEAEs. TEAEs led to dose interruptions, dose reductions, and treatment discontinuations in 55%, 14%, and 3% of patients, respectively. Pharmacokinetics were dose proportional across all q.d. doses but not all t.i.w. doses evaluated, with saturation observed between 80 and 200 mg t.i.w. Serum phosphorus increased dose dependently with futibatinib on both schedules, but a stronger exposure–response relationship was observed with q.d. dosing, supporting 20 mg q.d. as the recommended phase II dose (RP2D). Overall, partial responses were observed in five patients [FGFR2 fusion-positive intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (n = 3) and FGFR1-mutant primary brain tumor (n = 2)], and stable disease in 41 (48%). Conclusions Futibatinib treatment resulted in manageable safety, pharmacodynamic activity, and preliminary responses in patients with advanced solid tumors. The results of this phase I dose-escalation trial support 20 mg q.d. futibatinib as the RP2D. Clinical trial registration FOENIX-101 (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02052778).

Background In 2013, the French National Cancer Institute initiated the AcSe program to provide patients with secure access to targeted therapies outside of their marketed approvals. Efficacy and safety was then assessed using a two-stage Simon phase II trial design. When the study design was designed, crizotinib was approved only as monotherapy for adults with anaplastic lymphoma kinase plus non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Patients and methods Advanced NSCLC patients with c-MET ≥6 copies, c-MET-mutated, or ROS-1-translocated tumours were enrolled in one of the three cohorts. Patients were treated with crizotinib 250 mg twice daily. Efficacy was assessed using the objective response rate (ORR) after two cycles of crizotinib as primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included disease control rate at four cycles, best ORR, progression-free survival, overall survival, and drug tolerance. Results From August 2013 to March 2018, 5606 patients had their tumour tested for crizotinib targeted molecular alterations: 252 patients had c-MET ≥6 copies, 74 c-MET-mutation, and 78 ROS-1-translocated tumour. Finally, 25 patients in the c-MET ≥6 copies cohort, 28 in the c-MET-mutation cohort, and 37 in the ROS-1-translocation cohort were treated in the phase II trial. The ORR was 16% in the c-MET ≥6 copies cohort, 10.7% in the mutated, and 47.2% in the ROS-1 cohort. The best ORR during treatment was 32% in the c-MET-≥6 copies cohort, 36% in the c-MET-mutated, and 69.4% in the ROS-1-translocation cohort. Safety data were consistent with that previously reported. Conclusions Crizotinib activity in patients with ROS1-translocated tumours was confirmed. In the c-MET-mutation and c-MET ≥6 copies cohorts, despite insufficient ORR after two cycles of crizotinib, there are signs of late response not sufficient to justify the development of crizotinib in this indication. The continued targeting of c-MET with innovative therapies appears justified. Clinical trial number NCT02034981.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic deeply threatens the rigorous conduct of clinical trials, notably by delaying site initiation visits, patient enrolment, treatment administration, trial-associated procedures, and data monitoring. Unlike most other medical specialties, clinical trials are an integral part of patient care in oncology. Limiting access to clinical trials therefore results in a loss of chance for patients. Methods: In this retrospective single-center study, we collected clinical trial-specific items (including patient-related or trial management-related items) during the first pandemic wave (March– June 2020) and lockdown (March 17th-May 11th) at Gustave Roussy, and compared them to those of the same period in 2019. Results: In March 2020, 84 phase I (P1) and 210 phase II/III (P2/3) trials were open. During the first pandemic wave, 21 (25%) P1 and 20 (9%) P2/3 trials were temporarily halted, following a unilateral sponsor decision in virtually all cases;all but one were industry-sponsored. Despite this, all important metrics of the P1/2 trial activity remained similar to those of 2019, including the number of patients referred for inclusion (599 vs 620), inclusion consultations (215 vs 247), patients starting treatment (130 vs 130), Internal Review Board (IRB) submissions (14 vs 16), and site initiation visits (11 vs 15), all in 2020 vs 2019, respectively. The impact of the first lock-down was more marked on P2/3, with 152 patient inclusions (vs 346 in 2019), 125 randomizations (vs 278), 43 IRB submissions (vs 50) and 34 site initiation visits (vs 40). However, in parallel, 475 patients were included in three “COVID and cancer” trials. Among the 443 P1 and 2851 P2/3 patients, 198 and 628 COVID-19 PCR were performed internally, and five and 15 (2.5%) were positive, respectively. One patient with a community-based COVID-19 died after transfer in intensive care. Conclusions: Cancer clinical trials can, and must be maintained despite challenges brought by COVID-19. Sharing experiences and retrospectively evaluating the impact on patients’ safety and cancer-related outcomes will be critical to durably improve the clinical trials conduct and to anticipate at best challenges brought by future similar crises. Legal entity responsible for the study: Gustave Roussy. Funding: Has not received any funding. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Cancer immunotherapy is coming of age; it has prompted a paradigm shift in oncology, in which therapeutic agents are used to target immune cells rather than cancer cells. The first generation of new immunotherapies corresponds to antagonistic antibodies that block specific immune checkpoint molecules cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), programmed cell death protein (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1. Targeting these checkpoints in patients living with cancer had led to long-lasting tumour responses. By unbalancing the immune system, these new immunotherapies also generate dysimmune toxicities, called immune-related adverse events (IRAEs) that mainly involve the gut, skin, endocrine glands, liver, and lung but can potentially affect any tissue. In view of their undisputed clinical efficacy, anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 antibodies are entering in the routine oncological practice, and the number of patients exposed to these drugs will increase dramatically in the near future. Although steroids can be used to treat these IRAEs, the associated immunosuppression may compromise the antitumour response. Oncologists must be ready to detect and manage these new types of adverse events. This review focuses on the mechanisms of IRAE generation, putative relationship between dysimmune toxicity and antitumour efficacy, as a basis for management guidelines.

Background Epigenetic therapies (epidrugs) modify cancer cells transcriptional programmes and influence all hallmarks of cancer. Thus, epidrugs have been reported to modulate sensitivity to conventional chemotherapy (CCT) preclinically. We explored whether sensitivity to CCT differed before and after epidrug therapy. Methods Patients (pts) enrolled in phase 1 trials evaluating epidrugs at the Drug Development Department (DITEP) in Gustave Roussy between March 2010 and May 2017 who received at least one CCT just before and after epidrug therapy were eligible. Progression free survival (PFS) of the CCT line before (PFSpre) and after (PFSpost) epidrug were compared using Wilcoxon signed rank in a paired data subset (uncorrected α-risk). Results 69% of the 93 eligible pts had haematological malignancies. Epidrug treatments consisted of: IDH inhibitors (IDHi) (30%), HDACi (19%), protein degradation modulators (20%), EZH2i (17%), BETi (12%) and LSD1i (2%); 52 (56%) pts derived clinical benefit (CB) from epidrugs (objective response or SD>2 months). Median PFSpre and PFSpost were 4.2 and 3.8 months (NS), respectively; PFSpost was significantly worse for pts who did not derive CB from epidrugs (1.8 vs 5.6 months, p=0.01), whereas significance was lost for pts who derived CB (5.1 vs 3.6 months, NS). Analysis stratified on the CCT type evidenced that PFSpost was significantly worse for pts receiving anthracyclines, topoisomerase inhibitors and alkylating agents (excluding platinum salts) (p=0.004, p=0.02 and p=0.01, respectively), whereas no significant difference was observed for platinum, antimetabolites, anti-microtubule agents or antiangiogenic agents. Conclusions Epidrug therapy might modify sensitivity to certain CCT; patients who derive clinical benefit from epidrugs tend to have better PFS on CCT after epidrug treatment than patients who do not benefit from epidrugs. Further studies on larger and homogeneous series are warranted. Legal entity responsible for the study The authors. Funding Has not received any funding. Disclosure P. Romano-Martin: Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Jannsen; Research grant / Funding (self): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Sanofi; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche. C. Baldini: Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen Cilag; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): Sanofi. S. Champiat: Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen Cilag; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Sanofi. A. Varga: Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen Cilag; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Sanofi; Honoraria (self): MSD; Honoraria (self): AstraZeneca; Honoraria (self): Roche. A. Gazzah: Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen Cilag; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Sanofi. R. Bahleda: Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (self): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen Cilag; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Sanofi. P. Vuagnat: Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen Cilag; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Sanofi. A. Hollebecque: Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen Cilag; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Sanofi. J. Michot: Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen Cilag; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Sanofi. V. Ribrag: Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen Cilag; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Sanofi. C. Massard: Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen Cilag; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Sanofi; Advisory / Consultancy: Amgen; Advisory / Consultancy: Astellas; Advisory / Consultancy: AstraZeneca; Advisory / Consultancy: Bayer; Advisory / Consultancy: BeiGene; Advisory / Consultancy: Lilly; Advisory / Consultancy: MedImmune; Advisory / Consultancy: Novartis; Advisory / Consultancy: Pfizer; Advisory / Consultancy: Roche; Advisory / Consultancy: Jannsen. S. Postel Vinay: Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen Cilag; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Sanofi; Advisory / Consultancy: Merck; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (self): Roche; Research grant / Funding (self): Boehringer Ingelheim. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Background Ipi 10 mg/kg (every 3 weeks for 4 doses) combined with a 3 + 3 dose-escalation design of RT at week 4 (W4) seemed to have antitumor activity in the 19 pts treated in the phase I study Mel-Ipi-Rx from August 2011 to July 2015 (ESMO 2016, 1117P). This ancillary study assesses the impact of ipi + RT on SIAR and TGR variation (ΔTGR) of irradiated (TGRirr) and non-irradiated (TGRnon-irr) lesions. Methods Blood samples were collected at baseline (W0), W4 (before 2nd ipi injection) and W6 (after ipi + RT) to phenotype T cells. TGR, defined as an increase in tumor volume during 1 month, was computed for TGRirr, and TGRnon-irr in 2 periods: (i) Reference-TGR (REF-TGR) on W0, and (ii) Experimental-TGR (EXP-TGR) between W0 and 1st evaluation. The ΔTGR between REF-TGR and EXP-TGR was used to assess the treatment (TRT) effect. A negative value reflected a slowdown of disease progression (DP). Results Ipi alone was associated with increased effector T cells (TEM), Treg and ICOS+ CD4+ T cells at W4. At W6, only TEM and ICOS+ CD4+ T cells significantly increased, suggesting that RT + ipi could increase activated memory CD4+ T cells rather than Treg cells. CD8+ T cells did not increase at W4 while central memory T cells (TCM) and terminally differentiated (TEMRA) increased between W4 and W6, suggesting that RT + ipi could boost these CD8+ T populations. Increased CD8 from W0 to W4 was significantly correlated to progession-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.0163). Increased CD8 tended to be positively correlated to overall survival (OS) from W0 to W6 (p = 0.0786). Interestingly, a higher effect of RT + ipi seemed to be associated with a deeper ΔTGRnon-irr than ΔTGRirr, although insignificant. The EXP-TGRnon-irr was significantly associated with DP. Conclusions RT + ipi was associated with increased CD4+ and CD8+ ICOS+ T cells. Increased CD8+ was significantly associated with PFS. Thus, immune biomarkers may be useful for early response evaluation. The ΔTGRnon-irr lesions could be more important than ΔTGRirr lesions in responding pts and may be related to an abscopal effect. Updated PFS and OS will be presented. Clinical trial identification EUDRACT 2010-020317-93 NCT01557114. Legal entity responsible for the study Eric Deutsch and Caroline Robert are both corresponding authors and contributed equally to the work. Funding Has not received any funding. Disclosure C. Boutros: Honoraria (institution), Advisory / Consultancy: BMS; Honoraria (institution), Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Merck. N. Chaput: Research grant / Funding (self): Cytune Pharma; Research grant / Funding (self): BMS; Research grant / Funding (self): Sanofi; Research grant / Funding (institution): GSK; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: AstraZeneca. C. Mateus: Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: BMS; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Merck. E. Routier: Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: BMS; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Merck; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Novartis; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Roche; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Pierre Fabre. C. Massard: Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: AMGEN; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: ASTELLAS; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: AstraZeneca; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Bayer; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: BeiGene; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: BMS; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Celgene; Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen Cilag; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Non-remunerated activity/ies: AstraZeneca; Non-remunerated activity/ies: Bayer; Non-remunerated activity/ies: BMS; Non-remunerated activity/ies: Johnson and Johnson; Non-remunerated activity/ies: Lilly; Non-remunerated activity/ies: MedImmune; Non-remunerated activity/ies: Merck. C. Caramella: Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: BMS; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Bayer; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Roche; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: MSK; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Pfizer; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Amgen. J. Soria: Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: AstraZeneca; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Astex; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Clovis; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: GSK; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: GammaMabs; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Lilly; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: MSD; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Pfizer; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Pierre Fabre; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Roche/genentech; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Sanofi; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Servier; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Takeda; Full / Part-time employment, Full time employee since 2017: MedImmune; Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options: AstraZeneca; Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options: Gristso. C. Robert: Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: BMS; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Merck Serono; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Roche; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Novartis; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: MSD. E. Deutsch: Honoraria (self), Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: BMS; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Merck; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Boehringer; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: MedImmune; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy, Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Amgen; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Accuray; Honoraria (self), Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: MSD. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Although a third of all cancers are diagnosed after the age of 75, only 9% of elderly people are recruited in clinical trials, because of fear of the risk of toxicity. The aim of this study was to compare the tolerance and efficacy observed in Phase I trials among patients aged over 75 years with that observed in younger patients. Patients treated from 2007 to 2012 at Institut Gustave Roussy in Phase I trials were included. The conditional Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare the occurrence of AE and overall survival in a subpopulation of elderly people (EP, aged >75 years) matched with patients aged

The anti-tumor activity of AZD1480, a potent, selective inhibitor of Janus-associated kinases 1 and 2, was demonstrated in preclinical models of myeloproliferative neoplasms. In a phase I clinical study, 35 patients with myelofibrosis received 2.5-70mg AZD1480 orally once daily (QD) or 10 or 15mg twice daily (BID) continuously during repeated 28-day cycles. Two patients experienced dose-limiting toxicities: one patient in the 2.5mg QD cohort had a grade 3 lung infiltration/acute pneumonia, and one patient receiving 50mg QD had grade 3 presyncope. Dosing was stopped at 70mg QD after the first patient experienced an adverse neurological event (AE) and evidence of low-grade neurological toxicity in patients on lower doses after the initial month of therapy became apparent. The most common AZD1480-related AEs were dizziness and anemia. AZD1480 was absorbed quickly and eliminated from the plasma rapidly, with a mean terminal half-life of 2.45-8.06h; accumulation was not observed after repeated daily dosing for 28 days. Four patients showed evidence of clinical improvement based on IWG-MRT 2006 criteria. AZD1480 was relatively well tolerated, however, low-grade, reversible neurological toxicity was therapy limiting and led to study termination.

This paper presents results from the phase I study of the focal adhesion kinase inhibitor GSK2256098 in patients with advanced solid tumors. The MTD was identified as 1000 mg, oral BID. Treatment with GSK2256098 showed a good tolerability, evidence of target engagement, and clinical activity in patients with recurrent, merlin-negative mesothelioma. Background Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is important in cancer growth, survival, invasion, and migration. The purpose of this study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of the FAK inhibitor, GSK2256098, in cancer patients. Patients and methods The dose of GSK2256098 was escalated, in cohorts of patients with advanced cancer, from 80 to 1500 mg, oral twice daily (BID), until the MTD was determined. Serial blood samples were obtained from all patients, and the PK was determined. Paired tumor biopsies were obtained in select patients, and the level of phospho-FAK (pFAK) was determined. Results Sixty-two patients (39 males, 23 females; median age 61 y.o., range 21–84) received GSK2256098. Dose-limiting toxicities of grade 2 proteinuria (1000 mg BID), grade 2 fatigue, nausea, vomiting (1250 mg BID), and grade 3 asthenia and grade 2 fatigue (1500 mg BID) were reported with the MTD identified as 1000 mg BID. The most frequent adverse events (AEs) were nausea (76%), diarrhea (65%), vomiting (58%), and decreased appetite (47%) with the majority of AEs being grades 1–2. The PK was generally dose proportional with a geometric mean elimination half-life range of 4–9 h. At the 750, 1000, and 1500 mg BID dose levels evaluated, the pFAK, Y397 autophosphorylation site, was reduced by ∼80% from baseline. Minor responses were observed in a patient with melanoma (−26%) and three patients with mesothelioma (−13%, −15%, and −17%). In the 29 patients with recurrent mesothelioma, the median progression-free survival was 12 weeks with 95% CI 9.1, 23.4 weeks (23.4 weeks merlin negative, n = 14; 11.4 weeks merlin positive, n = 9; 10.9 weeks merlin status unknown, n = 6). Conclusions GSK2256098 has an acceptable safety profile, has evidence of target engagement at doses at or below the MTD, and has clinical activity in patients with mesothelioma, particularly those with merlin loss.

Background Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a locally aggressive disease with a poor prognosis. After failure of first line platinum-based chemotherapy, there is no widely approved salvage regimen. New strategies for treatment are needed and phase 1 trials appear as a rationale alternative. Materials and methods MPM patients were enrolled in 20 different phase 1 trials between March 2005 and January 2012, and their data analyzed retrospectively. The primary endpoint was response rate and secondary endpoints were toxicity profile, overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). OS and PFS were estimated using Kaplan–Meier and their association with baseline characteristics was investigated through a log-rank test. The drugs described were divided into 5 groups based on their mechanism of action. Results Forty-five patients were analyzed with a median follow up of 20.5 months. The best tumor response was as follows: 4% of patients had a RECIST partial response, 60% had stable disease, 24% had progressive disease and 11% were not evaluable. Grade ≥3 toxicities were observed in 19 (42%) patients. Median OS and PFS were estimated to 6 months (95% CI = [4.2–10.5]) and 2 months (95% CI = [1.3–2.7]), respectively. The cellular motility inhibitors group appeared as the most promising class to be developed in a phase 2 setting. Conclusion Including MPM patients in phase I trials beyond first line of treatment can result in modest clinical benefits with an acceptable toxicity profile. Several molecular pathways involved in MPM have been identified and further novel biologic therapies need to be tested.

Background Primary brain tumors are highly heterogeneous and current therapy confers only modest clinical benefit. There is a tremendous need for new therapeutic options and genomic profiling could help defining new strategies. Methods Data from patients with advanced primary brain tumors enrolled in the prospective clinical trial MOSCATO at the Drug Development Department (DITEP) at Gustave Roussy Cancer Center were retrospectively reviewed. Multiple high throughput molecular techniques were used to identify genetic mutations: Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), comparative genomic hybridization array (CGHa) and Foundation one CDx (FMI). Matched therapy was decided accordingly for patients who had targeted molecular alterations. Results Between April 2016 and December 2018, 103 patients with primary brain tumors were enrolled. Median age was 48 years (range, 19-75), median number of previous systemic therapies was 2 (range, 0–5), 98% had an ECOG performance status 0 or 1. The most prevalent histology was glioblastoma (70 %). Ten patients were screen failure due to unavailability of tumor tissue and no possibility of new brain biopsy. Eighty-nine molecular analyses were successful (CGH: N = 45, NGS: N = 47, FMI: N = 42). Median time between consent and results was 49 days (range, 18-235). Tumor mutational burden (TMB) was available in 42 pts and was considered low ( Conclusions Molecular profiling in patients with primary brain tumors is feasible and can lead to orientation in clinical trials and/or treatment with targeted therapies. However the reasons for the small number of patients finally treated are currently under investigations and will be presented at the conference. Legal entity responsible for the study Christophe Massard. Funding Institut Gustave Roussy. Disclosure C. Baldini: Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: BMS; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Abbvie; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Roche; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Amgen; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Sanofi. L. Verlingue: Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Adaptherapy; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Pierre Fabre; Research grant / Funding (self): BMS. E. Angevin: Advisory / Consultancy: Merck; Advisory / Consultancy: GSK; Advisory / Consultancy: Celgene; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Abbvie; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Roche; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Sanofi; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Pfizer. A. Varga: Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Roche; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Astra Zeeneca; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: MSD. S. Postel Vinay: Research grant / Funding (self): Merck; Research grant / Funding (self): Boehringer; Research grant / Funding (self): Roche; Research grant / Funding (self): AstraZeneca; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Merck; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: AstraZeneca; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: AstraZeneca. A. Gazzah: Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Boehringer; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Novartis; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Pfizer; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Roche; Advisory / Consultancy: Novartis. R. Bahleda: Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Taiho; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Janssen; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Pfizer; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Boehringer. A. Marabelle: Advisory / Consultancy: Roche; Advisory / Consultancy: Pierre Fabre; Advisory / Consultancy: Onxeo; Advisory / Consultancy: EISAI; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Bayer; Advisory / Consultancy: Genticel; Advisory / Consultancy: Rigontec; Advisory / Consultancy: Diachii; Advisory / Consultancy: Imaxio; Advisory / Consultancy: Sanofi; Advisory / Consultancy: BioNtech; Advisory / Consultancy: Corvus; Advisory / Consultancy: Deerfield; Advisory / Consultancy: Bioncotech; Research grant / Funding (self): Merus; Research grant / Funding (self): BMS; Research grant / Funding (self): Boehringer; Research grant / Funding (self): Transgene. V. Ribrag: Advisory / Consultancy, Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: BMS; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Pharmamar; Advisory / Consultancy: Incyte; Advisory / Consultancy: MSD; Advisory / Consultancy, Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Roche; Advisory / Consultancy: Nanostring Technologies; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Servier; Honoraria (self): Eisai. S. Champiat: Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: AstraZeneca; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: BMS; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: MSD; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Roche; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Novartis; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Janssen. J. Michot: Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: BMS; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: AstraZeneca; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Janssen. A. Hollebecque: Advisory / Consultancy: Amgen; Advisory / Consultancy: Spectrum Pharmaceuticals; Advisory / Consultancy: Lilly; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Servier; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Amgen; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Lilly; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Bayer. J. Soria: Full / Part-time employment: Medimmune. C. Massard: Advisory / Consultancy: Amgen; Advisory / Consultancy: Astellas; Advisory / Consultancy: AstraZeneca; Advisory / Consultancy: Bayer; Advisory / Consultancy: Beigene; Advisory / Consultancy: BMS; Advisory / Consultancy: Celgene; Advisory / Consultancy: Debiopharm; Advisory / Consultancy: Roche/Genentech; Advisory / Consultancy: Lilly; Advisory / Consultancy: Ipsen; Advisory / Consultancy: Janssen; Advisory / Consultancy: Medimmune; Advisory / Consultancy: Novartis; Advisory / Consultancy: Pfizer; Advisory / Consultancy: Sanofi. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Background Several studies have suggested that combining radiotherapy (RT) to immunotherapy (IO) may be synergistic but many questions are still pending regarding the radiation modalities to optimize this combination, such as the choice of the lesion to irradiate. Radiomics consists in the analysis of quantitative data extracted from standard medical imaging to generate imaging biomarkers. A previous study published in The Lancet Oncology has shown that a radiomic signature could predict the CD8 cells infiltration, which is associated with the activity of anti-PD-1/PD-L1. We aimed to assess whether this biomarker could help to guide IO-RT combinations. Methods Patients from three clinical studies of IO-RT combinations with advanced solid tumors in two institutions were screened. Patients with available baseline (E0) and first evaluation (E1) CTs were included. Immunotherapy consisted in 4 different drugs. Hypofractionated conformal RT or stereotactic RT of one tumor lesion was delivered after the start of IO for most of the patients. The irradiated lesion and a sample of non-irradiated lesions were delineated from E0 and E1 CTs. Radiomics features were extracted and the published radiomic signature was applied to estimate the CD8 cells. Results 84 patients were included. 244 tumor lesions were delineated on the E0 CT, including the 84 lesions which were selected for irradiation. Median time between IO and RT start was 21 days (IQR: 9-24), and 2.4 mo between E0 and E1 (IQR: 1.3 - 3). 80 irradiated lesions and 152 non irradiated lesions remained at E1. At baseline, the volume and the radiomic score of TIL (RS) were not different between the two groups (irradiation or no) (p = 0.94 and 0.50). While the mean volume of the analyzed lesions was not different from E1 to E0 (p = 0.15), irradiated lesions were significantly smaller at E1 (p = 0.03). A high RS in the irradiated lesion at E1 (compared to the median value) was associated with PFS (HR = 0.57, IC95%: 0.345-0.95, p = 0.031) irrespective of the volume in multivariate analysis but was not significantly associated with OS. Conclusions Radiomic score of the irradiated lesion was associated with PFS. Such biomarker may help to guide the selection of the lesion to irradiate in IO-RT combinations. Legal entity responsible for the study Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus. Funding Fondation pour la Recherche Medicale, SIRIC-SOCRATE 2.0, Fondation ARC, Amazon. Disclosure R. Sun: Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: AstraZeneca. N.L. Sundahl: Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Merck Sharpe & Dohme; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Astellas; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Bayer; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Bristol-Myers Squibb. P. Ost: Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck Sharpe & Dohme; Research grant / Funding (institution): Astellas; Research grant / Funding (institution): Janssen; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Ipsen; Honoraria (self), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Ferring Pharmaceuticals; Honoraria (self): Bayer. C. Massard: Advisory / Consultancy: Amgen; Advisory / Consultancy: AstraZeneca; Advisory / Consultancy: Bayer; Advisory / Consultancy: Celgene; Advisory / Consultancy: Genentech; Advisory / Consultancy: Ipsen; Advisory / Consultancy: Jansen; Advisory / Consultancy: Lilly; Advisory / Consultancy: Novartis; Advisory / Consultancy: Pfizer; Advisory / Consultancy: Roche; Advisory / Consultancy: Sanofi; Advisory / Consultancy: Orion. E. Deutsch: Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche Genentech; Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck Serono; Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): MSD. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

BACKGROUND Participation of glioma patients in early phase clinical trials has recently shown to be safe, although clinical benefits reported in this population were marginal. We aimed to evaluate whether an enrichment strategy based on molecular profiling associates with improved outcome in gliomas patients participating in early phase trials. MATERIAL AND METHODS Records of patients enrolled in early phase trials of cytotoxic therapies, small molecule inhibitors or monoclonal antibodies from 2008 to 2017 were analyzed for clinicopathological characteristics, toxicity, response, median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The primary objective was to evaluate the feasibility and benefit of using molecular profiling to guide enrollment. RESULTS Ninety-one patients were enrolled, of whom 47/91 (51.6%) were molecularly oriented. Molecular targets included IDH1/2 (n=15) and BRAF (11) mutations, FGFR1-3 fusions (n= 10) and mutations (n = 4), mismatch repair deficiency (8), and MDM2 amplification (1). Grade 3/4 adverse events were reported in 9/91 (9.9%) patients. In patients with IDH1/2-wild-type high-grade glioma (n=45), the overall response rate (24.0% [95% CI 11.5–43.4] vs 0.0% [95% CI 0.0–16.1], P=0.027) was significantly higher in molecularly-oriented vs non-molecularly-oriented patients. Updated outcome results, and clinical and molecular factors associated with response, PFS and OS in multivariate analyses will be presented at the conference. CONCLUSION Using molecular profiling to guide enrollment in early phase trials is feasible and offers potential benefit to gliomas patients. Further studies are warranted to identify the population most likely to benefit from this approach.

Background The kinesin spindle protein Eg5 is involved in mitosis, and its inhibition promotes mitotic arrest. EMD 534085, a potent, reversible Eg5 inhibitor, demonstrated significant preclinical antitumor activity. Methods This first-in-man, single-center, open-label, phase I dose-escalation study (3 + 3 design) investigated EMD 534085 safety, pharmacokinetics and antitumor activity in refractory solid tumors, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. EMD 534085 (starting dose 2 mg/m2/day) was administered intravenously every 3 weeks. Doses were escalated in 100 % steps in successive cohorts of 3 patients until grade 2 toxicity occurred, followed by 50 % until the first dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) arose. If

Background The protein kinase mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) is a critical regulator of cellular metabolism, growth, and proliferation. Inhibitors of mTOR have immunosuppressive and anti-cancer effects, but their effects on the progression of kidney disease are not fully understood. Their most common side-effects include stomatitis, rash, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, fatigue, and pneumonitis. However, to the best of our knowledge these agents have not been previously reported to cause severe acute kidney injury (AKI). Case presentation We describe four cases of patients with cancer who developed AKI after starting mTOR inhibitor therapy. A kidney biopsy showed acute tubular necrosis (ATN) with prominent tubular dysfunction. Withdrawal of the drug leads to a rapid recovery in two cases. However, a fixed renal dysfunction was noted in the other two cases, one of which will remain dialysis-dependent. Such patients lead to a broad differential diagnosis of AKI including prerenal AKI, ATN, cancer-related GN, and drug-induced acute interstitial nephritis. Accurate history, physical examination, laboratory data, and kidney biopsy are highlighted in establishing the correct diagnosis in such patients. Conclusions ATN have not been reported with mTOR inhibitor use. These cases demonstrated a potentially new and serious adverse consequence occurring with the use of an mTOR inhibitor, of which physicians need to be aware.

Aim: To analyze the clinical features and outcomes of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated in phase I trials. Patients and Methods: The clinical characteristics, efficacy and toxicity data of 70 pretreated NSCLC patients enrolled in 17 phase I trials between January 2005 and June 2010 were analyzed at our institution. Results: The histological types were: adenocarcinoma (79%), squamous cell carcinoma (13%), and others. Patients received a median number of 3 prior lines of treatment before inclusion. 1 complete response (CR), 11 (16%) partial responses (PRs), and 29 (41%) stable diseases (SDs) were observed (according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST)). The median overall survival (OS) time was 18 months and the median progression-free survival (PFS) time was 4.1 months. The median PFS of these patients within their prior therapy line before phase I inclusion was 4.3 months. A performance status score of 0 and the number of prior lines of treatment were significant for OS and PFS in multivariate analysis, respectively. Grade 3/4 toxicities were observed in 20 (27%) patients, and there was 1 treatment-related death. Conclusion: Patients in good general condition and with limited pretreatment derived an improved benefit, suggesting that phase I studies may be a valid option for pretreated NSCLC patients.

PM00104 (Zalypsis®) is a new synthetic alkaloid with potent cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines. This phase I clinical trial determined the maximal tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended dose (RD) for phase II trials of PM00104 administered as a 1-hour intravenous (i.v.) infusion weekly for three consecutive weeks resting every fourth week (d1,8,15 q4wk). Forty-nine patients with advanced solid malignancies received PM00104 following a toxicity-guided, accelerated, dose-escalation design. Doses evaluated ranged from 0.07 to 3.0 mg/m(2). Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) appeared at the highest doses tested and comprised grade 3 diarrhea and grade 4 lipase increase at 2.0 mg/m(2); grade 1 thrombocytopenia and grade 2 neutropenia with two infusion omissions, grade 3 fatigue and grade 4 febrile neutropenia at 2.5 mg/m(2); and grade 3/4 fatigue, grade 4 neutropenia lasting5 days and grade 4 thrombocytopenia at 3.0 mg/m(2). RD was established at 2.0 mg/m(2). PM00104-related adverse events at the RD were mostly grade 1/2, with fatigue, nausea and vomiting as the most common. Transient and manageable myelosuppression and transaminase increases were also reported. Main pharmacokinetic parameters increased linearly with dose. Disease stabilization lasting ≥ 3 months was found in 4 patients with cervical carcinoma, colorectal adenocarcinoma, lachrymal adenoid carcinoma, and bladder carcinoma (n=1 each). In conclusion, PM00104 2.0 mg/m(2) 1-hour, d1,8,15 q4wk showed a positive risk-benefit ratio, which has supported its further evaluation in three ongoing phase II clinical trials.

Background Sequential tumour biopsies are of potential interest for the rational development of molecular targeted therapies. Patients and methods From June 2004 to July 2009, 186 patients participated in 14 phase I clinical trials in which sequential tumour biopsies (13 trials) and/or sequential normal skin biopsies (6 trials) were optional. All patients had to sign an independent informed consent for the biopsies. Results Tumour biopsies were proposed to 155 patients and 130 (84%) signed the consent while normal skin biopsies were proposed to 70 patients and 57 (81%) signed the consent. Tumour biopsies could not be carried out in 41 (31%) of the 130 consenting patients. Tumour biopsies were collected at baseline in 33 patients, at baseline and under treatment in 56 patients. Tumour biopsies were obtained using an 18-gauge needle, under ultrasound or computed tomography guidance. Only nine minor complications were recorded. Most tumour biopsy samples collected were intended for ancillary molecular studies including protein or gene expression analysis, comparative genomic hybridizartion array or DNA sequencing. According to the results available, 70% of the biopsy samples met the quality criteria of each study and were suitable for ancillary studies. Conclusions In our experience, the majority of the patients accepted skin biopsies as well as tumour biopsies. Sequential tumour and skin biopsies are feasible and safe during early-phase clinical trials, even when patients are exposed to anti-angiogenic agents. The real scientific value of such biopsies for dose selection in phase I trials has yet to be established.

Purpose The evaluation of treatment efficacy with RECIST criteria does not take into account tumour growth dynamics. We notably investigated the impact of the pre-treatment tumour growth rate (GR) on the evaluation of treatment response. Patients and methods Seventy-six patients included in phase I clinical trials had scanographic evaluations before and after starting an experimental treatment. The GR was calculated for the pre-treatment period and for the experimental period (i.e. during the new treatment). Tumour response was evaluated per protocol at week 12 and at week 24 of the experimental period according to RECIST criteria. We studied the relation between pre-treatment and experimental GRs and RECIST tumour response. Results On average the tumour GR was decreased by 40% during the experimental period; compared to the pretreatment period ( p = 0.03). An increased growth rate (acceleration of GR during experimental treatment compared to pretreatment) was observed in 20 (38%) of the 53 patients considered as non-progressive at week 12 according to RECIST. Conversely a decreased GR was observed in 12 out of 23 (53%) patients classified as progressive according to RECIST. The variation in the GR between the pre-treatment and experimental period was not significantly correlated with response evaluated according to RECIST at week 12 or at week 24 ( p = 0.45 and 0.44, respectively). Conclusions RECIST evaluation of tumour response depends on the natural history of the tumours and poorly measures the impact of treatment on the kinetics of tumour growth. Integrating pre-treatment GR evaluations could substantially improve the assessment of treatment efficacy in drug development.

Objectives Thymic epithelial neoplasms (TENs) represent a rare entity with poor prognosis and limited systemic treatment options. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical benefit, the efficacy and toxicities of agents for patients with TEN enrolled in Phase I trials. Materials and methods We reviewed retrospectively patients with advanced TEN enrolled in Phase I trials at Gustave Roussy (DITEP) between 1994 and 2012. Efficacy was assessed using RECIST version 1.1. Results Twenty-two treated patients were enrolled (15 with thymic carcinoma, 7 with thymoma). The median number of prior systemic therapies was 2 (0–8). The median age was 50 years (range 23–72), and 4 females were treated. Treatments received encompassed mTOR inhibitor (mTORi) in 4 of patients, antiangiogenic agents (AA) in 11 patients, and other targeted therapies in 7 patients. 18% had grade 3-4 toxicity, 85% all grade toxicity and no toxic death was reported. One patient experienced a complete response (CR) and 3 a partial response (PR); 16 patients had stable disease (median 6.6 months; range 1.0–30.7) and 2 had a progressive disease. The median overall survival was 54.5 months (95% CI 25–75.50). The median progression free survival (PFS) was 6.6 months (95% CI 1.35–11.59). Median PFS was 11.6 months for mTORi, 6.9 for AA, and 6.6 for other targeted therapies. Conclusion Phase I trials appear as a sound therapeutic option in TENs pts progressing after standard treatments. Use of AA and mTORi seem to yield a good clinical response and warrant further investigation.

Author Summary Background. This phase I study evaluated the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics of pilaralisib (SAR245408), an oral pan-class I phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, in combination with erlotinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor. Methods. In a 3 + 3 dose-escalation study, patients with advanced solid tumors received pilaralisib capsules once daily (21 days per 28-day cycle; 50–600 mg) plus erlotinib tablets once daily (28 days per 28-day cycle; 100 or 150 mg). An MTD expansion cohort of patients with non-small cell lung cancer who had previously received treatment with an EGFR inhibitor was included. Results. Thirty-five patients were enrolled. Only one patient had an EGFR activating mutation. One dose-limiting toxicity was reported (grade 4 drug reaction or rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms). MTD was pilaralisib 400 mg plus erlotinib 150 mg. The most commonly reported treatment-related adverse events were rash (62.9%), diarrhea (42.9%), and fatigue (40.0%). Pilaralisib PK findings were consistent with previous studies, suggesting erlotinib had no effect on pilaralisib pharmacokinetics. Pharmacodynamic analyses indicated moderate inhibition of PI3K, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and EGFR pathways. Of 27 evaluable patients, one had a partial response (3.7%) and 14 (51.9%) had stable disease. There was no association between molecular alterations of PI3K pathway components and clinical activity. Conclusion. Pilaralisib plus erlotinib had limited antitumor activity. Safety findings were similar to recent studies of single-agent pilaralisib or other PI3K inhibitors.

Background Lucitanib is a potent, oral inhibitor fibroblast growth factor receptor types 1 and 2 (FGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor types 1, 2, and 3 (VEGFR), platelet-derived growth factor receptor types α and β (PGFRα/β), which are essential kinases for tumor growth, survival, migration, and angiogenesis. Several tumor types, including breast carcinoma, demonstrate amplification of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-related genes. There are no approved drugs for molecularly defined FGF-aberrant (FGFR1- or FGF3/4/19-amplified) tumors. Methods This open-label phase I/IIa study involved a dose-escalation phase to determine maximum tolerated dose (MTD), recommended dose (RD), and pharmacokinetics of lucitanib in patients with advanced solid tumors, followed by a dose-expansion phase to obtain preliminary evidence of efficacy in patients who could potentially benefit from treatment (i.e. with tumors harboring FGF-aberrant pathway or considered angiogenesis-sensitive). Results Doses from 5 to 30 mg were evaluated with dose-limiting toxic effects dominated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibition-related toxic effects at the 30 mg dose level (one case of grade 4 depressed level of consciousness and two cases of grade 3 thrombotic microangiopathy). The most common adverse events (all grades, all cohorts) were hypertension (91%), asthenia (42%), and proteinuria (57%). Exposure increased with dose and t½ was 31–40 h, suitable for once daily administration. Seventy-six patients were included. All but one had stage IV; 42% had >3 lines of previous chemotherapy. Sixty-four patients were assessable for response; 58 had measurable disease. Clinical activity was observed at all doses tested with durable Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) partial responses in a variety of tumor types. In the angiogenesis-sensitive group, objective RECIST response rate (complete response + partial response) was 26% (7 of 27) and progression-free survival (PFS) was 25 weeks. In assessable FGF-aberrant breast cancer patients, 50% (6 of 12) achieved RECIST partial response with a median PFS of 40.4 weeks for all treated patients. Conclusion Lucitanib has promising efficacy and a manageable side-effect profile. The spectrum of activity observed demonstrates clinical benefit in both FGF-aberrant and angiogenesis-sensitive populations. A comprehensive phase II program is planned.

Pemetrexed is a structurally novel antifolate agent approved in combination with cisplatin for the treatment of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who have unresectable disease and for the therapy of previously treated patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as a single agent or in association with cisplatin as a first-line treatment in patients with nonsquamous histology. Herein, we report a case of pemetrexed-induced pneumonitis. Because pemetrexed is being prescribed with increasing frequency for NSCLC and mesothelioma, we believe that physicians should be aware of this rare but serious complication.