A Phase I/II Trial of the Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Receptor (IGF-1R) Antibody AMG479 (Ganitumab) in Combination With the Src Family Kinase (SFK) Inhibitor Dasatinib in Patients With Embryonal and Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma

Background:

• Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of childhood. The annual incidence in the United States is 4-7 cases per million children under 15 years, which represents 250 new cases per year. Two major histologic subtypes exist: embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS), the latter of which carries a particularly poor prognosis.
• Over-expression of both the type like growth factor 1 (1 IGF) receptor insulin-like growth factor type 1 receptor (IGF-1R) and its ligands has been observed in multiple malignancies, including pediatric sarcomas, and abnormal activation of this pathway contributes to sarcoma development and progression. Downstream signaling cascades of IGF-1R further regulate tumor cell proliferation, survival, and metastasis through the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways. In the majority of RMS, IGF-1R is highly expressed.
• Monoclonal antibodies targeting IGF-1R interfere with ligand binding and decrease the expression of the receptor on cell surfaces by internalization and degradation of the receptor. A number of these have been tested in the clinical setting. Results from a phase II trial using monotherapy with monoclonal antibodies against IGF-1R resulted in clinically meaningful responses in about 10-15% of patients with RMS. However, the vast majority of these responses were short-lived with a rapid onset of resistance.
• YES is a member of the SRC family tyrosine kinases (SFKs), non-receptor tyrosine kinases that function in a number of signaling pathways necessary for cell growth, differentiation and survival. Preclinical work suggests involvement of YES in a number of solid tumor types, including colon carcinoma, oral squamous cell carcinoma, glioma, pancreatic cancer, mesothelioma, and RMS.
• Recently, the Helman lab published preclinical work showing that in both embryonal and alveolar RMS models, blockade of IGF-1R results in YES activation and that YES activation is associated with resistance to IGF-1R blockade. In addition, combination blockade of IGF-1R and YES in vitro results in downregulation of phospho-AKT in some cell lines. Treatment blocking both IGF-1R and YES results in enhanced growth inhibition of multiple cell lines of both embryonal and alveolar RMS in vitro and in vivo.

Objectives:

1. Phase I: To determine the safe dose of dasatinib when given with ganitumab in patients with relapsed or refractory embryonal or alveolar RMS.
2. Phase II: To determine if the use of ganitumab plus dasatinib is able to be associated with a modest fraction of patients who experience an objective clinical response (complete response (CR) and partial response (PR) as defined by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria. In addition, a second primary objective will estimate the fraction that is without progression at 4 months.

Eligibility: