Trial of Gemcitabine With or Without MSC1936369B in Pancreatic Cancer

Phase 1

Completed

Conditions: Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Interventions: Drug: Pimasertib
Drug: Gemcitabine
Drug: Placebo

Registration Number: NCT01016483

Lead Sponsor: EMD Serono

Brief Summary: The research trial is testing the experimental treatment MSC1936369B in combination with Gemcitabine, in subjects with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The study will be run in two parts:

Safety Run-In: Will determine the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) and the recommended Phase II dose of MSC1936369B, when combined with gemcitabine, in subjects with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Phase II: Will assess the anti-tumor activity of MSC1936369B combined with gemcitabine compared to gemcitabine alone as first line treatment in subjects with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 141

Inclusion Criteria

Subject has provided signed informed consent. Fully understands requirements of the trial and willing to comply with all trial visits and assessments.
Histologically or cytologically confirmed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and availability of tumor sample.
Evidence of disease (not necessarily measurable disease). Complete tumor assessment including chest X ray, CT scan of abdomen and other scans as necessary to document all sites of disease performed within 28 days prior to trial entry/randomization.
Age ≥ 18 years.
Women of childbearing potential must have a negative blood pregnancy test at the screening visit. For the purposes of this trial, women of childbearing potential is defined as: "All female subjects after puberty unless they are post-menopausal for at least two years, are surgically sterile or are sexually inactive."
Female subjects of childbearing potential and male subjects with female partners of childbearing potential must be willing to avoid pregnancy by using an adequate method of contraception for 2 weeks prior to screening, during and four weeks after the last dose of trial medication. Adequate contraception is defined as two barrier methods, or one barrier method with a spermicide, or intrauterine device. The use of hormonal contraceptives should be avoided in female subjects of childbearing potential due to a possible drug-drug interaction.

Exclusion Criteria

Bone marrow impairment as evidenced by hemoglobin less (<) 9.0 gram per deciliter (g/dL), neutrophil count < 1.5 x 10^9/ liter (L), platelets < 100 x 10^9/L.
Renal impairment as evidenced by serum creatinine > 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN), and/or calculated creatinine clearance < 60 mL/min.
Liver function abnormality as defined by total bilirubin > 1.5 x ULN, or aspartate aminotransferase/ alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) > 2.5 x ULN, for subjects with liver involvement AST/ALT > 5 x ULN.
Serum calcium > 1 x ULN.
History of central nervous system (CNS) metastases, unless subject has been previously treated for CNS metastases, is stable by CT scan without evidence of cerebral edema, and has no requirements for corticosteroids or anticonvulsants.
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) greater than 1.
Significant cardiac conduction abnormalities, including QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc) prolongation of > 480 milliseconds (ms) and/or pacemaker.
Retinal degenerative disease (hereditary retinal degeneration or age-related macular degeneration), history of uveitis or history of retinal vein occlusion.

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Safety Run-in Part: Regimen 1	Gemcitabine	Subjects will receive pimasertib capsule orally once daily (qd) doses of 15, 30, 45, 68, 90, and 120 milligram (mg) on Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15,16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and gemcitabine 1000 milligram per square meter (mg/m\^2) intravenous (IV) infusion for 30 minutes on Days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, and 43 followed by a 1-week rest (1 Cycle = 8 weeks).
Safety Run-in Part: Regimen 2	Pimasertib	Subjects will receive pimasertib capsule orally twice daily (bid) doses of 60 and 75 mg continuously for a 28-day cycle and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m\^2 intravenous (IV) infusion for 30 minutes on Days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, and 43 followed by a 1-week rest (1 Cycle = 8 weeks) (bid - continuous regimen).
Safety Run-in Part: Regimen 2	Gemcitabine	Subjects will receive pimasertib capsule orally twice daily (bid) doses of 60 and 75 mg continuously for a 28-day cycle and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m\^2 intravenous (IV) infusion for 30 minutes on Days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, and 43 followed by a 1-week rest (1 Cycle = 8 weeks) (bid - continuous regimen).
Phase II: Arm 1 (Gemcitabine + Placebo)	Placebo	Subjects will receive gemcitabine 1000 mg/m\^2 IV infusion on for 30 minutes on Day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, and 43 followed by a 1-week rest (Cycle 1) then on Days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle and placebo matched to pimasertib orally bid - continuous regimen.
Phase II: Arm 1 (Gemcitabine + Placebo)	Gemcitabine	Subjects will receive gemcitabine 1000 mg/m\^2 IV infusion on for 30 minutes on Day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, and 43 followed by a 1-week rest (Cycle 1) then on Days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle and placebo matched to pimasertib orally bid - continuous regimen.
Phase II: Arm 2 (Gemcitabine + Pimasertib)	Gemcitabine	Subjects will receive gemcitabine 1000 mg/m\^2 IV infusion for 30 minutes on Day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, and 43 followed by a 1-week rest (Cycle 1) then on Days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle and pimasertib capsule orally bid - continuous regimen.
Safety Run-in Part: Regimen 1	Pimasertib	Subjects will receive pimasertib capsule orally once daily (qd) doses of 15, 30, 45, 68, 90, and 120 milligram (mg) on Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15,16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and gemcitabine 1000 milligram per square meter (mg/m\^2) intravenous (IV) infusion for 30 minutes on Days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, and 43 followed by a 1-week rest (1 Cycle = 8 weeks).
Phase II: Arm 2 (Gemcitabine + Pimasertib)	Pimasertib	Subjects will receive gemcitabine 1000 mg/m\^2 IV infusion for 30 minutes on Day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, and 43 followed by a 1-week rest (Cycle 1) then on Days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle and pimasertib capsule orally bid - continuous regimen.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Safety Run-In Part: Number of Subjects With Dose Limiting Toxicities (DLTs)	Up to 28 days in Cycle 1	DLT using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events(CTCAE) v3.0,was defined as any of the following toxicities at any dose level and judged to be possibly or probably related to trial medication by the Investigator and/or the Sponsor and relevant for the combination treatment: Grade 3/more non-hematological toxicity excluding: Subjects with liver involvement: Grade 4 asymptomatic increases in liver function tests and subject without liver involvement: Grade 3 asymptomatic increases in liver function tests reversible within 7 days. Grade 3 vomiting encountered despite adequate therapy. Grade 3 diarrhea encountered despite adequate anti diarrhea therapy. Grade 4 neutropenia greater (\>) 5 days duration or febrile neutropenia lasting for more than 1 day. Grade 4 thrombocytopenia \> 1 day/Grade 3 with bleeding. Grade 4 anemia: Any treatment delay \> 2 weeks due to drug-related adverse effects.
Phase II: Progression-Free Survival (PFS) Time	From the time of randomization to every 8 weeks up to end of treatment (EOT) (6 years)	PFS was defined as the time from randomization to the first documentation of objective tumor progression (Complete Response (CR): Disappearance of all target lesions, Partial Response (PR): At least 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, taking as reference the sum of the longest diameter at baseline, Progressive Disease (PD): At least 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, taking as reference the smallest sum of the longest diameter recorded since treatment started, or the appearance of 1 or more new lesions and stable disease: Neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for PR nor sufficient increase to qualify for PD, taking as reference the smallest sum of the longest diameter since treatment started) or to death due to any cause, whichever occurred first. PFS calculated as (Months) = Date of first PD or death or censoring date minus date of randomization plus 1) divided by 30.4375.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Phase II: Overall Survival (OS) Time	Baseline, every 8 weeks up to EOT (6 years)	Overall survival (OS) time is defined as the time (in months) from randomization to death.
Safety Run-In Part: Number of Subjects With Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs), Serious TEAEs, and TEAEs Leading to Permanent Treatment Discontinuation	From the first dose of study drug administration until EOT (6 years)	An adverse event (AE) was any untoward medical occurrence in a subjects who received study drug without regard to possibility of causal relationship. An serious adverse event (SAE) was an AE resulting in any of the following outcomes or deemed significant for any other reason: death; initial or prolonged inpatient hospitalization; life-threatening experience (immediate risk of dying); persistent or significant disability/incapacity; congenital anomaly. All AEs (serious and non-serious) except AEs recorded with an onset date prior to the first day of drug administration unless a worsening of the event was recorded after the first dosing date, in which case the event was counted as a TEAE. TEAEs include both SAEs and non-SAEs.
Safety Run-In Part: Maximum Concentration (Cmax) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B), Gemcitabine (dFdC), and Gemcitabine Inactive Metabolite 2',2'-Difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU) for Regimen 1	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1
Safety Run-In Part: Time to Reach Maximum Concentration (Tmax) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B), Gemcitabine (dFdC), and Gemcitabine Inactive Metabolite 2',2'-Difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU): Regimen 1	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1
Safety Run-In Part: Time to Reach Apparent Terminal Half-Life (t1/2) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B), Gemcitabine (dFdC), and Gemcitabine Inactive Metabolite 2',2'-Difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU): Regimen 1	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1	Plasma decay half-life was the time measured for the plasma concentration to decrease by one half.
Safety Run-In Part: Area Under Curve (AUC: 0 to Infinity) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B), Gemcitabine (dFdC), and Gemcitabine Inactive Metabolite 2',2'-Difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU): Regimen 1	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1 of Cycle 1 for MSC1936369B, 0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1 for Gemcitabine	AUC:0 to infinity was a measure of the serum concentration of the drug over time. It was used to characterize drug absorption.
Safety Run-In Part: Apparent Oral Clearance (CL/f) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B): Regimen 1	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1	Clearance of a drug was a measure of the rate at which a drug is metabolized or eliminated by normal biological processes. Clearance obtained after oral dose (apparent oral clearance) was influenced by the fraction of the dose absorbed.
Safety Run-In Part: Total Clearance (CL) of Gemcitabine: Regimen 1	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1	Clearance of a drug was a measure of the rate at which a drug is metabolized or eliminated by normal biological processes.
Safety Run-In Part: Oral Volume of Distribution (V/f) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B): Regimen 1	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1	Volume of distribution was defined as the theoretical volume in which the total amount of drug would need to be uniformly distributed to produce the desired plasma concentration of a drug.
Safety Run-In Part: Apparent Volume of Distribution (V) of Gemcitabine: Regimen 1	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1	Apparent volume of distribution was defined as the theoretical volume in which the total amount of drug would need to be uniformly distributed to produce the desired plasma concentration of a drug.
Safety Run-In Part: Levels of Pharmacodynamic (Pd) Markers (Phosphorylated- Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells [PBMCs]): Regimen 1	pre-dose on Day 1, 2, 22 of Cycle 1; post-dose on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1	ERK phosphoprotein in peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) was analyzed from blood samples of all subjects in the SAF analysis set (safety-run part) only.
Safety Run-In Part: Maximum Concentration (Cmax) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B), Gemcitabine (dFdC), Gemcitabine Inactive Metabolite 2',2'-Difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU): Regimen 2	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1
Safety Run-In Part: Area Under Curve (AUC:0 to Infinity) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B), Gemcitabine (dFdC), and Gemcitabine Inactive Metabolite 2',2'-Difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU) Regimen 2	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1 of Cycle 1 for MSC1936369B, 0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1 for Gemcitabine	AUC:0 to infinity is a measure of the serum concentration of the drug over time. It is used to characterize drug absorption.
Safety Run-In Part: Time to Reach Maximum Concentration (Tmax) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B), Gemcitabine (dFdC), and Gemcitabine Inactive Metabolite 2',2'-Difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU): Regimen 2	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1
Safety Run-In Part: Time to Reach Apparent Terminal Half-Life (t1/2) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B), Gemcitabine (dFdC), and Gemcitabine Inactive Metabolite 2',2'-Difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU): Regimen 2	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1	Plasma decay half-life is the time measured for the plasma concentration to decrease by one half.
Safety Run-In Part: Apparent Oral Clearance (CL/f) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B): Regimen 2	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1	Clearance of a drug is a measure of the rate at which a drug is metabolized or eliminated by normal biological processes. Clearance obtained after oral dose (apparent oral clearance) is influenced by the fraction of the dose absorbed.
Safety Run-In Part: Total Clearance (CL) of Gemcitabine: Regimen 2	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1	Clearance of a drug was a measure of the rate at which a drug is metabolized or eliminated by normal biological processes.
Safety Run-In Part: Apparent Volume of Distribution (V) of Gemcitabine: Regimen 2	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1	Volume of distribution is defined as the theoretical volume in which the total amount of drug would need to be uniformly distributed to produce the desired plasma concentration of a drug.
Safety Run-In Part: Oral Volume of Distribution (V/f) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B): Regimen 2	0 hour (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4, 8, 12, 24 (post-dose) on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1	Volume of distribution was defined as the theoretical volume in which the total amount of drug would need to be uniformly distributed to produce the desired plasma concentration of a drug.
Safety Run-In Part: Levels of Pharmacodynamic (Pd) Markers (Phosphorylated- Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells [PBMCs]): Regimen 2	pre-dose on Day 1, 2, 22 of Cycle 1; post-dose on Day 1, 22 of Cycle 1	ERK phosphoprotein in peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) was analyzed from blood samples of all subjects in the SAF analysis set (safety-run part) only.
Phase II: Number of Subjects With Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs), Serious TEAEs, and TEAEs Leading to Permanent Treatment Discontinuation	From the first dose of study drug administration until EOT (6 years)	An AE was any untoward medical occurrence in a subject who received study drug without regard to possibility of causal relationship. An SAE was an AE resulting in any of the following outcomes or deemed significant for any other reason: death; initial or prolonged inpatient hospitalization; life-threatening experience (immediate risk of dying); persistent or significant disability/incapacity; congenital anomaly. All AEs (serious and non-serious) except AEs recorded with an onset date prior to the first day of drug administration unless a worsening of the event was recorded after the first dosing date, in which case the event was counted as a TEAE. TEAEs include both SAEs and non-SAEs.
Phase II: Clearance From Central Compartment (CL/f) and Intercompartmental Clearance (Q/f) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B)	Baseline, every 8 weeks up to EOT (6 years)
Phase II: Absorption Rate Constant (ka) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B)	Baseline, every 8 weeks up to EOT (6 years)
Phase II: Percentage of Subjects With Best Overall Response (BOR)	Baseline, every 8 weeks up to end of treatment (EOT i.e. 6 years)	Best overall response was defined as the presence of at least one complete response (CR), partial response (PR) or Stable Disease (SD) (using RECIST v1.0) during treatment. CR: Disappearance of all target lesions, PR: At least 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, taking as reference the sum of the longest diameter at baseline and SD: Neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for PR nor sufficient increase to qualify for PD, taking as reference the smallest sum of the longest diameter since treatment started.
Phase II: Percentage of Subjects With Clinical Benefit	Baseline, every 8 weeks up to end of treatment (EOT i.e. 6 years)	Clinical Benefit was defined as the presence of at least one CR, PR or Stable Disease (SD) (using RECIST v1.0) during treatment. CR: Disappearance of all target lesions, PR: At least 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, taking as reference the sum of the longest diameter at baseline and SD: Neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for PR nor sufficient increase to qualify for PD, taking as reference the smallest sum of the longest diameter since treatment started.
Phase II: Time to Progression (TTP)	From randomization every 8 weeks up to EOT (6 years)	Time to progression (TTP) is defined as the time (in months) from the randomization date to the date of progression prior to the start of any subsequent therapy for the primary disease, as reported and documented by the Investigator (i.e. radiological progression per RECIST).
Phase II: Volume of Central Compartment (V1/f) and Volume of Peripheral Compartment (V2/f) of Pimasertib (MSC1936369B)	Baseline, every 8 weeks up to EOT (6 years)

Trial Locations

Locations (2): For Recruiting Locations in the United States, please Contact U.S. Medical Information
🇺🇸
Rockland, Massachusetts, United States
For Recruiting Locations outside the United States, Please contact the Merck KGaA Communication Center
🇩🇪
Darmstadt, Germany