Selumetinib + Olaparib for Ovarian and Endometrial Cancer

Recruiting at281 trial locations

Overseen by Shannon Westin, MD

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Phase 2

Recruiting

Sponsor: National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Must not be taking: MEK inhibitors, PARP inhibitors, CYP3A inducers, others

Disqualifiers: Uncontrolled illness, Severe liver dysfunction, others

No Placebo Group

Prior Safety Data

Breakthrough Therapy

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This phase II ComboMATCH treatment trial compares selumetinib plus olaparib to selumetinib alone in women with endometrial or ovarian (fallopian tube and primary peritoneal) cancer that has come back (recurrent) or that remains despite treatment (persistent) and harbors a mutation in the RAS pathway. Selumetinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Olaparib is an inhibitor of PARP, an enzyme that helps repair deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) when it becomes damaged. Blocking PARP may help keep tumor cells from repairing their damaged DNA, causing them to die. PARP inhibitors are a type of targeted therapy. The addition of olaparib to selumetinib could increase the percentage of tumors that shrink as well as lengthen the time that the tumors remain stable (without progression) as compared to selumetinib alone.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires a washout period for certain medications. If you are taking strong or moderate CYP3A or CYP2C19 inhibitors or inducers, you will need to stop them for a specified time before starting the trial. Check with the trial team to see if your current medications are affected.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug Olaparib in treating ovarian and endometrial cancer?

Research shows that Olaparib is effective in treating recurrent ovarian cancer, especially in patients who are sensitive to platinum-based chemotherapy. It has been used successfully as a maintenance therapy to prolong the time patients live without the disease getting worse. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What safety data exists for the treatment Selumetinib + Olaparib for ovarian and endometrial cancer?

Olaparib (also known as Lynparza) has been studied for safety in various trials for ovarian cancer. Common side effects include nausea, fatigue, and low blood cell counts, but it is generally considered safe for use in humans. ^{1 3 5 6 7}

What makes the drug combination of Selumetinib and Olaparib unique for treating ovarian and endometrial cancer?

The combination of Selumetinib and Olaparib is unique because it targets cancer cells through two different mechanisms: Selumetinib inhibits MEK (a protein involved in cell growth), while Olaparib is a PARP inhibitor that prevents cancer cells from repairing their DNA, making it particularly effective for tumors with BRCA mutations or other DNA repair issues. ^{8 9 10 11 12}

Research Team

Shannon Westin, MD

Principal Investigator

NRG Oncology

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for women with recurrent or persistent ovarian and endometrial cancers that have RAS pathway mutations. They must have progressed after first-line treatment, not be eligible for further platinum-based therapy (for ovarian cancer), and have measurable disease. Participants need to agree to biopsies, use two forms of birth control if applicable, and meet specific health criteria including organ function tests.

Inclusion Criteria

I can take care of myself and am up and about more than half of my waking hours.

I am 18 years old or older.

I had hepatitis C but am cured, or I'm being treated with no detectable virus.

Exclusion Criteria

Patients who have had previous organ transplant, allogenic bone marrow transplant or double umbilical cord blood transplantation

My liver is severely impaired.

I have taken MEK inhibitor medications.

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Patients receive selumetinib and olaparib or selumetinib alone on a 28-day cycle, with tumor biopsies and blood collections

28-day cycles, repeated

Regular visits for treatment and monitoring

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment completion

5 years

Every 3 months for 2 years, then every 6 months for 3 years

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Olaparib (PARP Inhibitor)
• Selumetinib Sulfate (MEK Inhibitor)

Trial Overview The study compares the effectiveness of combining Selumetinib, a cell growth inhibitor, with Olaparib, a DNA repair blocker (PARP inhibitor), versus using Selumetinib alone in treating these cancers. The goal is to see if the combination better shrinks tumors or keeps them stable without progression compared to just one drug.

Participant Groups

Group I: Arm I (selumetinib, olaparib) Experimental Treatment 8 Interventions

Patients receive selumetinib PO BID and olaparib PO BID on days 1-28. Cycles repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo a tumor biopsy and blood collection during screening and on study, as well as ECHO or MUGA, and CT scans throughout the trial. Patients may undergo bone marrow aspiration or biopsy as clinically indicated.

Group II: Arm II (selumetinib) Active Control 7 Interventions

Patients receive selumetinib PO BID on days 1-28. Cycles repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who experience progression may elect to cross over to Arm I provided they have not had dose limiting toxicities to monotherapy selumetinib. Patients also undergo a tumor biopsy and blood collection during screening and on study, as well as ECHO or MUGA, and CT scans throughout the trial. Patients may undergo bone marrow aspiration or biopsy as clinically indicated.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Lead Sponsor

Trials

14,080

Recruited

41,180,000+

Dr. Douglas R. Lowy

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Chief Executive Officer since 2023

MD from New York University School of Medicine

Dr. Monica Bertagnolli

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Chief Medical Officer since 2022

MD from Harvard Medical School

NRG Oncology

Collaborator

Trials

242

Recruited

105,000+

Stephanie Gaillard

NRG Oncology

Chief Medical Officer

MD from Johns Hopkins University

Norman Wolmark

NRG Oncology

Chief Executive Officer since 2023

MD from Harvard Medical School

Findings from Research

Olaparib significantly improves overall survival in patients with recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, with a hazard ratio of 1.24 based on a meta-analysis of 7 randomized controlled trials involving 2406 patients.

However, the treatment is associated with a higher incidence of adverse events, particularly for grades 3 or higher, indicating that while olaparib is effective, it also carries a risk of significant side effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Systematic Review of Olaparib in the Treatment of Recurrent Platinum Sensitive Ovarian Cancer. Chen, Q., Li, X., Zhang, Z., et al.[2022]

Olaparib (OLA) monotherapy showed a similar overall objective response rate (ORR) compared to chemotherapy (CT) in patients with relapsed ovarian cancer, with ORR of 24.3% for OLA and 28.3% for CT, indicating comparable efficacy.

In patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC) who had received more than four prior lines of treatment, OLA demonstrated a higher ORR of 22.9% compared to 0% for CT, suggesting that OLA may be more effective in heavily pretreated cases.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized CLIO/BGOG-ov10 trial of olaparib monotherapy versus physician's choice chemotherapy in relapsed ovarian cancer. Vanderstichele, A., Loverix, L., Busschaert, P., et al.[2022]

The OPINION study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of olaparib as a maintenance therapy for women with high-grade serous or endometrioid platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer who do not have BRCA mutations, involving patients who have undergone at least two prior lines of platinum-based chemotherapy.

The primary goal of the study is to assess progression-free survival, which will help determine how effective olaparib is in delaying cancer progression in this specific patient population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Olaparib maintenance monotherapy in platinum-sensitive, relapsed ovarian cancer without germline BRCA mutations: OPINION Phase IIIb study design. Poveda, AM., Davidson, R., Blakeley, C., et al.[2020]

In a study of 115 relapsing epithelial ovarian cancer patients with BRCA mutations receiving olaparib, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 12.7 months and overall survival (OS) was 35.4 months after a median follow-up of 21 months.

Key factors associated with longer PFS and OS included a platinum-free interval of 12 months or more, achieving a complete or partial response to treatment, and normalization of CA-125 levels after the last platinum-based chemotherapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinical factors associated with prolonged response and survival under olaparib as maintenance therapy in BRCA mutated ovarian cancers. Labidi-Galy, SI., de La Motte Rouge, T., Derbel, O., et al.[2022]

In the BAROCCO trial involving 123 patients with recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, the combination of cediranib and olaparib did not show superior progression-free survival (PFS) compared to paclitaxel chemotherapy, with median PFS of 5.6 months for the continuous cediranib-olaparib group and 3.1 months for the control group.

Despite not outperforming chemotherapy, the cediranib-olaparib combination was associated with a lower rate of treatment discontinuation due to adverse events (5% in the intermittent arm) and offers a potential non-chemotherapy treatment option for heavily pretreated patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized phase II trial of weekly paclitaxel vs. cediranib-olaparib (continuous or intermittent schedule) in platinum-resistant high-grade epithelial ovarian cancer. Colombo, N., Tomao, F., Benedetti Panici, P., et al.[2022]

Maintenance treatment with olaparib significantly improves progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer, reducing the risk of disease progression or death by up to 80% compared to placebo, based on data from the SOLO1 trial involving various patient subgroups.

The benefits of olaparib are consistent across different baseline factors, including surgery type, chemotherapy response, and BRCA mutation status, indicating its broad efficacy as a treatment option for this patient population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of Maintenance Olaparib for Patients With Newly Diagnosed Advanced Ovarian Cancer With a BRCA Mutation: Subgroup Analysis Findings From the SOLO1 Trial. DiSilvestro, P., Colombo, N., Scambia, G., et al.[2021]

In the phase III SOLO1 trial, maintenance treatment with olaparib significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer and a BRCA mutation, with 260 patients receiving olaparib compared to 131 on placebo.

The most common adverse events associated with olaparib, such as anemia and nausea, occurred early (within 3 months) but were manageable, with only a small number of patients needing to discontinue treatment, indicating a predictable safety profile.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Tolerability of maintenance olaparib in newly diagnosed patients with advanced ovarian cancer and a BRCA mutation in the randomized phase III SOLO1 trial. Colombo, N., Moore, K., Scambia, G., et al.[2022]

Olaparib is a powerful inhibitor of PARP-1 and PARP-2, showing effectiveness in treating ovarian cancer, particularly in patients with germline BRCA mutations.

Phase III trials are currently evaluating olaparib's efficacy as a maintenance therapy after initial treatment in patients with BRCA mutations, highlighting its potential role in long-term cancer management.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Olaparib: an oral PARP-1 and PARP-2 inhibitor with promising activity in ovarian cancer. Gunderson, CC., Moore, KN.[2016]

Olaparib, a PARP inhibitor, showed a 36% objective response rate in women with relapsed ovarian cancer and a germline BRCA1/2 mutation, even after they had undergone multiple lines of chemotherapy, indicating its efficacy in this challenging patient population.

The median duration of response to olaparib was 7.4 months, and the safety profile was consistent across patients who had received three or more lines of prior chemotherapy, with similar rates of serious adverse events.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Olaparib monotherapy in patients with advanced relapsed ovarian cancer and a germline BRCA1/2 mutation: a multistudy analysis of response rates and safety. Matulonis, UA., Penson, RT., Domchek, SM., et al.[2022]

Olaparib is an effective oral treatment for patients with BRCA mutation-positive ovarian cancer, approved for maintenance therapy after platinum-based chemotherapy, showing good tolerability with common side effects like nausea, fatigue, and anemia being mild to moderate.

Long-term monitoring is recommended due to a low risk of serious hematological complications, such as anemia and myelodysplastic syndrome, ensuring patient safety during treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety evaluation of olaparib for treating ovarian cancer. Lheureux, S., Bowering, V., Karakasis, K., et al.[2015]

The combination of olaparib and carboplatin was found to be safe and effective in treating breast and ovarian cancer in patients with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, with 50% of patients showing a partial response and one patient achieving a complete response.

Proteomic analysis indicated that high levels of FOXO3a expression before treatment may predict a better response to the therapy, suggesting a potential biomarker for future studies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Phase I/Ib study of olaparib and carboplatin in BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation-associated breast or ovarian cancer with biomarker analyses. Lee, JM., Hays, JL., Annunziata, CM., et al.[2022]

Olaparib is particularly effective for patients with BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer, but it also benefits a subset of patients with BRCA wild-type tumors that have loss-of-function mutations in DNA repair genes, showing similar treatment outcomes.

The study suggests that patients with specific HRR gene mutations, even without BRCA mutations, can be identified as a group that may respond well to olaparib, indicating a potential for broader use of this treatment in ovarian cancer.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Candidate biomarkers of PARP inhibitor sensitivity in ovarian cancer beyond the BRCA genes. Hodgson, DR., Dougherty, BA., Lai, Z., et al.[2020]

References

1. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Systematic Review of Olaparib in the Treatment of Recurrent Platinum Sensitive Ovarian Cancer. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized CLIO/BGOG-ov10 trial of olaparib monotherapy versus physician's choice chemotherapy in relapsed ovarian cancer. [2022]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Olaparib maintenance monotherapy in platinum-sensitive, relapsed ovarian cancer without germline BRCA mutations: OPINION Phase IIIb study design. [2020]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinical factors associated with prolonged response and survival under olaparib as maintenance therapy in BRCA mutated ovarian cancers. [2022]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized phase II trial of weekly paclitaxel vs. cediranib-olaparib (continuous or intermittent schedule) in platinum-resistant high-grade epithelial ovarian cancer. [2022]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of Maintenance Olaparib for Patients With Newly Diagnosed Advanced Ovarian Cancer With a BRCA Mutation: Subgroup Analysis Findings From the SOLO1 Trial. [2021]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Tolerability of maintenance olaparib in newly diagnosed patients with advanced ovarian cancer and a BRCA mutation in the randomized phase III SOLO1 trial. [2022]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Olaparib: an oral PARP-1 and PARP-2 inhibitor with promising activity in ovarian cancer. [2016]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Olaparib monotherapy in patients with advanced relapsed ovarian cancer and a germline BRCA1/2 mutation: a multistudy analysis of response rates and safety. [2022]

10. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety evaluation of olaparib for treating ovarian cancer. [2015]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Phase I/Ib study of olaparib and carboplatin in BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation-associated breast or ovarian cancer with biomarker analyses. [2022]

12. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Candidate biomarkers of PARP inhibitor sensitivity in ovarian cancer beyond the BRCA genes. [2020]