← Back to Search

ATR Kinase Inhibitor

M6620 + Topotecan for Small Cell Lung Cancer

Phase 2
Waitlist Available
Led By Anish Thomas
Research Sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
For patients with evidence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the HBV viral load must be undetectable on suppressive therapy, if indicated
Patients enrolled to the primary cohort must have limited- or extensive-disease SCLC at diagnosis, with relapse at study entry with measurable disease at random assignment per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1. Both platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant patients will be included
Must not have
Patients with Li-Fraumeni syndrome will not be eligible
Pregnant women are excluded from this study because M6620 as a DDR inhibitor may have the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with M6620, breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with M6620. These potential risks may also apply to topotecan used in this study
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up up to 2 years for pulmonary cohort and up 31.5 for exploratory cohort
Awards & highlights
No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial is testing if combining two drugs, berzosertib and topotecan, works better than using topotecan alone for patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer or small cell cancer from other areas. Topotecan damages cancer cell DNA, and berzosertib stops the cells from fixing this damage, making the treatment more effective.

Who is the study for?
Adults with relapsed small cell lung cancer or small cell cancers from other body parts, who have measurable disease and are in good physical condition. They must not be pregnant, agree to contraception, and can't have untreated brain metastases or severe illnesses that could interfere with the trial.
What is being tested?
The trial is testing if adding berzosertib (M6620) to topotecan chemotherapy is more effective for patients whose small cell lung cancer has returned compared to topotecan alone. Berzosertib may block enzymes that help cancer cells repair damaged DNA.
What are the potential side effects?
Potential side effects include typical chemotherapy-related issues like fatigue, nausea, low blood counts leading to increased infection risk, hair loss, and possible organ damage due to the new drug's effect on DNA repair.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
Select...
My hepatitis B virus is under control with treatment.
Select...
My small cell lung cancer has returned and can be measured.
Select...
I had hepatitis C but am cured, or I'm being treated with no detectable virus.
Select...
I can take care of myself but might not be able to do heavy physical work.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:
Select...
I do not have Li-Fraumeni syndrome.
Select...
I am not pregnant or breastfeeding.
Select...
I am not taking any strong medication that affects liver enzymes.
Select...
I have recovered from side effects of cancer treatment, except for hair loss or nerve issues.
Select...
I have previously been treated with topotecan.
Select...
I have allergies to medications similar to M6620 or topotecan.
Select...
My cancer is high grade neuroendocrine without small cell features.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~up to 2 years for pulmonary cohort and up 31.5 for exploratory cohort
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and up to 2 years for pulmonary cohort and up 31.5 for exploratory cohort for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Progression-free Survival (PFS) Reported With 80% Confidence Interval
Progression-free Survival (PFS) Reported With 95% Confidence Interval
Secondary study objectives
Objective Response Rate (ORR)
Overall Survival (OS) Reported With 80% Confidence Interval
Overall Survival (OS) Reported With 95% Confidence Interval
Other study objectives
Number of Participants With Serious and/or Non-serious Adverse Events Assessed by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE v5.0).

Side effects data

From 2013 Phase 3 trial • 4312 Patients • NCT00011986
95%
Neutropenia
87%
Leukopenia
59%
Anemia
49%
Gastrointestinal
42%
Constitutional
37%
Thrombocytopenia
37%
Pain
24%
Peripheral neurologic
19%
Other Hemotologic
16%
Infection/Fever
14%
Neurologic
14%
Metabolic
12%
Pulmonary
8%
Allergy
8%
2nd Primary
7%
Dermatologic
6%
Musculoskeletal
5%
Cardiovascular
5%
Ocular/Visual
5%
Hepatic
5%
Genitourinary/Renal
4%
Endocrine
3%
Auditory
2%
Hemorrhage
1%
Thrombosis/Embolism
1%
Constipation
1%
Febrile Neutropenia-Fuo Infect Not Docum
1%
Syncope
1%
Vomiting
1%
Abdominal Pain Or Cramping
1%
Infection Documented W Grd 3/4 Neutropn.
1%
Ileus
1%
Coagulation
1%
Allergy-Other
1%
Allergic Reaction/Hypersensitivity
1%
Infection Without Neutropenia
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Study treatment Arm
Carbo/Taxol
Carbo/Taxol/Gemcitabine
Carbo/Taxol/Doxil
Carbo/Topotecan - Carbo/Taxol
Carbo/Gemcitabine - Carbo/Taxol

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group
All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

3Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Group I: Cohort I Arm II (topotecan hydrochloride & Berzosertib (M6620)Experimental Treatment5 Interventions
Participants receive topotecan hydrochloride intravenously (IV) over 30 minutes on days 1-5 and Berzosertib (M6620) IV over 60 minutes on days 2 and 5. Cycles repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Participants undergo a computed tomography (CT) scan during screening and on study as well as a tumor biopsy during screening. Participants may also undergo blood sample collection during screening and on study.
Group II: Cohort 2: Exploratory Cohort: Topotecan & Berzosertib (M6620) Combination TherapyExperimental Treatment5 Interventions
Arm II (topotecan hydrochloride \& Berzosertib (M6620) Participants receive topotecan hydrochloride intravenously (IV) over 30 minutes on days 1-5 and Berzosertib (M6620) IV over 60 minutes on days 2 and 5. Cycles repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Participants undergo a computed tomography (CT) scan during screening and on study as well as a tumor biopsy during screening. Participants may also undergo blood sample collection during screening and on study.
Group III: Cohort I Arm I (topotecan hydrochloride)Active Control4 Interventions
Participants receive topotecan hydrochloride intravenously (IV) over 30 minutes on days 1-5. Cycles repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Participants may crossover to Arm II at disease progression. Participants undergo a computed tomography (CT) scan during screening and on study as well as a tumor biopsy during screening. Participants may also undergo blood sample collection during screening and on study.
Treatment
First Studied
Drug Approval Stage
How many patients have taken this drug
Topotecan Hydrochloride
2013
Completed Phase 3
~6270
Biopsy
2014
Completed Phase 4
~1090
Berzosertib
2021
Completed Phase 2
~80
Computed Tomography
2017
Completed Phase 2
~2740
Biospecimen Collection
2004
Completed Phase 3
~2020

Research Highlights

Information in this section is not a recommendation. We encourage patients to speak with their healthcare team when evaluating any treatment decision.
Mechanism Of Action
Side Effect Profile
Prior Approvals
Other Research
Bladder carcinoma treatments often include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin and gemcitabine, work by damaging the DNA of cancer cells, leading to cell death. Targeted therapies, like FGFR inhibitors, specifically target genetic mutations or proteins that drive cancer growth. Immunotherapy, including checkpoint inhibitors like pembrolizumab, enhances the immune system's ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Treatments like Berzosertib (M6620), an ATR kinase inhibitor, block DNA repair mechanisms, making cancer cells more susceptible to DNA-damaging agents. These mechanisms are crucial for bladder carcinoma patients as they offer multiple avenues to disrupt cancer cell survival and proliferation, potentially improving treatment outcomes.

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

National Cancer Institute (NCI)Lead Sponsor
13,925 Previous Clinical Trials
41,017,896 Total Patients Enrolled
Anish ThomasPrincipal InvestigatorNational Cancer Institute LAO
1 Previous Clinical Trials
60 Total Patients Enrolled
~18 spots leftby Nov 2025