Tesetaxel Shows Promise for Patients With Advanced Breast Cancer: Presented at SABCS
By Jill Stein
SAN ANTONIO -- December 11, 2011 -- The oral taxane tesetaxel is demonstrating favourable early results as first-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer, researchers said here December 9 at the 34th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS).
Lee Schwartzberg, MD, West Clinic, Memphis, Tennessee, and colleagues elsewhere presented early results of a phase 2b, open-label, multicentre study testing the efficacy and safety of tesetaxel as first-line therapy for metastatic disease.
While the intravenously administered taxanes docetaxel and paclitaxel are among the most active agents in treating metastatic breast cancer, their use is limited by serious events, Dr. Schwartzberg pointed out.
One of the most notable serious events is infusion-related hypersensitivity which is sometimes life-threatening requiring pretreatment of patients with antihistamines and corticosteroids prior to and following taxane administration along with close patient monitoring by healthcare professionals. Another concern is grade 3/4 neuropathy.
Tesetaxel is an advanced-generation, oral, semisynthetic taxane that was designed to address some of the limitations associated with the intravenously administered taxanes.
A phase 2a study of tesetaxel monotherapy in breast cancer was completed in women with locally advanced or metastatic disease in whom an anthracycline, non-taxane-based regimen had failed. Tesetaxel was administered once every 3 weeks to 34 women; the initial tesetaxel dose was 27 or 35 mg/m2. The response rate was 38%, and the disease control rate was 68%.
To date, 33 women have been treated in the phase 2b study. Of 24 patients, a complete response has been achieved in 1 (4%) patient and a partial response achieved in 11 (46%). Stable disease has been observed in 8 (33%) patients and disease progression in 4 (16%).
Treatment was well tolerated. Neutropenia was the most common dose-limiting toxicity, with = grade 3 events affecting 42% of patients. Febrile neutropenia was uncommon.
Cases of peripheral neuropathy were mild, and there have been no hypersensitivity reactions.
ôTo date, the overall response rate with tesetaxel in our study is 50%, thus supporting the activity of tesetaxel monotherapy in metastatic breast cancer, as previously demonstrated by a 38% response rate in a second-line study,ö Dr. Schwartzberg said.
Funding for this study was provided by Genta Incorporated.
[Presentation title: Tesetaxel, an Oral Taxane, as First-Line Therapy for Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer. Abstract P5-19-11]
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