Patient case: 68-year-old male with non-small cell carcinoma; genetic feature: MET

Clinical trial: ARQ 197 Plus Erlotinib Versus Placebo Plus Erlotinib for the Treatment of Non-squamous, Non-small-cell Lung Cancer

Summary: This study is to determine if the combination regimen of ARQ 197 with erlotinib will improve overall survival relative to erlotinib alone in subjects with locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer who have received 1 or 2 prior systemic anti-cancer therapies.


Eligibility: Inclusion Criteria:
  -  Histologically or cytologically confirmed surgically unresectable locally advanced or metastatic (stage IIIB/IV) non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer.
  -  Measurable disease and documented disease progression following last prior therapy according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria, Version 1.1.
  -  Have received one or two prior lines of systemic anti-cancer therapy therapy for advanced or metastatic disease, one of which must be a platinum-doublet therapy. Patients who received only adjuvant treatment will be eligible only if disease progression occurred <6 months after completion of adjuvant therapy. Prior maintenance therapy is allowed and will be considered as the same line of therapy when continued without discontinuation after initiation of a treatment regimen.
  -  Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1
  -  Resolution of any toxic effects of prior therapy (including radiotherapy) according to National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), Version 4.0, Grade ≤1 (with the exception of alopecia and ≤grade 2 neuropathy). Subject must have recovered from significant surgery-related complications.
  -  Demonstrate adequate bone marrow, liver, and renal functions, defined as:
  -  ALT, AST, and alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 × upper limit of normal (ULN) in subjects with no liver metastasis and ≤5.0 x ULN in subjects with liver metastasis.
  -  Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × ULN (≤ 4 × ULN total and ≤1.5 × ULN direct bilirubin is acceptable for subjects with Gilbert's syndrome).
  -  ANC ≥1.5 × 10^9/L.
  -  Platelet count ≥100 × 10^9/L.
  -  Hemoglobin ≥9.0 g/dL (transfusion and/or growth factor support allowed).
  -  Serum creatinine ≤1.5 × ULN or creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min.
  -  Archival and/or fresh biopsy tissue sample must be available for biomarker determination. The status of the following biomarkers will be collected in this study: EGFR and KRAS mutation status prior to randomization, and MET status post randomization
  -  If of child-bearing/reproductive potential (female or male), must agree to use double-barrier contraceptive measures, oral contraception, or avoidance of intercourse during the study and for 90 days after last investigational drug dose received
  -  If female and of childbearing potential, must have a negative result of a pregnancy test (serum or urine) within 72 hours prior to initiating study treatment.
  -  Must have signed and dated an approved Informed Consent Form (Including HIPAA authorization, if applicable) before performance of any study-specific procedures or tests. Subjects must be fully informed about their illness and the investigational nature of the study protocol (including forseeable risks and possible side effects)
  Exclusion Criteria:
  -  Prior therapy with an EGFR inhibitor and/or ARQ 197 (or other known c-MET inhibitor).
  -  Receipt of any systemic anti-tumor treatment for NSCLC within 3 weeks prior to randomization.
  -  Receipt of palliative radiotherapy within 2 weeks or radiotherapy for curative intent of target lesions within 3 weeks prior to randomization. Lesions subjected to radiotherapy within 3 weeks prior to randomization may not be used as target lesions.
  -  Major surgical procedure within 3 weeks prior to randomization.
  -  History of cardiac disease:
  Congestive heart failure defined as Class II to IV per New York Heart Association classification; active coronary artery disease; previously diagnosed symptomatic bradycardia (subjects with asymptomatic bradycardia and heart rate above 50 bpm are allowed) or other cardiac arrhythmia defined as ≥Grade 2 according to NCI CTCAE, version 4.0, or uncontrolled hypertension; myocardial infarction that occurred within 6 months prior to study entry (myocardial infarction that occurred > 6 months prior to study entry is permitted).
  -  Clinically unstable central nervous system (CNS) metastasis (to be enrolled in the study, subjects must have confirmation of stable disease by MRI or computed tomography (CT) scan within 4 weeks of randomization and have CNS metastases well controlled by steroids, anti-epileptics or other symptom-relieving medications).
  -  Need to breastfeed a child during or within 12 weeks of completing the study.
  -  Significant gastrointestinal disorder that, in the opinion of the investigator, could interfere with absorption of ARQ 197 and/or erlotinib (eg, Crohn's disease, small or large bowel resection, malabsorption syndrome).
  -  Inability or unwillingness to swallow the complete doses of ARQ 197 or erlotinib.
  -  Any known contraindication to treatment with, including hypersensitivity to, ARQ 197 or erlotinib.
  -  History of malignancy other than NSCLC within the 5 years prior to randomization, with the exceptions of adequately treated intraepithelial carcinoma of the cervix uteri; prostate carcinoma with a prostate-specific antigen value <0.2 ng/mL; or basal or squamous-cell carcinoma of the skin.
  -  Known infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV).
  -  Any other significant co-morbid condition that, in opinion of the investigator, would impair study participation or cooperation.

Relevance to patient case: definitely relevant