Abstract PO3-18-09: OPERA-01: A randomized, open-label, phase 3, study of palazestrant (OP-1250) vs standard-of-care treatment for ER+, HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer after endocrine and CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy
Authors: Chan Arlene , Meisel Jane , Jhaveri Komal , Sohn Joo Hyuk , Ezquerra Meritxell Bellet- , Schroeder Jason , Shilkrut Mark , Pistilli Barbara 
Published: May 2024

Background: In estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC), adding a cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor to endocrine therapy (ET) has improved outcomes and is the current standard-of-care treatment in the first-line setting. However, resistance to first-line treatment develops in most patients (pts), which is often attributed to acquired mutations in ESR1. Limited data exist for ET-based treatment options after progression on prior ET and CDK4/6 inhibitors, and most pts will transition to chemotherapy for further treatment. Therefore, there is a significant unmet need for more effective ET in pts with ER-positive, HER2-negative MBC to improve outcomes and delay time to chemotherapy.

Palazestrant (OP-1250) is a small molecule oral complete ER antagonist (CERAN) and selective ER degrader (SERD) that binds the ligand binding domain of ER and completely blocks ER-driven transcriptional activity in both wild-type (ESR1-wt) and mutant (ESR1-mut) forms of ER. In preclinical studies, palazestrant demonstrated better tumor shrinkage in ESR1-wt and ESR1-mut models when compared to fulvestrant; it also showed efficacy in brain metastasis models. In a phase 1/2 monotherapy study in pts with heavily pretreated ER-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer (BC) or MBC (NCT04505826), palazestrant showed a tolerable safety profile, promising antitumor efficacy, and favorable pharmacokinetics (PK) supporting once a day (qd) dosing. The recommended Phase 2 dose of palazestrant is 120 mg qd.

Methods: The OPERA-01 trial is an international, multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase 3 clinical trial comparing the efficacy and safety of palazestrant as a single agent to standard-of-care ET (fulvestrant, anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane) in pts with ER-positive, HER2-negative advanced BC or MBC that has relapsed or progressed on 1 or 2 prior lines of ET for MBC, which includes a CDK4/6 inhibitor. Eligible pts are women (pre- or post-menopausal) or men who have a confirmed diagnosis of ER-positive, HER2-negative locally advanced evaluable BC or MBC not amenable to curative therapy. ER and HER2 status are determined according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists guidelines. Patients must have Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 or 1. Prior treatments must include 1 or 2 prior lines of ET as monotherapy or in combination with a CDK4/6 inhibitor for MBC; must have received CDK4/6 inhibitor in combination with ET and have disease progression during or within 28 days of completion of each line of prior treatment for MBC; most recent ET given for ≥6 months. Prior chemotherapy in the metastatic setting is not permitted. Patients (N∼500) are randomized to palazestrant or standard-of-care ET monotherapy, and are stratified by ESR1 mutation status, prior lines of ET for advanced disease (1 vs 2 lines), and presence or absence of visceral disease. The primary endpoint of progression-free survival will be assessed by blinded independent central review in pts with and without ESR1 mutations in the intent-to-treat population. Secondary endpoints include overall survival, antitumor activity (objective response rate, clinical benefit rate, and duration of response), safety, patient-reported outcomes, and PK in pts with and without ESR1 mutations. The study is planned to be conducted globally.

Citation Format: Arlene Chan, Jane Meisel, Komal Jhaveri, Joo Hyuk Sohn, Meritxell Bellet- Ezquerra, Jason Schroeder, Mark Shilkrut, Barbara Pistilli. OPERA-01: A randomized, open-label, phase 3, study of palazestrant (OP-1250) vs standard-of-care treatment for ER+, HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer after endocrine and CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-18-09.