A phase I/II open-label clinical trial of CPI-613 in combination with modified FOLFIRINOX in patients with locally advanced (LAPC) or borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC).
Authors: Bajor David L , Lee Ho Jun , Selfridge J. Eva , Mohamed Amr , Conces Madison , Lumish Melissa Amy , Chakrabarti Sakti , Mahipal Amit , Anderson Erin E. , Donohue Debbie , Tirumani Sree Harsha , Dorth Jennifer Anne , Henke Lauren E. , Ocuin Lee Mayer , Ammori John Brian , Hardacre Jeffrey , Winter Jordan Michael 
Published: June 2024

4172

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) carries a poor prognosis with a 5-year relative survival rate of 13%. Surgical resection is the only curative treatment option, but less than 20% of patients are eligible at diagnosis. A subset of patients with locally advanced disease can become candidates for resection with neoadjuvant (NA) therapy. mFOLFIRINOX is the standard of care in the adjuvant setting, with extrapolated data supporting its use in the NA setting. CPI-613/Devimistat (D) is a small molecule that targets mitochondrial metabolism in tumor cells leading to ROS-mediated apoptosis. A phase III trial of mFOLFIRINOX + D at 500 mg/m2 in metastatic PDA did not meet primary endpoint of overall survival (OS). Here we present the results of the combination’s use at standard and escalated doses in LAPC and BRPC. Methods: In this investigator-initiated, single-center, phase I/II, open-label trial treatment-naïve patients with investigator assessed LAPC or BRPC were treated with mFOLFIRINOX in 14 day cycles + D. In the standard dosing (SD) cohort, patients received D at 500mg/m2 while in the dose escalation (DE) cohort; D at 750 mg/m2 or 1000 mg/m2 was used. Radiographic response was assessed every 8 weeks. Patients who remained unresectable after 12 cycles could receive additional standard treatments, including chemoradiotherapy. The primary endpoint was median overall survival (mOS), with the study powered to show a mOS improvement from the historical standard of 14 months to 28 months with mFOLFIRINOX + D. Secondary endpoints were median progression free survival (mPFS), percent resected, and safety outcomes. NCT03699319 Results: Between Dec 2018 and Mar 2022, 37 patients and 11 patients enrolled in the SD and DE cohorts. Median age 69 years (range 47-78), male/female (27/21), Caucasian (83%), LAPC/BRPC (34/14). One patient (2%) withdrew, 4 patients (8%) discontinued treatment due to toxicity, 9 patients (19%) had progressive disease prior to completion of 12 cycles. In all patients mOS was 16.3 months and mPFS was 10.7 months. By cohort: SD/DE mOS: 16.2/17.6 months (p=0.56). Fourteen patients (29%) had partial response by RECIST 1.1. Twenty patients (41.7%) had resection; mOS 29.7 months. In the SD cohort, 78% and 24% of patients had grade 3 and/or 4 AEs. There were no dose limiting toxicities (DLT) in the DE cohort, and eight patients received the maximum dose of 1000 mg/m2 of D. After the DLT period, 100% patients in DE cohort had grade 3 toxicity and 55% had grade 4 toxicity. For all the most common toxicities (gr3,4) were neutropenia (27%,25%), diarrhea (25%,0), anorexia wt. loss (23%,0), nausea/vomiting (23%,0). Conclusions: The combination of mFOLFIRINOX and D is feasible in the LAPC/BRPC population at increased dose levels of D; however, it did not meet the primary endpoint of doubling OS compared to historical controls. Clinical trial information: NCT03699319 .