Conditions: Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant
Keywords: CRPC Metastatic Chemotherapy naïve Chemo-naïve Prostate cancer mCRPC Chemotherapy-naïve Chemo naïve
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 146
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The primary objective was to confirm the effect of tasquinimod in delaying disease progression or death as compared with placebo in chemo-naïve patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Secondary objectives included further evaluation of the safety profile of tasquinimod, comparison of clinical benefits (such as overall survival and symptoms) of tasquinimod with placebo, to evaluate the quality of life impact and to determine the pharmacokinetics of tasquinimod.

Detailed description:
The study involved a 4-week Screening Period, Baseline Visit (Day 1) where the patient was randomised, followed by a Double Blind Treatment Period. Patients initially received tasquinimod (or corresponding placebo) at a 0.25 mg/day dose which was then titrated through 0.5 mg/day (from Day 15) to a maximum of 1 mg/day (from Day 29). If tolerability issues arose at 0.5 or 1 mg/day, patients had their dose reduced to 0.25 or 0.5 mg/day, respectively. The Double Blind Treatment Period continued until the death of the patient or any criterion for withdrawal from study treatment was reached. Any placebo treated patients with radiological disease progression confirmed by the central imaging assessment, who remained asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic were, at the Investigator's discretion, given the option to continue on active treatment (tasquinimod) during an Open-Label Treatment Period, following the same titration rule described above until progression under active treatment. All other patients stopped study treatment.

An End-of-Study Treatment/Withdrawal Visit was to be performed within 14 days after the last dose of study treatment and patients were then to be followed up every 6 months until 80% of the patients had died or 2 years after the last patient was randomised, whichever occurred last.

A PK ancillary study was to be performed in a subgroup of 12 Asian-Chinese patients before randomisation; however, due to the early termination of this study, only some samples were analysed and no PK analyses were performed.

Arms:
arm 1: One capsule (0.25, 0.50 or 1 mg), taken orally once a day with water and food (preferably the main evening meal). arm 2: One capsule, taken orally once a day with water and food (preferably the main evening meal).

Interventions: intervention 1: Tasquinimod intervention 2: Placebo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: A patient initially received a 0.25 mg/day dose which was then titrated through 0.5 mg/day (from Day 15) to a maximum of 1 mg/day (from Day 29). If tolerability issues arose at 0.5 or 1 mg/day, patients had their dose reduced to 0.25 or 0.5 mg/day, respectively. intervention 2: Placebo capsules were identical to tasquinimod capsules in appearance and excipients but excluded the active compound (tasquinimod).

Protocol document: