Palbociclib and Sorafenib, Decitabine, or Dexamethasone in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Refractory Leukemia

April 10, 2026 updated by: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Phase I Study of Palbociclib Alone and in Combination in Patients With Relapsed and Refractory Leukemias

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of palbociclib when given alone and in combination with sorafenib, decitabine, or dexamethasone in treating patients with leukemia that has come back (recurrent) or that does not respond to previous treatment (refractory). Palbociclib, sorafenib, and decitabine may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as dexamethasone, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving palbociclib alone and in combination with sorafenib, decitabine, or dexamethasone may work better in treating patients with recurrent or refractory leukemia.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose limiting toxicities (DLT) of various combinations with palbociclib in patients with relapsed and refractory leukemias.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To assess pharmacodynamic effects of palbociclib on the Cyclin-CDK-Rb axis in leukemic blasts of patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) leukemias.

II. To explore the efficacy (complete response [CR], complete remission without platelet recovery [CRp], complete remission without blood count recovery [CRi], partial response [PR], or clinical benefit [CB]) of palbociclib as a single-agent and in combinations in patients with R/R leukemias.

III. To explore biomarkers of response and resistance in patients with R/R leukemias treated with palbociclib.

IV. To assess the safety and tolerability of one cycle of single-agent palbociclib in patients with R/R leukemias.

OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of sorafenib, decitabine, and dexamethasone. Patients are assigned to 1 of 3 arms.

ARM I: Patients receive palbociclib orally (PO) once daily (QD) on days 1-28. Patients also receive sorafenib PO QD on days 1-28 beginning on cycle 2. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 8 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

ARM II: Patients receive palbociclib as in Arm I. Beginning cycle 2, patients receive palbociclib PO QC on days 1-7 and decitabine intravenously (IV) QD over 1 hour on days 8-17 of cycle 2 and days 8-12 of cycles 3-8. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 8 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

ARM III: Patients receive palbociclib as in Arm I. Patients also receive dexamethasone PO QD or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 1-4 and 15-18 beginning on cycle 2. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 8 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up periodically.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
32

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
        • M D Anderson Cancer Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

15 years and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Participants with a diagnosis of histologically confirmed relapsed or refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia or R/R acute lymphoblastic leukemia for which no available standard therapies are indicated or anticipated to result in a durable response.
  2. Only participants with R/R ALL will be eligible for cohort C
  3. Age >/= 15 years.
  4. Participants must not have had leukemia therapy for 14 days prior to starting palbociclib. However, participants with rapidly proliferative disease may receive hydroxyurea as needed until 24 hours prior to starting therapy on this protocol and starting the first cycle of study.

  5. Adequate organ function as defined below:

    • liver function (bilirubin < 2mg/dL, AST and/or ALT <3 x ULN - or <5 x ULN if related to leukemic involvement)
    • kidney function (creatinine < 1.5 x ULN ).
    • known cardiac ejection fraction of > or = 45% within the past 3 months
  6. ECOG performance status of ≤ 2.
  7. A negative urine pregnancy test is required within 1 week for all women of childbearing potential prior to enrolling on this trial.
  8. Participants must have the ability to understand the requirements of the study and signed informed consent. A signed informed consent by the participants or his legally authorized representative is required prior to their enrollment on the protocol.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Participants women are excluded from this study because the agent used in this study has the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Because there is a potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with the chemotherapy agents, breastfeeding should also be avoided.
  2. Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to active uncontrolled infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure (NYHA Class III or IV), unstable angina pectoris, clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.
  3. Participant with documented hypersensitivity to any of the components of the therapy program.
  4. Participants with active, uncontrolled CNS leukemia will not be eligible.
  5. Men and women of childbearing potential who do not practice contraception. Women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use contraception prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation.
  6. Participants with known history of serous retinopathy will not be eligible.
  7. Prior treatment with palbociclib,

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Arm I (palbociclib, sorafenib)
Patients receive palbociclib PO QD on days 1-28. Patients also receive sorafenib PO QD on days 1-28 beginning on cycle 2. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 8 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Drug: Palbociclib
Given PO
Other Names:
  • Ibrance
  • 6-Acetyl-8-cyclopentyl-5-methyl-2-((5-(piperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)amino)-8h-pyrido(2,3-d)pyrimidin-7-one
  • PD 0332991
  • PD 332991
  • PD 991
  • PD-0332991
Drug: Sorafenib
Given PO
Other Names:
  • BAY 43-9006
  • BA4 43 9006
  • Bay-439006
Experimental: Arm II (palbociclib, decitabine)
Patients receive palbociclib as in Arm I. Beginning cycle 2, patients receive palbociclib PO QC on days 1-7 and decitabine IV QD over 1 hour on days 8-17 of cycle 2 and days 8-12 of cycles 3-8. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 8 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Drug: Decitabine
Given IV
Other Names:
  • Dacogen
  • Decitabine for Injection
  • Deoxyazacytidine
  • Dezocitidine
  • 5-Aza-2''-deoxycytidine
Drug: Palbociclib
Given PO
Other Names:
  • Ibrance
  • 6-Acetyl-8-cyclopentyl-5-methyl-2-((5-(piperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)amino)-8h-pyrido(2,3-d)pyrimidin-7-one
  • PD 0332991
  • PD 332991
  • PD 991
  • PD-0332991
Experimental: Arm III (palbociclib, dexamethasone)
Patients receive palbociclib as in Arm I. Patients also receive dexamethasone PO QD or IV over 15-30 minutes on days 1-4 and 15-18 beginning on cycle 2. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 8 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Drug: Palbociclib
Given PO
Other Names:
  • Ibrance
  • 6-Acetyl-8-cyclopentyl-5-methyl-2-((5-(piperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)amino)-8h-pyrido(2,3-d)pyrimidin-7-one
  • PD 0332991
  • PD 332991
  • PD 991
  • PD-0332991
Drug: Dexamethasone
Given IV or PO
Other Names:
  • Decadron
  • Aacidexam
  • Adexone
  • Aknichthol Dexa
  • Alba-Dex
  • Alin
  • Alin Depot
  • Alin Oftalmico
  • Amplidermis
  • Anemul mono
  • Auricularum
  • Auxiloson
  • Baycadron
  • Baycuten
  • Baycuten N
  • Cortidexason
  • Cortisumman
  • Decacort
  • Decadrol
  • Decadron DP
  • Decalix
  • Decameth
  • Decasone R.p.
  • Dectancyl
  • Dekacort
  • Deltafluorene
  • Deronil
  • Desamethasone
  • Desameton
  • Dexa-Mamallet
  • Dexa-Rhinosan
  • Dexa-Scheroson
  • Dexa-sine
  • Dexacortal
  • Dexacortin
  • Dexafarma
  • Dexafluorene
  • Dexalocal
  • Dexamecortin
  • Dexameth
  • Dexamethasone Intensol
  • Dexamethasonum
  • Dexamonozon
  • Dexapos
  • Dexinoral
  • Dexone
  • Dinormon
  • Fluorodelta
  • Fortecortin
  • Gammacorten
  • Hexadecadrol
  • Hexadrol
  • Lokalison-F
  • Loverine
  • Methylfluorprednisolone
  • Millicorten
  • Mymethasone
  • Orgadrone
  • Spersadex
  • TaperDex
  • Visumetazone
  • ZoDex

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Maximum tolerated dose (MTD) as determined by dose limiting toxicity (DLT)
Time Frame: Up to cycle 2 (each cycle is 28 days)
MTD is defined as the highest dose level in which 6 patients have been treated with at most 1 instance of dose limiting toxicity using a classic '3+3' dose-escalation design. DLT is defined as drug-related adverse events during cycle two (i.e., the first cycle of palbociclib in combination). The number and proportion of DLTs will be summarized by treatment arm and dose level.
Up to cycle 2 (each cycle is 28 days)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pharmacodynamic (PD) effects of palbociclib
Time Frame: Up to 3 years
PD biomarker concentration will be summarized by time points. The relationship between drug concentrations and PD effects will be explored graphically. Based on review of these graphs, analyses to describe the relationship may also be performed.
Up to 3 years
Efficacy as determined by complete response (CR]), complete remission without platelet recovery (CRp), complete remission without blood count recovery (CRi), partial response (PR), or clinical benefit (CB)
Time Frame: Up to 3 years
For the preliminary efficacy analysis, the study will summarize the number and rate of CR, CRp, CRi and PR by treatment arm and dose level.
Up to 3 years
Assessment of biomarkers of response and resistance
Time Frame: Up to 3 years
The study will also explore the biomarkers associated with response or resistance to treatment using descriptive statistics and exploratory graphics.
Up to 3 years
Incidence of adverse events graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0
Time Frame: Up to 3 years
Up to 3 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Tapan M Kadia, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
July 25, 2017

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
April 25, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 25, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 27, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 15, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 10, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2016-0772 (Other Identifier: M D Anderson Cancer Center)
  • NCI-2018-01194 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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