Study to Compare Alisertib With Paclitaxel vs. Paclitaxel Alone in Metastatic or Locally Recurrent Breast Cancer

A Phase II, Multicenter, Randomized, Parallel Group Study to Compare Alisertib in Combination With Paclitaxel vs. Paclitaxel Alone in Patients With Metastatic or Locally Recurrent Breast Cancer

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if the study drug, alisertib, in combination with chemotherapy (paclitaxel), can shrink or slow tumor growth in women with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative or HR-negative, HER2-negative (triple negative) locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer. The safety of alisertib in combination with paclitaxel will also be studied. The physical state of the patient, symptoms, changes in the size of the tumor, and laboratory findings obtained while on-study will help the research team decide if alisertib plus paclitaxel is safe and effective in patients with this type of breast cancer.

Alisertib belongs to a group of drugs called Aurora kinase inhibitors. Alisertib blocks the activity of Aurora A kinase, a protein that is involved in tumor cell multiplication and survival. Aurora A kinase is expressed at higher than normal levels in many types of cancer, including breast cancer, and preclinical studies suggest that blocking the activity of this protein can lead to the death of cancer cells.

Paclitaxel is a chemotherapy drug commonly used to treat many different kinds of cancer, including metastatic breast cancer. The reason to combine alisertib and paclitaxel is that in cancer therapy, combinations of drugs are often more effective as a treatment than either of the same drugs used alone.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Breast Cancer; Breast Tumors; Breast Carcinoma; Malignant Neoplasm of Breast
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Paclitaxel; Drug: Alisertib

Detailed Description

The rationale behind assessing the effectiveness of the addition of alisertib to weekly paclitaxel therapy in patients with Triple Negative Breast Cancer and highly proliferative ER+ and HER2- breast cancer is based on the unmet clinical need for effective strategies to prevent or delay resistance to taxane therapy in the metastatic setting. Synergistic or additive effects have been observed in breast cancer xenograft models which involved alisertib added to either paclitaxel or docetaxel. Alisertib inhibited the Pgp-mediated efflux of paclitaxel in a cell culture model. In addition, Aurora Kinase A is frequently overexpressed in Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), and expression levels have been shown to be prognostic in both of these breast cancer subtypes. The combination of alisertib with paclitaxel has also been investigated in a Phase 1 study in patients with locally advanced or metastatic ovarian and breast cancers, with preliminary evidence of activity in both tumor types including 6 PRs (partial response) and 3 SD (stable disease) in 11 patients with metastatic breast cancer.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 175
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Including Dallas And Austin, Texas, United States
      • 22 Sites

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Voluntary written informed consent before performance of any study-related procedure not part of normal medical care, with the understanding that consent may be withdrawn by the subject at any time without prejudice to future medical care, and signed Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) form.

• Female subject (≥18 years old), who is either:

  • post-menopausal for at least one year before the screening visit, or
  • surgically sterilized, or
  • willing to use an acceptable method of birth control (i.e., a hormonal contraceptive, intra-uterine device, diaphragm with spermicide, or condom with spermicide) for the duration of the study.

• Metastatic or locally recurrent breast cancer with histologic confirmation (on either primary or metastatic tumor) of one of the following:

  • ER+, HER2- invasive breast cancer (any progesterone receptor [PgR] status)
  • Poorly differentiated and/or Grade 3 invasive TNBC, defined as:
  • HER2 negative status (based on most recently analyzed biopsy) is defined as immunohistochemistry (IHC) status of 0, 1+ or 2+ (if IHC 2+, a negative FISH test is required, i.e., HER2 fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) ratio < 2.0 with an average HER2 copy number <4.0 signals/cell); ER-negative and PR-negative status is defined as ER and PgR <1% nuclei positive by IHC
• Measurable disease by modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) (v1.1) or non-measurable lytic, bone-only disease (mixed blastic/lytic bone disease is allowed); if patient has bone-predominant disease with no measurable disease, there must be a lytic component to the bone metastases that is visible on plain X-ray or CT scan that can be serially followed
• Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) > 1500/mm³, platelets > 100,000/mm³, Hgb > 9 g/dL. Values must be obtained without need for myeloid growth factor or platelet transfusion support within 14 days, however, erythrocyte growth factor is allowed as per published American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guidelines (available at: http://www.asco.org/quality-guidelines/asco-ash-clinical-practice-guideline-update-use-epoetin-and-darbepoetin-adult).
• Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN), serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) (AST) and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) (ALT) < 2.5 x ULN. AST and/or ALT may be up to 5 x ULN if patient has known liver metastases
• Adequate renal function as defined by: Calculated creatinine clearance must be ≥ 30 mL/minute (see Cockcroft-Gault formula in Appendix 5)
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0 or 1 (refer to Appendix 4)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous radiation therapy covering the whole pelvis

• Suspected brain metastases, untreated brain metastases or current clinical or radiologic progression of known brain metastases or requirement for steroid therapy for brain metastases

  • Patients with treated brain metastases are eligible if they have been stable and off steroids for ≥ 3 weeks
• Prior allogeneic bone marrow or organ transplantation
• Known GI disease or GI procedures that could interfere with the oral absorption or tolerance of alisertib. Examples include, but are not limited to partial gastrectomy, history of small intestine surgery, and celiac disease
• Known history of uncontrolled sleep apnea syndrome and other conditions that could result in excessive daytime sleepiness, such as severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; requirement for supplemental oxygen.
• Requirement for administration of proton pump inhibitor, or for constant administration of H2 antagonist, or pancreatic enzymes. Intermittent uses of antacids or H2 antagonists are allowed as described in Section 3.4.
• Systemic infection requiring IV antibiotic therapy within 14 days preceding the first dose of study drug, or other severe infection.
• Myocardial infarction within 6 months prior to enrollment or has New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III or IV heart failure (see Appendix 3), uncontrolled angina, severe uncontrolled ventricular arrhythmias, or electrocardiographic evidence of acute ischemia or active conduction system abnormalities. Prior to study entry, any ECG abnormality at Screening has to be documented by the investigator as not medically relevant.
• Female subject who is pregnant or breast-feeding. Confirmation that the subject is not pregnant must be established by a negative serum B-human chorionic gonadotropin (B-hCG) pregnancy test result obtained during screening, within 72 hours prior to first dose of study drug(s). Pregnancy testing is not required for post-menopausal or surgically sterilized women.
• Patient has received an investigational agent within 30 days before enrollment
• Serious medical or psychiatric illness likely to interfere with participation in this clinical study.
• Other severe acute or chronic medical and/or psychiatric condition(s), including but not limited to uncontrolled diabetes, malabsorption, resection of the pancreas or upper small bowel, requirement for pancreatic enzymes, any condition that would modify small bowel absorption of oral medications, or laboratory abnormalities that may increase the risk associated with study participation or investigational product administration or may interfere with the interpretation of study results and, in the judgment of the investigator, would make the patient not eligible for enrollment for this study.
• Diagnosed or treated for another malignancy within 3 years of enrollment, with the exception of complete resection of basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or an in situ malignancy, or a stage I cancer with a 5-year Disease Free Survival (DFS) of ≥ 90% (survival rates by stage are available for most cancers on the American Cancer Society website).
• Treatment with clinically significant enzyme inducers, such as the enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs phenytoin, carbamazepine or phenobarbital, or rifampin, rifabutin, rifapentine or St. John's wort within 14 days prior to the first dose of alisertib and during the study.
• Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C. Testing is not required in the absence of clinical findings or suspicion. For guidance in defining active infection for hepatitis B, please refer to the WHO guidelines. (World Health Organization, Global Alert and Response (GAR), Hepatitis B. http://who.int/csr/disease/hepatitis/whocdscsrlyo20022/en/index4.html)
• Prior administration of an Aurora A kinase-targeted agent, including alisertib
• Need for ongoing therapeutic steroid therapy. Intermittent steroid use for the control of nausea and vomiting is allowed. Premedication with dexamethasone prior to paclitaxel administration is allowed. Topical steroid use is permitted. Inhaled steroids are permitted. Replacement doses of hydrocortisone up to 15 mg/day are allowed.
• Inability to swallow oral medication or inability or unwillingness to comply with the administration requirements related to alisertib.
• Administration of myeloid growth factors or platelet transfusion within 14 days prior to the first dose of study treatment.

• More than 1 previous chemotherapy regimen for metastatic disease

  • No limit on previous endocrine therapy
  • Previous mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) therapy, e.g., everolimus, is allowed
  • Prior adjuvant taxane therapy is allowed, provided the disease-free interval from the end of (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy to the development of metastatic disease was ≥ 1 year
  • No prior taxane for metastatic disease
• Peripheral neuropathy > grade 1
• Known severe hypersensitivity to paclitaxel

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: ER+/HER2- Paclitaxel Alone; Paclitaxel 90 mg/m2 IV on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle	Drug: Paclitaxel; either 60 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle (on Paclitaxel plus Alisertib arm) or 90 mg/m2 IV on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle (on Paclitaxel Alone arm); Other Names: Taxol; Abraxane
Experimental: ER+/HER2- Paclitaxel plus Alisertib; Paclitaxel 60 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle; Alisertib 40 mg BID on days 1-3, 8-10, and 15-17 of a 28-day cycle	Drug: Paclitaxel; either 60 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle (on Paclitaxel plus Alisertib arm) or 90 mg/m2 IV on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle (on Paclitaxel Alone arm); Other Names: Taxol; Abraxane; Drug: Alisertib; 40 mg BID (twice a day) on days 1-3, 8-10, and 15-17 of a 28-day cycle; Other Names: MLN8237
Active Comparator: Triple Negative Paclitaxel Alone; Paclitaxel 90 mg/m2 IV on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle	Drug: Paclitaxel; either 60 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle (on Paclitaxel plus Alisertib arm) or 90 mg/m2 IV on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle (on Paclitaxel Alone arm); Other Names: Taxol; Abraxane
Experimental: Triple Negative Paclitaxel plus Alisertib; Paclitaxel 60 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle; Alisertib 40 mg BID on days 1-3, 8-10, and 15-17 of a 28-day cycle	Drug: Paclitaxel; either 60 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle (on Paclitaxel plus Alisertib arm) or 90 mg/m2 IV on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle (on Paclitaxel Alone arm); Other Names: Taxol; Abraxane; Drug: Alisertib; 40 mg BID (twice a day) on days 1-3, 8-10, and 15-17 of a 28-day cycle; Other Names: MLN8237

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Time to Disease Progression - Tumor Response based on RECIST criteria	Measurement of tumors (sum of longest diameters) every 8 weeks for CT/MRI and photographs, and every 12 weeks for bone scan, if applicable.	12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Patients with Genetic Biomarker Expression in Tumor Tissue	Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue from study patients' primary breast cancers will be retrospectively analyzed for potential biomarkers including, but not limited to expression of forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1) and Aurora kinase A (AURKA), p53 mutation status, and degree of genomic instability	12 months
Number of Participants with Serious and Non-Serious Adverse Events	Monitoring and recording of all adverse events and serious adverse events; regular monitoring of hematology, blood chemistry, regular measurement of vital signs, physical examination (including weight); and performance status. All patients who receive at least one dose of study drug will be evaluated for safety. Toxicities will be graded and reported according to the NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Version 4.03. Incidence and type of adverse events will be tabulated and summarized using descriptive statistics.	12 monrhs

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: US Oncology Research
• Collaborators: Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Joyce A. O'Shaughnessy, MD, US Oncology Research, McKesson Specialty Health

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• O'Shaughnessy J, McIntyre K, Wilks S, Ma L, Block M, Andorsky D, Danso M, Locke T, Scales A, Wang Y. Efficacy and Safety of Weekly Paclitaxel With or Without Oral Alisertib in Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Apr 1;4(4):e214103. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.4103.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 12, 2015
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2023
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 6, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 9, 2014
• First Posted (Estimated): July 11, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 14, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 10, 2023
• Last Verified: August 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: paclitaxel; metastatic breast cancer; Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer; Estrogen Receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer; Triple Negative breast cancer; alisertib
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Skin Diseases; Neoplasms by Site; Breast Diseases; Neoplasms; Breast Neoplasms; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Antineoplastic Agents; Tubulin Modulators; Antimitotic Agents; Mitosis Modulators; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Paclitaxel
• Other Study ID Numbers: 13-033