Fulvestrant, Ipatasertib and CDK4/6 Inhibition in Metastatic ER+/HER2- Breast Cancer Patients Without ctDNA Suppression (FAIM)

April 8, 2026 updated by: Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

Randomised Open-label Phase II Study of Induction Standard of Care Fulvestrant and CDK4/6 Inhibition With the Addition of Ipatasertib in Metastatic ER+/HER2- Breast Cancer Patients Without ctDNA Suppression

Analysis of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) found in a patient's peripheral blood can identify cancer progression and predict a patient's response to therapy. By using ctDNA analysis and imaging techniques, the FAIM trial aims to determine whether the addition of the experimental drug ipatasertib to a standard combination of the hormone treatment fulvestrant and the targeted agent palbociclib increases progression free survival (PFS) for patients with hormone-receptor positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) can be found in the peripheral blood of patients with cancer. ctDNA analysis provides a readily available, serial source of tumour DNA which can be used to monitor disease and predict a patients response to therapy.

Relative changes in ctDNA after 15 days of treatment with palbociclib and fulvestrant has been found to strongly predict progression free survival (PFS) in hormone-receptor positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer patients: patients without ctDNA suppression after 2 weeks of treatment had a significantly shorter PFS compared to those with ctDNA suppression, identifying a group of patients who require additional therapy to prevent early progression.

The FAIM trial is a randomised, open-label study which will aim to determine whether the addition of ipatasertib to standard of care CDK4/6 inhibitors + fulvestrant increases PFS in patients who lack ctDNA suppression after 15 days of treatment. Patients starting standard of care CDK4/6 inhibitors + fulvestrant will have a ctDNA assessment on cycle 1 day 1 (C1D1) and cycle 1 day 15 (C1D15). Those with high ctDNA levels at C1D15 will be randomised on a 1:1 basis to either standard of care (CDK4/6 inhibitors + fulvestrant) or standard of care plus the experimental drug ipatasertib (CDK4/6 inhibitor + fulvestrant + ipatasertib). Patients with ctDNA suppression at C1D15 will continue standard of care (fulvestrant+CDK4/6 inhibitor); the first 100 patients of this group will be followed for PFS and ctDNA collection. Patients without detectable ctDNA on C1D1 will be followed and treated according standard of care; the first 50 patients of this group will be followed for PFS, overall survival (OS), time to next treatment, and time to chemotherapy. Progression free survival will be monitored using RECIST 1.1.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

57

Phase

  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

      • Edinburgh, United Kingdom, EH4 2XU
        • Western General Hospital
      • Glasgow, United Kingdom
        • Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre
      • London, United Kingdom
        • University College London Hospital
      • London, United Kingdom, NW3 2QC
        • Royal Free Hospital
      • London, United Kingdom, SW3 6JJ
        • Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
      • London, United Kingdom, W2 1NY
        • Imperial College University Hospitals NHS Trust
      • Manchester, United Kingdom, M20 4BX
        • The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
      • Nottingham, United Kingdom
        • Nottingham City Hospital
      • Oxford, United Kingdom, OX3 7LE
        • Oxford University Hospitals
    • Cambridgeshire
      • Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, CB2 0QQ
        • Addenbrookes Hospital
    • Cornwall
      • Truro, Cornwall, United Kingdom, TR1 3LQ
        • Royal Cornwall Hospital
    • Surrey
      • London, Surrey, United Kingdom, HA6 2RN
        • Mount Vernon Cancer Centre
    • Wales
      • Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, CF14 2TL
        • Velindre Cancer Centre

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Histological diagnosis of metastatic or inoperable locally advanced ER positive/HER2 negative breast cancer. Assessment of ER and HER2 status as per local assessment. Histologically proven primary ER+ (Allred score 3/8 or greater, or stain in more than 1% of cancer cells) and HER2- (immunohistochemistry 0/1+ or negative by in situ hybridization) breast cancer as determined by local laboratory.
  2. Willingness to consent for an archival tumour tissue sample (of advanced disease) to be requested for transfer to the Royal Marsden during study screening for future analysis. Patients without a metastatic biopsy are eligible if archival tumour from the breast primary tumour is available, but only after discussion with the Chief Investigator (see section 7.3.1). (PI assessment that a biopsy is not clinically appropriate will be required as evidence before discussion with the CI).
  3. Previously treated with no more than one prior line of chemotherapy for advanced disease.
  4. Patients eligible according to standard of care for fulvestrant in combination with a CDK4/6 inhibitor (abemaciclib, palbociclib, or ribociclib).
  5. Patients must have progressed on or within 1 month from stopping prior endocrine therapy for advanced disease, or relapsed on or within 12 months of completing adjuvant endocrine therapy.
  6. Measurable disease according to RECIST 1.1 or assessable bone disease (lytic or mixed lytic/sclerotic).
  7. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0, 1, or 2.
  8. Adequate bone marrow, renal, and liver function within 14 days prior to the first study treatment on Day 1 of Cycle 1, defined as:

    • Neutrophils (ANC >= 2000/uL), haemoglobin >= 90 g/L, platelet count >= 100 x 10^9/L
    • Serum albumin >= 3 g/dL
    • Total bilirubin <= 1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN). Patients with known Gilbert syndrome may be enrolled if bilirubin <= 3 times ULN
    • AST and ALT <= 2.5 times ULN. Patients with documented liver or bone metastases may have AST and ALT <= 5 times ULN
    • ALP <= 2 times ULN. Patients with known liver involvement may have ALP <= 5 times ULN. Patients with known bone involvement may have ALP <= 7 times ULN
    • Serum creatinine <= 1.5 times ULN or creatinine clearance >= 50 mL/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula
    • INR < 1.5 times ULN and aPTT < 1.5 times ULN. Patients requiring anticoagulation should receive low-molecular-weight heparin or a direct oral anticoagulant
  9. Fasting glucose <= 150 mg/dL and HbA1c <= 7.5%.
  10. Negative serum pregnancy test at screening for females of childbearing potential.
  11. Patients able to have children must agree to use a highly effective method of contraception (failure rate less than 1% per year) throughout the study and for at least two years after the last dose of fulvestrant and 90 days after the last dose of palbociclib or ipatasertib. Patients must also agree to refrain from donating eggs or sperm during this period.
  12. Pre- or peri-menopausal patients must be treated with licensed GnRH analogues as per standard of care.
  13. Aged 18 years or older.
  14. Written informed consent has been provided, signed and dated.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Prior exposure to adjuvant CDK4/6 inhibitors (abemaciclib, palbociclib, or ribociclib) for early breast cancer less than 12 months (52 weeks or 365 days) prior to breast cancer recurrence.
  2. Prior treatment with fulvestrant for advanced breast cancer.
  3. Prior treatment with an AKT inhibitor, PIK3CA inhibitor, or mTOR inhibitor in any setting.
  4. History of malabsorption syndrome or other condition that would interfere with enteral absorption, or inability or unwillingness to swallow oral medication.
  5. Systemic chemotherapy within 14 days or endocrine therapy within 7 days prior to registration.
  6. Major surgery within 4 weeks prior to registration.
  7. Palliative radiotherapy within 14 days prior to registration.
  8. Known leptomeningeal disease, untreated brain metastases, spinal cord compression, or symptomatic brain metastases requiring steroids.
  9. Clinically significant, uncontrolled cardiac disease or cardiac repolarization abnormality, including but not limited to:

    • Angina pectoris, symptomatic pericarditis, coronary artery bypass graft, or myocardial infarction within 12 months prior to study entry
    • Symptomatic cardiac failure (NYHA class II to IV or LVEF < 50%), uncontrolled hypertension, cardiac dysrhythmia requiring medication, significant or symptomatic bradycardia, long QT syndrome, family history of congenital long QT syndrome or idiopathic sudden death
    • Cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attack within 12 months
    • Known risk factors for prolonged QT interval or Torsade de Pointes
    • Uncorrected hypomagnesaemia or hypokalaemia of Grade 3 or higher
    • Systolic blood pressure > 160 mmHg or < 90 mmHg
    • Resting heart rate < 50 beats per minute
    • Screening QTcF > 470 ms based on the mean of three ECGs
  10. Lung disease including any history of pneumonitis, interstitial lung disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, aspergillosis, active tuberculosis, or opportunistic infections such as pneumocystis pneumonia or cytomegalovirus pneumonia.
  11. Uncontrolled pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, or ascites as judged by the investigator.
  12. Type I or II diabetes requiring insulin therapy.
  13. Use of potent CYP3A4 inducers or inhibitors within 2 weeks or five elimination half-lives (whichever is longer) prior to the first dose of palbociclib with or without ipatasertib.
  14. Known HIV infection or AIDS-related illness.
  15. Active infection requiring systemic therapy.
  16. Known acute or chronic hepatitis B or C infection.

    • Patients with resolved hepatitis B infection (HBsAg negative, HBcAb positive, and HBV DNA negative) are eligible
    • Patients positive for HCV antibody are eligible only if HCV RNA by PCR is negative
  17. Clinically significant liver disease consistent with Child-Pugh class B or C.
  18. Administration of a live vaccine within 4 weeks prior to study entry.
  19. Diagnosis of another malignancy within 5 years, except for adequately treated basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or carcinoma in situ of the breast or cervix.
  20. Participation in another study involving investigational drugs within 4 weeks prior to study entry or during study participation.
  21. Persisting toxicity related to prior therapy greater than Grade 1, except stable peripheral neuropathy Grade 2 or alopecia Grade 2.
  22. Other severe acute or chronic medical condition or laboratory abnormality that may increase the risk associated with study participation or interfere with interpretation of results, including colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, active bowel inflammation (for example diverticulitis), psychiatric illness, recent or active suicidal ideation or behaviour, or end-stage renal disease requiring haemodialysis.
  23. Known allergy or hypersensitivity to ipatasertib, palbociclib, fulvestrant, or any of their components.
  24. Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  25. Requirement for chronic corticosteroid therapy greater than 10 mg prednisolone per day, or equivalent doses of other systemic corticosteroids or immunosuppressants for chronic disease.

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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Palbociclib + Fulvestrant + Ipatasertib (Interventional arm)
Where high ctDNA is detected in screening, patients to be randomised on a 1:1 basis to interventional arm or comparison arm. Patients randomised to interventional arm receive Palbociclib + Fulvestrant + Ipatasertib. n = 87.
Ipatasertib 300mg once daily. Oral administration. Treatment is continuous daily for 21 days, followed by 7 days off, to complete a 28 day cycle.
Other Names:
  • RG7440
Fulvestrant 500mg administered intramuscularly in the buttocks slowly (1-2 minutes per injection) as two 5-mL injections (one in each buttock). Administered days 1 and 15 of Cycle 1. For subsequent cycles, patients will receive fulvestrant as described above in the clinic on Day 1 of each cycle or approximately every 4 weeks.
Other Names:
  • Faslodex
Palboclicib 75mg-125mg once daily, dependent on toxicities. Oral administration. Treatment is continuous daily for 21 days, followed by 7 days off, to complete a 28 day cycle.
Other Names:
  • Ibrance
Active Comparator: Palbociclib + Fulvestrant (Comparison arm)
Where high ctDNA is detected in screening, patients to be randomised on a 1:1 basis to interventional arm or comparison arm. Patients randomised to Comparison arm receive Palbociclib + Fulvestrant. n = 87.
Fulvestrant 500mg administered intramuscularly in the buttocks slowly (1-2 minutes per injection) as two 5-mL injections (one in each buttock). Administered days 1 and 15 of Cycle 1. For subsequent cycles, patients will receive fulvestrant as described above in the clinic on Day 1 of each cycle or approximately every 4 weeks.
Other Names:
  • Faslodex
Palboclicib 75mg-125mg once daily, dependent on toxicities. Oral administration. Treatment is continuous daily for 21 days, followed by 7 days off, to complete a 28 day cycle.
Other Names:
  • Ibrance
Active Comparator: Standard of Care (No ctDNA observational arm)
Where no ctDNA is detected in screening, patients to be allocated to the observational arm and receive standard of care (Abemaciclib / Ribociclib / Palbociclib + fulvestrant). n = 50.
Fulvestrant 500mg administered intramuscularly in the buttocks slowly (1-2 minutes per injection) as two 5-mL injections (one in each buttock). Administered days 1 and 15 of Cycle 1. For subsequent cycles, patients will receive fulvestrant as described above in the clinic on Day 1 of each cycle or approximately every 4 weeks.
Other Names:
  • Faslodex
CDK4/6 inhibitor. As per current standard of care regime for ER+/HER2- breast cancer.
Other Names:
  • Abemaciclib / Ribociclib / Palbociclib
Active Comparator: Standard of Care (Low ctDNA observational arm)
Where low ctDNA is detected in screening, patients to be allocated to the observational arm and receive standard of care (Abemaciclib / Ribociclib / Palbociclib + fulvestrant). n = 100.
Fulvestrant 500mg administered intramuscularly in the buttocks slowly (1-2 minutes per injection) as two 5-mL injections (one in each buttock). Administered days 1 and 15 of Cycle 1. For subsequent cycles, patients will receive fulvestrant as described above in the clinic on Day 1 of each cycle or approximately every 4 weeks.
Other Names:
  • Faslodex
CDK4/6 inhibitor. As per current standard of care regime for ER+/HER2- breast cancer.
Other Names:
  • Abemaciclib / Ribociclib / Palbociclib

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Assess progression free survival (PFS)
Time Frame: Time from date of randomisation until the date of first documented progression or date of death from any cause, whichever comes first, assessed up to 51 months
To compare PFS in patients randomised between SOC palbociclib/fulvestrant + ipatasertib and SOC CDK4/6 inhibitor/fulvestrant alone, in advanced ER+/HER2- breast cancer patients with trackable mutations and high ctDNA after 2 weeks of CDK4/6 inhibitor/fulvestrant.
Time from date of randomisation until the date of first documented progression or date of death from any cause, whichever comes first, assessed up to 51 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
To assess the AEs/SAEs for patients on palbociclib/fulvestrant/ipatasertib compared to palbociclib/fulvestrant alone
Time Frame: 51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
To assess the overall safety and tolerability of standard of care palbociclib/fulvestrant + ipatasertib compared to standard of care CDK4/6 inhibitor/fulvestrant alone. Safety will be evaluated continuously by monitoring adverse events and serious adverse events, graded according to NCI CTCAE Version 5.0. SAEs will be collected from registration until 30 days post last trial treatment administration. AEs will be collected from Cycle 2 day 1 until 30 days post last trial treatment administration.
51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
Assess overall survival
Time Frame: 51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
• To assess Overall Survival (OS) in patients receiving standard of care palbociclib/fulvestrant + ipatasertib compared to SOC CDK4/6 inhibitor/fulvestrant alone.
51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
Assess objective response rate
Time Frame: 51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
• To assess the objective response rate in patients receiving SOC palbociclib/fulvestrant + ipatasertib compared to SOC CDK4/6 inhibitor/fulvestrant alone.
51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
Report progression free survival (PFS) in patients with low ctDNA and high ctDNA
Time Frame: Time from date of randomisation until the date of first documented progression or date of death from any cause, whichever comes first, assessed up to 51 months
• To report progression free survival (PFS) in patients with suppressed ctDNA on standard of care CDK4/6 inhibitor/fulvestrant within the observational arm.
Time from date of randomisation until the date of first documented progression or date of death from any cause, whichever comes first, assessed up to 51 months
Compare progression free survival (PFS) in the subgroup of advanced ER+/HER2- breast cancer patients
Time Frame: Time from date of randomisation until the date of first documented progression or date of death from any cause, whichever comes first, assessed up to 51 months
To report PFS in patients randomised between standard of care palbociclib/fulvestrant + ipatasertib and standard of care CDK4/6 inhibitor/fulvestrant alone, in the subgroup of advanced ER+/HER2- breast cancer patients with PIK3CA/PTEN/AKT1 mutations or PTEN loss.
Time from date of randomisation until the date of first documented progression or date of death from any cause, whichever comes first, assessed up to 51 months

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Report progression-free survival by ctDNA genomic alterations
Time Frame: 51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
• To report progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with genetic alterations identified through ctDNA sequencing data.
51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
Report progression free survival (PFS) in patients with undetectable ctDNA and those with detected ctDNA at C1D1 with and without suppression at C1D15.
Time Frame: 51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
• To report PFS in patients with undetectable ctDNA at Cycle 1 Day 1 and those with detectable ctDNA with and without ctDNA suppression at Day 15.
51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
Report overall survival (OS) by early ctDNA status at C1D1 and C1D15
Time Frame: 51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
To report overall survival (OS) in patients with undetectable ctDNA at C1D1 and in patients with suppressed ctDNA at C1D15.
51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
Evaluate changes in ctDNA in patients with high ctDNA C1D15
Time Frame: 51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
• To evaluate changes in ctDNA and CTC enumeration in patients randomised to standard of care palbociclib/fulvestrant + ipatasertib or standard of care CDK4/6 inhibitor/fulvestrant alone.
51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
Evaluate changes in ctDNA levels and circulating tumor cell (CTC) enumeration in patients with suppressed ctDNA
Time Frame: 51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
To evaluate changes in ctDNA levels and circulating tumor cell (CTC) enumeration in patients with suppressed ctDNA in the observation arm.
51 months (treatment duration + follow-up duration)
Report time to next chemotherapy
Time Frame: From Cycle 1 Day 1 (each cycle is 28 days) until initiation of next chemotherapy, end of of study participation, or study completion, whichever occurs first (up to 51 months)
To report time to next chemotherapy in all study participants.
From Cycle 1 Day 1 (each cycle is 28 days) until initiation of next chemotherapy, end of of study participation, or study completion, whichever occurs first (up to 51 months)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Alicia Okines, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

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.

General Publications

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)

December 28, 2022

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 27, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 3, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

June 10, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 14, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 8, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

The confidentiality of patients participating in this trial will be protected and each participant will be assigned a unique trial number at the point of registration which will be used to identify eCRFs and anything else sent to the sponsor or other third parties. No patient identifiable data will be shared outside of the participating site.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

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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