Testing the Combination of the Anti-cancer Drugs ZEN003694 (ZEN-3694) and Talazoparib in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors, The ComBET Trial

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phasePhase 2
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorNational Cancer Institute (NCI)

About this trial

This phase II trial tests whether ZEN003694 (ZEN-3694) in combination with talazoparib works to shrink tumors in patients with solid tumors that are unlikely to be cured or controlled with treatment and that may have spread from where it first started to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body (advanced). Another aim of this study is to find out if, and how, patients' genes influence their response to this specific drug combination. For this part of the study, investigators will run tests using samples of patients' tumor tissue and blood that will be collected during the study. ZEN-3694 is an inhibitor of a family of proteins called the bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET). It may prevent the growth of tumor cells that overproduce BET protein. Talazoparib is an inhibitor of PARP, an enzyme that helps repair deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) when it becomes damaged. Blocking PARP may help keep cancer cells from repairing their damaged DNA, causing them to die. PARP inhibitors are a type of targeted therapy. Genes are pieces of the DNA code that individuals inherit from their parents. Some genes work to protect against cancer by correcting damage that can occur in the DNA when cells divide. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are two examples of these types of genes, and they are called tumor-suppressor genes. For example, if a person has a mutation in a BRCA1/2 gene they have a greatly increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer because their cells may no longer be able to completely repair damaged DNA. It is the accumulation of DNA damage which causes a cell to change into a cancerous cell. Other genes are also involved in this process, and these are called DNA damage repair genes. The KRAS mutation is a change in a protein in normal cells. Normally KRAS serves as an information hub for signals in the cell that lead to cell growth, but when there is a mutation in KRAS it signals too much and cells grow without being told to, which causes cancer. Combination therapy with ZEN-3694 and talazoparib may be effective at slowing or stopping tumor growth in patients with advanced cancer.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Patients must have histologically confirmed malignancy that is metastatic or unresectable and for which standard curative or palliative measures do not exist or are no longer effective

Patients must have a tumor lesion that can be biopsied with 'low' or 'minimal' risk and at least one measurable disease site, as defined by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version (v) 1.1

Note: Tumor lesions that are situated in a previously irradiated area may or may not be considered measurable

Patients in cohorts 1, 2, and 4 should have at least one relevant mutation. Patients enrolled in cohorts 1-3 do not require that PARP inhibitor (i) be the immediate prior therapy to be eligible for the trial. Patients should sign a screening consent that will allow the review of local next generation sequencing (NGS) or equivalent Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA)-certified assay results by MD Anderson's Precision Oncology Decision Support (PODS) team to ensure that the mutations are actionable. No variants of uncertain significance (VUS) will be allowed

Disqualifiers

Patients who are receiving any other investigational agents

History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to ZEN003694 (ZEN-3694) or talazoparib

Patients receiving any medications or substances that are strong inhibitors or inducers of CYP3A4 or P-gp, strong inhibitors of BCRP, sensitive substrates of CYP1A2, proton-pump-inhibitors (H2 antagonists are allowed), and herbal medications/preparations (vitamins are allowed) are ineligible. Strong inhibitors or inducers of CYP3A4 must be discontinued at least 7 days prior to the first dose of ZEN003694 (ZEN-3694). Because the lists of these agents are constantly changing, it is important to regularly consult a frequently-updated medical reference. As part of the enrollment/informed consent procedures, the patient will be counseled on the risk of interactions with other agents, and what to do if new medications need to be prescribed or if the patient is considering a new over-the-counter medicine or herbal product.

Patients with uncontrolled intercurrent illness

Trial design

Design model

Single group

Treatments tested in this trial

  • BET Bromodomain Inhibitor ZEN-3694

    Drug

    Given PO

  • Biopsy Procedure

    Procedure/Surgery

    Undergo tumor biopsy

  • Biospecimen Collection

    Procedure/Surgery

    Undergo blood sample collection

  • Diagnostic Imaging Testing

    Procedure/Surgery

    Undergo diagnostic imaging

  • Talazoparib

    Drug

    Given PO

Treatment groups

88 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment group
Group A: Treatment (ZEN-3694, talazoparib)Experimental treatment 5 interventions

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Objective response rate (ORR)

Systemically assessed per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version (v) 1.1. ORR = complete response + partial response. Complete response is defined as the disappearance of all target or non-target lesions. Partial response is defined as at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the diameters of target or non-target lesions.

Time frame
From initiation of treatment to first response

Secondary outcomes

1

Duration of response

Assessed using RECIST v1.1.

Time frame
Time from documentation of tumor response to disease progression, assessed up to 2 years
2

Clinical benefit rate (CBR)

Assessed by radiographic disease assessments per RECIST v1.1. CBR = overall response + stable disease \> 6 months. Stable disease is defined as neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for PR nor sufficient increase to qualify for progressive disease.

Time frame
Up to 2 years
3

Progression-free survival

Assessed by radiographic disease assessments per RECIST v1.1.

Time frame
From start of treatment to time of progression or death, whichever occurs first, assessed up to 2 years
4

Overall survival

Assessed by radiographic disease assessments per RECIST v1.1.

Time frame
Up to 2 years

Other outcomes

1

Treatment-induced changes in phospho-protein signaling

Reverse phase proteomic array in pre- and on-treatment tumor biopsy samples conducted to assess treatment-induced changes in phospho-protein signaling, to correlate with treatment response and progression, and to assess changes in the levels of cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursor.

Time frame
Up to 2 years
2

Correlation of single nucleotide variant (SNV) and copy number variant (CNV) profiles with treatment response

Whole exome sequencing conducted on pre-treatment biopsy and at progression to correlate SNV and CNV profiles with treatment response.

Time frame
Up to 2 years
3

Gene expression profiling

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing conducted for gene expression profiling.

Time frame
At pre-treatment, on-treatment, and at progression
4

Correlate mutation profiles with tumor sequencing

Using circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) for correlation.

Time frame
Up to 2 years

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