1.CDK4/6 inhibitors in breast cancer.
Dukelow T;Kishan D;Khasraw M;Murphy CG Anticancer Drugs. 2015 Sep;26(8):797-806. doi: 10.1097/CAD.0000000000000249.
Deregulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6-retinoblastoma (RB) axis can occur through a number of mechanisms and contributes towards the unrestrained growth witnessed in a variety of cancers including breast cancers. Recent years have seen the development of selective CDK4/6 inhibitors, which have delivered promising preclinical and clinical results in breast cancer and other tumours. A number of trials assessing antitumour efficacy in various disease settings and combinations are ongoing. The cyclin D1-CDK-Rb axis and its role in the cell cycle of normal and cancer cells are delineated. The early pan-CDK inhibitor flavopiridol and subsequent preclinical and clinical development of selective CDK4/6 inhibitors are described. Ongoing studies in breast cancer with novel CDK4/6 inhibitors (palbociclib, abemaciclib and ribociclib) are explored. A literature search of these topics was performed through PubMed. Abstracts from major oncology meetings were also reviewed. Selective CDK4/6 inhibitors, as represented by the competing compounds currently in clinical development, comprise a novel, safe and, thus far, promisingly efficacious group of drugs. Considerable resources are being devoted towards exploring the efficacy of these drugs in combination with endocrine therapies, an approach that has yielded encouraging results and accelerated approval by the US Food and Drugs Administration for one of these agents (palbociclib).
2.Updated results from MONALEESA-2, a phase III trial of first-line ribociclib plus letrozole versus placebo plus letrozole in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer.
Hortobagyi GN;Stemmer SM;Burris HA;Yap YS;Sonke GS;Paluch-Shimon S;Campone M;Petrakova K;Blackwell KL;Winer EP;Janni W;Verma S;Conte P;Arteaga CL;Cameron DA;Mondal S;Su F;Miller M;Elmeliegy M;Germa C;O'Shaughnessy J Ann Oncol. 2018 Jul 1;29(7):1541-1547. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdy155.
Background: ;The phase III MONALEESA-2 study demonstrated significantly prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) and a manageable toxicity profile for first-line ribociclib plus letrozole versus placebo plus letrozole in patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer. Here, we report updated efficacy and safety data, together with exploratory biomarker analyses, from the MONALEESA-2 study.;Patients and methods: ;A total of 668 postmenopausal women with HR+, HER2- recurrent/metastatic breast cancer were randomized (1 : 1; stratified by presence/absence of liver and/or lung metastases) to ribociclib (600 mg/day; 3-weeks-on/1-week-off; 28-day treatment cycles) plus letrozole (2.5 mg/day; continuous) or placebo plus letrozole. The primary end point was locally assessed PFS. The key secondary end point was overall survival (OS). Other secondary end points included overall response rate (ORR) and safety. Biomarker analysis was an exploratory end point.;Results: ;At the time of the second interim analysis, the median duration of follow-up was 26.4 months. Median PFS was 25.3 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 23.
3.CDK4/6 inhibition as maintenance and combination therapy for high grade serous ovarian cancer.
Iyengar M;O'Hayer P;Cole A;Sebastian T;Yang K;Coffman L;Buckanovich RJ Oncotarget. 2018 Feb 26;9(21):15658-15672. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.24585. eCollection 2018 Mar 20.
High grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is a disease with a high relapse rate and poor overall survival despite good initial responses to platinum-based therapy. Cell cycle inhibition with targeted CDK4/6 inhibitors is a new therapeutic approach showing promise as a maintenance therapy in cancer. As multiple genes in the CDK4/6 pathway are commonly mutated or dysregulated in ovarian cancer, we evaluated the efficacy of the CDK4/6 inhibitor Ribociclib alone, in combination with chemotherapy, and as maintenance therapy in several models of HGSOC. Ribociclib restricted cellular proliferation in multiple ovarian cancer cell lines. Restricted proliferation was associated with a pseudo-senescent cellular phenotype; Ribociclib-treated cells expressed markers of senescence, but could rapidly re-enter the cell cycle with discontinuation of therapy. Surprisingly, concurrent Ribociclib and cisplatin therapy followed by Ribociclib maintenance was synergistic. Evaluation of the cell cycle suggested that Ribociclib may also act at the G2/M check point via dephosphorylation of ATR and CHK1. Consistent with this mechanism, Ribociclib demonstrated clear activity in both platinum-resistant and platinum-sensitive tumor models ;in vivo;.