Inhibition of the NOTCH and mTOR pathways by nelfinavir as a novel treatment for T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‑ALL), a neoplasm derived from T cell lineage‑committed lymphoblasts, is characterized by genetic alterations that result in activation of oncogenic transcription factors and the NOTCH1 pathway activation. The NOTCH is a transmembrane receptor protein activated by γ‑secretase. γ‑secretase inhibitors (GSIs) are a NOTCH‑targeted therapy for T‑ALL.

Assessing the Influence of Subsequent Immunotherapy on Overall Survival in Patients with Unresectable Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer from the PACIFIC Study.

Background: Historically, the standard of care for patients with unresectable, Stage III non-small cell lung cancer had been concurrent chemoradiotherapy. However, outcomes had been poor, with approximately 15% to 32% of patients alive at 5 years. In the placebo-controlled Phase III A PACIFIC trial, consolidation treatment with durvalumab after concurrent chemoradiotherapy significantly improved overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival in patients with unresectable, Stage III non-small cell lung cancer, establishing this regimen as a new standard of care in this setting.

Durvalumab After Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Elderly Patients With Unresectable Stage III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (PACIFIC).

Background: The PACIFIC trial demonstrated that consolidation durvalumab significantly improved PFS and OS (the primary endpoints) vs. placebo in patients with unresectable, stage III NSCLC whose disease had not progressed after platinum-based, concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). We report exploratory analyses of outcomes from PACIFIC by age.

Patient-reported outcomes with durvalumab by PD-L1 expression and prior chemoradiotherapy-related variables in unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer.

We retrospectively investigated the impact of tumor PD-L1 expression and prior chemoradiotherapy (CRT)-related variables on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) from PACIFIC. PACIFIC was a Phase III study of durvalumab versus placebo after CRT in patients with unresectable, stage III non-small-cell lung cancer. If available, pre-CRT tumor tissue was tested for PD-L1 tumor-cell expression, scored at prespecified (25%) and (1%) cut-offs.

Nelfinavir Inhibits the Growth of Small-cell Lung Cancer Cells and Patient-derived Xenograft Tumors.

Background/aim: Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is aggressive and confers poor prognosis. Although SCLC shows more response to chemotherapy than other types of lung cancer, it is difficult to cure because of its frequent recurrence. New drugs and molecular targets need to be identified.

Combining Nelfinavir With Chloroquine Inhibits Growth of Human Lung Cancer Xenograft Tumors.

Background/aim: Nelfinavir is a human immunodeficiency virus protease inhibitor that is currently being repositioned as an anticancer drug. Chloroquine, an anti-malarial lysosomotropic drug, inhibits autophagy. It has been reported that the combination of nelfinavir and chloroquine significantly enhances endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and induces selective cell death in multiple cell line models (in vitro).

Impact of prior chemoradiotherapy-related variables on outcomes with durvalumab in unresectable Stage III NSCLC (PACIFIC).

Introduction: The PACIFIC trial demonstrated that durvalumab significantly improved progression-free and overall survival (PFS/OS), versus placebo, in patients with Stage III NSCLC and stable or responding disease following concurrent, platinum-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT). A range of CT and RT regimens were permitted, and used, in the trial. We report post-hoc, exploratory analyses of clinical outcomes from PACIFIC according to CRT-related variables.

Prognostic and Predictive Impact of Circulating Tumor DNA in Patients with Advanced Cancers Treated with Immune Checkpoint Blockade.

The utility of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a biomarker in patients with advanced cancers receiving immunotherapy is uncertain. We therefore analyzed pretreatment ( = 978) and on-treatment ( = 171) ctDNA samples across 16 advanced-stage tumor types from three phase I/II trials of durvalumab (± the anti-CTLA4 therapy tremelimumab). Higher pretreatment variant allele frequencies (VAF) were associated with poorer overall survival (OS) and other known prognostic factors, but not objective response, suggesting a prognostic role for patient outcomes.

Final overall survival and safety update for durvalumab in third- or later-line advanced NSCLC: The phase II ATLANTIC study.

Introduction: In the phase II ATLANTIC study, durvalumab provided durable responses with acceptable tolerability in heavily pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC, across three independent patient cohorts defined by EGFR/ALK status and tumour PD-L1 expression. Preliminary overall survival (OS) data were encouraging. We now report final OS and updated safety data.

Relationship Between Progression-Free Survival, Objective Response Rate, and Overall Survival in Clinical Trials of PD-1/PD-L1 Immune Checkpoint Blockade: A Meta-Analysis.

PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has improved overall survival (OS) in solid tumor trials; however, parallel improvements in Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST)-based surrogate end points, progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR), are not always observed. Here, we assess the surrogacy of PFS/ORR for OS with ICB therapy across advanced/metastatic tumors. In a trial-level analysis (N = 40 randomized trials), PFS, ORR, and OS treatment effects were correlated (Spearman's rho).

A phase IB study of durvalumab with or without tremelimumab and platinum-doublet chemotherapy in advanced solid tumours: Canadian Cancer Trials Group Study IND226.

This multicenter phase Ib study aimed to establish a recommended phase II dose for durvalumab (Du) ± tremelimumab (Tr) in combination with standard platinum-doublet chemotherapy. Eligible patients were enrolled into one of six dose levels (DL) of Du ± Tr which included concomitant treatment with standard platinum-doublet regimens; (pemetrexed, gemcitabine, etoposide, (each with cisplatin or carboplatin) or nab-paclitaxel (with carboplatin)). Dose escalation was according to a Rolling Six type design.

Three-Year Overall Survival with Durvalumab after Chemoradiotherapy in Stage III NSCLC-Update from PACIFIC.

Introduction: In the phase 3 PACIFIC study of patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC without progression after chemoradiotherapy, durvalumab demonstrated significant improvements versus placebo in the primary end points of progression-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.42-65, p < 0.

Patient-reported outcomes with durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy in stage III, unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer (PACIFIC): a randomised, controlled, phase 3 study.

Background: In the ongoing, phase 3 PACIFIC trial, durvalumab improved the primary endpoints of progression-free survival and overall survival compared with that for placebo, with similar safety, in patients with unresectable, stage III non-small-cell lung cancer. In this analysis, we aimed to evaluate one of the secondary endpoints, patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Methods: PACIFIC is an ongoing, international, multicentre, double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.

A phase I/II study of pemetrexed with sirolimus in advanced, previously treated non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Single-agent pemetrexed is a treatment for recurrent non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that provides limited benefit. Preclinical studies showed promising synergistic effects when the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor sirolimus was added to pemetrexed.

Methods: This was a single-institution phase I/II study of pemetrexed in combination with sirolimus.

A Pilot Study of Sirolimus in Subjects with Cowden Syndrome or Other Syndromes Characterized by Germline Mutations in .

Lessons Learned: This is the first human interventional study in patients with Cowden syndrome that is driven by inactivation of germline gene.Single-agent sirolimus, a mTOR inhibitor, suppressed mTOR signaling in surrogate human tissues without significant toxicity.

Background: Cowden syndrome is characterized by inactivating germline mutations, which can lead to activation of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway.

Prognostic Significance of Liver Metastasis in Durvalumab-Treated Lung Cancer Patients.

Introduction: Two clinical studies (Study 1108 and ATLANTIC) were analyzed to evaluate the prognostic value of baseline liver metastases (LMs) in advanced/metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with durvalumab 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks.

Patients And Methods: A multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis was conducted; covariates included performance status, tumor stage, histology, sex, age, smoking status, and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status.

Results: In all, 569 patients were included.

Impact of Patient Characteristics, Prior Therapy, and Sample Type on Tumor Cell Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 Expression in Patients with Advanced NSCLC Screened for the ATLANTIC Study.

Introduction: We evaluated the impact of patient characteristics, sample types, and prior non-immunotherapy treatment on tumor cell (TC) programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression using samples from patients with advanced NSCLC.

Methods: Patients (N = 1590) screened for the ATLANTIC study submitted a recently acquired (≤3 months) or archival (>3 months to >3 years old) tumor sample for PD-L1 assessment using the VENTANA PD-L1 (SP263) Assay with a cutoff of ≥25% of TCs expressing PD-L1 (TC ≥25%). Samples were acquired either before or after the two or more treatment regimens required for study entry and sample age varied among patients.

Overall Survival with Durvalumab after Chemoradiotherapy in Stage III NSCLC.

Background: An earlier analysis in this phase 3 trial showed that durvalumab significantly prolonged progression-free survival, as compared with placebo, among patients with stage III, unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who did not have disease progression after concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Here we report the results for the second primary end point of overall survival.

Methods: We randomly assigned patients, in a 2:1 ratio, to receive durvalumab intravenously, at a dose of 10 mg per kilogram of body weight, or matching placebo every 2 weeks for up to 12 months.

Early Reduction in ctDNA Predicts Survival in Patients with Lung and Bladder Cancer Treated with Durvalumab.

Purpose: Immunotherapy has transformed the treatment of many solid tumors, with some patients deriving long-term benefit, but how to identify such patients remains unclear. Somatic mutations detected in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) from plasma can be an indicator of disease progression, response to therapy, and clonality of primary and metastatic lesions. Hence, ctDNA analysis can provide a valuable noninvasive and tumor-specific marker for longitudinal monitoring of tumor burden.

Durvalumab as third-line or later treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (ATLANTIC): an open-label, single-arm, phase 2 study.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a new standard of care for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without EGFR tyrosine kinase or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genetic aberrations (EGFR-/ALK-), but clinical benefit in patients with EGFR mutations or ALK rearrangements (EGFR+/ALK+) has not been shown. We assessed the effect of durvalumab (anti-PD-L1) treatment in three cohorts of patients with NSCLC defined by EGFR/ALK status and tumour expression of PD-L1.

Methods: ATLANTIC is a phase 2, open-label, single-arm trial at 139 study centres in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Population Pharmacokinetics of Durvalumab in Cancer Patients and Association With Longitudinal Biomarkers of Disease Status.

The objectives of this analysis were to develop a population pharmacokinetics (PK) model of durvalumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody, and quantify the impact of baseline and time-varying patient/disease characteristics on PK. Pooled data from two studies (1,409 patients providing 7,407 PK samples) were analyzed with nonlinear mixed effects modeling. Durvalumab PK was best described by a two-compartment model with both linear and nonlinear clearances.

Rapamycin sensitizes cancer cells to growth inhibition by the PARP inhibitor olaparib.

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) have been developed and tested in a context of combining it with double-stranded (ds) DNA repair defects or inhibitors, as PARP inhibitor impairs single-stranded (ss) DNA break repair, resulting in the activation of the dsDNA break repair machinery. Rapamycin has been widely prescribed for more than a decade and recent studies have revealed that it may inhibit dsDNA break repair. The combination of the PARP inhibitor olaparib and rapamycin synergistically inhibited cell proliferation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, and even in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells with BRCA1 mutations.

Durvalumab after Chemoradiotherapy in Stage III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: Most patients with locally advanced, unresectable, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have disease progression despite definitive chemoradiotherapy (chemotherapy plus concurrent radiation therapy). This phase 3 study compared the anti-programmed death ligand 1 antibody durvalumab as consolidation therapy with placebo in patients with stage III NSCLC who did not have disease progression after two or more cycles of platinum-based chemoradiotherapy.

Methods: We randomly assigned patients, in a 2:1 ratio, to receive durvalumab (at a dose of 10 mg per kilogram of body weight intravenously) or placebo every 2 weeks for up to 12 months.