Jesus Garcia-Donas

Open-label phase II clinical trial of orteronel (TAK-700) in metastatic or advanced non-resectable granulosa cell ovarian tumors: the Greko II study (GETHI2013-01)

Granulosa cell ovarian tumors (GCTs) are a rare neoplasia characterized by a pathognomonic mutation in the FOXL2 gene. In vitro studies have demonstrated an overactivation of hormone activity due to this alteration. Thus, we aimed to determine the activity of orteronel, a CYP17 inhibitor, in advanced disease. We designed a multicentric open-label phase II clinical trial. Eligible patients were adult woman with advanced or unresectable GCTs. Primary objective was clinical benefit rate, defined as the average of patients with radiological response plus stable disease longer than 6 months. From October 1, 2014 to May 20, 2016, ten patients were included in six participating institutions members of the GETTHI group. The study was terminated early due to a low recruitment rate. Up to 40% (CI 95% [9.6-70.4%]) cases presented a disease stabilization longer than 6 months and two of them, longer than 12 months. One patient continued on treatment at database closure 29 months after inclusion in the trial. No patient reached partial or complete response by RECIST criteria on the independent radiological review. The drug was well tolerated with nausea as the only grade 3 adverse event in one case. Low accrual led to an early interruption of the study. However, orteronel achieved a promising clinical benefit rate that supports further development of new hormonotherapies in this tumor. NCT02101684.

Open-label phase II clinical trial of ketoconazole as CYP17 inhibitor in metastatic or advanced non-resectable granulosa cell ovarian tumors: the GREKO (GRanulosa Et KetOconazole) trial, GETHI 2011-03

Granulosa cell ovarian tumor (GCT) is characterized by a pathognomonic mutation in the FOXL2 gene (402 C > G) that leads to an overactivation of steroidogenesis. CYP17 is a key enzyme in such process and can be inhibited by ketoconazole. We designed a phase II clinical trial to assess the efficacy of ketoconazole in advanced GCT and conducted several in vitro studies to support the clinical findings. From October 1st 2012 to January 31st 2014, six evaluable patients were recruited in ten hospitals of the Spanish Group for Transversal Oncology and Research in Orphan and Infrequent Tumors" (GETTHI). FOXL2 (402C > G) mutation was confirmed in three; two cases were wild type and it could not be assessed in one. No objective response by RECIST was observed, but five cases achieved stable disease longer than 12 months. Median progression-free survival was 14.06 months (CI 95% 5.43-22.69) for the whole study population (3.38 and 13.47 months for wild-type cases and 14.06, 20.67 and 26.51 for those with confirmed FOXL2 mutation). Median overall survival was 22·99 months (CI 95% 8.99-36.99). In vitro assays confirmed the activity of ketoconazole in this tumor and suggested potential synergisms with other hormone therapies. Ketoconazole has shown activity in advanced GCT in clinical and in vitro studies. Based on these data, an orphan designation was granted by the European Medicines Agency for ketoconazole in GCT (EU/3/17/1857). NCT01584297.

Development and Validation of the Gene Expression Predictor of High-grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma Molecular SubTYPE (PrOTYPE)

Abstract Purpose: Gene expression–based molecular subtypes of high-grade serous tubo-ovarian cancer (HGSOC), demonstrated across multiple studies, may provide improved stratification for molecularly targeted trials. However, evaluation of clinical utility has been hindered by nonstandardized methods, which are not applicable in a clinical setting. We sought to generate a clinical grade minimal gene set assay for classification of individual tumor specimens into HGSOC subtypes and confirm previously reported subtype-associated features. Experimental Design: Adopting two independent approaches, we derived and internally validated algorithms for subtype prediction using published gene expression data from 1,650 tumors. We applied resulting models to NanoString data on 3,829 HGSOCs from the Ovarian Tumor Tissue Analysis consortium. We further developed, confirmed, and validated a reduced, minimal gene set predictor, with methods suitable for a single-patient setting. Results: Gene expression data were used to derive the predictor of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma molecular subtype (PrOTYPE) assay. We established a de facto standard as a consensus of two parallel approaches. PrOTYPE subtypes are significantly associated with age, stage, residual disease, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and outcome. The locked-down clinical grade PrOTYPE test includes a model with 55 genes that predicted gene expression subtype with >95% accuracy that was maintained in all analytic and biological validations. Conclusions: We validated the PrOTYPE assay following the Institute of Medicine guidelines for the development of omics-based tests. This fully defined and locked-down clinical grade assay will enable trial design with molecular subtype stratification and allow for objective assessment of the predictive value of HGSOC molecular subtypes in precision medicine applications. See related commentary by McMullen et al., p. 5271

Orteronel (TAK-700) in Metastatic or Advanced Non-resectable Granulosa Cell Ovarian Tumors. The Greko II Study.

Granulosa Cell ovarian carcinoma is an infrequent subtype of neoplasia well differentiated from epithelial tumors. They account for 5% of all ovarian malignancies and, with an incidence of 0.4-1.2 cases per 100000 habitants, is considered as a rare disease. Though most cases are identified at initial stages and can be cured through surgical resection, distant recurrences have been documented even 10 years after resecting the primary tumor. At advanced stage it is a lethal disease. Unfortunately because of the low incidence of this disease randomized clinical trials are lacking. In fact current evidence for treatment is provided by case reports, retrospective studies and phase II clinical trials performed one decade ago. Orteronel, a novel, orally active, selective inhibitor of 17,20-lyase, is being developed as an endocrine therapy for relevant hormone-sensitive cancers such as prostate cancer and breast cancer. Orteronel is expected to suppress sex hormone levels in both circulation and relevant hormone-dependent malignant tissue. Since sex hormone overproduction has been demonstrated in granulosa cell ovarian tumors and seems to play a major role in this disease, this study will assess the efficacy or orteronel treating such tumors.

Ketoconazole as Inhibitor of the Enzyme CYP17 in Locally Advanced or Disseminated Granulosa Cell Tumour of Ovary

Our proposal is to conduct an open phase II clinical trial that allows us to explore the activity of ketoconazole, an inhibitor of the enzyme CYP17, in ovarian granulosa tumors similar to what has been done in prostate cancer. The rational is based on dysregulation that FOXL2 mutations present in almost all granulosa tumors result in the expression of CYP17 that appears to be key in the development and progression of the disease. This work would represent the first attempt to address the treatment of ovarian granulosa cancer with a molecular solid rational, drawing on the recent identification of the mutation "leader" of this tumor. If succeed provide a widely available therapeutic alternative compared with current cancer therapies, with low toxicity. In addition it would open a new line of research with CYP17 enzyme inhibitors that could alter the course and outcome, usually fatal, in advanced stages of disease.