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Bautista F, Verdú-Amorós J, Geoerger B, Rubio-San-Simón A, Paoletti X, Zwaan CM, Casanova M, Marshall LV, Carceller F, Doz F, Lecinse C, Vassal G, Pearson ADJ, Kearns P, Moreno L. Evolution of the Innovative Therapies for Children With Cancer Consortium Trial Portfolio for Drug Development for Children With Cancer. J Clin Oncol 2024; 42:2516-2526. [PMID: 38743911 DOI: 10.1200/jco.23.01237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of the Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC) consortium is to improve access to novel therapies for children and adolescents with cancer. The evolution of the ITCC clinical trial portfolio since 2003 was reviewed. METHODS All ITCC-labeled phase I/II trials opened between January 1, 2003 and February 3, 2018 were analyzed in two periods (2003-2010 and 2011-2018), and data were extracted from the ITCC database, regulatory agencies' registries, and publications. RESULTS Sixty-one trials (62% industry-sponsored) enrolled 3,198 patients. The number of trials in the second period increased by almost 300% (16 v 45). All biomarker-driven trials (n = 14) were conducted in the second period. The use of rolling six and model-based designs increased (1 of 9, 11% v 21 of 31, 68%), and that of 3 + 3 designs decreased (5 of 9, 55% v 5 of 31, 16%; P = .014). The proportion of studies evaluating chemotherapeutics only decreased (5 of 16, 31% v 4 of 45, 9%), the proportion of single-agent targeted therapies did not change (9 of 16, 56.2% v 24 of 45, 53.3%), the proportion of combination targeted therapies trials increased (2 of 16, 12%, v 17 of 45, 38%), the proportion of randomized phase II trials increased (1 of 7, 14% v 8 of 14, 57%). More trials were part of a pediatric investigation plan in the second period (4 of 16, 25% v 21 of 45, 46%). The median time for Ethics Committees' approvals was 1.7 times longer for academic compared with industry-sponsored trials. CONCLUSION This study reports a shift in the paradigm of early drug development for childhood cancers, with more biologically relevant targets evaluated in biomarker-driven trials or in combination with other therapies and with more model-based or randomized designs and a greater focus on fulfilling regulatory requirements. Improvement of trial setup and recruitment could increase the number of patients benefiting from novel agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Bautista
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospital Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain
- Princess Máxima Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jaime Verdú-Amorós
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospital Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Biomedical Research Institute, INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Birgit Geoerger
- Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology Department, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, INSERM U1015, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Alba Rubio-San-Simón
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospital Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain
| | - Xavier Paoletti
- Institut Curie & Université Versailles St Quentin & INSERM U900 STAMPM, Paris, France
| | - C Michel Zwaan
- Princess Máxima Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michela Casanova
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Lynley V Marshall
- Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology Drug Development, Children & Young People's Unit, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
- Division of Clinical Studies and Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fernando Carceller
- Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology Drug Development, Children & Young People's Unit, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
- Division of Clinical Studies and Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Francois Doz
- SIREDO Cancer Center (Care, Innovation and Research in Pediatric, Adolescents, and Young Adults Oncology), Curie Institute Paris, and University Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Carole Lecinse
- Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Gilles Vassal
- Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Andrew D J Pearson
- Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology Drug Development, Children & Young People's Unit, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pamela Kearns
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Lucas Moreno
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
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Charlab R, Leong R, Shord SS, Reaman GH. Pediatric Cancer Drug Development: Leveraging Insights in Cancer Biology and the Evolving Regulatory Landscape to Address Challenges and Guide Further Progress. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2024; 14:a041656. [PMID: 38467448 PMCID: PMC10982696 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The discovery and development of anticancer drugs for pediatric patients have historically languished when compared to both past and recent activity in drug development for adult patients, notably the dramatic spike of targeted and immune-oncology therapies. The reasons for this difference are multifactorial. Recent changes in the regulatory landscape surrounding pediatric cancer drug development and the understanding that some pediatric cancers are driven by genetic perturbations that also drive disparate adult cancers afford new opportunities. The unique cancer-initiating events and dependencies of many pediatric cancers, however, require additional pediatric-specific strategies. Research efforts to unravel the underlying biology of pediatric cancers, innovative clinical trial designs, model-informed drug development, extrapolation from adult data, addressing the unique considerations in pediatric patients, and use of pediatric appropriate formulations, should all be considered for efficient development and dosage optimization of anticancer drugs for pediatric patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosane Charlab
- Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland 20993, USA
| | - Ruby Leong
- Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland 20993, USA
| | - Stacy S Shord
- Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland 20993, USA
| | - Gregory H Reaman
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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3
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Cheung SYA, Hay JL, Lin YW, de Greef R, Bullock J. Pediatric oncology drug development and dosage optimization. Front Oncol 2024; 13:1235947. [PMID: 38348118 PMCID: PMC10860405 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1235947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Oncology drug discovery and development has always been an area facing many challenges. Phase 1 oncology studies are typically small, open-label, sequential studies enrolling a small sample of adult patients (i.e., 3-6 patients/cohort) in dose escalation. Pediatric evaluations typically lag behind the adult development program. The pediatric starting dose is traditionally referenced on the recommended phase 2 dose in adults with the incorporation of body size scaling. The size of the study is also small and dependent upon the prevalence of the disease in the pediatric population. Similar to adult development, the dose is escalated or de-escalated until reaching the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) that also provides desired biological activities or efficacy. The escalation steps and identification of MTD are often rule-based and do not incorporate all the available information, such as pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamic (PD), tolerability and efficacy data. Therefore, it is doubtful if the MTD approach is optimal to determine the dosage. Hence, it is important to evaluate whether there is an optimal dosage below the MTD, especially considering the emerging complexity of combination therapies and the long-term tolerability and safety of the treatments. Identification of an optimal dosage is also vital not only for adult patients but for pediatric populations as well. Dosage-finding is much more challenging for pediatric populations due to the limited patient population and differences among the pediatric age range in terms of maturation and ontogeny that could impact PK. Many sponsors defer the pediatric strategy as they are often perplexed by the challenges presented by pediatric oncology drug development (model of action relevancy to pediatric population, budget, timeline and regulatory requirements). This leads to a limited number of approved drugs for pediatric oncology patients. This review article provides the current regulatory landscape, incentives and how they impact pediatric drug discovery and development. We also consider different pediatric cancers and potential clinical trial challenges/opportunities when designing pediatric clinical trials. An outline of how quantitative methods such as pharmacometrics/modelling & simulation can support the dosage-finding and justification is also included. Finally, we provide some reflections that we consider helpful to accelerate pediatric drug discovery and development.
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4
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Suthapot P, Chiangjong W, Chaiyawat P, Choochuen P, Pruksakorn D, Sangkhathat S, Hongeng S, Anurathapan U, Chutipongtanate S. Genomics-Driven Precision Medicine in Pediatric Solid Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15051418. [PMID: 36900212 PMCID: PMC10000495 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15051418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past decades, several study programs have conducted genetic testing in cancer patients to identify potential genetic targets for the development of precision therapeutic strategies. These biomarker-driven trials have demonstrated improved clinical outcomes and progression-free survival rates in various types of cancers, especially for adult malignancies. However, similar progress in pediatric cancers has been slow due to their distinguished mutation profiles compared to adults and the low frequency of recurrent genomic alterations. Recently, increased efforts to develop precision medicine for childhood malignancies have led to the identification of genomic alterations and transcriptomic profiles of pediatric patients which presents promising opportunities to study rare and difficult-to-access neoplasms. This review summarizes the current state of known and potential genetic markers for pediatric solid tumors and provides perspectives on precise therapeutic strategies that warrant further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praewa Suthapot
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Department of Biomedical Science and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
- Center of Multidisciplinary Technology for Advanced Medicine (CMUTEAM), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Wararat Chiangjong
- Pediatric Translational Research Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Parunya Chaiyawat
- Center of Multidisciplinary Technology for Advanced Medicine (CMUTEAM), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
- Musculoskeletal Science and Translational Research Center, Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Pongsakorn Choochuen
- Department of Biomedical Science and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
| | - Dumnoensun Pruksakorn
- Center of Multidisciplinary Technology for Advanced Medicine (CMUTEAM), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
- Musculoskeletal Science and Translational Research Center, Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Surasak Sangkhathat
- Department of Biomedical Science and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
| | - Suradej Hongeng
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Usanarat Anurathapan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Correspondence: (U.A.); or (S.C.)
| | - Somchai Chutipongtanate
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
- Correspondence: (U.A.); or (S.C.)
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Bouazza N, Dokoumetzidis A, Knibbe CAJ, de Wildt SN, Ambery C, De Cock PA, Gasthuys E, Foissac F, Urien S, Hamberg AK, Poggesi I, Zhao W, Vermeulen A, Standing JF, Tréluyer JM. General clinical and methodological considerations on the extrapolation of pharmacokinetics and optimization of study protocols for small molecules and monoclonal antibodies in children. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2022; 88:4985-4996. [PMID: 36256514 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.15571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacometric modelling plays a key role in both the design and analysis of regulatory trials in paediatric drug development. Studies in adults provide a rich source of data to inform the paediatric investigation plans, including knowledge on drug pharmacokinetics (PK), safety and efficacy. In children, drug disposition differs widely from birth to adolescence but extrapolating adult to paediatric PK, safety and efficacy either with pharmacometric or physiologically based approaches can help design or in some cases reduce the need for clinical studies. Aspects to consider when extrapolating PK include the maturation of drug metabolizing enzyme expression, glomerular filtration, drug excretory systems, and the expression and activity of specific transporters in conjunction with other drug properties such as fraction unbound. Knowledge of these can be used to develop extrapolation tools such as allometric scaling plus maturation functions or physiologically based PK. PK/pharmacodynamic approaches and well-designed clinical trials in children are of key importance in paediatric drug development. In this white paper, state-of-the-art of current methods used for paediatric extrapolation will be discussed. This paper is part of a conect4children implementation of innovative methodologies including pharmacometric and physiologically based PK modelling in clinical trial design/paediatric drug development through dissemination of expertise and expert advice. The suggestions arising from this white paper should define a minimum set of standards in paediatric modelling and contribute to the regulatory science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naïm Bouazza
- Pediatric and Perinatal Drug Evaluation and Pharmacology, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Unité de Recherche Clinique Université Paris Cité Necker-Cochin, AP-HP, Paris, France.,CIC-1419 Inserm, Cochin-Necker, Paris, France
| | | | - Catherijne A J Knibbe
- Division of Systems Biomedicine and Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Pharmacy, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia N de Wildt
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Intensive Care and Paediatric Surgery, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Claire Ambery
- Clinical Pharmacology Modelling and Simulation, GlaxoSmithKline plc, London, UK
| | - Pieter A De Cock
- Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Pharmacy, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Pediatric Intensive Care, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Elke Gasthuys
- Department of Bioanalysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Frantz Foissac
- Pediatric and Perinatal Drug Evaluation and Pharmacology, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Unité de Recherche Clinique Université Paris Cité Necker-Cochin, AP-HP, Paris, France.,CIC-1419 Inserm, Cochin-Necker, Paris, France
| | - Saïk Urien
- Pediatric and Perinatal Drug Evaluation and Pharmacology, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Unité de Recherche Clinique Université Paris Cité Necker-Cochin, AP-HP, Paris, France.,CIC-1419 Inserm, Cochin-Necker, Paris, France
| | - Anna-Karin Hamberg
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Italo Poggesi
- Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Janssen Research & Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Wei Zhao
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China.,Clinical Research Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - An Vermeulen
- Department of Bioanalysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Joseph F Standing
- Infection, Inflammation and Immunology, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.,Department of Pharmacy, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
| | - Jean-Marc Tréluyer
- Pediatric and Perinatal Drug Evaluation and Pharmacology, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Unité de Recherche Clinique Université Paris Cité Necker-Cochin, AP-HP, Paris, France.,CIC-1419 Inserm, Cochin-Necker, Paris, France
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6
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Schafer ES, Chao K, Stevens AM, Jo E, Hilsenbeck SG, Gossai NP, Doan A, Colace SI, Guinipero T, Otterson D, Kaplan JA, Hinson A, Pommert L, Wayne AS, Bhojwani D, Burke MJ. Real-world experience in treating pediatric relapsed/refractory or therapy-related myeloid malignancies with decitabine, vorinostat, and FLAG therapy based on a phase 1 study run by the TACL consortium. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2022; 69:e29812. [PMID: 35726868 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Current therapies for relapsed/refractory (R/R) pediatric myeloid neoplasms are inadequately effective. Real-world data (RWD) can improve care by augmenting traditional studies and include individuals not eligible for clinical trials. The Therapeutic Advances in Childhood Leukemia and Lymphoma (TACL) consortium recently completed T2016-003, a phase 1 study of decitabine, vorinostat, fludarabine, cytarabine, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in R/R acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which added epigenetic drugs to a cytotoxic backbone. We report results of RWD from six centers that treated 28 pediatric patients (26 with AML, two with other myeloid neoplasms) identically to the TACL study but who were not enrolled. This allowed unique analyses and the ability to compare data with the 35 TACL study patients. The overall response rate (ORR) (complete response [CR] plus CR with incomplete count recovery) among 26 RWD evaluable patients was 65%. The ORR of 13 patients with relapsed AML with epigenetic alterations was 69% (T2016-003 + RWD: 68%, n = 25), of eight patients with refractory AML was 38% (T2016-003 + RWD: 41%, n = 17) and of five patients with therapy-related AML (t-AML) was 80% (T2016-003 + RWD: 75%, n = 8). The mean number of Grade 3/4 toxicities experienced by the T2016-003-eligible RWD population (n = 22) (one per patient-cycle) was not meaningfully different than those (n = 6) who would have been TACL study-ineligible secondary to comorbidities (two per patient-cycle). Overall, this therapy was well tolerated and effective in pediatric patients with R/R myeloid neoplasms, particularly those with epigenetic alterations, t-AML, and refractory disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S Schafer
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.,Texas Children's Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Karen Chao
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Alexandra M Stevens
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.,Texas Children's Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Eunji Jo
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Nathan P Gossai
- Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases, Children's Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Andrew Doan
- Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | | | | | - Joel A Kaplan
- Levine Children's Hospital/Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ashley Hinson
- Levine Children's Hospital/Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lauren Pommert
- Division of Oncology, Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Alan S Wayne
- Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Deepa Bhojwani
- Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Dooms M, Saesen R, Steemans I, Lansens J, Huys I. Characteristics of Early Phase Clinical Trials for Rare Cancers: Insights From Interviews With Stakeholders. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:775217. [PMID: 35586057 PMCID: PMC9108391 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.775217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Rare cancers occur with an incidence of no more than six cases per 100,000 people according to the definition used by the Surveillance of Rare Cancers in Europe project. For a variety of reasons (low prevalence, cytotoxicity), it is challenging to perform the necessary clinical studies to investigate the safety and efficacy of investigational medicines against such rare malignancies, reformulating even at the earliest stages of the drug development process. This article investigates the differences between phase I rare cancer trials performed in commercial (companies) and non-commercial settings (academic hospitals).Materials and Methods: The differences were explored through the conduct of semi-structured interviews with three different stakeholder groups: representatives from academia (n = 7), representatives from companies (n = 4) and representatives from patient organizations (n = 4). All the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed in NVivo using the framework method.Results: According to the interviewees, the academic and commercial stakeholders collaborate in the majority of phase I rare cancer trials. In general, the commercial partner finances the trial, whereas academia is responsible for the execution of the study procedures. The average cost of undertaking these trials is difficult to estimate because it depends on what is specifically requested during the trial. The 3 + 3 study design remains the most widely used design and the use of expansion cohorts is controversial. With regard to the regulatory aspects of phase I rare cancer trials, it was expressed that a good regulatory framework facilitates the conduct of these studies, but that increased regulation and oversight also has drawbacks, e.g., differences in standards between different ethics committees, over interpretation of the rules, insufficient availability of qualified personnel and higher workloads. The patient organization representatives claimed that patients experience no differences in terms of accommodation, compensation and paperwork between the academic and commercial settings or the degree of follow-up. They also believed that the direct input of patients can bring added value to such studies not only with regard to the recruitment process and the feasibility of the study but also the legibility of the informed consent forms.Conclusion: The growing need for first-in-man trials in rare malignancies needs to be highlighted, as difficult as they are to undertake and to co-develop, not only because rare cancer patients deserve an appropriate treatment, but also because these medicines represent the future of cancer therapy in the precision medicine era. Cooperation of commercial and academic sites are needed. Patient organizations need to be educated to take part in this process.
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8
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Robinson C, Xu MM, Nair SK, Beasley GM, Rhodin KE. Oncolytic viruses in melanoma. FRONT BIOSCI-LANDMRK 2022; 27:63. [PMID: 35227006 PMCID: PMC9888358 DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2702063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Malignant melanoma recurrence remains heterogeneous in presentation, ranging from locoregional disease (i.e., local recurrence, satellites, in transit disease) to distant dermal and visceral metastases. This diverse spectrum of disease requires a personalized approach to management and has resulted in the development of both local (e.g., surgery, radiation, intralesional injection) and systemic (intravenous or oral) treatment strategies. Intralesional agents such as oncolytic viruses may also evoke local immune stimulation to induce and enhance the antitumor immune response. Further, it is hypothesized that these oncolytic viruses may convert immunologically "cold" tumors to more reactive "hot" tumor microenvironments and thereby overcome anti-PD-1 therapy resistance. Currently, talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC), a modified herpes virus, is FDA-approved in this population, with many other oncolytic viruses under investigation in both preclinical and trial settings. Herein, we detail the scientific rationale, current landscape, and future directions of oncolytic viruses in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria M Xu
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Smita K Nair
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Georgia M Beasley
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Kristen E Rhodin
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA,Correspondence: (Kristen Rhodin)
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Barry E, Walsh JA, Weinrich SL, Beaupre D, Blasi E, Arenson DR, Jacobs IA. Navigating the Regulatory Landscape to Develop Pediatric Oncology Drugs: Expert Opinion Recommendations. Paediatr Drugs 2021; 23:381-394. [PMID: 34173206 PMCID: PMC8275539 DOI: 10.1007/s40272-021-00455-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Regulatory changes have been enacted in the United States (US) and European Union (EU) to encourage the development of new treatments for pediatric cancer. Here, we review some of the factors that have hampered the development of pediatric cancer treatments and provide a comparison of the US and EU regulations implemented to address this clinical need. We then provide some recommendations for each stage of the oncology drug development pathway to help researchers maximize their chance of successful drug development while complying with regulations. A key recommendation is the engagement of key stakeholders such as regulatory authorities, pediatric oncologists, academic researchers, patient advocacy groups, and a Pediatric Expert Group early in the drug development process. During drug target selection, sponsors are encouraged to consult the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the FDA target list, in addition to relevant US and European consortia that have been established to characterize and prioritize oncology drug targets. Sponsors also need to carefully consider the resourcing requirements for preclinical testing, which include ensuring appropriate access to the most relevant databases, clinical samples, and preclinical models (cell lines and animal models). During clinical development, sponsors can account for the pharmacodynamic (PD)/pharmacokinetic (PK) considerations specific to a pediatric population by developing pediatric formulations, selecting suitable PD endpoints, and employing sparse PK sampling or modeling/simulation of drug exposures where appropriate. Additional clinical considerations include the specific design of the clinical trial, the potential inclusion of children in adult trials, and the value of cooperative group trials.
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Rogers JR, Liu C, Hripcsak G, Cheung YK, Weng C. Comparison of Clinical Characteristics Between Clinical Trial Participants and Nonparticipants Using Electronic Health Record Data. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e214732. [PMID: 33825838 PMCID: PMC8027910 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.4732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Assessing generalizability of clinical trials is important to ensure appropriate application of interventions, but most assessments provide minimal granularity on comparisons of clinical characteristics. OBJECTIVE To assess the extent of underlying clinical differences between clinical trial participants and nonparticipants by using a combination of electronic health record and trial enrollment data. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional study used data obtained from a single academic medical center between September 1996 and January 2019 to identify 1645 clinical trial participants from a diverse set of 202 available trials conducted at the center. Using an aggregated resampling procedure, nonparticipants were matched to participants 1:1 based on trial conditions, number of recent visits to a health care professional, and calendar time. EXPOSURES Clinical trial enrollment vs no enrollment. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was standardized differences in clinical characteristics between participants and nonparticipants in clinical trials stratified into the 4 most common disease domains. RESULTS This cross-sectional study included 1645 participants from 202 trials (929 [56.5%] male; mean [SD] age, 54.65 [21.38] years) and an aggregated set of 1645 nonparticipants (855 [52.0%] male; mean [SD] age, 57.24 [21.91] years). The most common disease domains for the selected trials were neoplastic disease (86 trials; 737 participants), disorders of the digestive system (31 trials; 321 participants), inflammatory disorders (28 trials; 276 participants), and disorders of the cardiovascular system (27 trials; 319 participants); trials could qualify for multiple disease domains. Among 31 conditions, the percentage of conditions for which the prevalence was lower among participants than among nonparticipants per standardized differences was 64.5% (20 conditions) for neoplastic disease trials, 61.3% (19) for digestive system trials, 58.1% (18) for inflammatory disorder trials, and 38.7% (12) for cardiovascular system trials. Among 17 medications, the percentage of medications for which use was less among participants than among nonparticipants per standardized differences was 64.7% (11) for neoplastic disease trials, 58.8% (10) for digestive system trials, 88.2% (15) for inflammatory disorder trials, and 52.9% (9) for cardiovascular system trials. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Using a combination of electronic health record and trial enrollment data, this study found that clinical trial participants had fewer comorbidities and less use of medication than nonparticipants across a variety of disease domains. Combining trial enrollment data with electronic health record data may be useful for better understanding of the generalizability of trial results.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R. Rogers
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Cong Liu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - George Hripcsak
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, New York
- Medical Informatics Services, New York–Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York
| | - Ying Kuen Cheung
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Chunhua Weng
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, New York
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11
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Laetsch TW, DuBois SG, Bender JG, Macy ME, Moreno L. Opportunities and Challenges in Drug Development for Pediatric Cancers. Cancer Discov 2021; 11:545-559. [PMID: 33277309 PMCID: PMC7933059 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-20-0779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The use of targeted small-molecule therapeutics and immunotherapeutics has been limited to date in pediatric oncology. Recently, the number of pediatric approvals has risen, and regulatory initiatives in the United States and Europe have aimed to increase the study of novel anticancer therapies in children. Challenges of drug development in children include the rarity of individual cancer diagnoses and the high prevalence of difficult-to-drug targets, including transcription factors and epigenetic regulators. Ongoing pediatric adaptation of biomarker-driven trial designs and further exploration of agents targeting non-kinase drivers constitute high-priority objectives for future pediatric oncology drug development. SIGNIFICANCE: Increasing attention to drug development for children with cancer by regulators and pharmaceutical companies holds the promise of accelerating the availability of new therapies for children with cancer, potentially improving survival and decreasing the acute and chronic toxicities of therapy. However, unique approaches are necessary to study novel therapies in children that take into account low patient numbers, the pediatric cancer genomic landscape and tumor microenvironment, and the need for pediatric formulations. It is also critical to evaluate the potential for unique toxicities in growing hosts without affecting the pace of discovery for children with these life-threatening diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore W Laetsch
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and Abramson Cancer Center and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Steven G DuBois
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Margaret E Macy
- Children's Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado
| | - Lucas Moreno
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
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12
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Nader JH, Neel DV, Shulman DS, Ma C, Bourgeois F, DuBois SG. Landscape of phase 1 clinical trials for minors with cancer in the United States. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2020; 67:e28694. [PMID: 32886429 PMCID: PMC7896417 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.28694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Understanding trends in characteristics of early phase trials that allow minors with cancer to participate may inform additional efforts to improve cancer drug development for young people. METHODS We accessed data for oncology phase 1 or phase 1/2 trials in the United States from ClinicalTrials.gov with lower age bound for eligibility <18 years. Descriptive statistics were calculated and trends over time evaluated using logistic and multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS Six hundred twelve trials met inclusion criteria. Sixty-five percent of trials were for older adults that also allowed minors, while 9% were exclusively for patients ≤18 years of age. Eighty-three percent of trials included at least one novel agent, while 17% studied only conventional therapies. Fifty-eight percent of trials studied treatments not yet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved (48% if exclusively for patients ≤18 years). Fifteen percent of trials for which dose-escalation method could be determined, utilized a model-based design. Eighteen percent of all trials were industry sponsored (48% if exclusively for patients ≤18 years). Forty-nine percent of all trials were multicenter (69% if exclusively for patients ≤18 years). There was an increase in trials exclusively focused on patients with central nervous system (CNS) tumors over the study period (P ≤ .02). No other temporal trends were seen. The median times from first-in-adult to first-in-pediatric for monotherapy and combination trials were 5.7 and 3.3 years, respectively. CONCLUSION The paucity of clear temporal trends highlights the need for innovation in early drug development for young people. Our analysis serves as a benchmark against which to evaluate initiatives to improve pediatric cancer drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclynne H. Nader
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | | | - David S. Shulman
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Clement Ma
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Florence Bourgeois
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, Pediatric Therapeutics and Regulatory Science Initiative, Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Steven G. DuBois
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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13
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Kattner P, Strobel H, Khoshnevis N, Grunert M, Bartholomae S, Pruss M, Fitzel R, Halatsch ME, Schilberg K, Siegelin MD, Peraud A, Karpel-Massler G, Westhoff MA, Debatin KM. Compare and contrast: pediatric cancer versus adult malignancies. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2020; 38:673-682. [PMID: 31832830 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-019-09836-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a leading cause of death in both adults and children, but in terms of absolute numbers, pediatric cancer is a relatively rare disease. The rarity of pediatric cancer is consistent with our current understanding of how adult malignancies form, emphasizing the view of cancer as a genetic disease caused by the accumulation and selection of unrepaired mutations over time. However, considering those children who develop cancer merely as stochastically "unlucky" does not fully explain the underlying aetiology, which is distinct from that observed in adults. Here, we discuss the differences in cancer genetics, distribution, and microenvironment between adult and pediatric cancers and argue that pediatric tumours need to be seen as a distinct subset with their own distinct therapeutic challenges. While in adults, the benefit of any treatment should outweigh mostly short-term complications, potential long-term effects have a much stronger impact in children. In addition, clinical trials must cope with low participant numbers when evaluating novel treatment strategies, which need to address the specific requirements of children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Kattner
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Eythstrasse 24, 89075, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hannah Strobel
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Eythstrasse 24, 89075, Ulm, Germany
| | - Nika Khoshnevis
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Eythstrasse 24, 89075, Ulm, Germany
| | - Michael Grunert
- Department of Radiology, German Armed Forces Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stephan Bartholomae
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Eythstrasse 24, 89075, Ulm, Germany
| | - Maximilian Pruss
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Rahel Fitzel
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Eythstrasse 24, 89075, Ulm, Germany
| | | | | | - Markus D Siegelin
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aurelia Peraud
- Pediatric Neurosurgery Section, Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Mike-Andrew Westhoff
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Eythstrasse 24, 89075, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Klaus-Michael Debatin
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Eythstrasse 24, 89075, Ulm, Germany
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We provide an overview of the current landscape of drug development relevant to childhood cancers. We present recent and ongoing efforts to identify therapeutic targets in pediatric cancers. We describe efforts to improve the approach to clinical trials and highlight the role regulatory changes and multistakeholder platforms play in advancing pediatric cancer drug development. RECENT FINDINGS Expanding knowledge of the genetic landscape of pediatric malignancies through clinical genomics studies has yielded an increasing number of potential targets for intervention. In parallel, new therapies for children with cancer have shifted from cytotoxic agents to targeted therapy, with examples of striking activity in patients with tumors driven by oncogenic kinase fusions. Innovative trial designs and recent governmental policies provide opportunities for accelerating development of targeted therapies in pediatric oncology. SUMMARY Novel treatment strategies in pediatric oncology increasingly utilize molecularly targeted agents either as monotherapy or in combination with conventional cytotoxic agents. The interplay between new target identification, efforts to improve clinical trial design and new government regulations relevant to pediatric cancer drug development has the potential to advance novel agents into frontline care of children with cancer.
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15
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Aspeslagh S, Morel D, Soria JC, Postel-Vinay S. Epigenetic modifiers as new immunomodulatory therapies in solid tumours. Ann Oncol 2019; 29:812-824. [PMID: 29432557 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdy050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Immune therapies have revolutionized cancer treatment over the last few years by allowing improvements in overall survival. However, the majority of patients is still primary or secondary resistant to such therapies, and enhancing sensitivity to immune therapies is therefore crucial to improve patient outcome. Several recent lines of evidence suggest that epigenetic modifiers have intrinsic immunomodulatory properties, which could be of therapeutic interest. Material and methods We reviewed preclinical evidence and clinical studies which describe or exploit immunomodulatory properties of epigenetic agents. Experimental approaches, clinical applicability and corresponding ongoing clinical trials are described. Results Several epigenetic modifiers, such as histone deacetylase inhibitors, DNA methyl transferase inhibitors, bromodomain inhibitors, lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 inhibitors and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 inhibitors, display intrinsic immunomodulatory properties. The latter can be achieved through the action of these drugs either on cancer cells (e.g. presentation and generation of neoantigens, induction of immunogenic cell death, modulation of cytokine secretion), on immune cells (e.g. linage, differentiation, activation status and antitumor capability), or on components of the microenvironment (e.g. regulatory T cells and macrophages). Several promising combinations, notably with immune checkpoint blockers or adoptive T-cell therapy, can be envisioned. Dedicated clinically relevant approaches for patient selection and trial design will be required to optimally develop such combinations. Conclusion In an era where immune therapies are becoming a treatment backbone in many tumour types, epigenetic modifiers could play a crucial role in modulating tumours' immunogenicity and sensitivity to immune agents. Optimal trial design, including window of opportunity trials, will be key in the success of this approach, and clinical evaluation is ongoing.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Aspeslagh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Jules Bordet - ULB, Brussels, Belgium
| | - D Morel
- INSERM, UMR981, Villejuif, France
| | - J-C Soria
- INSERM, UMR981, Villejuif, France; Drug Development Department (DITEP, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - S Postel-Vinay
- INSERM, UMR981, Villejuif, France; Drug Development Department (DITEP, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France.
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16
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Practical considerations for the implementation of adaptive designs for oncology Phase I dose-finding trials. FUTURE DRUG DISCOVERY 2019; 1:FDD18. [PMID: 31656956 PMCID: PMC6811732 DOI: 10.4155/fdd-2019-0021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The traditional 3 + 3 design continues to be commonly used for Phase I dose-finding oncology trials, despite increasing criticisms and development of innovative methods. Unfortunately, it is a challenge to convince principal investigators to use novel designs. The goal of this paper is to persuade researchers to break away from 3 + 3 design and provide potential solutions to better designs and implementation strategy. We reviewed the statistical methods for adaptive Phase I designs. The barriers among all the major components of the implementation team have been emphasized and potential solutions have been discussed. Institutional support to the principal investigators and statistician, as well as to other team members is essential to design and implement adaptive trials in academic medical institutions.
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17
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Guo W, Ji Y, Li D. R-TPI: rolling toxicity probability interval design to shorten the duration and maintain safety of phase I trials. J Biopharm Stat 2019; 29:411-424. [PMID: 30744484 DOI: 10.1080/10543406.2019.1577683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
To shorten trial duration and improve safety of Phase I trials, we propose R-TPI, a rolling enrollment design that combines the features in model-based designs such as mTPI-2 and rule-based designs such as rolling six. R-TPI employs a novel rolling enrollment scheme, which allows concurrent patient enrollment that is faster than cohort-based enrollment. Bench-marking against rolling six, we find that the R-TPI design is as fast in completing clinical trials but with fewer toxicity events and higher chance of finding the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in the single scenario laid out in the 2008 rolling six publication. We also find that in a broad setting involving multiple scenarios, R-TPI is generally faster, safer, and more reliable than standard designs. R-TPI is a general design that can be applied to adult and pediatric Phase I trials. It reduces the length of trial duration, leads to safer trials with fewer toxicity events, and maintains relatively a high chance of identifying the MTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentian Guo
- a Laiya Consulting, Inc ., Wilmette , Illinois , USA
| | - Yuan Ji
- a Laiya Consulting, Inc ., Wilmette , Illinois , USA.,b Research Institute , NorthShore University HealthSystem , Evanston , Illinois , USA
| | - Daniel Li
- c Biostatistics Department , Juno Therapeutics , Seattle , Washington , USA
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18
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Yuan Y, Lin R, Li D, Nie L, Warren KE. Time-to-Event Bayesian Optimal Interval Design to Accelerate Phase I Trials. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 24:4921-4930. [PMID: 29769209 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-0246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Late-onset toxicity is common for novel molecularly targeted agents and immunotherapy. It causes major logistic difficulty for existing adaptive phase I trial designs, which require the observance of toxicity early enough to apply dose-escalation rules for new patients. The same logistic difficulty arises when the accrual is rapid. We propose the time-to-event Bayesian optimal interval (TITE-BOIN) design to accelerate phase I trials by allowing for real-time dose assignment decisions for new patients while some enrolled patients' toxicity data are still pending. Similar to the rolling six design, the TITE-BOIN dose-escalation/deescalation rule can be tabulated before the trial begins, making it transparent and simple to implement, but is more flexible in choosing the target dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) rate and has higher accuracy to identify the MTD. Compared with the more complicated model-based time-to-event continuous reassessment method (TITE-CRM), the TITE-BOIN has comparable accuracy to identify the MTD but is simpler to implement with substantially better overdose control. As the TITE-CRM is more aggressive in dose escalation, it is less likely to underdose patients. When there are no pending data, the TITE-BOIN seamlessly reduces to the BOIN design. Numerical studies show that the TITE-BOIN design supports continuous accrual without sacrificing patient safety or the accuracy of identifying the MTD, and therefore has great potential to accelerate early-phase drug development. Clin Cancer Res; 24(20); 4921-30. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Yuan
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
| | - Ruitao Lin
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,Key Laboratory for Applied Statistics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Daniel Li
- Juno Therapeutics, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Lei Nie
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Katherine E Warren
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
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Waligora M, Bala MM, Koperny M, Wasylewski MT, Strzebonska K, Jaeschke RR, Wozniak A, Piasecki J, Sliwka A, Mitus JW, Polak M, Nowis D, Fergusson D, Kimmelman J. Risk and surrogate benefit for pediatric Phase I trials in oncology: A systematic review with meta-analysis. PLoS Med 2018; 15:e1002505. [PMID: 29462168 PMCID: PMC5819765 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric Phase I cancer trials are critical for establishing the safety and dosing of anti-cancer treatments in children. Their implementation, however, must contend with the rarity of many pediatric cancers and limits on allowable risk in minors. The aim of this study is to describe the risk and benefit for pediatric cancer Phase I trials. METHODS AND FINDINGS Our protocol was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD42015015961). We systematically searched Embase and PubMed for solid and hematological malignancy Phase I pediatric trials published between 1 January 2004 and 1 March 2015. We included pediatric cancer Phase I studies, defined as "small sample size, non‑randomized, dose escalation studies that defined the recommended dose for subsequent study of a new drug in each schedule tested." We measured risk using grade 3, 4, and 5 (fatal) drug-related adverse events (AEs) and benefit using objective response rates. When possible, data were meta-analyzed. We identified 170 studies meeting our eligibility criteria, accounting for 4,604 patients. The pooled overall objective response rate was 10.29% (95% CI 8.33% to 12.25%), and was lower in solid tumors, 3.17% (95% CI 2.62% to 3.72%), compared with hematological malignancies, 27.90% (95% CI 20.53% to 35.27%); p < 0.001. The overall fatal (grade 5) AE rate was 2.09% (95% CI 1.45% to 2.72%). Across the 4,604 evaluated patients, there were 4,675 grade 3 and 4 drug-related AEs, with an average grade 3/4 AE rate per person equal to 1.32. Our study had the following limitations: trials included in our review were heterogeneous (to minimize heterogeneity, we separated types of therapy and cancer types), and we relied on published data only and encountered challenges with the quality of reporting. CONCLUSIONS Our meta-analysis suggests that, on the whole, AE and response rates in pediatric Phase I trials are similar to those in adult Phase I trials. Our findings provide an empirical basis for the refinement and review of pediatric Phase I trials, and for communication about their risk and benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Waligora
- Research Ethics in Medicine Study Group (REMEDY), Department of Philosophy and Bioethics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Malgorzata M. Bala
- Department of Hygiene and Dietetics, Chair of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
- * E-mail: (MMB); (JK)
| | - Magdalena Koperny
- Research Ethics in Medicine Study Group (REMEDY), Department of Philosophy and Bioethics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Public Health and Health Promotion, Regional Sanitary-Epidemiological Station in Kraków, Poland
| | - Mateusz T. Wasylewski
- Research Ethics in Medicine Study Group (REMEDY), Department of Philosophy and Bioethics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Karolina Strzebonska
- Research Ethics in Medicine Study Group (REMEDY), Department of Philosophy and Bioethics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Rafał R. Jaeschke
- Section of Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Wozniak
- Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariff System, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jan Piasecki
- Research Ethics in Medicine Study Group (REMEDY), Department of Philosophy and Bioethics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Sliwka
- Research Ethics in Medicine Study Group (REMEDY), Department of Philosophy and Bioethics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Rehabilitation in Internal Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jerzy W. Mitus
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre and Institute of Oncology, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Maciej Polak
- Research Ethics in Medicine Study Group (REMEDY), Department of Philosophy and Bioethics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
- Chair of Epidemiology and Population Studies, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Dominika Nowis
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Genomic Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Laboratory of Experimental Medicine, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dean Fergusson
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Jonathan Kimmelman
- Studies of Translation, Ethics and Medicine (STREAM), Biomedical Ethics Unit, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- * E-mail: (MMB); (JK)
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20
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Leong R, Zhao H, Reaman G, Liu Q, Wang Y, Stewart CF, Burckart G. Bridging Adult Experience to Pediatrics in Oncology Drug Development. J Clin Pharmacol 2017; 57 Suppl 10:S129-S135. [PMID: 28921643 DOI: 10.1002/jcph.910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Pediatric drug development in the United States has grown under the current regulations made permanent by the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act of 2012. Over 1200 pediatric studies have now been submitted to the US FDA, but there is still a high rate of failure to obtain pediatric labeling for the indication pursued. Pediatric oncology represents special problems in that the disease is most often dissimilar to any cancer found in the adult population. Therefore, the development of drug dosing in pediatric oncology patients represents a special challenge. Potential approaches to pediatric dosing in oncology patients include extrapolation of efficacy from adult studies in those few cases where the disease is similar, inclusion of adolescent patients in adult trials when possible, and bridging the adult dose to the pediatric dose. An analysis of the recommended phase 2 dose for 40 molecularly targeted agents in pediatric patients provides some insight into current practices. Increased knowledge of tumor biology and efforts to identify and validate molecular targets and genetic abnormalities that drive childhood cancers can lead to increased opportunities for precision medicine in the treatment of pediatric cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby Leong
- Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Hong Zhao
- Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Gregory Reaman
- Office of Hematology and Oncology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Qi Liu
- Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Yaning Wang
- Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Clinton F Stewart
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Gilbert Burckart
- Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
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21
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Clinical trial simulations in paediatric oncology: A feasibility study from the Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer Consortium. Eur J Cancer 2017; 85:78-85. [PMID: 28892776 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2017.07.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Paediatric dose-finding studies are challenging to perform due to ethical reasons, the limited number of available patients and restricted number of blood samples. In certain cases, the adult pharmacokinetic (PK) exposure can be used as target for dose finding in paediatrics. The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of a paediatric phase I dose-finding clinical trial in silico. METHODS Using an adult pharmacokinetic model, clinical trial simulations were performed to determine the power of a proposed clinical trial design. Power was defined as the fraction of 1000 trials with an area under the plasma concentration-time curve at steady-state (AUC0-24,SS) within ±20% of the adult geometric mean AUC0-24,SS. Different scenarios were compared to optimise the design of the trial. To show the potential of this framework for similar compounds, the current simulation method was also evaluated with adult and paediatric data from literature on sunitinib. RESULTS At the starting dose of 300 mg/m2, the power of the trial design was 66.9%. Power did not improve by dose escalation to 350 mg/m2 (65.3%). Power increased to 78.9% with inclusion of 10 patients per trial. Paediatric sunitinib PK data were adequately predicted from adult data with a mean prediction error of 1.80%. CONCLUSION The performance of PK-based clinical trials in paediatrics can be predicted and optimised through PK modelling and simulation. Application of this approach enables clinical trials in paediatrics to be performed as efficiently as possible while protecting the child from unnecessary harm.
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Moreno L, Pearson ADJ, Paoletti X, Jimenez I, Geoerger B, Kearns PR, Zwaan CM, Doz F, Baruchel A, Vormoor J, Casanova M, Pfister SM, Morland B, Vassal G. Early phase clinical trials of anticancer agents in children and adolescents - an ITCC perspective. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2017; 14:497-507. [PMID: 28508875 DOI: 10.1038/nrclinonc.2017.59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In the past decade, the landscape of drug development in oncology has evolved dramatically; however, this paradigm shift remains to be adopted in early phase clinical trial designs for studies of molecularly targeted agents and immunotherapeutic agents in paediatric malignancies. In drug development, prioritization of drugs on the basis of knowledge of tumour biology, molecular 'drivers' of disease and a drug's mechanism of action, and therapeutic unmet needs are key elements; these aspects are relevant to early phase paediatric trials, in which molecular profiling is strongly encouraged. Herein, we describe the strategy of the Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC) Consortium, which advocates for the adoption of trial designs that enable uninterrupted patient recruitment, the extrapolation from studies in adults when possible, and the inclusion of expansion cohorts. If a drug has neither serious dose-related toxicities nor a narrow therapeutic index, then studies should generally be started at the adult recommended phase II dose corrected for body surface area, and act as dose-confirmation studies. The use of adaptive trial designs will enable drugs with promising activity to progress rapidly to randomized studies and, therefore, will substantially accelerate drug development for children and adolescents with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Moreno
- Paediatric Phase I-II Clinical Trials Unit, Paediatric Haematology &Oncology, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrew D J Pearson
- Paediatric Drug Development, Children and Young People's Unit, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Sutton, UK; and at the Division of Clinical Studies and Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Xavier Paoletti
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology, INSERM U1018, Gustave Roussy, Paris, France
| | - Irene Jimenez
- Department of Paediatric, Adolescents and Young Adults Oncology, Institut Curie; and at the University Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Birgit Geoerger
- Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Oncology, CNRS UMR 8203 Vectorology and Anticancer Treatments, Gustave Roussy, University Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France
| | - Pamela R Kearns
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - C Michel Zwaan
- Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Erasmus MC/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Francois Doz
- Department of Paediatric, Adolescents and Young Adults Oncology, Institut Curie; and at the University Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Andre Baruchel
- Department of Paediatric Haematology, Hôpital Robert Debré, AP-HP; and at the University Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Josef Vormoor
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University; and at the Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Michela Casanova
- Paediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefan M Pfister
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ); German Cancer Consortium (DKTK); and at the Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bruce Morland
- Department of Paediatric Oncology, Birmingham Children's Hospital, Birmingham, UK
| | - Gilles Vassal
- Department of Clinical Research, Gustave Roussy, Paris-Sud University, Paris, France
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23
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Morel D, Almouzni G, Soria JC, Postel-Vinay S. Targeting chromatin defects in selected solid tumors based on oncogene addiction, synthetic lethality and epigenetic antagonism. Ann Oncol 2017; 28:254-269. [DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdw552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
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24
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Rieder M, Hawcutt D. Design and conduct of early phase drug studies in children: challenges and opportunities. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2016; 82:1308-1314. [PMID: 27353241 PMCID: PMC5061783 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.13058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Revised: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
It has historically been very difficult to conduct early phase drug studies in children for a number of reasons related to ethics, acceptability, rarity, standardization, end points, safety, dosing and feasibility. Over the past decade there have been a number of developments including novel clinical trial design, in silico pharmacology and microdosing that have significantly enhanced the ability of investigators to conduct early phase drug studies in children. While the evolution of drug therapy is creating a series of new challenges, there has never been a better time for conducting drug studies in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Rieder
- Department of Paediatrics, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Paediatrics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Daniel Hawcutt
- NIHR Alder Hey Clinical Research Facility, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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25
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Abbou S, Valteau-Couanet D. Thérapeutiques ciblées dans les tumeurs solides de l’enfant et de l’adolescent. ONCOLOGIE 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10269-016-2670-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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26
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Petit C, Samson A, Morita S, Ursino M, Guedj J, Jullien V, Comets E, Zohar S. Unified approach for extrapolation and bridging of adult information in early-phase dose-finding paediatric studies. Stat Methods Med Res 2016; 27:1860-1877. [PMID: 27705884 PMCID: PMC5958415 DOI: 10.1177/0962280216671348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The number of trials conducted and the number of patients per trial are typically small in paediatric clinical studies. This is due to ethical constraints and the complexity of the medical process for treating children. While incorporating prior knowledge from adults may be extremely valuable, this must be done carefully. In this paper, we propose a unified method for designing and analysing dose-finding trials in paediatrics, while bridging information from adults. The dose-range is calculated under three extrapolation options, linear, allometry and maturation adjustment, using adult pharmacokinetic data. To do this, it is assumed that target exposures are the same in both populations. The working model and prior distribution parameters of the dose–toxicity and dose–efficacy relationships are obtained using early-phase adult toxicity and efficacy data at several dose levels. Priors are integrated into the dose-finding process through Bayesian model selection or adaptive priors. This calibrates the model to adjust for misspecification, if the adult and pediatric data are very different. We performed a simulation study which indicates that incorporating prior adult information in this way may improve dose selection in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Petit
- 1 INSERM, UMRS 1138, CRC, Team 22, University of Paris 5, University of Paris 6, Paris, France
| | - Adeline Samson
- 2 LJK, UMR CNRS 5224, University of Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Satoshi Morita
- 3 Department of Biomedical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Moreno Ursino
- 1 INSERM, UMRS 1138, CRC, Team 22, University of Paris 5, University of Paris 6, Paris, France
| | - Jérémie Guedj
- 4 INSERM, IAME, UMR 1137, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Vincent Jullien
- 5 Pharmacology Department, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris Descartes University, INSERM U1129, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuelle Comets
- 4 INSERM, IAME, UMR 1137, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,6 INSERM CIC 1414, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes
| | - Sarah Zohar
- 1 INSERM, UMRS 1138, CRC, Team 22, University of Paris 5, University of Paris 6, Paris, France
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