Search

Background: Impaired apoptosis is a common feature of cancer cells and may contribute to chemoresistance. LCL161 is an oral small molecule antagonist of Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (IAPs) that sensitizes a subset of tumors from diverse lineages to treatment with cytotoxic therapies, including paclitaxel. Multiple breast cancer models are sensitive to LCL161 as a single agent and LCL161 acts synergistically with paclitaxel in these models. A phase I study established an LCL161 dose of 1800 mg once weekly as well tolerated, with strong evidence of pharmacodynamic activity at doses ≥320 mg. This ongoing phase Ib study defines the dose limiting toxicities (DLTs), maximum tolerated dose (MTD), safety, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of LCL161 in combination with weekly paclitaxel. Methods: Patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors were treated with paclitaxel 80 mg/m² each week followed by escalating doses of LCL161 administered once weekly immediately following paclitaxel. PK and biomarker sampling was performed. Results: Thirty-two patients have received LCL161 doses of 600 mg (n = 3), 1200 mg (n = 5), 1500 mg (n = 4), and 1800 mg (n = 20). The most frequent adverse events considered LCL161-related included diarrhea (n = 11; 1 Grade 3), nausea (n = 8), fatigue (n = 7; 2 Grade 3), peripheral neuropathy (n = 6; 1 Grade 3), vomiting (n = 6), decreased appetite (n = 5), alopecia (n = 4), and anemia (n = 4). The principal DLTs were neutropenia, fatigue, and neuropathy. Significant cytokine release syndrome, the DLT of single-agent LCL161, has not been observed likely due to the use of dexamethasone as a premedication. No PK interaction between LCL161 and paclitaxel was observed. RECIST partial responses have been observed in 4 patients with diverse tumor types, including breast cancer. Preliminary antitumor activity in the expansion cohort with breast cancer patients will be presented. Discussion: LCL161 and paclitaxel combination therapy is well tolerated, with manageable toxicities and no evidence of a PK interaction that might interfere with the activity of either agent. Enrollment of additional patients with breast and ovarian cancer into an expansion cohort is ongoing, utilizing an approach to identify those more likely to respond to treatment with IAP antagonists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This cross-sectional study was designed to assess the clinical profile and frequency of associated autoantibodies in all consecutive patients classified as systemic sclerosis (SSc) at Medanta-the Medicity Hospital, Gurgaon, India. Methods Between August 2017 and July 2019, we identified a total of 119 consecutive patients meeting the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) 2013 criteria for SSc and 106 patients consented to this study. Their clinical and serological data at the time of enrolment were analysed. Results Our cohort had a mean age at symptom onset of 40 ± 13 years with a median symptom duration of 6 years. We had 76 patients (71.7%) with interstitial lung disease (ILD), which was a higher proportion compared to European cohorts. 62 patients (58.5%) had diffuse cutaneous involvement which was significantly associated with anti-Scl70 antibodies (p < 0.001), digital ulcers (p = 0.039) and the presence of ILD (p = 0.004). 65 patients (61.3%) had anti-Scl70 and 15 patients (14.2%) had anti-centromere (anti-CENP) antibodies. Scl70 positivity was associated with the presence of ILD (p < 0.001) and digital ulcers (p = 0.01). Centromere antibodies had a negative association with ILD (p < 0.001), but was a risk factor for calcinosis (p < 0.001) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (p = 0.01). The combination of diffuse cutaneous disease and Scl70 antibodies was the strongest predictor of ILD and digital ulcers (p = 0.015). sm/RMP, RNP68 and Ku antibodies correlated with musculoskeletal involvement (p < 0.01), while all seven of the patients with Pm/Scl antibodies had ILD. Renal involvement was noted in only two patients. Limitations A single-centre study may not capture the true prevalence of disease characteristics in the population. Referral bias for patients with diffuse cutaneous disease has been noted. Data on RNA-Polymerase antibodies have not been provided. Conclusion North Indian patients have some characteristic differences in disease phenotype as compared to their Caucasian counterparts with a larger proportion of patients presenting with ILD and Scl70 antibodies. Antibodies against Ku, RNP and Pm/Scl occur in a minority of patients, but may be associated with musculoskeletal features.

Ribociclib (KISQALI), a cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor approved for the first-line treatment of HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer with an aromatase inhibitor, is administered with no restrictions on concomitant gastric pH-elevating agents or food intake. The influence of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) on ribociclib bioavailability was assessed using 1) biorelevant media solubility, 2) physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling, 3) noncompartmental analysis (NCA) of clinical trial data, and 4) population PK (PopPK) analysis. This multipronged approach indicated no effect of gastric pH changes on ribociclib PK and served as a platform for supporting ribociclib labeling language, stating no impact of gastric pH-altering agents on the absorption of ribociclib, without a dedicated drug-drug interaction trial. The bioequivalence of ribociclib exposure with or without a high-fat meal was demonstrated in a clinical trial. Lack of restrictions on ribociclib dosing may facilitate better patient compliance and therefore clinical benefit., (© 2017 The Authors. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.)

Tumor cells can evade programmed cell death via up-regulation of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs). LCL161 is a small molecule oral IAP antagonist in development for use in combination with cytotoxic agents. The effect of LCL161 on CYP3A4/5 (CYP3A) activity was investigated in vitro and in a clinical study. Results in human liver microsomes indicated LCL161 inhibited CYP3A in a concentration- and time-dependent manner (KI of 0.797 µM and kinact of 0.0803 min(-1) ). LCL161 activated human PXR in a reporter gene assay and induced CYP3A4 mRNA up to ∼5-fold in human hepatocytes. In healthy subjects, the dual inhibitor and inductive effects of a single dose of LCL161 were characterized using single midazolam doses, given before and at three time points after the LCL161 dose. Midazolam Cmax increased 3.22-fold and AUC(0-inf) increased 9.32-fold when administered four hours after LCL161. Three days later, midazolam Cmax decreased by 27% and AUC(0-inf) decreased by 30%. No drug interaction remained one week later. The strong CYP3A inhibition by LCL161 was accurately predicted using dynamic physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling approaches in Simcyp. However, the observed induction effect after the LCL161 dose could not be modeled; suggesting direct enzyme induction by LCL161 was not the underlying mechanism., (Copyright © The Author(s) 2013.)

Drug development in visceral leishmaniasis is extremely vital as the existing therapeutic modalities are plagued by the unwanted twosome of toxicity and drug resistance. Antineoplastic drugs have in the past been effective against the parasitic infections, for example, miltefosine. Cisplatin is a first-generation platinum-containing drug, used in the treatment of various solid tumors. Its in vitro antileishmanial effect has already been demonstrated. In the present study, the leishmanicidal potential of two doses (0.5mg/kg body weight and 1mg/kg body weight) of the drug was studied in BALB/c mice. The antileishmanial effect of the drug was revealed by significant reduction in the parasite burden. The infected and treated animals were also found to exhibit increased DTH responses. An initial transient and reversible increase in levels of SGOT, SGPT, BUN, blood urea, creatinine and phosphorus was observed in infected animals treated with both doses of the drug. The reduction in parasite load, increase in DTH response and various biochemical parameters were more pronounced in animals treated with 1mg/kg body weight of cisplatin as compared to those treated with 0.5mg/kg body weight of the drug. Though some histopathological changes were observed in the kidneys of animals treated with 1mg/kg body weight of cisplatin, no such change was observed in mice treated with the lower dose. Thus, we have for the first time characterized the in vivo effect of cisplatin in murine experimental visceral leishmaniasis., (Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)