17 Jun Uveal Melanoma: MEK Inhibition with Selumetinib Provided Clinical Benefit

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Richard D. Carvajal MD
Director, Developmental Therapeutics; Elizabeth and Felix Rohatyn Chair for Junior Faculty
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

MedicalResearch: What are the main findings of the study?

Dr. Carvajal: This is the first study to show that a systemic therapy provides significant clinical benefit in a randomized fashion to patients with advanced uveal melanoma, a population of patients who have very limited treatment options.   This clinical benefit has never previously been demonstrated with other agents, both conventional or investigational.

MedicalResearch: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Carvajal: This is an important step forward for patients with advanced uveal melanoma who have a poor prognosis and very limited treatment options.  Selumetinib provides the first systemic therapy with proven efficacy in patients with advanced uveal melanoma and provides a platform for the development of new combinatorial therapeutic approaches

MedicalResearch: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Carvajal: Accrual to SUMIT, an international phase III trial of Selumetinib in combination with DTIC versus chemotherapy alone (NCT01974752), has recently begun.  SUMIT is the first study with registration intent to be conducted for patients with advanced uveal melanoma.  We hope that this study will confirm the efficacy of MEK inhibition observed in our current trial.  In addition, based upon preclinical data demonstrating that the efficacy of MEK inhibition can be enhanced with the addition of either AKT inhibition or PKC inhibition, a study of trametinib alone or in combination with GSK2141795 (NCT01979523) and a study of MEK162 and AEB071 (NCT01801358) are also ongoing.  Each of these three trials have been designed to try to build upon the efficacy observed with single agent MEK inhibition utilizing distinct combinatorial strategies.

Citation:

Abstract Presented at the ASCO 2014 Meeting

“Trial Demonstrates Benefit of Oral MEK Inhibitor for Aggressive Uveal Melanoma

Phase II study is the first trial to demonstrate a role for systemic therapy”

Last Updated on September 14, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD