title: Efficacy of the farnesyl transferase inhibitor R115777 in chronic myeloid leukemia and other hematologic malignancies.
abstract: We investigated the clinical activity of the farnesyl transferase inhibitor R115777 in 22 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in chronic, accelerated, or blastic phase and in 8 patients with myelofibrosis (MF) and 10 patients with multiple myeloma (MM). R115777 was administered at 600 mg orally twice daily for 4 weeks every 6 weeks. Seven patients with CML (6 in chronic phase, 1 in advanced phase) achieved complete or partial hematologic response. Four of them had a minor cytogenetic response. Responses were transient, with a median duration of 9 weeks (range, 3-23 weeks). Two patients discontinued therapy because of toxicity while in complete hematologic response. Two MF patients had a significant decrease in splenomegaly, one had normalization of white blood cell count and differential, and one became transfusion independent. One patient with MM had a reduction in monoclonal protein of 34%. Adverse events included nausea in 22 patients (55%; all grade 2 or lower) and fatigue in 19 (48%; grade 3 or higher in 1). Other grade 3 or 4 toxicities included skin rash (4 patients, 10%), peripheral neuropathy (2 patients, 5%), and liver toxicity (2 patients, 5%). Patients who responded to therapy had significantly higher plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations prior to treatment than nonresponders. Plasma concentrations decreased significantly during therapy among responders. R115777 showed clinical activity in patients with CML and MF. The effect on VEGF needs to be further investigated to determine whether this might be a possible mechanism of action of R115777.
authors.affiliation: Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. jcortes@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cortes
authors.forename: Maher
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albitar
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giles
authors.forename: Razelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurzrock
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thibault
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rackoff
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koller
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garcia-Manero
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Talpaz
authors.forename: Hagop
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kantarjian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001752:Blast Crisis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051231:Farnesyltranstransferase; D005221:Fatigue / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000097:blood; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000097:blood; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015465:Leukemia, Myeloid, Accelerated Phase / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D015466:Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic-Phase / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood; D055728:Primary Myelofibrosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015363:Quinolones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008222:Lymphokines; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D015363:Quinolones; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D051231:Farnesyltranstransferase; C402769:tipifarnib