Phase I study of the novel epothilone analog ixabepilone (BMS-247550) in patients with advanced solid tumors and lymphomas.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of ixabepilone when administered as a 1-hour infusion every 3 weeks to patients with advanced solid tumors or relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Dosing schedules of 40 mg/m2 and 50 mg/m2 over 3 hours were also evaluated.


METHODS
Sixty-one patients were enrolled using an initial accelerated dose-escalation phase followed by a standard dose-escalation phase, with doses of ixabepilone ranging from 7.4 to 65 mg/m2. The pharmacokinetics of ixabepilone and two of its chemical degradation products were evaluated. Plasma pharmacodynamics were evaluated for both 1- and 3-hour infusions using an assay that measures the amount of endogenous tubulin in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells that exists in the polymerized versus the unpolymerized state. Response evaluation was performed every 6 weeks.


RESULTS
The most common DLTs were neutropenia, stomatitis/pharyngitis, myalgia, and arthralgia. The MTD of ixabepilone as a 1-hour infusion every 3 weeks was established as 50 mg/m2. The maximum plasma concentration and area under the plasma concentration time curve appeared to increase less than proportionally to dose. Durable objective responses were seen in eight patients, including two complete responses. Five of the responders had experienced treatment failure with a taxane.


CONCLUSIONS
The recommended dose of ixabepilone for the initiation of phase II studies on the basis of these results is 50 mg/m2 over 1 hour every 3 weeks. The promising efficacy and tolerability results demonstrated by ixabepilone in this study warrant its continued development.
Aghajanian
Carol
C
Developmental Chemotherapy Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. aghajanc@mskcc.org
Burris
Howard A
HA
Jones
Suzanne
S
Spriggs
David R
DR
Cohen
Marvin B
MB
Peck
Ronald
R
Sabbatini
Paul
P
Hensley
Martee L
ML
Greco
F Anthony
FA
Dupont
Jakob
J
O'Connor
Owen A
OA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology; D034261:Epothilones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D050257:Tubulin Modulators / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014481:United States
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D034261:Epothilones; D050257:Tubulin Modulators; C430592:ixabepilone