Pimitespib in patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (CHAPTER-GIST-301): a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial

Ann Oncol. 2022 Sep;33(9):959-967. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2022.05.518. Epub 2022 Jun 8.

Abstract

Background: Prognosis of advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) refractory to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is poor. This randomized, placebo-controlled, phase III trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of pimitespib, a novel heat shock protein 90 inhibitor, in advanced GIST refractory to standard TKIs.

Patients and methods: Patients with histologically confirmed GIST refractory to imatinib, sunitinib, and regorafenib were randomized 2 : 1 to oral pimitespib 160 mg/day or placebo for 5 consecutive days per week in 21-day cycles. Following disease progression by blinded central radiological review (BCRR), cross-over to open-label pimitespib was permitted. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) by BCRR in the full analysis set. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS) adjusted using the rank-preserving structural failure time (RPSFT) method to reduce the expected confounding impact of cross-over.

Results: From 31 October 2018 to 30 April 2020, 86 patients were randomized to pimitespib (n = 58) or placebo (n = 28). Median PFS was 2.8 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-2.9 months] with pimitespib versus 1.4 months (0.9-1.8 months) with placebo [hazard ratio (HR) 0.51 (95% CI 0.30-0.87); one-sided P = 0.006]. Pimitespib showed an improvement in cross-over-adjusted OS compared with placebo [HR 0.42 (0.21-0.85), one-sided P = 0.007]. Seventeen (60.7%) patients receiving placebo crossed-over to pimitespib; median PFS after cross-over was 2.7 months (95% CI 0.7-4.1 months). The most common (≥30%) treatment-related adverse events (AEs) with pimitespib were diarrhea (74.1%) and decreased appetite (31.0%); the most common (≥10%) grade ≥3 treatment-related AE was diarrhea (13.8%). Treatment-related AEs leading to pimitespib discontinuation occurred in three (5.2%) patients.

Conclusions: Pimitespib significantly improved PFS and cross-over-adjusted OS compared with placebo and had an acceptable safety profile in patients with advanced GIST refractory to standard TKIs.

Keywords: HSP90 inhibitor; gastrointestinal stromal tumor; pimitespib; randomized phase III; refractory GIST.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase III
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents* / adverse effects
  • Diarrhea / chemically induced
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors* / drug therapy
  • Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Imatinib Mesylate / therapeutic use
  • Indoles
  • Pyrroles

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Indoles
  • Pyrroles
  • Imatinib Mesylate