Quantifying Risk of Delayed QT Prolongation of Ipatasertib in Preclinical and Clinical Studies in Cancer Patients

Clin Transl Sci. 2025 Jul;18(7):e70298. doi: 10.1111/cts.70298.

Abstract

QTc prolongation has been associated with torsades de pointes (TdP) and also with other cardiac diseases. We investigated the effect of ipatasertib, a selective serine/threonine kinase (AKT, protein kinase B) inhibitor, on preclinical models of QTc prolongation as well as across two clinical studies. Preclinical in vitro studies suggested that ipatasertib and its metabolite, M1, were unlikely to inhibit human Ether-à-go-go-Related Gene (hERG) channels at the clinically relevant dose. However, clinical evaluation of ipatasertib and its metabolite in the first-in-human study PAM4743g suggested a mild prolongation of the QTc interval, but the effect was delayed, where the maximum change from baseline QTc seemed to occur 2-4 h after time to maximum drug exposure (Tmax). QTc prolongation was further evaluated in a second Phase 1b study, GP42658, with pretreatment QTc measurement for baseline correction and intensive post-baseline QTcF measurements at steady state. The results showed a delayed effect, where peak ΔQTcF occurred 2-4 h after Tmax with a mean of 10.9 ms and an upper 95% CI of 19.1 ms. Although a delayed effect was observed, the overall magnitude of the QTc effect was not large, and taken together, ipatasertib may not pose a substantial proarrhythmic risk (i.e., mean increase of > 20 ms) at the intended therapeutic dose of 400 mg.

Keywords: C‐QT; ECG; QT/QTc prolongation; cancer; hERG; hysteresis; ipatasertib.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase I
  • Clinical Trial, Phase II

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • ERG1 Potassium Channel / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Electrocardiography / drug effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Long QT Syndrome* / chemically induced
  • Long QT Syndrome* / diagnosis
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Piperazines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors* / administration & dosage
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors* / adverse effects
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors* / pharmacokinetics
  • Pyrimidines* / administration & dosage
  • Pyrimidines* / adverse effects
  • Pyrimidines* / pharmacokinetics
  • Torsades de Pointes / chemically induced

Substances

  • ERG1 Potassium Channel
  • ipatasertib
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyrimidines
  • Piperazines