A Phase 2, Multicenter, Nonrandomized, Open-Label Study of Dovitinib (TKI258) in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma with or without t(4;14) Translocation

Approximately 15% of patients (pts) with multiple myeloma (MM) exhibit a t(4;14) translocation that results in constitutive activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) in the absence of ligand. This translocation has been strongly linked with a poor prognosis and short survival compared with pts without this translocation. Dovitinib (TKI258) is an RTK inhibitor that has demonstrated in vitro inhibitory activity against FGFR (including FGFR3), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), with IC₅₀values of approximately 10 nM. Tumor growth inhibition was observed in xenograft tumor models of MM treated with dovitinib. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dovitinib in pts with relapsed or refractory MM that is either t(4;14) positive or negative.

Adult pts who had received at least 2 prior antimyeloma regimens and who had relapsed or were refractory to their last treatment regimen were enrolled in this multicenter, open-label, 2-stage, phase 2 trial. Pts were evaluated for t(4;14) status at the baseline visit and classified according to the result into either a t(4;14)-positive or a t(4;14)-negative group. Dovitinib was administered at a dose of 500 mg/day on a 5-days-on/2-days-off schedule. Response was characterized as per the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria. The primary endpoint was extended overall response rate as defined by the rate of pts with best overall response of complete response, very good partial response, partial response, or minor response. Secondary endpoints included safety, overall response rate, progression-free survival, and pharmacokinetics. After disease progression, pts had the option to continue treatment with the addition of low-dose dexamethasone (40 mg every 7 days) with M-protein levels at the time of progression considered as the new baseline.

A total of 43 pts were enrolled in this study; 26 pts were t(4;14) negative, 13 were t(4;14) positive, and 4 pts had unknown/indeterminate t(4;14) status. Median age was 63 years. Most pts (86%; n = 37) had received ≥ 3 prior lines of therapy. No objective responses were observed in either group of pts. Due to the apparent lack of efficacy, the study did not proceed to stage 2. The following observations are based on the preliminary data. In the t(4;14)-negative group, median duration of exposure to the study drug was 4.0 weeks, and 9 of the 26 pts (35%) had stable disease, 13 (50.0%) had progressive disease, and 4 (15%) were not evaluable. Due to slow enrollment and lack of efficacy among the earlier enrolled t(4;14)-positive pts, enrollment for the t(4;14)-positive group was closed prematurely. Among the 13 enrolled t(4;14)-positive pts, median duration of exposure to the study drug was 8.7 weeks. Best responses were stable disease for 8 pts (62%), disease progression for 3 pts (23%), and unknown for 2 pts (15%).

Among both groups, the most common adverse events of any grade, regardless of study drug, were nausea (67%), diarrhea (58%), vomiting (51%), fatigue (47%), thrombocytopenia (33%), and anemia (28%). Most of the nonhematologic events were mild. The most common grade 3/4 adverse events were thrombocytopenia (26%) and anemia (23%). The principal reasons for discontinuation of dovitinib monotherapy were disease progression (72%) and adverse events (19%). Six pts continued on the dovitinib plus dexamethasone regimen; 1 pt is ongoing, and 5 pts discontinued due to disease progression (n = 4) and adverse events (n = 1).

Dovitinib was found to have no or minimal single-agent activity in relapsed/refractory myeloma irrespective of t(4;14) status. Although the patient numbers are small, the rate of patients with stable disease during study treatment who may have had a clinical benefit was higher in the t(4;14)-positive group, suggesting that this subgroup may be a candidate to explore combination treatment of dovitinib with other agents, such as proteasome inhibitors. Gastrointestinal toxicity, while mostly mild, remains a challenge, and timely monitoring and supportive care during dovitinib treatment may alleviate these symptoms. Dovitinib may be a promising agent for combination therapies to improve prognosis of patients with t(4;14)-positive MM.

Scheid:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria. Reece:Millennium Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Otsuka: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Spencer:Celgene: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Honoraria. Callander:Millennium Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Sonneveld:Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Millennium Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Onyx: Honoraria, Research Funding. Kalimi:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Cai:Novartis: Employment. Shi:Novartis: Employment, Equity Ownership. Scott:Novartis: Employment. Stewart:Millennium Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Onyx: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy.