Phase II Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Symptomatic Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Transcription
Phase II Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Symptomatic Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Published Ahead of Print on September 19, 2011 as 10.1200/JCO.2011.35.6295 The latest version is at http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/doi/10.1200/JCO.2011.35.6295 JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY O R I G I N A L R E P O R T Phase II Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Tasquinimod in Men With Minimally Symptomatic Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer Roberto Pili, Michael Häggman, Walter M. Stadler, Jeffrey R. Gingrich, Vasileios J. Assikis, Anders Björk, Örjan Nordle, Goran Forsberg, Michael A. Carducci, and Andrew J. Armstrong Roberto Pili, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY; Michael Häggman, University Hospital of Uppsala, Uppsala; Anders Björk, Örjan Nordle, and Goran Forsberg, Active Biotech, Lund, Sweden; Walter M. Stadler, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL; Jeffrey R. Gingrich, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; Vasileios J. Assikis, Peachtree Hematology Oncology Consultants, Atlanta, GA; Michael A. Carducci, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; and Andrew J. Armstrong, Duke Cancer Institute and Duke Prostate Center, Duke University, Durham, NC. Submitted March 11, 2011; accepted July 13, 2011; published online ahead of print at www.jco.org on September 19, 2011. Presented in part at the 46th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, June 4-8, 2010, Chicago, IL, and 2011 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, February 17-19, 2011, Orlando, FL. A B S T R A C T Purpose The activity of the novel antitumor agent tasquinimod (TASQ) with S100A9 as a molecular target was investigated in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and minimal symptoms. Patients and Methods We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II trial in men assigned (at a ratio of two to one) to either oral once-daily TASQ 0.25 mg/d escalating to 1.0 mg/d over 4 weeks or placebo. The primary end point was the proportion of patients without disease progression at 6 months, defined by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors Group, Prostate Cancer Working Group (PCWG2), or pain criteria, excluding prostate-specific antigen. Results Two hundred one men (134 assigned to TASQ; 67 to placebo) were evaluable, and baseline characteristics were well balanced. Six-month progression-free proportions for TASQ and placebo groups were 69% and 37%, respectively (P ⬍ .001), and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 7.6 versus 3.3 months (P ⫽ .0042). In PCWG2 CRPC clinical subgroups, PFS in months was as follows: nodal metastases, 6.1 versus 3.1; bone metastases, 8.8 versus 3.4; and visceral metastases, 6.0 versus 3.0 for patients receiving TASQ versus placebo, respectively. Bone alkaline phosphatase levels were stabilized in the TASQ group, whereas the impact on PSA kinetics was less pronounced. Adverse events (AEs) occurring more frequently in the TASQ arm included GI disorders, fatigue, musculoskeletal pains, and elevations of pancreatic and inflammatory biomarkers. Grade 3 to 4 AEs, including asymptomatic elevations of laboratory parameters, were reported in 40% of patients receiving TASQ versus 10% receiving placebo; deep vein thrombosis (4% v 0%) was more common in the TASQ arm. Authors’ disclosures of potential conflicts of interest and author contributions are found at the end of this article. Conclusion TASQ significantly slowed progression and improved PFS in patients with metastatic CRPC with an acceptable AE profile. Clinical Trials repository link available on JCO.org. J Clin Oncol 29. © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology Corresponding author: Roberto Pili, MD, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Sts, Buffalo, NY 14263-0001; e-mail: [email protected]. © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology 0732-183X/11/2999-1/$20.00 DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2011.35.6295 INTRODUCTION Although treatment options for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) have increased, novel therapeutic approaches are needed.1-4 Current treatment options include autologous cellular therapy with sipuleucel-T, docetaxel, and cabazitaxel and secondary hormonal manipulations such as abiraterone acetate, each of which has demonstrated improved overall survival.1-4 Despite these improvements, treatments that delay metastatic progression and defer the need for chemotherapy are sought by both patients and health care providers. Tasquinimod (TASQ) is an oral quinoline-3carboxamide derivative with antiangiogenic proper- ties5-7 and tumor growth–inhibiting activity against human prostate cancer models,5,6 possibly mediated through induction of the endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor thrombospondin-1.8 A molecular target for TASQ is S100A9 (MRP-14), an immunomodulatory protein expressed on myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs),9 which are present in the tumor microenvironment and stimulate angiogenesis using both vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) –dependent and VEGF-independent mechanisms.10 Tumor growth is impaired in S100A9 knockout mice, suggesting S100A9 as a suitable therapeutic target.9 During phase I evaluation in men with CRPC,11 gradual dose escalation of oral TASQ from 0.25 mg/d to a maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) of 1.0 mg/d over 4 weeks was well tolerated, with dose-limiting toxicities © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology Downloaded from jco.ascopubs.org on June 9, 2014. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved. Copyright 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology 1 Pili et al of hyperamylasemia and sinus tachycardia. Few patients developed new bone metastases during follow-up, indicating potential efficacy.11 Thus, we conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter study to examine the efficacy of TASQ in men with minimally symptomatic metastatic CRPC (protocol provided in Data Supplement). PATIENTS AND METHODS Eligibility Criteria Eligible men had histologically confirmed prostate adenocarcinoma, Karnofsky performance score (KPS) of 70 to 100, castrate levels of testosterone (ⱕ 50 ng/dL), visual analog scale (VAS) pain score of 3 or greater (scale, 0 to 10), and radiologically confirmed metastatic disease with progression defined by rising serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (confirmed by three consecutive measurements within 1 year at least 14 days apart), progression of bidimensionallymeasurablesoft-tissuemetastasis,ornewbonelesionsdetectedby bone scan within 12 weeks before screening. The following laboratory values were required: hemoglobin of 9 mg/dL or greater, creatinine of 1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) or less, total bilirubin of 1.5 times ULN or less, and AST and ALT of 2.5 times ULN or less. Exclusion criteria included intake of opiates, prior cyto- toxic chemotherapy within 3 years or previous anticancer therapy using biologics or vaccines within 6 months (bevacizumab not allowed), or any treatment modalities within 4 weeks. Men with a history of pancreatitis or cardiovascular disease including recent (⬍ 12 months) myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, ventricular arrhythmias, or unstable angina were excluded. Concomitant use of warfarin was not allowed, but a stable dose of concomitant antiandrogen use was permitted, provided that criteria for progression were met. This study was approved by related institutional review boards, and all patients provided written informed consent. Treatment Plan Patients were stratified based on KPS score of 90 to 100 versus 70 to 80 and randomly allocated at a ratio of two to one to receive TASQ or placebo in a double-blind fashion. Patients received once-daily oral dosing of 1.0 mg TASQ or placebo after a titration phase (0.25 mg/d for 2 weeks followed by 0.5 mg/d for 2 weeks), leading to a maximum of 6 months of double-blind treatment. Asymptomatic patients in the placebo group with disease progression during the first 6 months or without progression at 6 months were offered open-label TASQ. Patients receiving TASQ with no disease progression at 6 months were offered open-label treatment until progression, whereas patients with disease progression were withdrawn. Randomly assigned 2:1 active:placebo (N = 206) Double-blind phase Tasquinimod (n = 136) Did not receive treatment (n = 2) Discontinued Disease progression Death Adverse event Withdrew consent Other cancer therapy Other reasons Did not receive treatment (n = 3) Placebo (n = 70) Discontinued Disease progression Death Adverse event Withdrew consent Other cancer therapy Other reasons (n = 86) (n = 18) (n = 4) (n = 30) (n = 14) (n = 4) (n = 16) CT and bone scan evaluation (n = 29) (n = 13) (n = 2) (n = 1) (n = 5) (n = 3) (n = 5) CT and bone scan evaluation Disease progression, asymptomatic (n =18) Completed 24 weeks (n = 33) Completed 24 weeks (n = 48) Open phase Entered open-label treatment (n = 35) Discontinued Disease progression Adverse event Withdrew consent Other cancer therapy Other reasons Completed 48 weeks (n = 19) Entered open-label treatment (n = 41) (n = 16) (n = 7) (n = 3) (n = 1) (n = 1) (n = 4) Discontinued Disease progression Death Adverse event Withdrew consent Other cancer therapy Other reasons (n = 32) (n = 8) (n = 1) (n = 8) (n = 4) (n = 2) (n = 9) Completed 48 weeks (n = 9) Fig 1. Patient disposition during double-blind (above dashed line) and open-label (below dashed line) phases of study. CT, computed tomography. 2 © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY Downloaded from jco.ascopubs.org on June 9, 2014. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved. Phase II Study of Tasquinimod in CRPC Efficacy Outcome Measures Disease progression was defined as any one or more of the following: one, pain criteria, including regular consumption of narcotic analgesics (single intravenous dose or ⬎ 10 of 14 days of oral narcotic use), radiation therapy for control of tumor-related pain, or VAS pain rating of more than 4 because of cancer pain on two consecutive ratings; two, Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST; version 1.0) –defined progression (excluding bone scan progression)12; three, appearance of two or more skeletal lesions not consistent with tumor flare as per PCWG2 criteria,13 in which progression by bone scan at 3 months required a second confirmatory scan 6 or more weeks later, with one or more additional lesion required; and four, need for radiotherapy or surgery for pathologic fracture or spinal cord compression. Bone and computed tomography scans were evaluated prospectively locally and retrospectively centrally (Perceptive, Billerica, MA). Toxicity was evaluated using National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria (version 3.0) criteria. Pretreatment and Follow-Up Evaluations At baseline, patients underwent complete history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and radiologic imaging for eligibility. Visits occurred at 2, 4, 8, 12, 18, and 24 weeks, and patients were radiographically assessed every 12th week and at withdrawal, with confirmatory scan at week 18, if needed. PSA and VAS pain scores were measured monthly; all laboratory studies were performed centrally, and PSA results were blinded to patients and investigators. Biomarkers collected monthly during the first 3 months and then every third month included fibrinogen, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), amylase and lipase, C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Safety assessment and standard laboratory tests (complete blood count, hepatic and renal function) were performed at every visit. Pharmacokinetics were analyzed in all patients at 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks after treatment initiation and collected 2.5 to 3.0 hours post dose, as described by Bratt et al.11 Statistical Considerations The primary end point was the progression-free proportion (PFP) at 6 months and was analyzed when all patients had completed 6 months of treatment, progressed, or withdrawn from the study, whichever came first. Patients who withdrewfromthestudyforanyreason,exceptdiseaseprogression,withinthefirst 6monthswereanalyzedaccordingtointention-to-treatanalysisasprogressionfree for the primary end point. The primary efficacy variable was tested using CochranMantel-Haenszel statistics, stratified by baseline KPS. Equality of the treatment effect(ie,oddsratio)acrossstratawasassessedbytheBreslow-Daytest.Samplesize was determined using a null hypothesis for PFP at 6 months in the placebo arm of 10%14 and hypothesized PFP of 30% in the experimental arm, with assumptions of 90% power and two-sided alpha error of 0.05. Assuming a 5% dropout rate, the planned sample size was 67 in the placebo arm and 133 in the TASQ arm. Progression-free survival (PFS) was defined as time from first dose to first progression or death. Time-to-event variables, including unblinded data up to 12 months, were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier methods, and patients who withdrew before progression were censored at the date of last progression assessment. Treatment differences were tested using log-rank test, and a P value of less than .05 was considered significant. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were estimated using Cox proportional hazards model via SAS version 9.2 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). Standard descriptive statistics were used to describe biomarker values over time. RESULTS Patient Characteristics Enrollment of 206 men between December 2007 and June 2009 occurred at 45 centers in the United States, Canada, and Sweden (Fig 1), and of those, 201 (134 assigned to TASQ and 67 to placebo) started treatment and were included in safety and efficacy analyses. Groups were reasonably well balanced on most baseline characteristics (Table 1). Notably, the presence of tumor pain (28% v 11%) and visceral metastases (24% v 15%) were more common in the TASQ group, which also had highermedianbaselinePSAlevel,shortermedianPSAdoublingtime,and higher proportion of African American patients (15% v 3%). www.jco.org Efficacy For the primary end point, 69% of TASQ-treated patients (93 of 134) versus 37% of those receiving placebo (25 of 67) were progression free at 6 months (Table 2; relative risk, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.67; P ⬍ .001; Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel). For the PFS Table 1. Baseline Patient Demographics and Clinical Characteristics Tasquinimod (n ⫽ 134) Baseline Variable Race Asian Black/African American White Other Ethnicity Hispanic/Latino Non-Hispanic/Latino Age, years Mean Range ⱕ 65 66-75 76-80 ⱖ 81 No. of bone lesions Mean SD Measurable disease Karnofsky performance score 90-100 70-80 Gleason score ⬍7 7 ⬎7 Unknown Tumor pain (VAS ⬎ 0) Concomitant antiandrogen use Plasma PSA concentration, g/L Median SD PSA doubling time, months Median SD Plasma LDH, U/L Median SD Plasma ALP, U/L Median SD Hb, g/dL Median SD PCWG2 prognostic group, metastases Visceral Bone ⫾ lymph node Lymph node only None Placebo (n ⫽ 67) No. % No. % 2 20 110 2 1 15 82 1 0 2 63 2 0 3 94 3 6 128 4 96 2 65 3 97 72.3 49-89 33 41 30 30 73.2 48-89 25 31 22 22 13 24 16 14 3.83 2.74 19 36 24 21 3.12 2.88 60 54 120 14 90 10 59 8 88 12 25 50 50 9 37 29 19 37 37 7 28 22 9 30 25 3 7 16 13 44 37 4 11 24 32 92 9 1 29 36 19.0 20 4.2 2.8 5.1 3.0 202 48 206 46 98 41 87 35 12.9 1.5 13.2 1.3 24 69 7 1 10 44 12 1 15 66 18 1 Abbreviations: ALP, alkaline phosphatase; Hb, hemoglobin; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; PCWG2, Prostate Cancer Working Group 2; PSA, prostate-specific antigen; SD, standard deviation; VAS, visual analog scale (linear pain rating, 0 to 10). © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology Downloaded from jco.ascopubs.org on June 9, 2014. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved. 3 Pili et al Table 2. Key Efficacy Findingsⴱ Tasquinimod (n ⫽ 134) Variable Primary objective Progressive disease at 24 weeks Median PFS, months All patients Patients age 48-75 years Patients age 76-89 years Median PFS by PCWG2 CRPC subgroups, months Bone only Bone metastases Visceral ⫾ bone Node only Median PFS by central radiographic assessment, months All patients PSA change at 12 weeks v baseline Median SD Radiographic response (RECIST nadir change v baseline) Median SD Best radiographic response (RECIST by investigator) PR Stable disease PD No. 41 % 31 Placebo (n ⫽ 67) No. 42 % 63 Hazard/ Risk Ratio 95% CI 0.49 0.36 to 0.67 P ⬍ .001 134 74 60 7.6 8.7 6.1 67 37 30 3.3 3.3 4.0 0.57 0.52 0.66 0.39 to 0.85 0.31 to 0.87 0.36 to 1.23 .0042 .010 .18 53 92 32 9 12.1 8.8 6.0 6.1 30 44 10 12 5.4 3.4 3.0 3.1 0.45 0.56 0.41 0.73 0.23 to 0.88 0.34 to 0.92 0.16 to 1.02 0.27 to 2.00 .016 .019 .045 .54 134 8.4 67 3.8 0.51 0.32 to 0.80 .0029 .063 91 55 8 59 80 11 52 10 6 30 19 5 4 32 25 7 52 41 0 12 27 0 31 69 .23 .0038 Abbreviations: CRPC, castration-resistant prostate cancer; PCWG2, Prostate Cancer Working Group 2; PD, progressive disease; PFS, progression-free survival; PR, partial response; PSA, prostate-specific antigen; RECIST, Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors; SD, standard deviation. ⴱ Includes overall and subgroup analyses of PFS, PSA changes, and radiographic response as determined by RECIST 1.0 criteria (investigator and independent radiologic review). analyses, it should be noted that because of crossover, all patients received open-label active treatment after 6 months. Median PFS was 7.6 months for TASQ and 3.3 months for placebo (P ⫽ .0042; HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.85; Fig 2A). In a retrospective central radiologic review including 155 patients, PFS was 8.4 versus 3.8 months (P ⫽ .0029, inclusive of all 201 patients for composite end point; Appendix Fig A1D, online only). A sensitivity analysis to address potential biases on progression at 6 months because of withdrawal as a result of toxicity was conducted. In the worst-case scenario (withdrawal because of adverse event [AE] scored as disease progression at that date), relative risk for progression at 6 months was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.62 to 1.02) for TASQ versus placebo. In the double-blind phase, 84% of patients with progressive disease had radiographic progression, whereas symptomatic or clinical progression was documented in 22% of patients. Notably, progression on bone scan was more common in the placebo group (26% v 15% of progression events). Median radiographic PFS was 8.8 versus 4.4 months (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.82), favoring TASQ (Table 2; Fig 2B). We evaluated PFS according to PCWG2 CRPC subtypes13,15 defined by localization of metastatic lesions (Table 2; Fig 2; Appendix Figs A1, A2, online only). For men with visceral metastases, bone metastases with or without nodal metastases, and lymph node– only metastases, median PFS in TASQ-treated men versus those receiving placebo was 6.0 versus 3.0 months (P ⫽ .045; HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.16 to 1.02), 8.8 versus 3.4 months (P ⫽ .019; HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.34 to 0.92), and 6.1 versus 3.1 months (P ⫽ .54; HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.27 to 2.00), respectively. Among men with bone metastases only at baseline, median 4 © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology PFSwas12.1versus5.4months(P⫽.016;HR,0.45;95%CI,0.23to0.88). Subgroup analyses are shown in Appendix Figure A2 (online only). In patients with measurable disease, 7% of TASQ-treated patients (four of 61) versus 0% of those receiving placebo (none of 39) had a best overall partial response, including two with visceral disease, whereas 52% versus 31% had stable disease, respectively (Table 2). A waterfall plot of investigator-assessed RECIST responses demonstrates that 29% receiving TASQ versus 16% receiving placebo (lymph nodes only) had reduction in tumor size (Figs 3A, 3B). Corresponding independently scored radiologic responses were 3%, partial response; 58%, stable disease; and 39%, progressive disease (TASQ) versus 0%, partial response; 35%, stable disease; and 65%, progressive disease (placebo); correlation of RECIST changes between central and local radiologists was good (Spearman r ⫽ 0.65; P ⬍ .001). PSA and Biomarker Analysis No significant differences in time to PSA progression or PSA kinetics were observed between the two treatment groups. Waterfall plot analysis showed that TASQ treatment had a minor effect on PSA; 4% of men treated with TASQ had a 50% or greater confirmed PSA decline versus 0% in the placebo group (Appendix Figs A3A, A3B, online only). During the first 3 months of treatment, median BAP levels were suppressed below baseline in TASQ-treated patients, whereas BAP increased in patients receiving placebo (Appendix Fig A3C, online only). Median VEGF levels increased in TASQ-treated patients over the first 3 months and were stable in those receiving placebo (Appendix Fig A3D, JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY Downloaded from jco.ascopubs.org on June 9, 2014. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved. Phase II Study of Tasquinimod in CRPC + Censored Log-rank P = .0042 1.0 Progression-Free Survival (probability) B 0.4 0.2 Tasq Placebo 1 Progression-Free Survival (probability) 2 3 4 122 105 65 65 81 47 63 30 5 6 7 8 9 52 25 40 20 31 14 28 12 0 -50 -80 21 9 20 7 19 5 15 2 -90 + Censored Log-rank P = .0451 1.0 B 0.8 400 0.6 0.4 0.2 Tasq Placebo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Time (months) 32 10 31 10 25 10 20 6 14 3 10 3 6 2 6 0 6 4 3 3 100 0 -50 3 -80 + Censored Log-rank P = .0163 1.0 -90 0.8 Fig 3. Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (version 1.0) evaluation for radiographic response in each treatment arm, including waterfall plots illustrating change in sum of longest diameters (LDs) of tumor measurements during double-blind phase using percent change (lowest value at treatment compared with baseline) of sum LD of target lesions. (A) All evaluated tasquinimod-treated patients (n ⫽ 52); (B) all evaluated patients receiving placebo (n ⫽ 30). 0.6 0.4 0.2 Tasq Placebo 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Time (months) 53 30 48 29 42 29 34 21 28 17 25 15 22 13 19 10 17 9 14 7 14 5 14 3 10 1 Fig 2. Kaplan-Meier estimates of progression-free survival (PFS) for patients receiving tasquinimod (Tasq) versus placebo followed by crossover to Tasq at disease progression or after 6 months. (A) All patients (PFS, 7.6 [n ⫽ 134] v 3.3 months [n ⫽ 67]); (B) patients with visceral metastatic disease (PFS, 6.0 [n ⫽ 32] v 3.0 months [n ⫽ 10]); (C) patients with bone metastases only at baseline (PFS, 12.1 [n ⫽ 53] v 5.4 months [n ⫽ 30]). onlineonly).MedianLDHlevelsdecreasedapproximately15%inTASQtreated patients over the first 8 weeks, whereas they increased 3% in those receiving placebo. Safety Dose reduction or termination for any reason during the first 9 weeks was documented in 55% of TASQ-treated patients (74 of 134). However, a majority of patients discontinuing because of AEs in the TASQ arm withdrew because of grade 1 to 2 toxicities. Discontinuation rate because of toxicity was 22% versus 1% for patients receiving placebo, often occurring without protocol-specified dose reductions; thus, for a majority of patients, TASQ had an acceptable toxicity profile, but in some patients, particularly men older than age 75 years, TASQ was sufficiently poorly tolerated that patients or providers felt it necessary to stop therapy. The most notable AEs observed in the TASQ group were GI events, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue (Table 3; Appendix Fig A4, online www.jco.org 100 10 11 12 Time (months) 134 67 No. at risk Tasq Placebo No. at risk Tasq Placebo % Change 0.6 0 C 400 0.8 0 No. at risk Tasq Placebo A % Change Progression-Free Survival (probability) A only). A majority of AEs (89%, TASQ; 94%, placebo) were grade 1 to 2. Grade 3 to 4 toxicities, most commonly asymptomatic changes in laboratory parameters, were observed in 53 versus eight patients (40% v 12%). Incidence of grade 4 or higher AEs were infrequent and did not differ between treatment groups. The most common grade 3 to 4 AEs in the TASQ group were increased lipase, muscular weakness, deep vein thrombosis, anemia, asthenia, renal failure, and pneumonia. A minor decrease inmeanbloodpressurewasseenintheTASQgroup,andnocorrectedQT interval changes were noted. No difference in number of arterial thrombotic events was observed between the arms (3% v 3%). The most common reason for treatment discontinuation because of toxicity was muscle and/or joint pain. Notably, patients older than 80 years of age were more likely to develop AEs, with 73% (22 of 30) requiring dose reduction or withdrawal during the first 9 weeks versus 50% of men age 80 years or older (52 of 104). TASQ treatment led to a transient increase in WBC count, amylase, lipase, pancreatic amylase, CRP, and fibrinogen after 1 to 2 months of treatment; these parameters generally returned to normal within 6 months. Increases in CRP were retrospectively found to correlate with joint/extremity pain. Pharmacokinetics TASQ was found to have a low clearance. Mean individual clearance values were 0.17 at 0.25 mg, 0.19 at 0.5 mg, and 0.22 L/h at the 1 mg dose level; thus the increase in systemic exposure was © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology Downloaded from jco.ascopubs.org on June 9, 2014. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved. 5 Pili et al Table 3. Most Common AEs and Important Grade 3 to 4 Toxicities During Double-Blind Phase Tasquinimod (grade) 1 to 4 3 to 4 Placebo (grade) 1 to 4 3 to 4 AE No. % No. % No. % Fatigue Nausea Constipation Back pain Decreased appetite Pain in extremity Flatulence Arthralgia Anemia Diarrhea Insomnia Weight loss Abdominal pain Vomiting Blood amylase increase Blood lipase increase Myalgias Peripheral edema Musculoskeletal pain Deep vein thrombosis Myocardial infarction 39 36 34 32 27 25 22 21 16 16 16 16 14 14 13 13 13 13 12 5 1 29 27 25 24 20 19 16 16 12 12 12 12 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 4 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 4 1 1 3 1 12 11 11 7 5 4 7 5 4 9 4 18 16 16 10 7 6 10 7 6 13 6 1 1 4 5 6 7 3 4 5 4 6 7 1 7 1 1 5 1 5 1 4 1 No. % 2 3 1 1 Abbreviation: AE, adverse event. somewhat less than the dose increase. Volume of distribution was 5.9 L, similar to previous findings.11 TASQ clearance decreased 1.4% per year of age in the study population, which correlated with a higher discontinuation rate with increasing age (Table 2). We found no relationship between pharmacokinetic parameters and race/ethnicity or hepatic function. DISCUSSION In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II trial of men with metastatic CRPC, disease progression was significantly delayed by TASQ. Median PFS improved from 3.3 to 7.6 months (P ⫽ .0042), representing a clinically meaningful halving of the ongoing risk of progression or death over time over placebo. After 6 months of treatment, 63% of patients in the placebo group had progressed as compared with 31% in the TASQ group. Notably, patients treated with TASQ seemed to have more adverse baseline factors (pain, visceral metastases) associated with greater likelihood of progression, indicating that the observed effect was unlikely caused by chance imbalances at randomization. Improvements in PFS were observed despite crossover of a small number of men (n ⫽ 17) who were progression free at 6 months in the placebo arm, which would have the effect of biasing our results toward a null effect. TASQ in general had acceptable toxicity to a majority of men, particularly those men younger than age 75 years, with infrequent discontinuation because of AEs. Men with metastatic CRPC are a heterogeneous population that can be divided into prognostic subgroups depending on location of metastases (visceral, bone, or lymph nodes), as defined by the PCWG2.13,15 It seems that TASQ delays disease progression in each of these CRPC subgroups, particularly those with bone metastases. Notably, to our knowledge, this is the first positive controlled phase II trial 6 © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology in men with CRPC that successfully incorporated new PCWG2 guidelines, which de-emphasize PSA changes in the evaluation of novel agents and require confirmatory bone scans to reduce the risk of early discontinuation because of bone scan flare. Results from this study confirm the feasibility of conducting clinical trials without focusing on PSA, provided that both treating physicians and patients understand that novel biologic agents may provide benefit without directly altering this traditional biomarker. Although PSA and LDH levels may reflect tumor burden,16,17 their relevance as markers of clinical benefit in the evaluation of noncytotoxic agents is controversial and therefore of uncertain value, particularly given the present findings of a disconnect between the PFS benefit observed and PSA declines.13,18 Blinded assessment of PSA levels in this study permitted an unbiased assessment of PFS, in which PSA was not used as a determinant. TASQ treatment also strongly inhibited the natural increase in BAP levels observed during progression, which may reflect a positive therapeutic effect on delayed progression of osteoblastic bone metastases. We observed an increase in circulating VEGF levels with TASQ treatment, perhaps indicating interference with VEGF receptor signaling similar to that seen with sunitinib19 or a potential mechanism of therapeutic resistance. Preclinical findings suggest that the antitumor effect of TASQ is mediated through inhibition of angiogenesis5 with an upregulation of thrombospondin-1,8 a potent endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis and cellular migration.20-23 One molecular target for TASQ is S100A9,9 a receptor expressed on MDSCs. MDSCs promote immune tolerance during cancer progression and facilitate pathologic angiogenesis, in part mediated by S100A9 upregulation.10,24 We hypothesize that the antiangiogenic and antimetastatic properties of TASQ are mediated through modulation of MDSC activity within the tumor microenvironment. These unique characteristics and the observed clinical benefit in this study suggest that TASQ should be further tested in larger phase III studies in the context of other emerging therapies for men with CRPC.2,3,25 In general, TASQ treatment was safe, with an AE profile similar to that observed in phase I11 but of a slightly greater magnitude. One important explanation for this is that the current trial had more men older than 80 years of age (22% v 6% in phase I); tolerability was noted to decrease with age, likely attributable to slower hepatic clearance of TASQ. Importantly,however,inmostcases,AEsweretransientandreversibleandcould be managed through dose reductions or supportive measures, with continuation of drug at individual MTDs. Future trials will more flexibly allow patients to be treated at their individual MTDs. TASQ treatment led to a transient increase in several laboratory parameters such as amylase, lipase, CRP, and fibrinogen. Increased levels of amylase and lipase were asymptomatic and did not correlate with evidence of clinical or radiographic pancreatitis or bowel toxicity. Additional studies are needed to address the mechanisms behind these observations in more detail as well as clinical correlations. Although the event rate was low, cardiovascular events seemed slightly more frequent in TASQ-treated patients (Table 3). Antiangiogenic agents have been associated with higher risk of arterial/venous thrombotic events in general.20,22,23 Although we carefully excluded men with prior recent cardiovascular disease, subclinical cardiovascular disease was likely present in this elderly male population and may have contributed to these findings, which need to be further investigated in larger phase III studies. The number of myocardial infarctions was acceptably low (Table 3) in this study, and no adverse effects on blood pressure or electrocardiogram abnormalities were observed. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY Downloaded from jco.ascopubs.org on June 9, 2014. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved. Phase II Study of Tasquinimod in CRPC In conclusion, TASQ delayed disease progression in men with metastatic minimally symptomatic CRPC by a median of 4.3 months, findings similar to or better than PFS improvements seen with existing US Food and Drug Administration–approved therapies. This improvement is clinically important given that it was achieved in a chemotherapy-naive population without significant toxicities in a majority of men through use of intrapatient stepwise dose escalation to individual MTDs. A phase III trial to further evaluate overall clinical benefit in a larger predocetaxel metastatic CRPC population is under way. Michael Häggman, Active Biotech (C); Michael A. Carducci, Active Biotech (C); Andrew J. Armstrong, Active Biotech (C), Dendreon (C) Stock Ownership: Örjan Nordle, Active Biotech; Goran Forsberg, Active Biotech Honoraria: Andrew J. Armstrong, Dendreon, sanofi-aventis, Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Biotech Research Funding: Roberto Pili, Active Biotech; Walter M. Stadler, Active Biotech; Jeffrey R. Gingrich, Active Biotech; Michael A. Carducci, Active Biotech; Andrew J. Armstrong, Active Biotech, sanofi-aventis, ImClone Systems, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Medivation, Dendreon Expert Testimony: None Other Remuneration: None AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS AUTHORS’ DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Although all authors completed the disclosure declaration, the following author(s) indicated a financial or other interest that is relevant to the subject matter under consideration in this article. Certain relationships marked with a “U” are those for which no compensation was received; those relationships marked with a “C” were compensated. For a detailed description of the disclosure categories, or for more information about ASCO’s conflict of interest policy, please refer to the Author Disclosure Declaration and the Disclosures of Potential Conflicts of Interest section in Information for Contributors. Employment or Leadership Position: Örjan Nordle, Active Biotech (C); Goran Forsberg, Active Biotech (C) Consultant or Advisory Role: REFERENCES 1. de Bono JS, Oudard S, Ozguroglu M, et al: Prednisone plus cabazitaxel or mitoxantrone for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer progressing after docetaxel treatment: A randomised open-label trial. Lancet 376:1147-1154, 2010 2. de Bono JS, Logothetis C, Fizazi K, et al: Abiraterone acetate plus low dose prednisone improves overall survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) who have progressed after docetaxel-based chemotherapy: Results of COU-AA-301, a randomized doubleblind placebo-controlled phase 3 study. Presented at the 35th European Society for Medical Oncology Congress, Milan, Italy, October 8-12, 2010 3. Kantoff PW, Higano CS, Shore ND, et al: Sipuleucel-T immunotherapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 363:411-422, 2010 4. Tannock IF, de Wit R, Berry WR, et al: Docetaxel plus prednisone or mitoxantrone plus prednisone for advanced prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 351:1502-1512, 2004 5. Dalrymple SL, Becker RE, Isaacs JT: The quinoline-3-carboxamide anti-angiogenic agent, tasquinimod, enhances the anti-prostate cancer efficacy of androgen ablation and taxotere without effecting serum PSA directly in human xenografts. Prostate 67:790-797, 2007 6. Isaacs JT, Pili R, Qian DZ, et al: Identification of ABR-215050 as lead second generation quinoline-3carboxamide anti-angiogenic agent for the treatment of prostate cancer. Prostate 66:1768-1778, 2006 7. Isaacs JT: The long and winding road for the development of tasquinimod as an oral secondgeneration quinoline-3-carboxamide antiangiogenic drug for the treatment of prostate cancer. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 19:1235-1243, 2010 Conception and design: Roberto Pili, Anders Björk, Örjan Nordle, Goran Forsberg, Michael A. Carducci, Andrew J. Armstrong Administrative support: Andrew J. Armstrong Provision of study materials or patients: Roberto Pili, Michael Häggman, Walter M. Stadler, Jeffrey R. Gingrich, Michael A. Carducci, Andrew J. Armstrong Collection and assembly of data: Roberto Pili, Walter M. Stadler, Jeffrey R. Gingrich, Vasileios J. Assikis, Örjan Nordle, Goran Forsberg, Michael A. Carducci, Andrew J. Armstrong Data analysis and interpretation: Roberto Pili, Walter M. Stadler, Anders Björk, Örjan Nordle, Goran Forsberg, Michael A. Carducci, Andrew J. Armstrong Manuscript writing: All authors Final approval of manuscript: All authors 8. Olsson A, Björk A, Vallon-Christersson J, et al: Tasquinimod (ABR-215050), a quinoline-3-carboxamide anti-angiogenic agent, modulates the expression of thrombospondin-1 in human prostate tumors. Mol Cancer 9:107, 2010 9. Björk P, Björk A, Vogl T, et al: Identification of human S100A9 as a novel target for treatment of autoimmune disease via binding to quinoline-3carboxamides. PLoS Biol 7:e97, 2009 10. Murdoch C, Muthana M, Coffelt SB, et al: The role of myeloid cells in the promotion of tumour angiogenesis. Nat Rev Cancer 8:618-631, 2008 11. Bratt O, Häggman M, Ahlgren G, et al: Openlabel, clinical phase I studies of tasquinimod in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer. Br J Cancer 101:1233-1240, 2009 12. Therasse P, Arbuck SG, Eisenhauer EA, et al: New guidelines to evaluate the response to treatment in solid tumors: European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, National Cancer Institute of the United States, National Cancer Institute of Canada. J Natl Cancer Inst 92:205-216, 2000 13. Scher HI, Halabi S, Tannock I, et al: Design and end points of clinical trials for patients with progressive prostate cancer and castrate levels of testosterone: Recommendations of the Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Working Group. J Clin Oncol 26:1148-1159, 2008 14. Small EJ, Schellhammer PF, Higano CS, et al: Placebo-controlled phase III trial of immunologic therapy with sipuleucel-T (APC8015) in patients with metastatic, asymptomatic hormone refractory prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol 24:3089-3094, 2006 15. Armstrong AJ, Tannock IF, de Wit R, et al: The development of risk groups in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer based on risk factors for PSA decline and survival. Eur J Cancer 46:517-525, 2010 16. Armstrong AJ, Garrett-Mayer ES, Yang YC, et al: A contemporary prognostic nomogram for men with hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer: A TAX327 study analysis. Clin Cancer Res 13:6396-6403, 2007 17. Halabi S, Small EJ, Kantoff PW, et al: Prognostic model for predicting survival in men with hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol 21:1232-1237, 2003 18. Armstrong AJ, Garrett-Mayer E, Ou Yang YC, et al: Prostate-specific antigen and pain surrogacy analysis in metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol 25:3965-3970, 2007 19. Motzer RJ, Michaelson MD, Redman BG, et al: Activity of SU11248, a multitargeted inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor, in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 24:16-24, 2006 20. Choueiri TK, Plantade A, Elson P, et al: Efficacy of sunitinib and sorafenib in metastatic papillary and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 26:127-131, 2008 21. Isenberg JS, Martin-Manso G, Maxhimer JB, et al: Regulation of nitric oxide signalling by thrombospondin 1: Implications for anti-angiogenic therapies. Nat Rev Cancer 9:182-194, 2009 22. Nalluri SR, Chu D, Keresztes R, et al: Risk of venous thromboembolism with the angiogenesis inhibitor bevacizumab in cancer patients: A metaanalysis. JAMA 300:2277-2285, 2008 23. Scappaticci FA, Skillings JR, Holden SN, et al: Arterial thromboembolic events in patients with metastatic carcinoma treated with chemotherapy and bevacizumab. J Natl Cancer Inst 99:1232-1239, 2007 24. Cheng P, Corzo CA, Luetteke N, et al: Inhibition of dendritic cell differentiation and accumulation of myeloidderived suppressor cells in cancer is regulated by S100A9 protein. J Exp Med 205:2235-2249, 2008 25. Scher HI, Beer TM, Higano CS, et al: Antitumour activity of MDV3100 in castration-resistant prostate cancer: A phase 1-2 study. Lancet 375: 1437-1446, 2010 ■ ■ ■ www.jco.org © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology Downloaded from jco.ascopubs.org on June 9, 2014. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved. 7 Pili et al Acknowledgment This study was conducted within the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium, and we are grateful to the additional investigators who accrued to this study, including: Richy Agajanian, American Institute of Research, Whittier, CA; Göran Ahlgren, Universitetssjukhuset MAS, Malmö, Sweden; Cal Andreou, Andreou Research, Surrey, United Kingdom; John Araujo, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; Laurence Belkoff, Urologic Consultants of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Bala Cynwyd, PA; Guy Bernstein, Center for Urological Care, Bryn Mawr, PA; Stanley Brosman, Pacific Institute of Urology, Santa Monica, CA; Sam Chang, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN; Franklin Chu, San Bernardino Urological Associates, San Bernardino, CA; William Clark, Alaska Clinical Research Center, Anchorage, AK; Randil Clark, North Idaho Urology, Coeur d’Alene, ID; Giovanni Colombo, Midwest Urology, Peoria, IL; Barrett Cowan, Urology Associates, Englewood, CO; Jan-Erik Damber, Sahlgrenska Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden; Samuel Denmeade, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD; James Elist, Pacific Clinical Center, Beverly Hills, CA; Hugh Fisher, Community Care Physicians, Albany, NY; Mark Fleming, Virginia Oncology Associates, Norfolk, VA; Jeffrey Frankel, Seattle Urology Research Center, Burien, WA; Russell Freid, Lawrenceville Urology, Lawrenceville, NJ; Richard Harris, Midwest Urology/RMD Research, Melrose Park, IL; Eric Hirchberg, Guelph Urology Associates, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Ron Israeli, Staten Island Urological Research, Staten Island, NY; Richard Kane, Wake Urological Associates, Raleigh, NC; Danny Keiller, Urology Physicians of San Diego, San Diego, CA; Jeffrey Marks, Plantation, FL; Jonathan Polikoff, Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, San Diego, CA; Charles Redfern, Medical Oncology Associates of San Diego, San Diego, CA; Ilan Shapira, Beth Isreal Medical Center, New York, NY; Daniel Shevrin, North Shore University Health System, Evanston, IL; Paul Sieber, Urological Associates of Lancaster, Lancaster, PA; Frederick Snoy, Urology Group of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Todd Webster, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada; Joseph Williams, Idaho Urologic Institute, Meridian, ID; and Edward Woods, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. We are indebted to the many patients and their families for their participation in this trial. Appendix 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 Tasq Placebo 0 Progression-Free Survival (probability) 9 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 12 9 12 6 9 5 4 5 4 4 3 2 2 2 1 9 10 11 12 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 + Censored Log-rank P = .0027 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 No. at risk Tasq Placebo 2 Time (months) No. at risk Tasq Placebo C 1 Tasq Placebo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 122 105 65 65 81 47 63 30 52 25 40 20 31 14 28 12 21 9 20 7 19 5 15 2 + Censored Log-rank P = .019 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 Tasq Placebo 0 D 1 92 44 3 4 5 6 7 8 82 42 73 42 55 31 42 31 36 18 30 15 23 12 20 11 9 10 11 12 16 8 16 6 16 4 12 2 + Censored Log-rank P = .0029 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 No. at risk Tasq Placebo 2 Time (months) No. at risk Tasq Placebo 10 11 12 Time (months) 134 67 B Progression-Free Survival (probability) + Censored Log-rank P = .5405 1.0 Progression-Free Survival (probability) Progression-Free Survival (probability) A Tasq Placebo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 21 19 Time (months) 134 67 122 105 65 65 76 45 56 25 46 21 36 11 29 0 27 18 13 Fig A1. Kaplan-Meier estimates of progression-free survival (PFS; months/N) for patients receiving tasquinimod (Tasq) versus placebo followed by crossover to Tasq at disease progression or after 6 months. (A) Patients with nodal metastases only at baseline (6.1 [n ⫽ 9] v 3.1 months [n ⫽ 12]); (B) patients with bone lesions with or without nodal metastases at baseline (8.8 [n ⫽ 92] v 3.4 months [n ⫽ 44]); (C) radiographic PFS using local review (8.8 [n ⫽ 134] v 4.4 months [n ⫽ 67]); (D) PFS using composite definition, including central review of radiologic events in 155 patients (8.4 [n ⫽ 134] v 3.8 months [n ⫽ 67]). 8 © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY Downloaded from jco.ascopubs.org on June 9, 2014. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved. Phase II Study of Tasquinimod in CRPC Population TASQ (months) Placebo (months) P HR ITT (n = 201) 7.6 3.3 .0042 0.57 ITT (n = 201)* 8.8 4.4 .0027 0.54 Karnofsky ≤ 80 (n = 22) 4.9 3.2 .1633 0.46 Karnofsky ≥ 90 (n = 179) 8.7 3.3 .0120 0.59 Age 40-75 (n = 111) 8.7 3.3 .0103 0.52 Age 76-99 (n = 90) 6.1 4.0 .1826 0.66 Alk. Ph. > ULN (n = 43) 8.7 6.8 .6716 0.81 Alk. Ph. ≤ ULN (n = 158) 6.2 3.2 .0045 0.55 Hemoglobin < LLN (n = 96) 6.0 3.9 .1217 0.64 Hemoglobin ≥ LLN (n = 105) 8.9 3.2 .0274 0.55 LDH > ULN (n = 31) 8.9 6.8 .7132 0.82 LDH ≤ ULN (n = 170) 7.6 3.3 .0030 0.54 PSA DT < 4.4 months (n = 100) 8.7 3.1 .0184 0.52 PSA DT > 4.4 months (n = 101) 6.2 4.9 .0617 0.59 PSA day1 < 24 µg/L (n = 100) 8.9 3.2 .0073 0.48 PSA day1 ≥ 24 µg/L (n = 101) 5.9 3.8 .3433 0.77 Bone Only (n = 83) 12.1 5.4 .0163 0.45 Bone metastases (n = 136) 8.8 3.4 .0191 0.56 Node only (n = 21) 6.1 3.1 .5405 0.73 Visceral (n = 42) 6.0 3.0 .0451 0.41 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 Favors Tasq Favors placebo Fig A2. Forest plot showing median progression-free survival and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs for all patients and subgroups comparing tasquinimod (TASQ) with placebo. Alk. Ph., alkaline phosphatase; DT, doubling time; ITT, intent to treat; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; LLN, lower limit of normal; PSA, prostate-specific antigen; ULN, upper limit of normal. www.jco.org © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology Downloaded from jco.ascopubs.org on June 9, 2014. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved. 9 Pili et al A 400 400 100 100 % Change % Change B 0 -50 0 -50 -80 -80 -90 -90 D C Tasq Placebo 40 30 30 % Change % Change Tasq Placebo 40 20 10 20 10 0 0 -10 -10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 Time (months) 2 3 4 5 6 Time (months) Fig A3. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and biomarker analysis during double-blind phase. (A) Waterfall plot illustrating change in PSA levels after 12 weeks as compared with baseline PSA (tasquinimod [Tasq]); (B) waterfall plot illustrating change in PSA levels as compared with baseline PSA (placebo). Median (⫾ SE) levels of biomarkers (C) bone alkaline phosphatase and (D) vascular endothelial growth factor are shown over time normalized to day 0 during double-blind treatment period. Nausea Fatigue Constipation Decreased appetite Flatulence Tasq Grade 4 Diarrhea Tasq Grade 3 Back pain Tasq Grade 2 Pain in extremity Tasq Grade 1 Arthralgia Blood amylase increased Placebo Grade 4 Lipase increased Placebo Grade 3 Vomiting Placebo Grade 2 Anemia Placebo Grade 1 Headache Abdominal pain 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Fig A4. Most common related adverse events (AEs) and percent of patients with grade 1 to 4 AEs in double-blind phase. Tasq, tasquinimod. 10 © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY Downloaded from jco.ascopubs.org on June 9, 2014. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved.