Ciara Kelly, MBBCh, BAO, interim clinical director of the Sarcoma Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses ongoing studies to further improve the treatment of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST).
Several ongoing clinical trials are particularly promising for patients with GIST and offer new treatment options, Kelly begins. An exciting development came from the ASCO Annual Meeting 2024where data on two pan-KIT inhibitors, NB003 and IDRX-42, were presented, she explains. These inhibitors have shown promising clinical activity and have been tested in a broad range of GIST genotypes within the Kit-mutated population, says Kelly. As both studies continue to expand, further results are expected that could significantly impact treatment strategies for GIST, explains Kelly.
Another important trial is the ongoing Phase 3 Peak trial (NCT05208047), which is evaluating sunitinib (Sutent) with or without bezuclastinib (CGT9486) in patients with advanced GIST whose disease has either progressed on imatinib (Gleevec) or who are intolerant to imatinib (Gleevec) in the second-line setting, she continues. Early data from this trial have shown promising activity from sunitinib plus bezuclastinib, suggesting that this combination could offer a valuable new option for patients with limited treatment options, Kelly emphasizes. Upcoming results from the randomized Phase 3 portion of the trial are eagerly awaited as they will provide deeper insights into the efficacy of this combination therapy, she explains.
In addition, the Phase 2 SARC044 trial (NCT06208748) is evaluating the same combination of sunitinib and bezuclastinib in patients whose disease previously progressed on sunitinib, Kelly adds. This combination represents another potential treatment option for those who have exhausted both imatinib and sunitinib, the standard therapies for treating GIST, she notes.
Overall, these trials represent significant advances in GIST treatment, particularly for patients whose treatment options are limited after progression on existing therapies, Kelly emphasizes. She concludes that the results of these trials will be critical for the future treatment of GIST.
