Metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer
Adults with this diagnosis may be interested in a randomized, double-blind, phase 3 study examining whether an experimental poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor called saruparib can further delay disease progression when added to a next-generation hormonal agent such as abiraterone (Zytiga), darolutamide (Nubeqa), or enzalutamide (Xtandi).
One group of participants will take daily oral doses of saruparib plus physician’s choice of a next-generation hormonal agent until disease progression or another reason for stopping therapy. The other group will add a placebo to a next-generation hormonal agent.
Sites in Rhode Island, Arkansas, California, Michigan, Australia, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and South Korea began seeking the trial’s 1800 participants in November 2023. Research centers in 31 other US states and 18 other countries are gearing up. The primary endpoint is radiographic progression-free survival. Overall survival and quality of life (QoL) are secondary endpoints. More details at clinicaltrials.gov.
This news organization asked Marc Garnick, MD, professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, for his take on the trial. “The study is interesting since it is adding to the evaluations of continued intensification for first-line therapy and will help further elucidate the role of PARP inhibition regardless of homologous repair status,” Dr. Garnick said. “Plus, saruparib is supposedly more selective on PARP1, which in-and-of-itself is of potential benefit.”
Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
People with this type of cancer who have progressed on a next-generation hormonal agent may be eligible for a randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial testing an investigational oral treatment called MK-5684 to see if it increases survival more effectively than switching to an alternative next-generation hormonal agent.
MK-5684 is designed to inhibit the CYP11A1 enzyme, thereby disrupting the androgen-receptor signaling pathway.
One group will take twice-daily tablets of MK-5684 plus hormone replacement therapy, oral dexamethasone, and oral fludrocortisone acetate (Florinef), with rescue hydrocortisone as needed. The other participants will take daily tablets of a next-generation hormonal agent: Either enzalutamide or abiraterone. Patients assigned to abiraterone will also be given prednisone tablets.
US-based sites in nine states and Puerto Rico started looking for the trial’s 1500 participants in December 2023 in partnership with study centers in Australia, Israel, South Korea, and Taiwan. The primary endpoints are radiographic progression-free survival and overall survival. QoL will not be tracked. More details at clinicaltrials.gov.
Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
Patients in this situation who have progressed on taxane-based chemotherapy as well as a next-generation hormonal agent have the option to enroll in another phase 3 MK-5684 study.
Like the trial described above, all patients will remain on their respective therapy until disease progression. In this trial, one group will take twice-daily tablets of MK-5684 without hormone replacement therapy but the same mix of oral dexamethasone and fludrocortisone. Rescue hydrocortisone will also be available. The second group will be assigned either enzalutamide or abiraterone plus prednisone.
Sites in Puerto Rico, Colorado, Nevada, and Virginia, and five other countries outside the United States, opened their doors to the first of 1200 patients in December 2023. The primary endpoints are radiographic progression-free survival and overall survival, analyzed separately for patients with and without an androgen receptor ligand-binding domain mutation. QoL will not be measured. More details at clinicaltrials.gov.