Tarceva erlotinib: Additional Phase II data

Researchers at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center reported additional data from a subgroup of 101 stage IV NSCLC patients who had gene expression profiles obtained from pretreatment core needle biopsies in the adaptive, open-label, U.S. Phase II BATTLE trial showing that 2 gene signatures were predictive of disease control with Tarceva in patients with wild-type EGFR and K-Ras. An epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signature using 4 genes showed that Tarceva had a significantly higher 8-week DCR in tumors with an epithelial phenotype vs. a mesenchymal phenotype (64% vs. 10%, p=0.02). A new 5-gene signature also predicted DCR at 8 weeks (83% vs. 0%. p<0.001) and PFS (12.5 vs. 7.2 weeks) with Tarceva.

The EMT gene signature included E-cadherin ( CDH1; CD324), vimentin (VIM), N-cadherin and fibronectin 1 ( FN1; FN). The 5-gene signature included natriuretic peptide receptor C ( NPR3; NPRC), chromosome 5 open reading frame 23 (C5orf23), lipocalin ( LCN2; NGAL), 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase ( OGG1; HMMH) and tripartite motif-containing 72 (TRIM72). Additionally, LCN2 was associated with epithelial phenotype, and AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL; UFO) was associated with mesenchymal phenotype. Data were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Orlando. ...