A phase I trial of AVN944 in patients with advanced hematologic malignancies
14026 Background: AVN-944 is an inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), an enzyme that catalyzes the rate- limiting step in guanine nucleotide synthesis, and induces apoptosis in malignant hematopoietic cell lines in vitro. Methods: This phase I study employed open-label dose escalations in patients (pts) with relapsed, refractory hematologic cancers with safety, pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamic, & efficacy endpoints. Between 12/05 and 1/07 a total of 70 cycles of AVN944 at 25 (7pts), 50 (6pts), 75 (7pts), 100 (7pts) or 125 mg (3pts) b.i.d. orally X 21d every 28d were administered to 30 pts with AML (12), ALL (2), CLL (3), and multiple myeloma (13). Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) or leukemic blast samples were obtained from all pts pre and post-receiving AVN944 to determine effects on GTP pools, IMPDH activity, and to correlate these changes to response in a 32-gene set that relates directly to cellular pathways dependent upon guanine nucleotide biosynthesis. Results: Pharmacokinetics were dose proportional with mean Tmax=1 hour, T1/2=1.5 hours, Cmax=2800 ng/ml and AUC=7228 hr.ng/ml at the 100 mg b.i.d. dose. Toxicities were generally mild-moderate and/or not attributed to AVN944. Twelve serious adverse events (SAEs) occurred in 8 pts; 7 of 8 had AML. No SAEs was attributed to AVN944. DLT was not seen. No protocol defined responses were seen. Twelve of 24 assessable pts had stable disease of 2 to 10 months duration. Changes in the gene expression set correlated with disease stability. Conclusions: AVN944 is well tolerated with oral b.i.d. dosing. Stabilization of disease was observed in half of the pts. Gene expression correlated with stable versus progressive disease. [Table: see text]