Design of a phase I clinical trial with PNT2258, a novel DNA interference oligonucleotide (DNAi), in patients with advanced solid tumors.
TPS3110 Background: With the knowledge that Bcl-2 facilitates drug resistance and cell survival, a DNA interference (DNAi) strategy was applied to silence Bcl-2 in cancer cells and promote apoptosis. DNAi differs from cytoplasmic mRNA targeting (antisense, RNAi, and miRNA targets) as it targets genomic DNA, blocking transcription. PNT100, a first in class DNAi, is a novel single-stranded 24-base unmodified DNA designed to bind to an upstream region of the Bcl-2 promoter. The drug product (PNT2258) is PNT100 encapsulated in a specialized pH tunable liposome and is being assessed for safety and tolerability in a phase I trial. PNT2258 avoids the toxicities associated with modified oligonucleotides and double-stranded RNAs; since the liposome formulation is anionic and contains no surface spacers, vehicle toxicities are minimal. Xenograft experiments demonstrated marked single agent activity in a diffuse large cell lymphoma, and therapy potentiation when combined with either rituximab in Daudi-Burkitt’s Lymphoma or docetaxel in A375 melanoma. Methods: An open-label, single-arm, first-in-man phase I dose-escalation study of PNT2258 in patients with advanced solid tumors was designed to evaluate safety, tolerability, dose-limiting toxicities, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of PNT2258 to recommend a dose for phase II studies. In this phase I study, pharmacodynamic effects of PNT2258 will be evaluated through analyses of soluble serum and plasma markers and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Patients will receive PNT2258 as an intravenous infusion over 2 hours once daily for 5 consecutive days (days 1-5) of each 21-day treatment cycle (3 weeks). The starting dose of 1 mg/m2 with PNT2258 administered to one patient per cohort and dose-escalation will proceed by dose-doubling in each successive cohort until a dose level of 64 mg/m2 is attained, provided no dose-limiting toxicities are observed in cycle 1. Thereafter, dose escalations shall proceed at 33% increments of the previous cohort dose-level to 85, 113, and 150 mg/m2 with expansions of up to six patients per cohort as needed. The ten planned dose cohorts have been completed with all patients enrolled.