A phase I, dose-escalation, multicenter study of ACT-PFK-158, 2HCl in patients with advanced solid malignancies explores a first-in-human inhibitor of glycolysis.
TPS494 Background: In human cancers, loss of PTEN, stabilization of hypoxia inducible factor-1α, and activation of Ras and AKT converge to increase the activity of a regulator of glycolysis, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (PFKFB3). This enzyme synthesizes fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (F2,6BP), which is an activator of 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase, a crucial step of glycolysis that is tightly controlled by multiple metabolic feedback mechanisms and dictates the rate of glycolytic flow. The vast majority of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and approximately 50% of colon adenocarcinomas harbor activating mutations in Ras and these tumors have been reported to be highly glycolytic. PFK158 is a potent small molecule inhibitor of PFKFB3 that is selectively cytotoxic to Ras-transformed epithelial cells and displays broad anti-tumor activity causing ~80% growth inhibition in several mouse models of human-derived tumors and syngeneic murine models of colon cancer. Importantly, IND-enabling safety and toxicity studies have demonstrated that PFK158 is well tolerated in rats and dogs with an expected good therapeutic index, lending support for a phase 1 trial that is now underway. Methods: The primary objective of the study is to describe the dose limiting toxicity and to determine either the maximum tolerated dose or biological effective dose of PFK-158 in a “3+3” cohort-based dose escalation design that follows a modified Fibonacci scheme. Multiple secondary endpoints have been incorporated to assess the effects of PFK-158 on peripheral blood mononuclear cell F2,6BP activity and on glucose uptake using FDG-PET imaging. This trial is currently enrolling at two US sites; Cohort 1 has been completed without dose-limiting toxicity and Cohort 2 is enrolling with two subjects under treatment as of September 2014. In conclusion, PFK158 is the first-in-man and first-in-class PFKFB3 inhibitor to be examined in a phase I trial and may have significant clinical utility either as a monotherapy or when combined with other targeted agents. Clinical trial information: NCT02044861.