Safety and efficacy of first-in-class CXCR1/2 inhibitor SX-682 in combination with pembrolizumab (pem) in patients (pts) with metastatic melanoma (mMEL) with disease progression on anti–PD-1 therapy.

Newswise — Background:Outcomes for pts with mMEL remain sobering despite access to available immunotherapies as the majority of pts are resistant or become refractory to checkpoint blockade with no approved treatments. CXCR1 and CXCR2 (CXCR1/2) signaling mediate myeloid immunosuppression and MEL growth, inversely correlating with anti-PD-1 response and pt survival. SX-682 is an oral allosteric inhibitor of CXCR1/2. As a single agent, SX-682 increases tumor CD8+ T cell infiltration and inhibits tumor growth in mouse MEL.

Methods:This phase 1 dose-escalation with expansion trial (NCT03161431) evaluated pem and escalating doses of SX-682 (25 - 400 mg orally BID) in pts with mMEL in a 21-day cycle. Pts must have had progressive disease (PD) on prior anti-PD-1. Mucosal MEL and asymptomatic brain metastases were allowed. Escalation cohorts had a 21-day SX-682 monotherapy (MONO) run-in. Response assessment by RECIST 1.1 was every 2 cycles during combination (COMBO) treatment. Primary endpoint was safety: adverse events (AEs), dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) and maximally-tolerated dose (MTD). Secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR; complete [CR] + partial [PR] response), disease control rate (DCR; CR + PR + stable disease [SD]) and overall survival (OS).

Results:As of October 2023, 51 pts were enrolled and treated; median age of 65 (range 24-91), 55% male, 61% elevated LDH, 39% BRAF mutated. All pts received prior anti-PD-1, 37 (73%) received combined anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4, and 23 (45%) had ≥ 3 prior therapies. Steady-state blood SX-682 was dose-proportional. No MONO DLT or MTD was identified. The 200 mg dose cohort was expanded in COMBO based on safety and pharmacodynamics: mg BID dose (n) = 25 (3), 50 (3), 100 (6), 150 (8), 200 (31). Any grade and grade 3/4 treatment-related AEs (TRAEs) occurred in 75% and 43%, respectively, and discontinuation (DC) due to TRAEs in 20% (when uncomplicated neutropenia, a permitted effect from CXCR2 inhibition on bone-marrow trafficking, was excluded there were 25% grade 3/4 TRAEs and 12% DC [rash, transaminitis]). There was no infectious signal. At the 200 mg dose, the ORR was 21% in 19 evaluable pts (4 PR + 0 CR) and the DCR was 63% (8 SD + 4 PR). DCR significantly depended on SX-682 dose (P vs. ≤100 mg): 0% (0/9) at ≤100 mg, 50% (3/6) at 150 mg (P = 0.0440) and 63% (12/19) at 200 mg (P = 0.0028). All 15 pts with disease control had progressed on anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4. Median OS was longer in pts in the 200 mg cohort (14.7 months; 95% CI, 10.5 – NR [not reached], n = 31) than in pts treated with ≤100 mg SX-682 (7.4 months; 95% CI, 5.0 – NR; n = 10).

Conclusions:SX-682 combined with pem had a tolerable safety profile and activity reflected by objective responses and clinically meaningful disease control in heavily pretreated mMEL pts with progression on anti-PD-1 and anti–CTLA-4. Clinical trial information: NCT03161431.

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