Phase II Trials (phase + ii_trials)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Utility-Based Optimization of Combination Therapy Using Ordinal Toxicity and Efficacy in Phase I/II Trials

BIOMETRICS, Issue 2 2010
Nadine Houede
Summary An outcome-adaptive Bayesian design is proposed for choosing the optimal dose pair of a chemotherapeutic agent and a biological agent used in combination in a phase I/II clinical trial. Patient outcome is characterized as a vector of two ordinal variables accounting for toxicity and treatment efficacy. A generalization of the Aranda-Ordaz model (1981,,Biometrika,68, 357,363) is used for the marginal outcome probabilities as functions of a dose pair, and a Gaussian copula is assumed to obtain joint distributions. Numerical utilities of all elementary patient outcomes, allowing the possibility that efficacy is inevaluable due to severe toxicity, are obtained using an elicitation method aimed to establish consensus among the physicians planning the trial. For each successive patient cohort, a dose pair is chosen to maximize the posterior mean utility. The method is illustrated by a trial in bladder cancer, including simulation studies of the method's sensitivity to prior parameters, the numerical utilities, correlation between the outcomes, sample size, cohort size, and starting dose pair. [source]


Green Tea Polyphenols and Cancer Chemoprevention: Multiple Mechanisms and Endpoints for Phase II Trials

NUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 5 2004
M.P.H., Susan B. Moyers Ph.D.
Among the numerous polyphenols isolated from green tea, the catechin EGCG predominates and is the target of anticancer research. But studies suggest that EGCG and other catechins are poorly absorbed and undergo substantial biotransformation to species that include glucuronides, sulfates, and methylated compounds. Numerous studies relate the antioxidant properties of the catechins with anticancer effects, but recent research proposes other mechanisms of action, including those involving methyl transfers that are subject to allelic variability in the enzyme catechol O-methyl transferase. However, preclinical research is promising and EGCG appears to be ready for further study in phase II and III trials. [source]


A two-stage phase II trial design utilizing both primary and secondary endpoints

PHARMACEUTICAL STATISTICS: THE JOURNAL OF APPLIED STATISTICS IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY, Issue 2 2008
Xun Lin
Abstract Phase II trials in oncology drug development are usually conducted to perform the initial assessment of treatment activity. The common designs in this setting, for example, Simon 2-stage designs, are often developed based on testing whether a parameter of interest, usually a proportion (e.g. response rate), is less than a certain level or not. These designs usually consider only one parameter. However, sometimes we may encounter situations where we need to consider not a single parameter, but multiple parameters. This paper presents a two-stage design in which both primary and secondary endpoints are utilized in the decision rules. The family-wise Type 1 error rate and statistical power of the proposed design are investigated under a variety of situations by means of Monte-Carlo simulations. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Clinical quality assurance: Auditing phase II trials

QUALITY ASSURANCE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2003
Terry Winchell
Abstract Clinical quality assurance (CQA) auditing of Phase II trials may help eliminate potential problems before they occur by providing valuable quality input before pivotal Phase III trials are undertaken. CQA auditing of Phase II trials can affect critical elements of design regarding Phase III protocols, and may be extremely useful in the early evaluation of vendors prior to investing in Phase III research. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Combination Nonviral Interleukin-2 Gene Immunotherapy For Head and Neck Cancer: From Bench Top to Bedside

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 3 2005
Bert W. O'Malley Jr MD
Abstract Objective/Hypothesis: Intralesional delivery of cytokine genes has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer. In addition to the therapeutic effect of the delivered cytokine gene, the components of the gene delivery system also have been shown to induce beneficial immune responses. On the basis of these principles, we hypothesized that a molecular therapy could be developed that would provide synergistic antitumor activity by way of intralesional expression of interleukin (IL)-2 from a recombinant plasmid combined with induction of endogenous interferon (IFN)-, and IL-12 cytokines by immunostimulatory DNA. Our objective in these studies was to create and optimize a novel formulation of cationic lipid and DNA that generates local production of IL-2 protein within a targeted tumor environment with concomitant induction of the antitumor cytokines IFN-, and IL-12. Study Design: Prospective laboratory drug development plan that would produce human clinical trials. Materials and Methods: Engineered bacterial plasmids containing a cytomegalovirus promoter (CMV)-IL-2 expression cassette were specifically formulated with cationic lipids and optimized for antitumor effect in a floor of mouth murine tumor model. The treated tumors were assayed for local expression of IL-2 and concurrent expression of secondary cytokines IFN-, and IL-12. Established tumors in C3H/HeJ mice were treated with various IL-2 gene formulations, and clinical and immunologic responses were evaluated. Immunologic studies were performed and included cytolytic T-cell assays and cytokine expression profiles. For human clinical trials, a phase I 10 patient formulated IL-2 gene therapy study was completed. Subsequently, two large scale, phase II multi-institutional and multi-international studies were initiated comparing non-viral IL-2 gene therapy to palliative methotrexate chemotherapy or in combination with cisplatin. Results: In the preclinical stage, maximum tumor inhibition in animal models was obtained using IL-2 plasmid formulated with 1,2-dioleyloxypropyl-3-trimethyl ammonium chloride (DOTMA):cholesterol (1:1 mol:mol) at a plasmid:lipid charge ratio of 1:0.5 (,/+). Cationic lipid formulated IL-2 plasmid significantly inhibited tumor growth compared with formulated control plasmid (P < .01) or vehicle (lactose; P < .01). Consistent with previously reported studies of the immunostimulatory activity of DNA of bacterial origin, treatment of tumors with control plasmid in cationic lipid formulation induced production of endogenous IFN-, and IL-12 but not IL-2. Treatment of tumors with formulated IL-2 plasmid produced IL-2 protein levels that were 5-fold over background and increased IFN-, by 32-fold (P < .001) and IL-12 by 5.5-fold (P < .001) compared with control plasmid formulations. The phase I human trial demonstrated dose escalation safety, which was its primary objective, and there was one anecdotal reduction in tumor size. The phase II studies have been initiated and focus on either comparing the novel nonviral IL-2 gene immunotherapy formulation alone to methotrexate or comparing IL-2 gene therapy in combination with cisplatin in recurrent or unresectable patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusions: The preclinical data provided proof of principle for matching a delivered IL-2 transgene with an immunostimulatory nonviral formulation to enhance intralesional production of therapeutic cytokines for the maximization of antitumor response. Human clinical trials have demonstrated this novel therapy to be safe in the human clinical setting. Phase II trials have been initiated to assess efficacy and feasibility as a single or combination therapy for head and neck cancer. [source]


A systematic review of phase II trials of thalidomide/dexamethasone combination therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
Marie Von Lilienfeld-Toal
Abstract Thalidomide monotherapy in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM) has a response rate of 30%. The combination of thalidomide with dexamethasone (Thal/Dex) is expected to improve responses, but it is unknown if the combination increases the rate of adverse events. Here, we conducted a systematic review of studies evaluating Thal/Dex in relapsed/refractory MM. Twelve studies were included, comprising 451 patients. The response rate (CR and PR) was 46% (95% CI 42,51%). Therapy-related toxicity was comparable to thalidomide monotherapy and included somnolence (26%, 95% CI 22,31%), constipation (37%, 95% CI 32,42%) and peripheral neuropathy (27%, 95% CI 23,32%). Only venous thromboembolism appeared to occur more often with Thal/Dex (5%, 95% CI 3,8%). Thus, using Thal/Dex results in an improved response rate in relapsed/refractory MM, with a toxicity rate comparable to thalidomide monotherapy. [source]


Antiadhesion molecule therapy in inflammatory bowel disease

INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 4 2002
Dr. Gert Van Assche
Abstract Adhesion molecules regulate the influx of leukocytes in normal and inflamed gut. Some of these molecules such as MadCAM-1 are specific for the gastrointestinal endothelium, but in inflammatory bowel diseases most of the adhesion factors are up-regulated. Adhesion molecules also are involved in local lymphocyte stimulation and antigen presentation within the intestinal mucosa. Recently, therapeutic compounds directed against trafficking of lymphocytes toward the gut mucosa have been designed, and are being developed as a novel class of drugs in the treatment of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis. This review deals with the immunological aspects of leukocyte trafficking focused on gut homing of T cells. Secondly, the changes in adhesion molecules and T-cell trafficking during intestinal inflammation are discussed. Finally, we review the clinical data that have been gathered in trials of biological therapies directed against adhesion molecules. Both antiintercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and anti-,4 integrin strategies are being developed. Trials with the anti-ICAM-1 antisense oligonucleotide, ISIS-2302, in steroid-refractory CD have provided conflicting efficacy data. The anti-,4 integrin antibodies natalizumab (Antegren) and LDP-02 are in phase III and phase II trials, respectively. In the near future, these novel biological agents may prove valuable therapeutic tools in the management of refractory IBD. [source]


Clinical quality assurance: Auditing phase II trials

QUALITY ASSURANCE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2003
Terry Winchell
Abstract Clinical quality assurance (CQA) auditing of Phase II trials may help eliminate potential problems before they occur by providing valuable quality input before pivotal Phase III trials are undertaken. CQA auditing of Phase II trials can affect critical elements of design regarding Phase III protocols, and may be extremely useful in the early evaluation of vendors prior to investing in Phase III research. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Enantioselective HPLC-UV method for determination of eslicarbazepine acetate (BIA 2-093) and its metabolites in human plasma

BIOMEDICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY, Issue 11 2007
Gilberto Alves
Abstract Eslicarbazepine acetate (BIA 2-093) is a novel central nervous system drug undergoing clinical phase III trials for epilepsy and phase II trials for bipolar disorder. A simple and reliable chiral reversed-phase HPLC-UV method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of eslicarbazepine acetate, oxcarbazepine, S- licarbazepine and R -licarbazepine in human plasma. The analytes and internal standard were extracted from plasma by a solid-phase extraction using Waters Oasis® HLB cartridges. Chromatographic separation was achieved by isocratic elution with water,methanol (88:12, v/v), at a flow rate of 0.7 mL/min, on a LichroCART 250-4 ChiraDex (, -cyclodextrin, 5 µm) column at 30°C. All compounds were detected at 225 nm. Calibration curves were linear over the range 0.4,8 µg/mL for eslicarbazepine acetate and oxcarbazepine, and 0.4,80 µg/mL for each licarbazepine enantiomer. The overall intra- and interday precision and accuracy did not exceed 15%. Mean relative recoveries varied from 94.00 to 102.23% and the limit of quantification of the assay was 0.4 µg/mL for all compounds. This method seems to be a useful tool for clinical research and therapeutic drug monitoring of eslicarbazepine acetate and its metabolites S- licarbazepine, R -licarbazepine and oxcarbazepine. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]