Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of trabectedin as a 1- or 3-hour infusion weekly in patients with advanced solid malignancies.

PURPOSE

This study was designed to determine the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics, and to seek preliminary evidence of anticancer activity of trabectedin, a novel marine-derived DNA minor grove binder, when administered as a 1-hour or 3-hour i.v. infusion for 3 consecutive weeks every 4 weeks in patients with advanced solid malignancies. The study also sought to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) levels of trabectedin on these schedules, as well as to recommend doses for disease-directed studies.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

A total of 32 and 31 patients were treated in sequential cohorts with trabectedin on the 1-hour schedule (doses ranging from 0.46 to 0.80 mg/m(2)) and on the 3-hour schedule (doses ranging from 0.30 to 0.65 mg/m(2)).

RESULTS

Neutropenia, transient elevations in hepatic transaminases and creatine phosphokinase, and fatigue precluded dose escalation above 0.70 mg/m(2) (1-hour schedule) and 0.65 mg/m(2) (3-hour schedule), which were determined to be the MTD levels, respectively. The pharmacokinetics of trabectedin on both schedules were characterized by a high clearance rate, a long terminal half-life, and a large volume of distribution. A patient with soft tissue sarcoma had partial response, and several soft tissue sarcoma patients had prolonged (> or =6 months) stable disease.

CONCLUSIONS

The MTD levels of trabectedin given weekly for 3 weeks every 4 weeks is 0.61 mg/m(2) as a 1-hour infusion and 0.58 mg/m(2) as a 3-hour infusion. The manageable toxicities at the MTDs, preliminary evidence of antitumor activity, pharmacokinetic profile, and the unique mechanistic aspects of trabectedin warrant further disease-directed evaluations on weekly schedules.