On June 6, 2022 Verastem Oncology (Nasdaq: VSTM), a biopharmaceutical company committed to advancing new medicines for people living with cancer, reported an update from an interim analysis of its international Phase 2 RAMP 201 trial evaluating VS-6766 ± defactinib in recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC), regardless of KRAS status (Press release, Verastem, JUN 6, 2022, View Source [SID1234615639]).

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Verastem recently completed a planned interim analysis of its RAMP 201 trial with the goal of selecting a go forward treatment regimen of either VS-6766 monotherapy or VS-6766 in combination with defactinib. The analysis indicated encouraging efficacy results with confirmed responses by independent review in patients treated with VS-6766 monotherapy and patients treated with VS-6766 in combination with defactinib. The findings also include confirmed responses by independent review in both KRAS mutant and KRAS wild-type LGSOC. To date, there have been no additional safety signals with a continued favorable safety profile in both the monotherapy and combination treatment arms with approximately 6% of patients discontinuing due to adverse events.

With a substantial majority (approximately 80%) of patients remaining on study treatment with a median duration of follow-up of four months, the Company has concluded that the data from the interim analysis are not mature enough to make a final decision on the go forward treatment regimen at this time and the trial will continue with all four cohorts (VS-6766 ± defactinib in KRAS mutant and KRAS wild type patient populations).

"We are encouraged by the positive anti-tumor activity that we have seen to date in the RAMP 201 trial in patients with both KRAS mutant and KRAS wild-type tumors. We look forward to evaluating a more mature data set and expect to provide an update on progress once the go forward treatment regimen has been determined," said Brian Stuglik, Chief Executive Officer, Verastem Oncology. "This interim analysis adds to our optimism about the potential for VS-6766 with or without defactinib and our commitment to advancing the first new treatment specifically developed and approved for women with low-grade serous ovarian cancer where a high medical need remains."

The Company plans to complete enrollment of all four cohorts of the trial in the second half of this year. Each cohort is expected to have approximately 36 patients for a total of 144 patients.

Both VS-6766 and defactinib are in late-stage development and the combination has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of all patients with recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer regardless of KRAS status after one or more prior lines of therapy, including platinum-based chemotherapy.

About the VS-6766/Defactinib Combination

VS-6766 is a RAF/MEK clamp that induces inactive complexes of MEK with ARAF, BRAF and CRAF potentially creating a more complete and durable anti-tumor response through maximal RAS pathway inhibition. In contrast to currently available MEK inhibitors, VS-6766 blocks both MEK kinase activity and the ability of RAF to phosphorylate MEK. This unique mechanism allows VS-6766 to block MEK signaling without the compensatory activation of MEK that appears to limit the efficacy of other inhibitors. The combination of VS-6766 and FAK inhibitor, defactinib provides RAF/MEK vertical blockade and FAK parallel inhibition to overcome key resistance mechanisms. Both VS-6766 and defactinib are in late-stage development.

Verastem Oncology is conducting Phase 2 registration-directed trials of VS-6766 alone and with defactinib in patients with recurrent LGSOC and in patients with recurrent KRAS G12V-mutant NSCLC as part of its RAMP (Raf And Mek Program) clinical trials, RAMP 201 and RAMP 202, respectively (www.ramp201study.com and www.ramp202study.com). Verastem Oncology has also established clinical collaborations with Amgen, Inc. and Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. to evaluate LUMAKRAS (sotorasib) and adagrasib in combination with VS-6766 in KRAS G12C-mutant NSCLC as part of the RAMP 203 and RAMP 204 trials, respectively.

About Low-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

Low-grade serous ovarian cancer is a highly recurrent, chemotherapy-resistant cancer, associated with slow tumor growth and high mortality rate.1 Approximately 6,000 women in the U.S. and 80,000 worldwide are living with this disease. Mutations in the KRAS gene are present in 35-57% cases of LGSOC.2 LGSOC is most often diagnosed in women between the ages of 45-55 years and has a median survival of approximately ten years.2 The majority of patients experience severe pain and complications as the disease progresses. Chemotherapy is the standard of care for this disease, with limited treatment options currently available.2