Sponsor: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (other)
Phase: 2
Start date: April 29, 2024
Planned enrollment: 20
Defactinib (PF-04554878; VS-6063) is an oral small‑molecule inhibitor of focal adhesion kinase (FAK; PTK2) with additional activity against PYK2. It has been studied as monotherapy and in combinations across multiple solid tumors, including mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer. In May 2025, the FDA granted accelerated approval to the combination of avutometinib (RAF/MEK clamp) plus defactinib for adults with KRAS‑mutated, recurrent low‑grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) after prior systemic therapy. Defactinib itself remains investigational outside this co‑packaged combination. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Phase 1/2 (FRAME, first‑in‑human combo): In LGSOC, ORR 42.3% and median PFS 20.1 months; in KRAS‑mutant LGSOC, ORR 58.3% and median PFS 30.8 months. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (maintenance monotherapy)
COMMAND randomized, double‑blind, phase 2 (post‑platinum maintenance; merlin‑stratified): No improvement versus placebo in PFS (4.1 vs 4.0 months) or OS (12.7 vs 13.6 months); results did not support use as maintenance therapy. (ascopubs.org)
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (investigator‑initiated combinations)
Last updated: Oct 2025
Avutometinib (also known as RO-5126766, CKI-27, CH-5126766, R-7304, RG-7304, VS-6766) is an oral, small‑molecule “RAF–MEK clamp” developed to inhibit the MAPK pathway by simultaneously blocking MEK activity and preventing RAF from phosphorylating and reactivating MEK via feedback. In May 2025, the FDA granted accelerated approval to avutometinib combined with the FAK inhibitor defactinib for adults with recurrent, KRAS‑mutated low‑grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) after prior systemic therapy. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Low‑grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC)
Other tumor types (emerging data)
Confirmatory/ongoing trials
Notes: As of October 7, 2025, avutometinib + defactinib holds U.S. accelerated approval for recurrent, KRAS‑mutated LGSOC based on ORR; confirmatory benefit on PFS is being tested in RAMP‑301. (fda.gov)
Last updated: Oct 2025
Goal: Evaluate the antitumor activity and safety of combining avutometinib, defactinib, and letrozole as initial systemic therapy or post-suboptimal debulking therapy for low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC).
Patients: Adult women with histologically confirmed low-grade serous ovarian or peritoneal carcinoma who are not candidates for primary cytoreduction or have residual RECIST-measurable disease after attempted debulking. ECOG 0–1 allowed; ECOG 2 permitted if attributable to cancer. Measurable disease per RECIST 1.1 required. Patients with treated or asymptomatic brain metastases are eligible, as are patients with controlled HIV, HBV, or HCV. Adequate cardiac function (LVEF ≥50%), QTcF <460 ms, and adequate hematologic, hepatic, renal function, and CPK are required. Key exclusions include prior systemic therapy for LGSOC/borderline serous disease, recent major/minor surgery or recent palliative RT, need for warfarin, significant GI malabsorption or recent bowel obstruction, clinically significant ocular disease predisposing to retinal vein occlusion or corneal disease, history of rhabdomyolysis, breastfeeding, and use of strong CYP3A4/CYP2C9 or P-gp modulators.
Design: Phase 2, single-arm, non-randomized treatment study conducted at a single academic center with a planned enrollment of 20 participants.
Treatments: Avutometinib 3.2 mg orally twice weekly plus defactinib 200 mg orally twice daily administered on a 3-weeks-on, 1-week-off schedule in 28-day cycles; letrozole 2.5 mg orally daily continuously. Pre/perimenopausal patients additionally receive leuprolide acetate for ovarian suppression while an ovary remains in situ. Avutometinib is a first-in-class dual RAF/MEK “clamp” that allosterically inhibits RAF and MEK and induces dominant-negative RAF–MEK complexes to prevent MEK rephosphorylation, targeting MAPK pathway–dependent tumors. In a prior phase 2 LGSOC study (RAMP 201), avutometinib plus defactinib produced an overall response rate of about 28% versus 7% with avutometinib monotherapy, with high disease control rates and mostly low-grade toxicities; notable grade ≥3 events included CPK elevation, fatigue, and diarrhea. Defactinib is a FAK/Pyk2 inhibitor that modulates tumor cell adhesion and survival and has shown greater promise in combination regimens than as monotherapy.
Outcomes: Primary: Objective response rate by RECIST v1.1 in the neoadjuvant or post-suboptimal debulking setting over 2 years. Secondary: Incidence and severity of adverse events by CTCAE v5.0 over 2 years.
Burden on patient: Moderate. The regimen is entirely oral but requires continuous daily letrozole, intermittent twice-weekly avutometinib and twice-daily defactinib with scheduled week-off cycles, necessitating adherence and clinic follow-up. Safety monitoring will include routine labs (hematology, chemistries, CPK), EKGs for QTc, and echocardiogram or MUGA at baseline; ophthalmologic evaluations may be performed given ocular risk exclusions. Imaging for RECIST assessments will likely occur every 8–12 weeks similar to standard practice. There are no mandated biopsies or pharmacokinetic intensive draws specified, and travel is primarily for periodic assessments and leuprolide injections in pre/perimenopausal patients. Overall, monitoring demands exceed standard endocrine therapy alone but are less intensive than early-phase dose-finding studies.
Last updated: Oct 2025
Inclusion Criteria:
* Female patients ≥ 18 years of age
* Histologically-confirmed LGSOC (ovarian, peritoneal) by tissue biopsy read by pathology at study institution. NOTE: Patients with a prior history of serous borderline tumors without prior systemic (cytotoxic or hormonal) treatment but a new diagnosis of low-grade serous ovarian cancer are eligible.
* Determination that the patient is not a primary surgical candidate by a gynecologic oncologist surgeon; or has undergone an attempted primary debulking with residual RECIST measurable disease.
* Measurable disease according to RECIST 1.1. Measurable disease is defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension. Each lesion must be ≥10mm when measured by CT or MRI. Lymph nodes must be ≥15mm by short axis when measured by CT or MRI.
* An Eastern Cooperative Group (ECOG) performance status of ≤1. Patients with an ECOG performance status of 2 are permitted on trial if this is deemed to be secondary to cancer but not to other comorbidities.
* Patients with treated brain metastases are eligible if follow-up brain imaging after CNS-directed therapy shows no evidence of progression. Patients with asymptomatic brain metastases that do not require intervention are also eligible.
* HIV-infected patients on effective anti-retroviral therapy with undetectable viral load within 6 months are eligible for this trial.
* For patients with evidence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the HBV viral load must be undetectable on suppressive therapy, if indicated.
* Patients with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection must have been treated and cured. For patients with HCV infection who are currently on anti-HCV treatment, they are eligible if they have an undetectable HCV viral load.
* Patients with a prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment does not have the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen are eligible for this trial.
* Female patients with reproductive potential agree to use highly effective method of contraceptive during the trial and for 1 month following the last dose of study intervention, unless surgical menopause is conferred. Women of child-bearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test within 14 days prior to commencement of study treatment. Non-hormonal methods of highly effective contraception include:
* intrauterine device (IUD)
* bilateral tubal occlusion
* vasectomized partner
* sexual abstinence
* Patients must have adequate cardiac function with left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 50% by echocardiography (ECHO) or multiple-gated acquisition (MUGA) scan.
* Baseline QTc interval \< 460 ms (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events \[CTCAE\] Grade 1) using Fredericia's QT correction formula. NOTE: This criterion does not apply to patients with a right or left bundle branch block.
* Adequate organ function, defined by the following parameters:
°Adequate hematologic function
* Hemoglobin \[Hb\] ≥ 9.0 g/dL. If a red blood cell transfusion has been administered the Hb must remain stable and ≥ 9.0 g/dL for at least 1 week prior to first dose of study intervention.
* Platelets ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Absolute neutrophil count \[ANC\] ≥ 1000/mm\^3
°Adequate hepatic function:
* Total bilirubin ≤1.5 × upper limit of normal \[ULN\] for the institution; patients with Gilbert syndrome may enroll if total bilirubin is \<3.0mg/dL (51 μmole/L) upon discussion with MSK PI.
* Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5 × ULN (or \<5 xULN in patients with liver metastases).
* Adequate renal function with creatinine clearance rate of ≥50 mL/min as calculated by the Cockcroft-Gault formula or serum creatinine of ≤ 1.5 x ULN.
* Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) ≤2.5 x ULN.
Exclusion Criteria:
* Patients who are deemed in the opinion of their treating physician to be appropriate candidates for a primary debulking surgery are not eligible for this trial, unless measurable disease remains after a primary cytoreductive surgery.
* Prior systemic anti-cancer therapy for LGSOC or serous borderline disease.
* Major surgery within 4 weeks, minor surgery within 2 weeks, or palliative radiotherapy within 1 week of the first dose of study intervention. Open and close laparotomy and/or laparoscopy will be considered minor surgery.
* Treatment with warfarin. Patients on warfarin for deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism can be converted to low-molecular-weight heparin or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs).
* Patients with the inability to swallow oral medications or impaired gastrointestinal absorption due to gastrectomy or drainage PEG tube. Patients with diagnosis of bowel obstruction \<3 months from study enrollment will be excluded unless surgically cured or approved by study PI.
* Symptomatic brain metastases requiring steroids or other interventions. Patients with new asymptomatic CNS metastases detected during the screening period must receive radiation therapy and/or surgery for CNS metastases. Following treatment, these patients may then be eligible if all other criteria are met.
* Patients with history of retinal pathology or evidence of visible retinal pathology that is considered a risk factor for RVO, intraocular pressure \> 21 mm Hg as measured by tonometry, or other significant ocular pathology, such as anatomical abnormalities that increase the risk for RVO.
* Patients with a history of corneal erosion (instability of corneal epithelium), corneal degeneration, active or recurrent keratitis, and other forms of serious ocular surface inflammatory conditions.
* History of rhabdomyolysis.
* Patients with a history of hypersensitivity to any of the active (Avutometinib, defactinib) or inactive (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, mannitol, magnesium stearate) ingredients of the investigational product.
* Female patients who are breastfeeding.
* Any other medical condition (e.g., cardiac, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, psychiatric, neurological, genetic, etc.) that in the opinion of the Investigator would places the patient at unacceptably high risk for toxicity.
* Exposure to medications (with or without prescriptions), supplements, herbal remedies, or foods with potential for drug-drug interactions with study interventions within 14 days prior to the first dose of study intervention and during the course of therapy (Appendix 1), including:
* strong CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers, due to potential drug-drug interactions with both Avutometinib and defactinib.
* strong CYP2C9 inhibitors or inducers, due to potential drug-drug interactions with defactinib.
* P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitors or inducers, due to potential drug-drug interactions with defactinib.
Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States
No email / 404-778-3401
Status: Recruiting
Basking Ridge, New Jersey, 07920, United States
No email / 646-888-4653
Status: Recruiting
Montvale, New Jersey, 07645, United States
No email / 646-888-4653
Status: Recruiting
Middletown, New Jersey, 07748, United States
No email / 646-888-4653
Status: Recruiting
New York, New York, 10065, United States
No email / 646-888-4653
Status: Recruiting
Uniondale, New York, 11553, United States
No email / 646-888-4653
Status: Recruiting
Commack, New York, 11725, United States
No email / 646-888-4653
Status: Recruiting
Harrison, New York, 10604, United States
No email / 646-888-4653
Status: Recruiting