Combining Sodium Valproate With Standard-of-care EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor) Monoclonal Antibody Treatment in Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

NCT ID: NCT05694936

Last Updated: 2025-09-18

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE2

Total Enrollment

90 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-01-23

Study Completion Date

2027-06-30

Brief Summary

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The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of combining the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor sodium valproate (VPA) with anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody (panitumumab or cetuximab) maintenance in the first-line treatment of patients with RAS wild type metastatic CRC.

Detailed Description

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The primary objective is to evaluate progression free survival (PFS) in patients with RAS wild type metastatic CRC treated in the first-line with VPA plus panitumumab or cetuximab maintenance, or panitumumab or cetuximab maintenance alone.

The secondary objectives are (i) to evaluate overall survival (OS) and objective response rates (ORRs; RECIST v 1.1) in patients with RAS wild type metastatic CRC treated in the first-line with VPA plus panitumumab or cetuximab maintenance, and panitumumab or cetuximab maintenance alone; and (ii) to evaluate the safety (NCI CTCAE v5.0) of first-line maintenance treatment with VPA plus panitumumab or cetuximab, and panitumumab or cetuximab maintenance alone in patients with RAS wild type metastatic CRC.

The tertiary and exploratory objectives are:

* To evaluate Health-Related Quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-C30 and EQ-5D-5L) in patients with RAS wild type metastatic CRC treated in the first-line with VPA plus panitumumab or cetuximab maintenance, and panitumumab or cetuximab maintenance alone.
* Exploratory analyses including, but not limited to:

(i) Determining whether changes in levels of histone acetylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are associated with improved efficacy with VPA plus anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody maintenance treatment; and (ii) determining whether potential resistance-conferring mutations in circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) are associated with efficacy outcomes in patients treated with anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody maintenance.

Conditions

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Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Experimental arm (n=60)

Panitumumab 6 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks or cetuximab 500 mg/m2 IV every 2 weeks, with sodium valproate oral continuously in a twice daily dose (target daily dose of 20 mg/kg/d at Cycle 1 Day 13, then dose adjusted to maintain serum VPA levels within the target range of 50-100 μg/mL)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Sodium Valproate

Intervention Type DRUG

Sodium valproate oral continuously in a twice daily dose (Initial dose of 600mg/d up-titrated to target daily dose of 20 mg/kg/d at Cycle 1 Day 13, then dose adjusted to maintain serum VPA levels within the target range of 50-100 μg/mL); Refer to arm description.

Panitumumab

Intervention Type DRUG

Panitumumab 6 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks or cetuximab 500 mg/m2 IV every 2 weeks; Refer to arm description.

Cetuximab

Intervention Type DRUG

Panitumumab 6 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks or cetuximab 500 mg/m2 IV every 2 weeks; Refer to arm description.

Control arm (n=30)

Panitumumab 6 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks or cetuximab 500 mg/m2 IV every 2 weeks

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Panitumumab

Intervention Type DRUG

Panitumumab 6 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks or cetuximab 500 mg/m2 IV every 2 weeks; Refer to arm description.

Cetuximab

Intervention Type DRUG

Panitumumab 6 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks or cetuximab 500 mg/m2 IV every 2 weeks; Refer to arm description.

Interventions

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Sodium Valproate

Sodium valproate oral continuously in a twice daily dose (Initial dose of 600mg/d up-titrated to target daily dose of 20 mg/kg/d at Cycle 1 Day 13, then dose adjusted to maintain serum VPA levels within the target range of 50-100 μg/mL); Refer to arm description.

Intervention Type DRUG

Panitumumab

Panitumumab 6 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks or cetuximab 500 mg/m2 IV every 2 weeks; Refer to arm description.

Intervention Type DRUG

Cetuximab

Panitumumab 6 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks or cetuximab 500 mg/m2 IV every 2 weeks; Refer to arm description.

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Age ≥ 18 years.
2. Histological diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
3. Metastatic colorectal cancer that is being treated with non-curative intent. This may be because the disease is anatomically not resectable, resection is contra-indicated for any reason, or the patient refuses resection.
4. Measurable disease as assessed by CT scan (by RECIST 1.1).
5. Evidence of RAS wild type status (KRAS exons 2, 3 and 4 and NRAS exons 2, 3, and 4) as assessed by the investigators' choice of testing laboratory.
6. ECOG performance status 0, 1.
7. Suitable, as deemed by the investigator, for maintenance treatment with panitumumab or cetuximab alone or in combination with oral sodium valproate.
8. Completed four months of first-line induction treatment with fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy (which may be intravenous or oral, in which case 15 weeks of treatment is required; and either alone or in combination with oxaliplatin or irinotecan) and anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody (panitumumab or cetuximab) without progressive disease.
9. Prior palliative radiotherapy is allowed, provided that (i) no concurrent chemotherapy was administered, (ii) at least 2 weeks after completion of therapy has elapsed before enrolment, and (iii) any toxicities have resolved or are Grade 1. Prior fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy given concurrent with radiation as neoadjuvant treatment for rectal cancer is allowed.
10. Adequate hepatic function with serum total bilirubin \< x1.5 upper limit of normal range and ALT or AST \< x3 upper limit of normal range.
11. Adequate bone marrow function with platelets ≥ 80 X 109/L; neutrophils ≥ 1.5 X 109/L; haemoglobin ≥ 8g/dL.
12. Adequate renal function, with calculated creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min.
13. Any abnormalities in magnesium are not \> Grade 2. Any abnormalities in total calcium are not \> Grade 1. Total calcium should be corrected for albumin level as per the institution's usual calculation method. Serum potassium levels should be above 4.0 mmol/L.
14. Archival formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumour tissue is available for storage and use by the central laboratory.
15. Life expectancy of at least 12 weeks.
16. Women and partners of women of childbearing potential must agree to use adequate contraception uninterrupted for the duration of receiving VPA, cetuximab and panitumumab, and for an additional 2 months after the last dose of cetuximab and 6 months after the last dose of panitumumab. Adequate contraceptive measures are barrier methods (condoms, diaphragm); oral, injectable, or implant birth control; or abstinence.
17. Willing and able to comply with all study requirements, including treatment, timing and/or nature of required assessments.
18. Written informed consent including consent for donation of tumour tissue for biomarker studies and collection of peripheral blood for research.

Exclusion Criteria

1. BRAFV600E mutant CRC.
2. CRC with HER2 IHC score of 3+. Note that IHC evaluation for HER2 amplification is required for determining eligibility. HER2 testing using ISH is not required.
3. Prior chemotherapy before first-line induction chemotherapy. Exceptions are adjuvant chemotherapy which was given in association with (i) complete resection of primary colon or rectal cancer provided there is no clinical, radiological or biochemical evidence of relapse for at least 6 months after completion of adjuvant treatment, and/or (ii) complete resection of limited colorectal metastases to liver and/or lung provided there is no clinical, radiological or biochemical evidence of relapse for at least 6 months after completion of adjuvant treatment.
4. History of life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions to panitumumab or cetuximab, or any product excipients of panitumumab or cetuximab.
5. Known hypersensitivity to sodium valproate.
6. Any other contraindication/s to sodium valproate including mitochondrial disorders and urea cycle disorders.
7. Pre-existing acute or chronic hepatic dysfunction or family history of severe hepatitis
8. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus are eligible, however the investigator should discuss the potential risk of immune disorders with the participant, which have been noted only exceptionally during the use of VPA.
9. Patients with long QT syndrome, or QTc interval duration \> 480 msec, or use of concomitant medications that significantly prolong the QTc interval.
10. Prior or current treatment with HDAC inhibitor or compounds with HDAC inhibitor-like activity, including hydroxamic acid (e.g vorinostat/zolinza, panobinostat/farydak. Belinostat/beleodaq), benzamide (tucidinostat/epidaza/chidamide), cyclic tetrapeptide (Romidepsin/Istodax) or carboxylic acid (e.g sodium valproate, phenylbutyrate) based HDAC inhibitors.
11. Active treatment with sodium valproate for non-oncological conditions.
12. Active epilepsy or convulsive conditions that require continuous use of anticonvulsants.
13. History of interstitial lung disease or pulmonary fibrosis.
14. Leptomeningeal disease as the only manifestation of malignancy.
15. Untreated/active CNS metastases (i.e., progressing, requiring ongoing corticosteroids or anticonvulsants for symptom control).

Patients with CNS metastases are eligible if they have previously been successfully treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy at least 8 weeks prior to cycle 1 day 1, have ceased taking all corticosteroids and/or anticonvulsants for at least 4 weeks and if imaging within 4 weeks of cycle 1 day 1 excludes any progression.
16. Invasive malignant disease, other than CRC, diagnosed within 2 years of randomisation.

Patients with non-melanotic skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix, or any other cancer which was treated with curative intent \> 2 years prior to randomisation and without evidence of relapse, are eligible.
17. Active infection requiring systemic therapy and/or other concurrent uncontrolled medical conditions.
18. Positive pregnancy test prior to the initiation of the study medications.
19. History or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial, interfere with the subject's participation for the full duration of the trial, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate.
20. Medical, psychiatric conditions or any other reason that, as assessed by the investigator, may compromise the patient's ability to give informed consent or to comply with the protocol-specified treatments and assessments.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group

NETWORK

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Locations

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Royal North Shore Hospital

Saint Leonards, New South Wales, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Western Sydney Local Health District

Westmead, New South Wales, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital

Herston, Queensland, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Southern Adelaide Local Health Network Incorporated

Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Grampians Health

Ballarat Central, Victoria, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Eastern Health

Box Hill, Victoria, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Peninsula Health

Frankston, Victoria, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Austin Health

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

South West Healthcare

Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Australia

Central Contacts

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Clinical Project Manager

Role: CONTACT

03 9496 3088

Miriam Roesner

Role: CONTACT

+61 2 7208 2727

Facility Contacts

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Amy Williams

Role: primary

Research Governance Officer

Role: primary

02 8890 9007

Research Governance Manager

Role: primary

07 3647 9550

Lynda Sok

Role: primary

Alison Richards

Role: primary

Rebecca Gurnett

Role: primary

03 5320 6478

Karen Lim

Role: primary

Jade Rice

Role: primary

John Buen

Role: primary

Kirsten Remen

Role: primary

Donna Haberl

Role: backup

Lucy Leonard

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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VADER

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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