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Fuente, Macarena I. de la

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9676-9329

Mayo Clinic

University of Miami

Citations 6

Evaluation of Regorafenib in Newly Diagnosed and Recurrent Glioblastoma: GBM AGILE Phase II/III Bayesian Randomized Platform Trial
Wen, Patrick Y. , Berry, Donald A. , Buxton, Meredith , Colman, Howard , Groot, John de , Lim, Michael, Mellinghoff, Ingo K. , Perry, James, Weller, M, Blondin, Nicholas A., Butt, Omar H. , Damek, Denise M., Fuente, Macarena I. de la , Drappatz, Jan, Dunbar, Erin, Giglio, Pierre , Hyddmark, Emma Viktoria, Iwamoto, Fabio, Jaeckle, Kurt A. , Kim, Lyndon, Kling, Heather M., Lee, Eudocia Q., Mantica, Megan , Mikkelsen, Tom, Newton, Herbert B. , Walbert, Tobias , Weathers, Shiao‐Pei , Lassman, Andrew B. , Group, for the GBM AGILE Regorafenib Study, Alexander, Brian, Anker, Lars , Berry, Nicholas , Cloughesy, Tim, Connelly, Jennifer , Detry, Michelle A. , Fitzgerald, Mark, Gordon, Gary, Graves, Todd, Hu, Jethro , Hyddmark, Emma Maria Viktoria, Johnson, Adam, Kalabic, Marija, Lesser, Glenn J., Marion, Joe , Owen, Scott, Perry, James R, Peters, Katherine B., Powell, Ashley, Saunders, Christina T., Tanner, Kirk, Untch, Sarah, Wilcox, Emma, Yung, W. K. Alfred, Lim, Michael , Buxton, Meredith , de Groot, John , Mellinghoff, Ingo K , Weller, Michael , De La Fuente, Macarena , Lee, Eudocia Q , Mantica, Megan , Nabors, Louis Burt , Newton, Herbert B , Olson, Jeffrey J. , Schiff, David , Walbert, Tobias , Weathers, Shiao-Pei , Cloughesy, Timothy F , Lassman, Andrew B , Berry, Donald , Colman, Howard , Blondin, Nicolas, Drappatz, Jan , Iwamoto, Fabio M., Lee, Eudocia Q. , Mikkelsen, Tom , Nabors, Burt , Newton, Herbert B. , Cloughesy, Timothy F. , Anderson, Mark D., Cavenee, Webster K. , Connelly, Jennifer , Ellingson, Benjamin M. , Galanis, Evanthia , Gordon, Gary, Graber, Jerome J. , Khasraw, Mustafa , Lesser, Glenn J. , McGlothlin, Anna , Peters, Katherine B. , Saunders, Christina T. , Sulman, Erik P. , Tanner, Kirk, Yung, W.K. Alfred

Journal of Clinical Oncology | April 14, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 18 | Pages: 1676-1686

10.1200/jco-25-01137 Get It

PURPOSE GBM AGILE (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03970447 ) is a phase II/III Bayesian adaptive platform registration trial testing multiple arms against a common control; the primary end point is overall survival (OS). Regorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor, showed OS benefit in recurrent (RD) glioblastoma in the phase II REGOMA trial and entered GBM AGILE as the first investigational arm. METHODS Patient subtypes included in the regorafenib arm of GBM AGILE were newly diagnosed unmethylated (NDU) and RD glioblastoma. Prospective defined sets of subtypes, or arm signatures, were NDU, RD, and all (NDU + RD). As the first investigational arm in GBM AGILE, regorafenib was equally randomized to the control arm. Treatment in the control arm is temozolomide + radiotherapy (in newly diagnosed) or lomustine (in RD). Efficacy was assessed by OS hazard ratio (HR), arm/control, and demonstrated when the Bayesian probability of benefit (HR <1.00) was ≥98%. Analysis was performed monthly for limited efficacy, which occurs when the Bayesian predictive power is <25% for all signatures, and determines stopping enrollment. Follow-up continued for 12 months after accrual stopped. RESULTS When the predictive power was <25% in all predefined signatures for regorafenib, accrual stopped for limited efficacy. The final analysis did not demonstrate OS improvement in the regorafenib arm in RD nor NDU glioblastoma. Median HRs were 1.05 (NDU), 1.07 (RD), and 1.07 (all) with final probabilities of benefit (HR <1.00) of 0.421 (NDU), 0.312 (RD), and 0.296 (all). Regorafenib was associated with increased toxicity relative to control. CONCLUSION GBM AGILE did not show superiority of regorafenib over control in RD (lomustine) or NDU (temozolomide + radiotherapy) glioblastoma, yet caused increased toxicities. Regorafenib has been removed from National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines as a treatment option for RD.
Abstract B032: Drug and single-cell gene expression integration identifies heterogeneity-aware synergistic combinations for glioblastoma
Suter, Robert K. , Jermakowicz, Anna, Veeramachaneni, Rithvik, D'Antuono, Matthew, Zhang, L.G., Chowdary, Rishika , Kaeppeli, Simon , Sharp, Madison, Palwai, Pravallika, Stathias, Vasileios , Baker, Grace, Ruiz, Luz , Walters, Winston, Cepero, Maria, Reilly, Edward B. , Oleksijew, Anatol, Anderson, Mark G. , Williams, Sion Ll., Komotar, Ricardo J., Fuente, Macarena I. de la , Stein, Gregory , Wojcinski, Alexandre , Schürer, Stephan C. , Ayad, Nagi , Jermakowicz, Anna M. , D’Antuono, Matthew , Palwai, Pravallika, Cepero, Maria L., Burgenske, Danielle M. , Ivan, Michael E , Stein, Gregory, Kesari, Santosh , Sarkaria, Jann N. , Ayad, Nagi G.

Cancer Research | March 23, 2026 | Volume: 86 | Issue: 6_Supplement | Pages: B032-B032

10.1158/1538-7445.brain26-b032 Get It

Abstract Glioblastoma (GBM) remains the most common and lethal adult malignant primary brain cancer with few treatment options. A significant issue hindering GBM therapeutic development is intratumor heterogeneity and plasticity. GBM tumors contain neoplastic cells within a fluid spectrum of diverse transcriptional states. Identifying effective therapeutics requires a platform that predicts the differential sensitivity and resistance of these states to various treatments. Here, we develop scFOCAL (Single-Cell Framework for -Omics Connectivity and Analysis via L1000), to quantify the cellular drug sensitivity and resistance landscape. Using single-cell RNA sequencing of newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM tumors, we identify compounds from the LINCS L1000 database with transcriptional response signatures selectively discordant with distinct GBM cell states, and leverage this capability to predict combination synergy. We validate the significance of these findings in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo, and use the Olig2 inhibitor CT-179 as a reference drug to identify additional small molecules that would maximize the cell-drug discordance across the GBM transcriptional landscape. Our analysis leads to the combination of Olig2 inhibition with treatment with Depatux-M, of with which we demonstrate synergy in vivo. Our studies suggest that scFOCAL identifies cell states that are sensitive and resistant to targeted therapies in GBM using a measure of cell and drug connectivity, which can be applied to identify new synergistic combinations. Citation Format: Robert K. Suter, Anna M. Jermakowicz, Rithvik Veeramachaneni, Matthew D'Antuono, Longwei Zhang, Rishika Chowdary, Simon Kaeppeli, Madison Sharp, Pravallika Palwai, Vasileios Stathias, Grace Baker, Luz Ruiz, Winston Walters, Maria Cepero, Danielle Burgenske, Edward B. Reilly, Anatol Oleksijew, Mark G. Anderson, Sion Ll. Williams, Michael E. Ivan, Ricardo J. Komotar, Macarena I. De La Fuente, Gregory Stein, Alexandre Wojcinski, Santosh Kesari, Jann N. Sarkaria, Stephan C. Schürer, Nagi G. Ayad. Drug and single-cell gene expression integration identifies heterogeneity-aware synergistic combinations for glioblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Brain Cancer; 2026 Mar 23-25; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(6_Suppl):Abstract nr B032.
CTNI-30. ALLIANCE A071601: PHASE II TRIAL OF BRAF/MEK INHIBITION IN RECURRENT PAPILLARY CRANIOPHARYNGIOMAS
Geyer, Susan, Kabat, Brian, Gerstner, Elizabeth R. , Choi, Yoon Jae, Fuente, Macarena I. de la , Lesser, Glenn J. , Kumthekar, Priya , Vora, Shivangi, Knopp, Michael V. , Iafrate, A. John , Brown, Paul D. , Barker, Frederick G., Brastianos, Priscilla K. , Reed, Sarah, Kaufmann, Timothy J. , Barbaro, Marissa , Cahill, Daniel P. , Shih, Helen A. , Santagata, Sandro , Galanis, Evanthia

Neuro-Oncology | November 11, 2025 | Volume: 27 | Issue: Supplement_5 | Pages: v132-v133

10.1093/neuonc/noaf201.0527 Get It

Abstract BACKGROUND Craniopharyngiomas are a rare tumor along the pituitary-hypothalamic axis. Genetic analysis revealed that 95% of papillary craniopharyngiomas (PCP) have BRAF V600E mutations (Brastianos et al. Nature Genetics 2014). We previously reported that BRAF/MEK inhibition was associated with significant anti-tumor activity in newly-diagnosed PCP patients (Brastianos et al. NEJM 2023). We have now evaluated the efficacy of vemurafenib/cobimetinib in a separate cohort of patients with recurrent PCP whose tumors progressed after prior radiation. METHODS In this multicenter, NCI-sponsored cooperative group trial, patients with histologically confirmed BRAF-positive PCP who progressed after radiation were treated with vemurafenib/cobimetinib. The primary endpoint of response rate (RR) based on centrally determined imaging data was to be evaluated in 16 patients, where a partial response was defined as ≥20% decrease in volume. This single arm, Simon two-stage phase 2 trial had 89% power to detect a true RR ≥ 30% (vs. null 5%; α=0.04). In this design, 3 or more observed responses in 16 evaluable patients would be considered evidence of promising activity. RESULTS Of the planned 16 patients, a total of 5 patients enrolled before the study was closed due to slow accrual. Median follow-up was 50 months (95% CI: 32 to not yet reached). Based on volumetric response criteria, all 5 patients had a response to treatment (100%; 95% CI: 47.8% to 100%). To date, 2 patients progressed, one of whom died 22 months after study entry. This cohort met the criteria for efficacy under the original design with &gt;3 responders. No grade 4 or 5 toxicities were observed. CONCLUSIONS Vemurafenib/cobimetinib resulted in an objective response in all patients with previously treated PCP. The study met primary endpoint, similar to that reported for previously untreated PCP. Thus, BRAF/MEK inhibitors could be an effective tool for previously treated PCP and warrants further evaluation. SUPPORT U10CA180821; U10CA180882; Genentech, https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org;ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03224767
CTNI-61. PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF A PHASE I/II TRIAL OF SELINEXOR AND TEMOZOLOMIDE IN RECURRENT GLIOBLASTOMA
Berens, Michael, Villalona‐Calero, Miguel A. , Fuente, Macarena I. de la , Jaeckle, Kurt A. , Kizilbash, Sani H. , Hrachova, Maya , Porter, Alyx B. , Hoang, Kimberly , Lipinski, Lindsay , Giglio, Pierre , Mantica, Megan , Schiff, David , Gore, Steven D. , Kizilbash, Sani H , Chow, Frances , Palmer, Joycelynne Michelle , Ney, Douglas Edward , Nasany, Ruham Alshiekh , Piccioni, David Eric , Strowd, Roy E. , Schiff, David, Portnow, Jana

Neuro-Oncology | November 11, 2024 | Volume: 26 | Issue: Supplement_8 | Pages: viii111-viii111

10.1093/neuonc/noae165.0428 Get It

Abstract BACKGROUND Selinexor (SEL) is a first-in-class XPO1 inhibitor with potent antitumor activity through the nuclear retention and reactivation of tumor suppressor proteins, reduced translation of oncogenes, and decreased expression of anti-apoptotic proteins. As a single agent, SEL has demonstrated brain penetration and clinically relevant responses in glioblastoma. We seek to enhance the effect and benefit of SEL by priming with temozolomide (TMZ). METHODS Through an NCI Project Team, we developed a multi-institutional phase I/II clinical trial which opened across the NCI Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trial Network. Eligibility included histologically confirmed 1st recurrent MGMT promoter methylated glioblastoma. We evaluated safety, tolerability, and dose finding with an IQ 3 + 3 design of TMZ 150mg/m2 on days 1-5 of a 28-day cycle plus SEL on days 8 and 15. RESULTS From October 2022 to March 2024, we enrolled 12 patients (n=11 evaluable) into phase I of the study. Patient characteristics included 82% male, median age 62 (range 50-77), 64% white. The median number of cycles administered was 6 (range 1-12). Two dose levels (SEL 60mg and SEL 80mg) were evaluated. No dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were observed. The most common treatment related adverse events were nausea (58%), decreased platelet count (50%), fatigue (50%), constipation (42%), vomiting (25%), decreased lymphocyte count (25%), and decreased neutrophil count (25%). Grade 3+ treatment related adverse events included nausea, grade 3 (n=1); decreased lymphocyte count, grades 3-4 (n=2); and anorexia, grade 3 (n=1). Phase I has completed enrollment and the recommended phase II dose will be SEL 80mg. Additional results will be presented. CONCLUSION Results suggest that a sequential dosing regimen of SEL+TMZ is feasible, well-tolerated, and may minimize the cumulative toxicity of SEL. The phase II randomized portion of this trial is enrolling nationwide and will investigate efficacy and candidate molecular signatures of vulnerability (NCI #10505, NCT05432804).
Alliance A071401: Phase II Trial of Focal Adhesion Kinase Inhibition in Meningiomas With Somatic NF2 Mutations
Brastianos, Priscilla K. , Twohy, Erin , Gerstner, Elizabeth R. , Kaufmann, Timothy J. , Iafrate, A. John , Lennerz, Jochen K. , Jeyapalan, Suriya, Monga, Varun , Fadul, Camilo E. , Schiff, David , Taylor, Jennie , Chowdhary, Sajeel, Ansstas, George , Fuente, Macarena I. de la , Anderson, Mark D. , Shonka, Nicole , Damek, Denise, Ronan, Lara Kunschner , Chaudhary, Rekha , Jaeckle, Kurt A. , Senecal, Francis M. , Morrison, Tara, Thomas, Alissa A. , Welch, Mary , Cachia, David , Cohen, Adam L. , Vora, Shivangi, Knopp, Michael V. , Dunn, Ian F. , Kumthekar, Priya , Geyer, Susan M. , Carrero, Xiomara W., Brown, Paul D. , Barker, Frederick G., Twohy, Erin L , Lennerz, Jochen , Monga, Varun , Fadul, Camilo E , Taylor, Jennie W , De La Fuente, Macarena , Anderson, Mark D , Shonka, Nicole , Kunschner-Ronan, Lara J , Jaeckle, Kurt A , Kaley, Thomas , Knopp, Michael , Kumthekar, Priya , Sarkaria, Jann, Martinez-Lage, Maria , Brown, Paul D , Kaufmann, Timothy J , Piccioni, David Eric , Bettegowda, Chetan , Carrillo, Jose , IWAMOTO, FABIO MASSAITI , Sarkaria, Jann N. , Martinez‐Lage, Maria , Cahill, Daniel P. , Giannini, Caterina , Santagata, Sandro , Galanis, Evanthia

Journal of Clinical Oncology | October 26, 2022 | Volume: 41 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 618-628

10.1200/jco.21.02371 Get It

PURPOSE Patients with progressive or recurrent meningiomas have limited systemic therapy options. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibition has a synthetic lethal relationship with NF2 loss. Given the predominance of NF2 mutations in meningiomas, we evaluated the efficacy of GSK2256098, a FAK inhibitor, as part of the first genomically driven phase II study in recurrent or progressive grade 1-3 meningiomas. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eligible patients whose tumors screened positively for NF2 mutations were treated with GSK2256098, 750 mg orally twice daily, until progressive disease. Efficacy was evaluated using two coprimary end points: progression-free survival at 6 months (PFS6) and response rate by Macdonald criteria, where PFS6 was evaluated separately within grade-based subgroups: grade 1 versus 2/3 meningiomas. Per study design, the FAK inhibitor would be considered promising in this patient population if either end point met the corresponding decision criteria for efficacy. RESULTS Of 322 patients screened for all mutation cohorts of the study, 36 eligible and evaluable patients with NF2 mutations were enrolled and treated: 12 grade 1 and 24 grade 2/3 patients. Across all grades, one patient had a partial response and 24 had stable disease as their best response to treatment. In grade 1 patients, the observed PFS6 rate was 83% (10/12 patients; 95% CI, 52 to 98). In grade 2/3 patients, the observed PFS6 rate was 33% (8/24 patients; 95% CI, 16 to 55). The study met the PFS6 efficacy end point both for the grade 1 and the grade 2/3 cohorts. Treatment was well tolerated; seven patients had a maximum grade 3 adverse event that was at least possibly related to treatment with no grade 4 or 5 events. CONCLUSION GSK2256098 was well tolerated and resulted in an improved PFS6 rate in patients with recurrent or progressive NF2-mutated meningiomas, compared with historical controls. The criteria for promising activity were met, and FAK inhibition warrants further evaluation for this patient population.
SNO 2020 diversity survey: defining demographics, racial biases, career success metrics and a path forward for the field of neuro-oncology
Chukwueke, Ugonma , Vera, Elizabeth , Acquaye, Alvina , Hervey‐Jumper, Shawn L. , Odia, Yazmín , Klesse, Laura J. , Dunbar, Erin, Fonkem, Ekokobe , Thomas, Alissa A. , Werbowetski‐Ogilvie, Tamra E. , Camelo‐Piragua, Sandra , Gatson, Na Tosha , Fuente, Macarena I. de la , Porter, Alyx B. , Jackson, Sadhana , Fonkem, Ekokobe , Armstrong, Terri S , Jackson, Sadhana , Gatson, Na Tosha N , De La Fuente, Macarena , Odia, Yazmin , Klesse, Laura J , Sharma, Akanksha , Armstrong, Terri S.

Neuro-Oncology | July 13, 2021 | Volume: 23 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 1845-1858

10.1093/neuonc/noab172 Get It

Abstract Background Neuro-oncology has grown tremendously since 2010, marked by increasing society membership, specialized clinical expertise, and new journals. Yet, modest improvement in racial/ethnic diversity amongst clinical trial participants, researchers, and clinicians led us to conduct a survey to identify opportunities to enhance diversity and inclusiveness amongst neuro-oncology professionals. Methods In summer 2020, the Women and Diversity Committee of the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) distributed an anonymous online survey to members and affiliates including the European Association of Neuro-Oncology (EANO), Asian Society for Neuro-Oncology (ASNO), Society for Neuro-Oncology Latin America (SNOLA) and Society for Neuro-Oncology Sub-Saharan Africa (SNOSSA). The survey captured personal and professional characteristics, biases, effective mentorship qualities, career service metrics, and suggested field/society changes. Results were analyzed by geography, profession, age, racial/ethnic, and sexual identity. Standard descriptive statistics characterized the study population. Results The 386 respondents were predominantly female (58%) with a median age range of 40–49 years (31%), White (65%), and SNO members (97%). Most worked in North America (77%) in a research profession (67%). A majority of White respondents reported never experiencing biases (64%), while the majority of non-White respondents reported unconscious biases/microaggressions, followed by a lack of/limited mentorship. Qualitative assessments showcased that personal/professional success metrics were linked to needed improvements in diversity and inclusion efforts within the neuro-oncology field. Conclusions The prevalence of racial/ethnic biases and poor mentorship rates amongst underrepresented groups in neuro-oncology is high and potentially linked to the limited diverse representation amongst members and affiliates. These findings warrant a swift implementation of equity and inclusion practices within the neuro-oncology field.