Hendifar, Andrew

4219 Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a notoriously difficult-to-treat malignancy, with limited therapy options for patients with advanced disease. While KRAS mutations are the dominant oncogenic driver in PDAC, next-generation sequencing has enabled the identification of rare, targetable alterations such as the BRAF V600E mutation, which occurs in approximately 2-3% of cases. BRAF mutant cell lines are responsive to MEK and RAF inhibitors. This study evaluates the efficacy of the combination of encorafenib and binimetinib as ≥ 2nd line therapy in this specific molecular subgroup of pancreatic cancer patients. Methods: This study used a planned two-stage design. Seven patients were pre-registered; one did not meet eligibility criteria and was excluded. Six patients were enrolled in Stage 1, which required an objective response (OR) in 40% of patients to proceed to Stage 2. Stage 2 was planned to enroll an additional 16 patients, contingent on meeting this efficacy threshold. Enrolled patients received treatment in 28-day cycles until disease progression or for a maximum of 36 cycles. Patients self-administered encorafenib (450 mg orally once daily) and binimetinib (45 mg orally twice daily) starting on Day 1 of each cycle. Objective responses were assessed using RECIST version 1.1 over 24 weeks. Results: The median number of cycles was 8. The objective response rate at 24 weeks was 33.33%. The overall objective response rate was 50%. The median time to response for progression-free survival, overall survival, duration of response, and time to response was 7.1, 15.0, 9.9, and 3.9 months respectively, with 95% CI in all categories. 50% of patients experienced at least one Grade ≥3 adverse event, including anemia, thromboembolic events, and acute kidney injury. Conclusions: The six BRAF-V600E-mutated PDAC patients in our cohort demonstrated meaningful antitumor activity with a manageable safety profile after treatment with encorafenib and binimetinib. Although the study was prematurely terminated due to limited accrual, observed objective responses and survival outcomes suggest that dual RAF/MEK inhibition may represent a feasible therapeutic strategy in this rare molecular subgroup. Larger studies are warranted to further define the efficacy and safety of this treatment combination in BRAF-V600E-mutated pancreatic cancer. Clinical trial information: NCI-2020-02972 .

632 Background: Paltusotine is an oral, nonpeptide, selective somatostatin receptor 2 agonist. In a phase 2 study, treatment with once-daily paltusotine reduced the frequency and severity of carcinoid syndrome (CS) symptoms and was well tolerated. The effect of paltusotine on biomarkers of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) was further explored. Methods: This exploratory study, without formal power calculations, included an 8-week randomized treatment phase (completed) and a 102-week open-label extension phase (currently ongoing). The purpose was to evaluate safety, pharmacokinetics, and exploratory efficacy endpoints, including changes in biomarkers of paltusotine treatment. Enrolled patients were adults with a stable, documented grade 1 or 2 neuroendocrine tumor (NET) and CS. These patients were actively symptomatic and either untreated with somatostatin receptor ligand (SRL) therapy (average of ≥4 bowel movements [BMs] per day or >2 flushing episodes per day in ≥2 days over a 2-week period) or washed out of SRL therapy (symptoms previously controlled on SRL), with demonstrated symptom worsening after washout. Patients were randomized to once-daily paltusotine 40 mg or 80 mg; one optional uptitration (from 40 mg to 80 mg or 80 mg to 120 mg) was permitted. Blood samples for assessment of biomarkers (serum serotonin and plasma 5-HIAA) were collected longitudinally from screening to end of treatment. Upper limit of normal was prespecified as 541 ng/mL for serotonin and 22 ng/mL for 5-HIAA. This analysis focuses on changes in biomarker from baseline to the end of 8-week randomized treatment phase and after approximately one year (48 weeks). Results: Thirty-six patients (n=9 untreated; n=27 SRL washout) were randomized. Mean age was 60.8 years (range 35-83), and 52.8% were female. Nineteen patients had grade 1 NETs, and 17 had grade 2 NETs. As reported previously, treatment with once-daily, oral paltusotine was well tolerated and reduced the frequency and severity of CS symptoms, justifying further clinical development of the 80 mg dose. Mean serum serotonin decreased from 1553.0 ng/mL at baseline to 643.9 ng/mL at Week 8, and mean plasma 5-HIAA decreased from 245.1 ng/mL to 159.7 ng/mL. There was a trend of untreated patients achieving a greater reduction in comparison to washout patients. At 48-week follow-up, mean serum serotonin was stabilized at 791.50 ng/mL (n=20), and mean plasma 5-HIAA was stabilized at 190.45 ng/mL (n=20). Conclusions: Paltusotine significantly reduced serotonin and 5-HIAA levels, with effects maintained at 48 weeks. Biomarker reductions paralleled reductions in BM and flushing frequency. These findings support further investigation in the ongoing phase 3 study (CAREFNDR, NCT07087054). Clinical trial information: NCT05361668 .