Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027497 (nausea)
 23,468 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) with mutated RAS are less likely to respond to chemotherapy and have a shortened survival. Therefore, targeting RAS farnesylation may be a novel approach to treatment of MM. We evaluated the activity and tolerability of the farnesyltransferase (FTase) inhibitor tipifarnib (Zarnestra) in a phase 2 trial as well as its ability to inhibit protein farnesylation and oncogenic pathways in patients with relapsed MM. Forty-three patients (median age, 62 years [range, 33-82 years]) with a median of 4 (range, 1-6) chemotherapy regimens entered the study. Tipifarnib, 300 mg orally twice daily, was administered for 3 weeks every 4 weeks. The most common toxicity was fatigue occurring in 66% of patients. Other toxicities included diarrhea, nausea, neuropathy, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. Sixty-four percent of the patients had disease stabilization. Treatment with tipifarnib suppressed FTase (but not geranylgeranyltransferase I) in bone marrow and peripheral blood mononuclear cells and also inhibited the farnesylation of HDJ-2 in unfractionated mononuclear cells and purified myeloma cells. Inhibition of farnesylation did not correlate with disease stabilization. Finally, tipifarnib decreased the levels of phosphorylated Akt and STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) but not Erk1/2 (extracellular signal regulated kinase 1 and 2) in bone marrow cells. We conclude that tipifarnib is tolerable, can induce disease stabilization, and can inhibit farnesylation and oncogenic/tumor survival pathways.
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PMID:Farnesyltransferase inhibitor tipifarnib is well tolerated, induces stabilization of disease, and inhibits farnesylation and oncogenic/tumor survival pathways in patients with advanced multiple myeloma. 1472 2

The farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) are in active clinical development in a variety of human malignancies. The most promising activity to date has been demonstrated in patients with hematological malignancies, in particular acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). In patients with MDS, two non-peptidomimetic agents, tipifarnib (Zarnestra, Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ) and lonafarnib (Sarasar, Schering-Plough, Kenilworth, NJ) have been the most extensively studied. In both phase I and phase II trials, tipifarnib has demonstrated significant efficacy with overall response rates of 30%, with complete remissions in about 15%. Dose-limiting side effects have been primarily myelosuppression, although fatigue, neurotoxicity, and occasional renal dysfunction have required dose reductions. Lonafarnib in patients with MDS has also resulted in clinical responses in approximately 30%, including significant improvements in platelet counts. Lonafarnib has been associated with primarily diarrhea and other gastrointestinal toxicity, anorexia, and nausea, which has limited its efficacy. Clinical response correlation with documentation of inhibition of farnesyltransferase and/or evidence of decreased farnesylation of downstream protein targets has not been demonstrated with either agent. In addition, the presence of an activating Ras mutation has not predicted response to therapy with FTIs in MDS and AML. Despite this, significant clinical efficacy of the FTIs in MDS, on par with that of currently available chemotherapeutic agents, has been observed, leading to further development of this new class of drugs in MDS and AML.
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PMID:Farnesyltransferase inhibitors in myelodysplastic syndrome. 1586 70

This phase 2 study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the oral farnesyltransferase inhibitor tipifarnib in adults with refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Patients (n=252) received tipifarnib 600 mg twice a day for 21 days in 28-day cycles. Median age was 62 years; 99 (39%) patients were 65 years or older. Eleven (4%) of 252 patients achieved complete remission (CR) or complete remission with incomplete platelet recovery (CRp; 9 CR and 2 CRp). Nineteen patients (8%), including those who achieved CR/CRp, achieved a reduction in bone marrow blasts to less than 5% blasts. Bone marrow blasts were reduced more than 50% in an additional 8 patients (total = 27; 11%). Median survival was 369 days for patients who achieved CR/CRp. Myelosuppression was the most common adverse event. The most common nonhematologic toxicities were fever, nausea, and hypokalemia. Single-agent treatment with tipifarnib induced durable CR/CRp, which was associated with prolonged survival, in some patients with refractory or relapsed AML. The response rate observed in this heavily pretreated group of patients suggests the requirement to enhance the response rate either by combining tipifarnib with other active agents or determining factors that are predictive of response.
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PMID:A phase 2 study of the oral farnesyltransferase inhibitor tipifarnib in patients with refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia. 1735 Nov 10

AZD3409 is an orally active double prodrug that was developed as a novel dual prenyltransferase inhibitor. The formation of the active metabolite AZD3409 acid is mediated by esterases in plasma and cells. The aim of this phase I study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose, toxicities, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of AZD3409. AZD3409 was administered orally to patients with advanced solid malignancies using an interpatient dose-escalation scheme starting at 500 mg AZD3409 once daily. Twenty-nine patients were treated at seven dose levels. The MTD of part A was defined as 750 mg b.i.d. in the fasted state. Adverse events were mainly gastrointestinal and the severity was on average mild to moderate and reversible. The dose-limiting toxicities were vomiting, diarrhoea and uncontrolled nausea. Pharmacokinetic studies of the prodrug and the active metabolite indicated dose proportionality. Pharmacodynamic studies showed that farnesyltransferase (FTase) was inhibited at all dose levels. In conclusion, chronic oral dosing with AZD3409 is feasible and results in significant inhibition of FTase activity. Pharmacodynamic studies revealed that the maximal FTase inhibition, estimated at 49+/-11%, appeared to be reached at AZD3409 acid plasma concentrations at which the occurrence of drug-related toxicity was low. This study supports the rationale to implement biological effect studies in clinical trials with biologically active anticancer drugs to define optimal dosing regimens.
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PMID:Phase I pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study of the prenyl transferase inhibitor AZD3409 in patients with advanced cancer. 1850 43

Lonafarnib is an orally bio-available farnesyltransferase inhibitor that prevents farnesylation of specific target proteins including Ras. In a multicenter study, 67 patients with advanced myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) were treated with a continuous oral dose of 200-300 mg of lonafarnib and were evaluated for hematologic, pathologic and pharmacodynamic response. The median age of patients was 70 years (range 44-86). There were 32 patients with MDS (RAEB-20 and RAEB-t-12) and 35 with CMML. Overall 16 (24%) of the patients responded with two patients achieving a complete remission and one a partial response. Responses were seen in 6/32 and 10/35 patients with MDS and CMML, respectively. Of the 19 patients who were platelet transfusion-dependent prior to treatment, 5 (26%) became transfusion-free for a median duration of 185 days. A decrease in the farnesylation of the HDJ-2 protein measured in patient-derived cells was observed in the majority of patients during treatment with lonafarnib, but no clear correlation between changes in farnesylation and clinical effect could be made. Gastrointestinal toxicity was significant with 19% of patients discontinuing therapy due to diarrhea, nausea and/or anorexia. Lonafarnib has demonstrable activity in patients with advanced MDS and CMML.
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PMID:On the use of lonafarnib in myelodysplastic syndrome and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. 1854 95

The farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) are in active clinical development in a variety of human malignancies. The most promising activity to date has been demonstrated in patients with hematologic malignancies, in particular acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). In patients with MDS, two nonpeptidomimetic agents, tipifarnib (Zarnestra, Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ) and lonafarnib (Sarasar, Schering-Plough, Kenilworth, NJ) have been the most extensively studied. In both phase I and phase II trials, tipifarnib has demonstrated significant efficacy, with overall response rates of 30% and complete remissions in about 15%. Dose-limiting adverse effects have been primarily myelosuppression, although fatigue, neurotoxicity, and occasional renal dysfunction have required dose reductions. Lonafarnib in patients with MDS has also resulted in clinical responses in approximately 30%, including significant improvements in platelet counts. Lonafarnib has been associated primarily with diarrhea and other gastrointestinal toxicity, anorexia, and nausea, which has limited its efficacy. Clinical response correlation with documentation of inhibition of farnesyltransferase and/or evidence of decreased farnesylation of downstream protein targets has not been demonstrated with either agent. In addition, the presence of an activating Ras mutation has not predicted response to therapy with FTIs in MDS and AML. Despite this lack of evidence, significant clinical efficacy of the FTIs has been observed in MDS, on a par with the efficacy of currently available chemotherapeutic agents, leading to further development of this new class of drugs in MDS and AML.
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PMID:Farnesyltransferase inhibitors in myelodysplastic syndrome. 2042 27

Capecitabine produces an objective response rate of up to 25% in anthracycline-treated, taxane-resistant metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The farnesyltransferase inhibitor tipifarnib inhibits Ras signaling and has clinical activity when used alone in MBC. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of tipifarnib-capecitabine combination in MBC patients who were previously treated with an anthracycline and progressed on taxane therapy. Eligible patients received oral capecitabine 1,000 mg/m2 twice daily plus oral tipifarnib 300 mg twice daily on days 1-14 every 21 days. The primary endpoint was ORR. The trial was powered to detect an improvement in response rate from 25 to 40%. Among 63 eligible, partial response occurred in six patients (9.5%; 90% CI 4.2-17.9%), median progression-free survival was 2.6 months (95% CI 2.1-4.4), and median overall survival was 11.4 months (95% CI 7.7-14.0). Dose modifications were required for 43 patients (68%) for either tipifarnib and/or capecitabine. Grades 3 and 4 toxicities were seen in 30 patients (44%; 90% CI 44.4-67.0%) and 11 patients (16%; 90% CI 10.8-29.0%), respectively. The most common grade 3 toxicities included neutropenia, nausea, and vomiting; and the most common grade 4 toxicity was neutropenia (8 out of 11 cases). The tipifarnib-capecitabine combination is not more effective than capecitabine alone in MBC patients who were previously treated with an anthracycline and taxane therapy.
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PMID:A phase II trial of capecitabine in combination with the farnesyltransferase inhibitor tipifarnib in patients with anthracycline-treated and taxane-resistant metastatic breast cancer: an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Study (E1103). 2254 7