Background:Rucaparib is an orally available potent selective small-molecule inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) 1 and 2. Rucaparib induces synthetic lethality in cancer cells defective in the homologous recombination repair pathway including BRCA-1/2. We investigated the efficacy and safety of single-agent rucaparib in germline (g) BRCA mutation carriers with advanced breast and ovarian cancers.Methods:Phase II, open-label, multicentre trial of rucaparib in proven BRCA-1/2 mutation carriers with advanced breast and or ovarian cancer, WHO PS 0–1 and normal organ function. Intravenous (i.v.) and subsequently oral rucaparib were assessed, using a range of dosing schedules, to determine the safety, tolerability, dose-limiting toxic effects and pharmacodynamic (PD) and pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles.Results:Rucaparib was well tolerated in patients up to doses of 480 mg per day and is a potent inhibitor of PARP, with sustained inhibition ⩾24 h after single doses. The i.v. rucaparib (intermittent dosing schedule) resulted in an objective response rate (ORR) of only 2% but with 41% (18 out of 44) patients achieved stable disease for ⩾12 weeks and 3 patients maintaining disease stabilisation for >52 weeks. The ORR for oral rucaparib (across all six dose levels) was 15%. In the oral cohorts, 81% (22 out of 27) of the patients had ovarian cancer and 12 out of 13, who were dosed continuously, achieved RECIST complete response/partial response (CR/PR) or stable disease (SD) ⩾12 weeks, with a median duration of response of 179 days (range 84–567 days).Conclusions:Rucaparib is well tolerated and results in high levels of PARP inhibition in surrogate tissues even at the lowest dose levels. Rucaparib is active in gBRCA-mutant ovarian cancer and this activity correlates with platinum-free interval. The key lessons learned from this study is that continuous rucaparib dosing is required for optimal response, the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) for continuous oral scheduling has not been established and requires further exploration and, thirdly, the use of a PD biomarker to evaluate dose–response has its limitations.

Background State-of-the art therapy for recurrent ovarian cancer (ROC) suitable for platinum-based re-treatment includes bevacizumab-containing combinations (eg, carboplatin/paclitaxel, carboplatin/gemcitabine) or the most active non-bevacizumab regimen: carboplatin/pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD). This head-to-head trial compared a standard bevacizumab-containing regimen versus carboplatin/PLD combined with bevacizumab. Methods In this multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial, eligible patients had histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube carcinoma with first disease recurrence >6 months after first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, and were aged ≥18 years with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2. Patients were stratified by platinum-free interval, residual tumour, prior anti-angiogenic therapy, and study group language, and centrally randomised 1:1 using randomly permuted blocks of size two, four, or six to six intravenous cycles of carboplatin (AUC 4, day 1) plus gemcitabine (1000 mg/m 2 , days 1 and 8) every 3 weeks or six cycles of carboplatin (AUC 5, day 1) plus PLD (30 mg/m 2 , day 1) every 4 weeks, both given with bevacizumab (15 mg/kg every 3 weeks or 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks) until disease progression or toxicity. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS). Efficacy data were analysed in the intention-to-treat population (all randomised patients). Safety was analysed in all patients who received at least one dose of study drug. This completed study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT01837251.

Background: Anti-PD-1/L1 therapy alone has limited activity in ovarian cancer. We hypothesised that blockade of VEGF and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) can reverse the endothelial barrier allowing T cell infiltration and subsequent T cell activation by PD-L1 blockade. This is the first trial combining an anti-PD-L1 antibody, atezolizumab (ATE), with bevacizumab (BEV) and the irreversible COX1/2 inhibitor acetylsalicylic acid (ASA).Methods: Patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC) were randomised to 1) BEV(15mg/kg q3w) 2) ATE(1200mg q3w)+placebo(P) 3) ATE(1200mg q3w)+ ASA(320mg/d) 4) BEV(15mg/kg q3w)+ATE(1200mg q3w)+P or 5) BEV(15mg/kg q3w)+ATE(1200mg q3w)+ASA(320mg/d) and treated until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Arms 2 and 3 were closed early following phase III results indicating insufficient activity of PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy. Mandatory biopsies (pre-treatment and pre-cycle 3) and serial blood samples were collected. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival rate at 6 months (PFS-6). Secondary endpoints included tolerability, PFS, response rate (RR) and time to first subsequent therapy (TFST).Results: 122 patients were randomised: BEV(33); ATE+P(11); ATE+ASA(13); BEV+-ATE+P(32); BEV+ATE+ASA(33). Median age 63 (36-82); 84% !3 prior therapies. 39/52 (75%) patients treated (Arms 1-3) crossed over at progression to BEV+ATE. PFS-6 rates (ITT) were 22%, 9%, 23%, 25% and 25% respectively.