Dr. Abou-Alfa on Trial of MEK162 in Advanced Biliary Cancer

Ghassan K. Abou-Alfa, MD, medical oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the trial of MEK162 in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin in patients with untreated advanced biliary cancer.

This single arm, non-randomized, phase I/II study evaluated MEK162—an oral, selective small molecule inhibitor of MEK1/2—twice daily for 21 days with gemcitabine and cisplatin infusions on days 8 and 15.

This was based on preclinical data that showed that a certain cycling between gemcitabine, cisplatin, and the MEK inhibitor may allow the MEK to target the cells at their prime, says Abou-Alfa.