Dr. Manish Shah on MET Inhibitors Not Improving PFS in MET-Positive GEC

Manish A. Shah, MD, director of gastrointestinal oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College/New York Presbyterian Hospital, discusses why MET inhibitors such as onartuzumab do not improve progression-free survival for the treatment of metastatic, HER2-negative gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEC).

A recent phase II study of mFOLFOX paired with onartuzumab, a MET inhibitor, demonstrated that the addition did not improve PFS. Similar negative findings were found in the RILOMET study regarding rilotumumab, Shah explains.

Data show that both agents in the respective trials hit their targets. Therefore, he questions if these results mean these agents are hitting the wrong target(s), or if researchers are not selecting the best patients for these agents.

Shah adds that MET is an important pathway; however, he adds that not all MET over-expressing tumors are MET-driven, so there needs to be improved patient selection and a better understanding of mechanisms of resistance.