Dr. Reinhard Dummer on Toxicities with Binimetinib in Metastatic Melanoma

Reinhard Dummer, MD, professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Zurich Hospital, discusses the toxicities of binimetinib in patients with NRAS-mutant metastatic melanoma.

Binimetinib results in many of the same toxicities as other MEK inhibitors, said Dummer. In the NEMO trial, which compared the efficacy of binimetinib with dacarbazine in patients with NRAS-mutant metastatic melanoma, most adverse were mild and manageable, he said.

However side effects do occur with binimetinib, including muscular toxicities that are reflected by an elevation by the muscle enzyme CPK.

There are also some skin toxicities that result in patients getting an acne-like rash, which is not dangerous, but can be very unpleasant for patients, said Dummer.

Other side effects include gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and diarrhea, but with some additional medications and dose interruption, it can be managed, he said. However, in a number of patients, treatment had to be discontinued due to these adverse events in the NEMO trial.