Safety and Efficacy of TTFields (150 kHz) Concomitant With Pemetrexed and Cisplatin or Carboplatin in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (STELLAR)

PAST PRE CLINICAL AND CLINICAL EXPERIENCE:

The effect of TTFields has demonstrated significant activity in in vitro mesothelioma pre-clinical models both as a single modality treatment and in combination with pemetrexed and cisplatin, chemotherapies that are commonly used to treat malignant pleural mesothelioma.

In a pilot clinical trial (first in men) TTFields were shown to have an effect as a monotherapy in one patient with malignant pleural mesothelioma when applied to the patient's abdomen (the disease metastasized to the abdomen).

In a pilot study, 42 patients with stage IIIB- IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had had tumor progression after at least one line of prior chemotherapy received pemetrexed together with TTFields applied to the chest and upper abdomen until disease progression. Efficacy endpoints were remarkably high compared to historical data for pemetrexed alone.

In a large prospective, randomized trial, in recurrent glioblastoma (GBM). The outcome of subjects treated with TTFields was compared to those treated with an effective best standard of care chemotherapy (including bevacizumab). TTFields arm subjects had comparable overall survival to subjects receiving the best available chemotherapy in the US today. Similar results showing comparability of TTFields to best standard of care (BSC) chemotherapy were seen in all secondary endpoints. Recurrent GBM patients treated with TTFields in this trial experienced fewer side effects in general, significantly fewer treatment related side effects, and significantly lower gastrointestinal, hematological and infectious adverse events compared to controls. The only device-related adverse events seen were a mild to moderate skin irritation beneath the device electrodes. Finally, quality of life measures were better in TTFields Therapy subjects as a group when compared to subjects receiving effective best standard of care chemotherapy.

Recently, an interim analysis of a large ongoing phase III trial in newly diagnosed GBM showed that adding TTFields to the standard of care temozolomide chemotherapy significantly prolonged patients' progression free survival and overall survival. An independent data monitoring committee recommended to stop the trial for early success. The FDA approved cross over of control arm patients to the TTFields arm of the trial.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TRIAL:

All patients included in this trial are diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma. In addition, all patients must meet all eligibility criteria.

Eligible patients will be enrolled, baseline tests will be performed and the patients will be treated continuously with the device concomitant with weekly pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin until disease progression.

TTFields treatment will consist of wearing four electrically insulated electrode arrays on the thorax. Electrode array placement will require shaving of the chest/back as necessary before and during the treatment. After an initial short visit to the clinic for training and monitoring, patients will be released to continue treatment at home where they can maintain their regular daily routine.

During the trial the patient will need to return once every 3 weeks to the clinic where an examination by a physician and a routine laboratory examinations will be done. These routine visits will continue for as long as the patient's disease is not progressing. A routine CT scan of the chest and abdomen will be performed at baseline and every 6 weeks thereafter, until disease progression. After this follow up plan, patients will be contacted once per month by telephone to answer basic questions about their health status.

SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND:

Electric fields exert forces on electric charges similar to the way a magnet exerts forces on metallic particles within a magnetic field. These forces cause movement and rotation of electrically charged biological building blocks, much like the alignment of metallic particles seen along the lines of force radiating outwards from a magnet.

Electric fields can also cause muscles to twitch and if strong enough may heat tissues. TTFields are alternating electric fields of low intensity. This means that they change their direction repetitively many times a second. Since they change direction very rapidly (150 thousand times a second), they do not cause muscles to twitch, nor do they have any effects on other electrically activated tissues in the body (brain, nerves and heart). Since the intensities of TTFields in the body are very low, they do not cause heating.

The breakthrough finding made by Novocure was that finely tuned alternating fields of very low intensity, now termed TTFields (Tumor Treating Fields), cause a significant slowing in the growth of cancer cells. Due to the unique geometric shape of cancer cells when they are multiplying, TTFields cause the building blocks of these cells to move and pile up in such a way that the cells physically explode. In addition, cancer cells also contain miniature building blocks which act as tiny motors in moving essential parts of the cells from place to place. TTFields cause these tiny motors to fall apart since they have a special type of electric charge.

As a result of these two effects, cancer tumor growth is slowed and can even reverse after continuous exposure to TTFields.

Other cells in the body (normal healthy tissues) are affected much less than cancer cells since they multiply at a much slower rate if at all. In addition TTFields can be directed to a certain part of the body, leaving sensitive areas out of their reach.

In conclusion, TTFields hold the promise of serving as a brand new cancer treatment with very few side effects and promising affectivity in slowing or reversing this disease.