A Phase II Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Oral Ceritinib in Patients With ALK-positive NSCLC Metastatic to the Brain and/or to Leptomeninges

Inclusion Criteria

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of metastatic NSCLC according to the 7th edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. In addition, the NSCLC must harbor an ALK rearrangement, as assessed using the FDA approved Vysis ALK Break Apart FISH Probe Kit (Abbott Molecular Inc.) test and scoring algorithm (including positivity criteria). If documentation of ALK rearrangement as described above was not locally available, a test to confirm ALK rearrangement was to be performed by a Novartis designated central laboratory. Patients had to wait for the central laboratory result of the ALK rearrangement status before initiating treatment with ceritinib
• At least one extracranial measurable lesion as defined by RECIST 1.1. A previously irradiated site lesion could only be counted as a target lesion if there was clear sign of progression since the irradiation.
• Patients could or could not have neurological symptoms but must have been able to swallow and retain oral medication.
• Patients had to be neurologically stable within at least 1 week prior to the first dose of study drug.
• Patients could have received prior chemotherapy, crizotinib (other ALK inhibitors were not allowed), biologic therapy or other investigational agents.
• Patients must have recovered from all toxicities related to prior anticancer therapies to grade ≤ 1 (CTCAE v 4.03). Patients with any grade of alopecia were allowed to enter the study.
• Patient had life expectancy ≥ 6 weeks.
• Patient had a WHO performance status 0-2. Patients in Arm 1 to 4 had to also meet the following inclusion criteria:
• Patients had to have active brain metastases from NSCLC, confirmed by Gadolinium-enhanced MRI without concomitant leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. Dose of steroids had to be stable for 5 days before the baseline brain MRI. Patients in Arm 5 had to also meet the following inclusion criteria:
• Patients must have been diagnosed with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.

Exclusion Criteria

• Patients who needed whole brain radiation to control the brain metastases. Patients were not eligible unless treated brain lesions were progressive or new brain lesions were observed since the post whole brain radiation therapy MRI.
• Planning of any brain local treatment (including but not limited to surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, whole brain radiation, intrathecal chemotherapy) following the administration of the first dose of study drug.
• Patient with a concurrent malignancy or history of a malignant disease other than NSCLC that had been diagnosed and/or required therapy within the past 3 years. Exceptions to this exclusion included the following: completely resected basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers, and completely resected carcinoma in situ of any type.
• Patient had impairment of GI function or GI disease that could significantly alter the absorption of ceritinib (e.g., ulcerative diseases, uncontrolled nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or malabsorption syndrome).
• Patient was receiving unstable or increasing doses of corticosteroids.
• Patient had other severe, acute, or chronic medical conditions including uncontrolled diabetes mellitus or psychiatric conditions or laboratory abnormalities that in the opinion of the investigator could increase the risk associated with study participation, or that could interfere with the interpretation of study results.