Using Selumetinib for the Treatment of Plexiform Neurofibromas in High-Risk Locations at the Time of Discovery in Children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1
This phase II trial studies whether selumetinib can be used to treat plexiform neurofibromas (PN) in high-risk locations at the time they are discovered to prevent the tumor from growing or causing problems in the future in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). One key trait of NF1 is the development of PN which are nerves that have become thick and misshapen due to the abnormal growth of cells and tissues that cover the nerves. PN are a major cause of death, disfigurement, and pain in patients with NF1. The complex shape and slow growth of PN have made them challenging to measure consistently and until recently there was no approved treatment for them. This made screening young patients who had no symptoms inappropriate. However, with improvements in treatment, screening may now be beneficial in these patients so treatment can begin as soon as they are identified. Selumetinib is approved for the treatment of PN that are causing symptoms. Selumetinib may stop the growth of PN cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving selumetinib to treat PN in high-risk locations at the time they are discovered may be an effective way to prevent the tumor from growing or causing problems in the future in children with NF1.
Inclusion Criteria
- PART 1: > 1 (> 12 months) and ≤ 8 years of age at the time of study enrollment
- PART 1: Patients with a diagnosis of NF1 based on the 2021 revised consensus criteria
- PART 1: No known PN (prior to enrollment on Part 1). Patients for whom there is clinical suspicion for a PN (e.g., subtle facial asymmetry or large overlying hyperpigmented area) may be included in the study after discussion with the study chair so long as they have not previously had an MRI of the region of concern and are otherwise asymptomatic
- PART 1: Physical exam at your institution within 1 year prior to consent
- PART 1: Written informed consent must be obtained from the legal guardians of all participants < 18 years of age
- PART 2: Enrolled on part 1 of this study and completed baseline WBMRI within 6 weeks of planned enrollment on part 2
- PART 2: A measurable (≥ 3 mL) PN in a high-risk location as defined below (this must be confirmed by study chair or a member of the study committee prior to enrollment on part 2) * In the head or neck (with the exception of isolated scalp lesions) OR * Within the brachial or lumbosacral plexus OR * Adjacent to high-risk structure(s), defined as: ** Major (“named”) blood vessel OR ** Major (“named”) airway OR ** Hollow viscus OR ** Spinal cord and foramina OR ** Vital organs (including heart, lungs, liver, spleen, etc.)
- PART 2: Body surface area (BSA) ≥ 0.55 m^2 (pending availability of granule formulation)
- PART 2: Lansky performance ≥ 70%. Participants who are wheelchair bound because of paralysis or immobility secondary to a non-PN related manifestation of NF1 (such as tibial pseudarthrosis or severe scoliosis) should be considered ambulatory when they are in their wheelchair
- PART 2: Able to swallow whole capsules (Pending availability of granule formulation)
- PART 2: Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1200/µL (without transfusions)
- PART 2: Hemoglobin ≥ 9g/dL (without transfusions)
- PART 2: Platelets ≥ 100,000/µL (without transfusions)
- PART 2: Bilirubin within 1.5 x the upper limit of normal for age, with the exception of those with Gilbert syndrome
- PART 2: Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) within ≤ 3 x upper limit of normal
- PART 2: Creatinine clearance or radioisotope glomerular filtration rate (GFR) ≥ 60ml/min/1.73 m^2 or a normal serum creatinine based on age, described below * Age (years): ≤ 5; maximum serum creatinine (mg/dL): 0.8 * Age (years): > 5 to ≤ 10; maximum serum creatinine (mg/dL): 1.0 * Age (years): > 10 to ≤ 15; maximum serum creatinine (mg/dL): 1.2 * Age (years): > 15; maximum serum creatinine (mg/dL): 1.5
- PART 2: Normal ejection fraction (ECHO or cardiac MRI) ≥ 53% (or the institutional normal; if a range is given then the upper value of the range will be used)
- PART 2: Electrocardiography (EKG) with corrected QT interval (QTC) or Fridericia's corrected QT interval (QTcF) ≤ 450 msec
- PART 2: Adequate blood pressure defined as: * A blood pressure (BP) ≤ the 95th percentile for age, height, and gender. Adequate blood pressure can be achieved using medication for treatment of hypertension. Participants must be on stable antihypertensive regimen for at least 30 days prior to study entry
- PART 2: Willingness to avoid excessive sun exposure and use adequate sunscreen protection if sun exposure is anticipated
- PART 2: Willingness to avoid the ingestion of grapefruit and Seville oranges (as well as other products containing these fruits, e.g., grapefruit juice or marmalade) during the study, as these may affect selumetinib metabolism
- PART 3: Enrolled on part 2 of this study and had PN growth ≥ 20% OR development of PN related symptom(s) while on observation portion of part 2 (including the first 2 years for the observation arm OR during first year of observation after treatment with selumetinib)
- PART 3: BSA ≥ 0.55 m^2 (pending availability of granule formulation)
- PART 3: Lansky performance ≥ 70%. Participants who are wheelchair bound because of paralysis or immobility secondary to a non-PN related manifestation of NF1 (such as tibial pseudarthrosis or severe scoliosis) should be considered ambulatory when they are in their wheelchair
- PART 3: Able to swallow whole capsules (Pending availability of granule formulation)
- PART 3: Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1200/µL (without transfusions)
- PART 3: Hemoglobin ≥ 9g/dL (without transfusions)
- PART 3: Platelets ≥ 100,000/µL (without transfusions)
- PART 3: Bilirubin within 1.5 x the upper limit of normal for age, with the exception of those with Gilbert syndrome
- PART 3: AST/ALT within ≤ 3 x upper limit of normal
- PART 3: Creatinine clearance or radioisotope GFR ≥ 60mL/min/1.73 m^2 or a normal serum creatinine based on age, described below * Age (years): ≤ 5; maximum serum creatinine (mg/dL): 0.8 * Age (years): > 5 to ≤ 10; maximum serum creatinine (mg/dL): 1.0 * Age (years): > 10 to ≤ 15; maximum serum creatinine (mg/dL): 1.2 * Age (years): > 15; maximum serum creatinine (mg/dL): 1.5
- PART 3: Normal ejection fraction (ECHO or cardiac MRI) ≥ 53% (or the institutional normal; if a range is given then the upper value of the range will be used)
- PART 3: EKG with QTC or QTcF ≤ 450 msec
- PART 3: Adequate Blood Pressure defined as: * A blood pressure (BP) ≤ the 95th percentile for age, height, and gender. Adequate blood pressure can be achieved using medication for treatment of hypertension. Participants must be on stable antihypertensive regimen for at least 30 days prior to study entry
- PART 3: Willingness to avoid excessive sun exposure and use adequate sunscreen protection if sun exposure is anticipated
- PART 3: Willingness to avoid the ingestion of grapefruit and Seville oranges (as well as other products containing these fruits, e.g., grapefruit juice or marmalade) during the study, as these may affect selumetinib metabolism
Exclusion Criteria
- PART 1: Presence of a known, symptomatic PN with or without previous MRI imaging
- PART 1: Patients who have had previous whole-body MRI (WBMRI) are excluded from the study. However, patients who have had regional MRI(s) for an indication other than a PN and did not have a PN identified on previous MRI may still be eligible for the study
- PART 1: Inability to undergo MRI and/or contraindication for MRI examinations following the MRI protocol
- PART 1: Prior treatment with selumetinib or another specific MEK1/2 inhibitor
- PART 1: Evidence of an optic pathway or other low-grade glioma, high grade glioma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, or other cancer/tumor requiring treatment with chemotherapy, biologic therapy or radiation therapy
- PART 1: Ongoing radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy directed at a tumor, immunotherapy, or biologic therapy
- PART 1: Clinical judgement by the investigator that the patient should not participate in the study
- PART 2: Evidence of an optic pathway or other low-grade glioma, high-grade glioma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, or other cancer/tumor requiring treatment with chemotherapy, biologic therapy or radiation therapy
- PART 2: Ongoing radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, or biologic therapy directed at a tumor
- PART 2: Prosthesis, orthopedic implant, or dental braces that would interfere with volumetric analysis of target PN on MRI
- PART 2: Use of an investigational agent within the past 30 days
- PART 2: Any evidence of severe or uncontrolled systemic disease, active infection, active bleeding diatheses, or renal transplant, including any participant known to have hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) will be excluded
- PART 2: Participants who, in the opinion of the investigator, may not be able to comply with the safety monitoring requirements of the study
- PART 2: Refractory nausea and vomiting, chronic gastrointestinal diseases (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease), or significant bowel resection that would preclude adequate absorption
- PART 2: Supplementation with vitamin E greater than 100% of the daily recommended dose. Any multivitamin containing vitamin E must be stopped prior to initiation of therapy
- PART 2: Participants not achieving adequate blood pressure despite antihypertensive therapy for control of blood pressure
- PART 2: Cardiac conditions: * Known inherited coronary disease * Symptomatic heart failure (New York Heart Association [NYHA] Class II-IV prior or current cardiomyopathy, or severe valvular heart disease) * Prior or current cardiomyopathy * Severe valvular heart disease * History of atrial fibrillation
- PART 2: Ophthalmologic conditions: * Current or past history of central serous retinopathy or retinal pigment epithelial detachment (RPED) * Current or past history of retinal vein occlusion * History of radiation therapy that included the orbit in the field of treatment * Known intraocular pressure (IOP) > 21 mmHg (or upper limit of normal [ULN] adjusted by age) or uncontrolled glaucoma (irrespective of IOP). Participants with known glaucoma and increased IOP who do not have meaningful vision (light perception only or no light perception) and are not experiencing pain related to the glaucoma, may be eligible after discussion with the study chair * Participants with any other significant abnormality on ophthalmic examination should be discussed with the study chair for potential eligibility * Ophthalmological findings secondary to long-standing optic pathway glioma (such as visual loss, optic nerve pallor or strabismus) will NOT be considered a significant abnormality for the purposes of the study
- PART 2: Known severe hypersensitivity to selumetinib or any excipient of selumetinib or history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to selumetinib
- PART 2: Recent major surgery within a minimum of 4 weeks prior to starting study treatment
- PART 2: Any unresolved chronic toxicity with Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) grade ≥ 2 from previous therapy, except for alopecia
- PART 2: Receiving herbal supplements or medications known to be strong or moderate inhibitors or inducers of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19 and CYP3A4 enzymes or fluconazole unless such products can be safely discontinued at least 14 days or 5 half-lives (whichever is longer) before the first dose of study medication
- PART 3: Evidence of an optic pathway or other low-grade glioma, high-grade glioma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, or other cancer/tumor requiring treatment with chemotherapy, biologic therapy or radiation therapy
- PART 3: Ongoing radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, or biologic therapy directed at a tumor
- PART 3: Prosthesis, orthopedic implant, or dental braces that would interfere with volumetric analysis of target PN on MRI
- PART 3: Any evidence of severe or uncontrolled systemic disease, active infection, active bleeding diatheses, or renal transplant, including any participant known to have hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) will be excluded
- PART 3: Participants who, in the opinion of the investigator, may not be able to comply with the safety monitoring requirements of the study
- PART 3: Refractory nausea and vomiting, chronic gastrointestinal diseases (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease), or significant bowel resection that would preclude adequate absorption
- PART 3: Supplementation with vitamin E greater than 100% of the daily recommended dose. Any multivitamin containing vitamin E must be stopped prior to initiation of therapy
- PART 3: Participants not achieving adequate blood pressure despite antihypertensive therapy for control of blood pressure
- PART 3: Cardiac conditions: * Known inherited coronary disease * Symptomatic heart failure (NYHA Class II-IV prior or current cardiomyopathy, or severe valvular heart disease) * Prior or current cardiomyopathy * Severe valvular heart disease * History of atrial fibrillation
- PART 3: Ophthalmologic conditions: * Current or past history of central serous retinopathy or retinal pigment epithelial detachment (RPED) * Current or past history of retinal vein occlusion * History of radiation therapy that included the orbit in the field of treatment * Known intraocular pressure (IOP) > 21 mmHg (or ULN adjusted by age) or uncontrolled glaucoma (irrespective of IOP). Participants with known glaucoma and increased IOP who do not have meaningful vision (light perception only or no light perception) and are not experiencing pain related to the glaucoma, may be eligible after discussion with the study chair * Participants with any other significant abnormality on ophthalmic examination should be discussed with the study chair for potential eligibility * Ophthalmological findings secondary to long-standing optic pathway glioma (such as visual loss, optic nerve pallor or strabismus) will NOT be considered a significant abnormality for the purposes of the study
- PART 3: Known severe hypersensitivity to selumetinib or any excipient of selumetinib or history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to selumetinib
- PART 3: Recent major surgery within a minimum of 4 weeks prior to starting study treatment
- PART 3: Any unresolved chronic toxicity with CTCAE grade ≥ 2 from previous therapy, except for alopecia
- PART 3: Receiving herbal supplements or medications known to be strong or moderate inhibitors or inducers of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19 and CYP3A4 enzymes or fluconazole unless such products can be safely discontinued at least 14 days or 5 half-lives (whichever is longer) before the first dose of study medication
Study sponsor and potential other locations can be found on ClinicalTrials.gov for NCT06188741.
Locations matching your search criteria
United States
Alabama
Birmingham
California
Los Angeles
Palo Alto
District of Columbia
Washington
Illinois
Chicago
Indiana
Indianapolis
Maryland
Baltimore
Bethesda
Massachusetts
Boston
Minnesota
Rochester
Missouri
Saint Louis
New York
New York
Ohio
Cincinnati
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
Texas
Dallas
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To assess the incidence of asymptomatic PN in any location in participants with NF1 and no known PN. (Part 1)
II. To determine if selumetinib treatment prevents PN growth in young participants with asymptomatic tumors in high-risk locations. (Part 2)
III. To assess the proportion of participants who are able to maintain tumor response after transition to an intermittent dosing schedule. (Part 3)
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. Assess for the development of new PN after ≥ 5 years. (Part 1)
II. To determine if selumetinib treatment decreases the development of PN-related symptoms compared to the observation group in young participants with asymptomatic tumors. (Part 2)
III. To determine the durability of response to treatment after withdrawal of study drug after 12 cycles of treatment, (Part 2)
IV. To assess the safety and tolerability of selumetinib in young children with asymptomatic PN. (Part 2)
V. To determine the confirmed partial, complete response and stable disease rate to selumetinib in young children with symptomatic or progressive PN. (Part 3)
VI. To assess the safety and tolerability of selumetinib in participants with symptomatic or progressive PN. (Part 3)
EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:
I. Assess for the presence of pharmacodynamic markers (e.g. cytokines, metabolomics panel) at baseline which may be associated with the presence of a measurable PN. (Part 1)
II. Assess for possible relationship of specific germline NF1 mutation with whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WBMRI) findings. (Part 1)
III. To evaluate for development of PN-related morbidity after stopping treatment with selumetinib. (Part 2)
IV. Evaluate impact of selumetinib treatment on metabolomics panel. (Part 2)
V. To evaluate for development of PN-related morbidity while receiving treatment with selumetinib. (Part 3)
OUTLINE: Patients are assigned to 1 of 3 parts.
PART 1: Patients undergo WBMRI and blood sample collection at baseline. If a measurable PN in a high-risk location is identified, patients may optionally enroll on part 2 of the study. Patients who decline part 2 enrollment, are not eligible for part 2, or do not have a measurable PN in a high-risk location identified undergo WBMRI at least 5 years after enrollment.
PART 2: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.
ARM I: Patients receive selumetinib orally (PO) twice daily (BID) on days 1-28 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 28 days for up to 12 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients then undergo observation with MRI re-staging every 4 months for up to 1 year after stopping treatment. Patients with ≥ 20% tumor growth from the end of treatment in that time may optionally enroll on part 3 of the study. Patients also undergo echocardiography (ECHO) throughout the study, blood sample collection on study, and WBMRI during follow up. Patients may also optionally undergo blood sample collection during screening and follow up.
ARM II: Patients undergo observation with MRI re-staging every 4 months for up to 2 years in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with growth ≥ 20% from baseline or who develop clinically significant PN-related morbidity may optionally enroll on part 3 of the study. Patients also undergo ECHO during screening, blood sample collection on study, and WBMRI during follow up. Patients may also optionally undergo blood sample collection during screening and follow up.
PART 3: Patients receive selumetinib PO BID on days 1-28 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 28 days for up to 12 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who complete 12 cycles of treatment without developing disease progression then receive selumetinib PO BID via an intermittent schedule (5 days on and 2 days off per week). Cycles repeat every 28 days for up to 12 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo MRI and ECHO throughout the study and WBMRI during follow up.
After completion of study treatment or intervention, all patients are followed up at 5 years post-enrollment on part 1. Part 2 patients who come off treatment early and part 3 patients are also followed up at 60 days.
Trial PhasePhase II
Trial Typetreatment
Lead OrganizationChildren's Hospital of Alabama
Principal InvestigatorGirish Dhall
- Primary IDNF114
- Secondary IDsNCI-2026-00334
- ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT06188741