The experimental drug, rebastinib, was recently evaluated in a phase 1b clinical trial involving patients with HER2-metastatic breast cancer. The drug was tested in combination with either of two chemotherapy drugs, paclitaxel or eribulin and results were published online on November 12 in Clinical Cancer Research. 

The trial was led by Jesus D. Anampa Mesias, M.D., M.S., the corresponding author of the study, along with co-authors Maja H. Oktay, M.D., Ph.D., and John S. Condeelis, Ph.D. George Karagiannis, D.V.M., Ph.D., and Drs. Oktay and Condeelis had earlier discovered that chemotherapy for breast cancer can increase the risk of metastasis by promoting the spread of cancer cells from primary tumors. They also found in mouse studies that rebastinib, a TIE2 kinase inhibitor, blocks the activity of microscopic portals for cancer cell dissemination to distant sites called Tumor Microenvironment (TMEM) “doorways” through which cancer cells exit primary tumors. The phase 1b trial established the appropriate dose range for future rebastinib cancer trials assessing whether adding rebastinib to chemotherapy can increase survival in breast cancer patients by suppressing the spread of cancer cells. The trial also found evidence that rebastinib inhibited its intended target, TIE2, a signaling molecule on tumor cells. 

Dr. Anampa Mesias is an associate professor of oncology and of medicine at Einstein and a member of the National Cancer Institute-designated Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC). Dr. Karagiannis is an assistant professor of microbiology & immunology at Einstein and is a member of the MECCC. Dr. Oktay is professor of pathology and of surgery at Einstein and co-leader of the Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program at MECCC. Dr. Condeelis is professor of cell biology and of surgery and is the Judith and Burton P. Resnick Chair in Translational Research at Einstein. Both Drs. Oktay and Condeelis are co-directors of Integrated Imaging Program for Cancer Research at Einstein and members of the MECCC.