Dr. Murthy on HER2CLIMB Trial Results in HER2+ Breast Cancer

Rashmi K. Murthy, MD, MBE, assistant professor, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses results of the HER2CLIMB trial (NCT02614794) in previously treated HER2-positive breast cancer.

HER2CLIMB tested tucatinib, an investigational oral TKI, versus placebo added to trastuzumab (Herceptin) and capecitabine for patients with previous treated HER2-positive breast cancer, including patients with brain metastases, Murthy explains. HER2-positive breast cancer remains incurable and, currently, there are limited treatment options after progression with standard systemic treatment, including trastuzumab, pertuzumab (Perjeta), and ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1; Kadcyla).

A significant number of patients with this disease will develop brain metastases during their disease course. Tucatinib is highly selective for HER2 with minimal inhibition of EGFR and may provide a more favorable toxicity profile. Additionally, a phase Ib study showed that tucatinib in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine has a favorable safety profile and encouraging antitumor activity in heavily pretreated patients, including those with brain metastases, says Murthy.

The HER2CLIMB trial showed that adding tucatinib to standard therapy with trastuzumab and capecitabine improves progression-free survival in patients with and without brain metastases. Moreover, there was a significant overall survival benefit in this heavily pretreated population, Murthy concludes.

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