Evolution of the Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer Consortium Trial Portfolio for Drug Development for Children with Cancer

Francisco Bautista, Jaime Verdú-Amorós, Birgit Geoerger, Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC), Alba Rubio-San-Simón, Xavier Paoletti, C. Michel Zwaan, Michela Casanova, Lynley V. Marshall, Fernando Carceller, Francois Doz, Carole Lecinse, Gilles Vassal, Andrew D.J. Pearson, Pamela Kearns, Lucas Moreno*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

PURPOSEThe aim of the Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC) consortium is to improve access to novel therapies for children and adolescents with cancer. The evolution of the ITCC clinical trial portfolio since 2003 was reviewed.METHODSAll ITCC-labeled phase I/II trials opened between January 1, 2003 and February 3, 2018 were analyzed in two periods (2003-2010 and 2011-2018), and data were extracted from the ITCC database, regulatory agencies' registries, and publications.RESULTSSixty-one trials (62% industry-sponsored) enrolled 3,198 patients. The number of trials in the second period increased by almost 300% (16 v 45). All biomarker-driven trials (n = 14) were conducted in the second period. The use of rolling six and model-based designs increased (1 of 9, 11% v 21 of 31, 68%), and that of 3 + 3 designs decreased (5 of 9, 55% v 5 of 31, 16%; P =.014). The proportion of studies evaluating chemotherapeutics only decreased (5 of 16, 31% v 4 of 45, 9%), the proportion of single-agent targeted therapies did not change (9 of 16, 56.2% v 24 of 45, 53.3%), the proportion of combination targeted therapies trials increased (2 of 16, 12%, v 17 of 45, 38%), the proportion of randomized phase II trials increased (1 of 7, 14% v 8 of 14, 57%). More trials were part of a pediatric investigation plan in the second period (4 of 16, 25% v 21 of 45, 46%). The median time for Ethics Committees' approvals was 1.7 times longer for academic compared with industry-sponsored trials.CONCLUSIONThis study reports a shift in the paradigm of early drug development for childhood cancers, with more biologically relevant targets evaluated in biomarker-driven trials or in combination with other therapies and with more model-based or randomized designs and a greater focus on fulfilling regulatory requirements. Improvement of trial setup and recruitment could increase the number of patients benefiting from novel agents.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2516-2526
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology
Volume42
Issue number21
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 20 Jul 2024

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© American Society of Clinical Oncology.

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