A Pilot Study of Trientine With Vemurafenib for the Treatment BRAF Mutated Metastatic Melanoma

Part of paid clinical trials in Durham, North Carolina.

Sponsor: Duke University
Study ID: NCT02068079
Phase: PHASE1
Status: Withdrawn

Conditions

Melanoma

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: ALL
Age: 18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Vemurafenib and Trientine — DRUG

Study Details

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety of combination therapy with vemurafenib and trientine in patients with BRAF mutated metastatic melanoma. Vemurafenib is a drug that is currently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to treat adult patients with melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body or cannot be removed by surgery. It can only be used in patients whose cancer has a change (mutation) in the "BRAF" gene. Preclinical data suggests that use of a copper chelator (reducer) is a strategy to block cellular signaling activity which would result in anti-tumor effects (slow tumor growth). Trientine is a copper chelator and is FDA approved for the treatment of Wilson's disease (a disease of copper metabolism) and is generally well tolerated. It works by binding to copper to help remove it from the body. Trientine is not FDA approved for the treatment of melanoma and its use in this study is investigational. "Investigational" means the study drug is still being tested in research studies. All patients will receive vemurafenib at 960mg PO twice daily with continuous dosing in combination with trientine in escalating doses. The dose of trientine will depend on what portion of the study. In order to participate in the study, patients must test positive for the change (mutation) in the BRAF gene.