Purpose Alisertib is an oral Aurora A kinase inhibitor with preclinical activity in neuroblastoma. Irinotecan and temozolomide have activity in patients with advanced neuroblastoma. The goal of this phase I study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of alisertib with irinotecan and temozolomide in this population. Patients and Methods Patients age 1 to 30 years with relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma were eligible. Patients received alisertib tablets at dose levels of 45, 60, and 80 mg/m2 per day on days 1 to 7 along with irinotecan 50 mg/m2 intravenously and temozolomide 100 mg/m2 orally on days 1 to 5. Dose escalation of alisertib followed the rolling six design. Samples for pharmacokinetic and pharmacogenomic testing were obtained. Results Twenty-three patients enrolled, and 22 were eligible and evaluable for dose escalation. A total of 244 courses were administered. The MTD for alisertib was 60 mg/m2, with mandatory myeloid growth factor support and cephalosporin prophylaxis for diarrhea. Thrombocytopenia and neutropenia of any grade were seen in the majority of courses (84% and 69%, respectively). Diarrhea in 55% of courses and nausea in 54% of courses were the most common nonhematologic toxicities. The overall response rate was 31.8%, with a 50% response rate observed at the MTD. The median number of courses per patient was eight (range, two to 32). Progression-free survival rate at 2 years was 52.4%. Pharmacokinetic testing did not show evidence of drug-drug interaction between irinotecan and alisertib. Conclusion Alisertib 60 mg/m2 per dose for 7 days is tolerable with a standard irinotecan and temozolomide backbone and has promising response and progression-free survival rates. A phase II trial of this regimen is ongoing.

Background A phase I study was conducted to determine the maximum-tolerated dose, dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), and pharmacokinetics of fenretinide (4-HPR) delivered in an oral powderized lipid complex (LXS) in patients with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma. Procedure 4-HPR/LXS powder (352 - 2210 mg/m2/day) was administered on Days 0 – 6, in 21-day courses, by standard 3+3 design. Results Thirty-two patients (median age = 8 years, range 3 – 27 years) enrolled with thirty evaluable for dose escalation. Prior therapies included stem cell transplantation/support (n = 26), 13-cis-retinoic acid (n = 22), 125/131I-MIBG (n = 13), and anti-GD2 antibody (n = 6). 170+ courses were delivered. Course 1 DLTs were a Grade 3 (n = 1) alkaline phosphatase at 352 mg/m2/day. Other major toxicities were Grade 4 (n = 1) alkaline phosphatases on Courses 5 and 6 at 774 mg/m2/day, and Grade 3 (n = 1) ALT/AST elevation on Course 2 at 1700 mg/m2/day. Of twenty-nine response-evaluable patients, six had stable disease (SD)(4 – 26 courses); four with marrow- or bone disease-only had complete responses (CR)(10 - 46 courses). 4-HPR plasma levels were several fold higher (P<0.05) than previously reported using capsular fenretinide. The Day 6 mean peak 4-HPR plasma level at 1700 mg/m2/day was 21 μM. An MTD was not reached. Conclusions 4-HPR/LXS oral powder obtained higher plasma levels, with minimal toxicity and evidence of anti-tumor activity, than a previous capsule formulation. A recommended phase II schedule of 4-HPR/LXS powder is 1500 mg/m2/day, TID, on Days 0 – 6, of a 21-day course.

We determined whether quantifying neuroblastoma-associated mRNAs (NB-mRNAs) in bone marrow and blood improves assessment of disease and prediction of disease progression in patients with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma. mRNA for CHGA, DCX, DDC, PHOX2B, and TH was quantified in bone marrow and blood from 101 patients concurrently with clinical disease evaluations. Correlation between NB-mRNA (delta cycle threshold, Δ, for the geometric mean of genes from the TaqMan Low Density Array NB5 assay) and morphologically defined tumor cell percentage in bone marrow, I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) Curie score, and CT/MRI-defined tumor longest diameter was determined. Time-dependent covariate Cox regression was used to analyze the relationship between Δ and progression-free survival (PFS). NB-mRNA was detectable in 83% of bone marrow (185/223) and 63% (89/142) of blood specimens, and their Δ values were correlated (Spearman = 0.67, < 0.0001), although bone marrow was 7.9 ± 0.5 stronger than blood When bone marrow morphology, MIBG, or CT/MRI were positive, NB-mRNA was detected in 99% (99/100), 88% (100/113), and 81% (82/101) of bone marrow samples. When all three were negative, NB-mRNA was detected in 55% (11/20) of bone marrow samples. Bone marrow NB-mRNA correlated with bone marrow morphology or MIBG positivity ( < 0.0001 and = 0.007). Bone marrow and blood Δ values correlated with PFS ( < 0.001; = 0.001) even when bone marrow was morphologically negative ( = 0.001; = 0.014). Multivariate analysis showed that bone marrow and blood Δ values were associated with PFS independently of clinical disease and gene status ( < 0.001; = 0.055). This five-gene NB5 assay for NB-mRNA improves definition of disease status and correlates independently with PFS in relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma. .