Trametinib showed a meaningful benefit for treating BRAF-mutated melanoma in a phase III trial.
About 50% of melanomas harbor activating mutations in BRAF. The protein kinase BRAF activates the MEK kinase, which, some evidence suggests, has a central role in both BRAF- and NRAS-mutated melanomas and may be an effective therapeutic target in many tumors, even those without BRAF V600E mutations. In phase I and II trials, trametinib, a small-molecule inhibitor of MEK1 and MEK2, caused tumors to regress and disease to stabilize in V600E or V600K BRAF-mutated melanomas.
In this phase III study funded by the manufacturer of trametinib, 322 metastatic melanoma patients with V600E or V600K BRAF mutations received either oral trametinib or dacarbazine or paclitaxel chemotherapy. (Chemotherapy recipients whose disease progressed were able to cro…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresConsultant / advisory board Lubax; WorldCare Clinical
EquityLubax
Grant / Research support NIH; Department of Defense; American Skin Association; Piramal
Editorial boardsBritish Journal of Dermatology; Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology; Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Chair, Skin Cancer and Melanoma Committee); American Board of Dermatology (Director)
DisclosuresConsultant / advisory board Lubax; WorldCare Clinical
EquityLubax
Grant / Research support NIH; Department of Defense; American Skin Association; Piramal
Editorial boardsBritish Journal of Dermatology; Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology; Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Chair, Skin Cancer and Melanoma Committee); American Board of Dermatology (Director)