The study will investigate the comparative efficacy and safety of two oral inhibitors of Kit and PDGFR: nilotinib 400 mg bid, a novel agent, and imatinib 400 mg bid, an approved agent with an established efficacy.
This is an international, randomized, open-label, double-arm, phase III trial that will be conducted in centers in Latin America, Asia, Europe and Canada. The study will be sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Patient enrollment will be competitive and will have a duration of up to 30 months. An interim analysis is planned to occur when approximately 60% of the PFS events occurs. A total of 150 patients per arm will be enrolled in the study. Eligible patients will have advanced/metastatic, inoperable GIST of any anatomical location or recurrent GIST while on or post imatinib adjuvant therapy, with documented disease progression on therapy with imatinib 400 mg q.d.
Nilotinib hard gel capsules were supplied to the Investigators at dose strengths of 200 mg. Nilotinib is a novel agent, which has been approved for the treatment of chronic phase and accelerated phase Philadelphia-chromosome-positive CML in adult patients resistant to or intolerant to prior therapy that included imatinib.
Imatinib tablets were supplied at 100 mg and/or 400 mg dose strength. Imatinib is an approved agent for GIST. Efficacy of imatinib at a dose of 400 mg bid has been established in the setting of disease progression after the use of the conventional dose (400 mg qd).
Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Caba, Buenos Aires, Argentina