A Randomized, Open-Label Phase II Study Evaluating Emibetuzumab Plus Erlotinib and Emibetuzumab Monotherapy in MET Immunohistochemistry Positive NSCLC Patients with Acquired Resistance to Erlotinib

This open-label Phase II study conducted prior to routine EGFR mutation testing, assessed whether acquired resistance to erlotinib in NSCLC patients with a given MET protein expression level enriched for EGFRmt could be overcome by emibetuzumab, an antibody against MET. Although some responses were seen, the trial did not meet its primary endpoint. Introduction: The hepatocyte growth factor receptor MET represents a resistance mechanism to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition in EGFR mutant (mt) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This Phase 2 study tested whether acquired resistance to erlotinib in MET protein positive NSCLC patients enriched for EGFRmt can be overcome by emibetuzumab plus erlotinib. Patient and Methods: Patients with Stage IV NSCLC with acquired resistance to erlotinib and MET diagnostic (+) (>= 10% of cells expressing MET at >= 2+ IHC staining intensity at any time) were randomized (3:1) to receive emibetuzumab 750 mg every 2 weeks with or without erlotinib 150 mg once daily. The primary objective was to evaluate the overall response rate (ORR) relative to historic control, with a co-primary objective of ORR in patients with MET expression in >= 60% of cells >= 2+ (MET > 60%). Results: One hundred and eleven MET+ patients received emibetuzumab plus erlotinib (N = 83) or emibetuzumab monotherapy (N = 28). 89 of 111 MET+ samples were post-erlotinib. ORR was 3.0% for emibetuzumab plus erlotinib (95% CI: 0.4, 10.5) and 4.3% for emibetuzumab (95% CI: 0.1, 21.9), in patients with post-erlotinib progression biopsies available (n = 89). Similar results were observed in patients with MET >= 60% expression (n = 74). Disease control rate and progression-free survival were higher for emibetuzumab plus erlotinib (50%/3.3 months) than for emibetuzumab (26%/1.6 months). No unexpected safety signals emerged. Partial responses were observed in patients with and without EGFRmt or MET amplification. EGFR sensitizing mutations were identified retrospectively in 84.2% of those with available tissue (85/101). Conclusion: Acquired resistance to erlotinib in MET diagnostic (+) patients was not reversed by emibetuzumab plus erlotinib or emibetuzumab monotherapy, although a subset of patients obtained clinical benefit. (C) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This Phase II study examined the use of emibetuzumab to overcome acquired resistance to erlotinib in NSCLC patients with high MET protein expression levels. The study found that emibetuzumab did not effectively reverse resistance to erlotinib, although some patients experienced clinical benefit.