Phase 1b study of ramucirumab in combination with erlotinib or osimertinib for untreated EGFR -mutated non–small cell lung cancer patients with asymptomatic brain metastases

Summary Objectives: The study was designed to investigate the safety of ramucirumab administered in combination with erlotinib or osimertinib for patients with untreated EGFR -mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and asymptomatic brain metastases, a patient subgroup in which these regimens have remained untested. Materials and methods: This phase 1b study (RELAY-Brain) consisted of two cohorts with three patients each. Patients with asymptomatic brain metastases received ramucirumab every 2 weeks plus either daily oral erlotinib or osimertinib until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. The primary objective was to assess dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), defined as central nervous system (CNS) hemorrhage of grade ≥ 2. Results: Six patients were enrolled. Neither DLT nor serious or unexpected adverse events were observed. One treatment-related adverse event of grade ≥ 3 (hypertension of grade 3) was apparent. Common adverse events were generally manageable. The median number of ramucirumab administrations was 18.5 (range, 13 to 31), and there were no detected episodes of CNS hemorrhage. Five of the six patients showed an objective systemic response. Although only one patient had a measurable CNS lesion at baseline, a confirmed intracranial partial response was observed. Conclusion: Ramucirumab in combination with erlotinib or osimertinib showed safety for EGFR -mutated NSCLC with brain metastases.