Ningetinib plus gefitinib in EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer with MET and AXL dysregulations: A phase 1b clinical trial and biomarker analysis

Background MET and AXL dysregulations are implicated in acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs in NSCLC. But consensus on the optimal definition for MET/AXL dysregulations in EGFR-mutant NSCLC is lacking. Here, we investigated the efficacy and tolerability of ningetinib (a MET/AXL inhibitor) plus gefitinib in EGFR-mutant NSCLC, and evaluated the clinical relevance of MET/AXL dysregulations by different definitions. Methods Patients in this phase 1b dose-escalation/dose-expansion trial received ningetinib 30 mg/40 mg/60 mg plus gefitinib 250 mg once daily. Primary endpoints were tolerability (dose-escalation) and objective response rate (dose-expansion). MET/AXL status were analyzed using FISH and IHC. Results Between March 2017 and January 2021, 108 patients were enrolled. The proportion of MET focal amplification, MET polysomy, MET overexpression, AXL amplification and AXL overexpression is 18.1 %, 5.6 %, 55.8 %, 8.1 % and 45.3 %, respectively. 6.8 % patients have concurrent MET amplification and AXL overexpression. ORR is 30.8 % for tumors with MET amplification, 0 % for MET polysomy, 24.1 % for MET overexpression, 20 % for AXL amplification and 27.6 % for AXL overexpression. For patients with concurrent MET amplification and AXL overexpression, ningetinib plus gefitinib provides an ORR of 80 %, DCR of 100 % and median PFS of 4.7 months. Tumors with higher MET copy number and AXL expression tend to have higher likelihood of response. Biomarker analyses show that MET focal amplification and overexpression are complementary in predicting clinical benefit from MET inhibition, while AXL dysregulations defined by an arbitrary level may dilute the efficacy of AXL blockade. Conclusions This study demonstrates that combined blockade of MET, AXL and EGFR is a feasible strategy for a subset of EGFR-mutant NSCLC. Trial registration Chinadrugtrials.org.cn, CTR20160875.