Not yet recruitingPhase 2

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan and Lovastatin in HER2-low and Ultralow Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer

Phase II Trial Evaluating Trastuzumab Deruxtecan and Lovastatin in HER2-low and Ultralow Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC)

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
18 Years and older
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

Not stated in the study description — ask the study team about visits and procedures.

Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests whether adding lovastatin, a cholesterol drug, helps the cancer drug trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) work better. It is for adults with breast cancer that has low or very low levels of a protein called HER2 and has spread or cannot be removed by surgery.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate use of lovastatin, a drug that may lower CAV-1 levels, in order to increase HER2 expression on cells and enhance the uptake and efficacy of trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in HER2-low and ultralow advanced metastatic breast cancer. Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) is an FDA approved antibody drug conjugate for HER2-low and ultralow breast cancer and lovastatin is a cholesterol lowering agent.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Be at least 18 years old.
  • Have breast cancer confirmed by lab tests as HER2-low or HER2-ultralow. The cancer must be advanced and not removable by surgery, or have spread.
  • Have had no more than one course of chemotherapy treatment. There is no limit on past hormone treatments for hormone-sensitive cancer.
  • Have cancer that can be measured on scans.
  • Be able to care for yourself and be out of bed or a chair for at least half of your waking hours.
  • Have blood counts, liver tests, and kidney tests that meet study limits. A heart scan within 28 days before treatment must show a pumping strength of at least 50%.
  • Agree to use birth control, if required, during the study and for 7 months after the last dose of either drug. Report any suspected pregnancy right away.
  • Agree to follow the study's lifestyle rules and sign a consent form. A legally authorized person may give consent for you.

Who can't join

  • Past treatment with T-DXd or similar drugs that carry a cancer-killing drug called a topoisomerase I blocker. Recent cancer treatment or other study drugs may also rule you out.
  • Statin use within 7 days before treatment, a need for ongoing statins, or serious statin-related muscle or liver problems in the past 2 years. Recent use of certain drugs that strongly block CYP3A4, which helps the body break down medicines, is also not allowed.
  • Side effects from past cancer treatment that have not improved to mild or your usual level, except hair loss. Some lasting moderate side effects may be allowed. Another cancer is not allowed if it could affect study safety or results.
  • Untreated cancer in the brain. Treated brain cancer is allowed only if scans show no worsening and steroids are not needed to control swelling or symptoms.
  • Allergic reactions to drugs similar to the study drugs; severe lung problems; past removal of a lung; or current lung inflammation. Past lung inflammation not caused by infection rules you out if it needed steroids.
  • Uncontrolled illness, such as an active infection or serious heart problems.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Those who could become pregnant need a negative pregnancy test within 14 days before treatment.
  • HIV that has not been controlled with treatment and undetectable virus levels for at least 6 months; hepatitis B still detectable during treatment; or hepatitis C that is neither cured nor undetectable during treatment.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed HER2 low (IHC 1+ or 2+ with negative in-situ hybridization) or ultralow (IHC 0 with incomplete/faint membrane staining in \>0 but ≤10% of tumor cells) breast cancer. Patients may be advanced/unresectable or metastatic. * Patients must have received no more than 1 prior line of chemotherapy (e.g. capecitabine). There is no limit on the prior number of endocrine-based therapies for patients with hormone-receptor positivity. * Measurable disease per RECIST 1.1. * At least 18 years of age. * ECOG performance status ≤ 2 * Adequate bone marrow and organ function as defined below: * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1.5 K/cumm * Platelets ≥ 100 K/cumm * Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x IULN * AST(SGOT)/ALT(SGPT) ≤ 3.0 x IULN * Creatinine clearance \> 30 mL/min by Cockcroft-Gault * The effects of T-DXd and lovastatin on the developing human fetus are unknown. For this reason, women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation, and for 7 months after the last dose of either study drug. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study or should a man suspect he has fathered a child, s/he must inform her treating physician immediately. * Patients must have left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≥50% by either an echocardiogram (ECHO) or multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan within 28 days before C1D-1. * Agreement to adhere to Lifestyle Considerations throughout study duration * Ability to understand and willingness to sign an IRB approved written informed consent document. Legally authorized representatives may sign and give informed consent on behalf of study participants. Exclusion Criteria: * Prior treatment with T-DXd or other topoisomerase I ADC including sacituzumab govitecan, datopotamab deruxtecan, or investigational ADCs with topoisomerase I payloads. * Prior statin use within 7 days prior to C1D-1. * Patients with unresolved toxicities from previous anticancer therapy, defined as toxicities (other than alopecia) not yet resolved to grade ≤1 or baseline. Participants with chronic grade 2 toxicities may be eligible per the discretion of the Investigator after consultation with the Study PI or designee (e.g., grade 2 chemotherapy-induced neuropathy). * Prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history has the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen. Patients with prior or concurrent malignancy that does NOT meet that definition are eligible for this trial * Currently receiving any other investigational agents, or receipt of any investigational agents within 3 weeks or 5 half-lives, whichever is shorter, prior to C1D-1. * Receipt of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, endocrine therapy, or other systemic anticancer therapy within 3 weeks or 5 half-lives, whichever is shorter, prior to C1D-1. * Patients with untreated brain metastases. Patients with treated brain metastases are allowed if post-treatment brain-imaging after CNS-directed therapy shows no evidence of progression, and patients are not taking steroids to control edema or other symptoms. * A history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to T-DXd, lovastatin, or other agents used in the study. * Patients with clinically severe pulmonary compromise resulting from intercurrent pulmonary illnesses including, but not limited to, any underlying pulmonary disorder (i.e. pulmonary emboli within three months of the study enrollment, severe asthma, severe COPD, restrictive lung disease, etc.), and any autoimmune, connective tissue or inflammatory disorders with potential pulmonary involvement (i.e. Rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's, sarcoidosis, etc.), or prior pneumonectomy. * Patients with a history of non-infectious ILD/pneumonitis that required steroids or has current ILD/pneumonitis. Patients with a history of infectious ILD/pneumonitis should be discussed with the study PI. * Prior intolerance to statin therapy, defined as intolerable muscle symptoms or significant transaminitis elevation (\>3x ULN) or CK elevation (\>5x ULN) attributed to statin therapy within the last 2 years prior to C1D-1. * Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to: ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, or clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia. * History or current significant cardiovascular disease, stroke, severe dyslipidemia, or vascular disorders that require continuous statin dosing. Uncertain cases should be discussed with the study PI for clarification of eligibility. * Pregnant and/or breastfeeding. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test within 14 days of C1D1. * HIV-infected if not on effective anti-retroviral therapy with undetectable viral load for 6 months. Patients with HIV who are receiving effective anti-retroviral therapy and have had an undetectable viral load for at least 6 months are eligible. HIV testing not required in the absence of known history of infection. * Evidence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) that is detectable on suppressive therapy. Patients with evidence of chronic HBV infection with undetectable HBV viral load on suppressive therapy are eligible. HBV testing not required in the absence of known history of infection. * History of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection that has not been cured or that has a detectable viral load. Patients with a history of HCV that has been treated and cured are eligible. Patients with HCV infection who are currently on treatment and have an undetectable HCV viral load are eligible. HCV testing not required in the absence of known history of infection. * Use of strong inhibitors of CYP3A4 within 5 half-lives of the medication prior to C1D-1.

Study sites (1)

MO

  • Washington University School of Medicine · St Louis, MO 63110Andrew A Davis, MD · Study contact · 314-362-5740 · aadavis@wustl.eduAndrew A Davis, MD · Principal investigatorPatricia Pereira, PhD · Sub-investigatorJingqin Rosy Luo, PhD · Sub-investigatorMore trials in St Louis