ABemacicliB or Abemaciclib and HydroxYchloroquine to Target Minimal Residual Disease in Breast Cancer

NCT04523857 | Recruiting Phase 2 FDA Drug

• 1 other identifier: UPCC 10119
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 66
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This is a Phase II randomized, controlled, open label breast cancer clinical trial. 66 patients will be enrolled. The drugs being studied are hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and abemaciclib (also Verzenio). This research study is testing whether using these drugs to target the disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow can reduce their number or eliminate them. Both hydroxychloroquine and abemaciclib are pills that will be taken twice daily. Both are approved by the FDA

Conditions

Breast Cancer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events during cycle 1 of the safety cohort (safety of combination HCQ + Abema)

  Rate of protocol defined "severe toxicity" during cycle 1 (4 weeks) of combination HCQ 600mg BID and Abema (at 100 mg and 150 mg BID) in a safety cohort of 6 patients at each dose of Abema

  Toxicity is assessed over the first cycle (4 weeks) of treatment

• Change in bone marrow DTC number evaluated by DTC-IHC assay after 6 cycles of therapy compared to baseline (Efficacy of Abema +/- HCQ in eliminating bone marrow DTCs)

  Frequency of "clearance" of bone marrow DTCs by arm after 6 cycles of study treatment.

  6 cycles (approximately 6 months)

Study Arms (2)

A (Abema)

EXPERIMENTAL

Abemaciclib (150 mg BID)

Drug: Abemaciclib

B (Abema + HCQ)

EXPERIMENTAL

Abemaciclib (100 mg or 150 mg BID\*) + Hydroxychloroquine (600 mg BID) \*Abemaciclib dose will be determined by safety cohort

Drug: Abemaciclib; Drug: Hydroxychloroquine

Interventions

Abemaciclib DRUG

Oral CDK4/6 inhibitor to target bone marrow disseminated tumor cells (DTCs)

Also known as: Verzenio

A (Abema); B (Abema + HCQ)

Hydroxychloroquine DRUG

Oral autophagy inhibitor to target bone marrow disseminated tumor cells (DTCs)

Also known as: Plaquenil

B (Abema + HCQ)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Histologically-confirmed, primary, invasive breast cancer diagnosed within 5 years of entry into the companion DTC screening protocol UPCC 28115
• Qualifying risk status, at diagnosis utilizing receptor testing by ASCO/CAP guidelines, meting at least one of the following:
• (i) Histologically positive axillary lymph nodes, regardless of receptors (ii) Primary tumor that is ER/PR/Her2 negative: estrogen receptor (ER) \< 10%, progesterone receptor (PR) \< 10% and negative for Her2-overexpression by ASCO-CAP guidelines, regardless of lymph nodes status (iii) Primary tumor that is ER+/Her2 negative/Lymph node negative with Breast Cancer Recurrence Score of \>/= 25 per the Genomic Health Oncotype DX breast cancer test and/or high risk MammaPrint (iv) Evidence of residual disease in the breast on pathologic assessment after neoadjuvant chemotherapy
• Patients must have completed all primary therapy (definitive surgery, (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy adjuvant radiation and/or Her2-directed therapy) for the index malignancy at least 4 weeks prior to study entry. Prior treatment-related toxicity must be resolved or improving to Grade 1 with the exception of alopecia, Grade 2 endocrine disorders (e.g. adrenal insufficiency or thyroid disorders from prior immunotherapy) controlled on stable replacement therapy for \> 1 year, and up to Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy, prior to study enrollment. Concurrent receipt of adjuvant endocrine and bone modifying agents is allowed per standard of care guidelines. Tamoxifen is not allowed due to drug-drug interactions with HCQ.
• Bone marrow aspirate obtained via research trial UPCC 28115 after completion of therapy (except endocrine therapy) demonstrates detectable DTCs (via IHC)
• No evidence of recurrent local or distant breast cancer by physical examination, blood tests (CBC, LFTs, Alk Phos), or imaging. Assessment for overt metastatic disease by radiologic testing per institutional guidelines (CT Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis, bone scan, MRI and/or PET/CT) will only be done in patients with DTCs detected on bone marrow aspirate who are being screened for this trial.
• Age \>/= 18 years
• ECOG performance status =/\< 2
• Ability to swallow oral medications
• No contraindications to the study medications or uncontrolled medical illness.
• Adequate bone marrow function as shown by: ANC \>/= 1.5 x 10\^9/L, Platelets \>/= 100 x 10\^9/L, Hb \>9 g/dL
• Adequate liver function as shown by: Serum bilirubin \</= 1.5 x ULN, ALT and AST \</= 3.0 x ULN, and INR \</=1.5
• Adequate renal function: serum creatinine \</= 1.5 x ULN
• Adequate muscle function: creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) \</= 2.5 x ULN
• Anticoagulation is allowed if target INR =/\< 1.5 on a stable dose of warfarin or on a stable dose of anticoagulant for \>2 weeks at time of randomization

You may not qualify if:

• Concurrent enrollment on another investigational therapy
• Patient has received an experimental treatment in a clinical trial within the last 30 days or 5 half-lives, whichever is longer, prior to randomization (or treatment assignment), or is currently enrolled in any other type of medical research (for example: medical device) judged by the sponsor not to be scientifically or medically compatible with this study.
• Prior treatment with a CDK 4/6 inhibitor
• Known hypersensitivity to hydroxychloroquine or any of its derivatives
• Prior hydroxychloroquine exposure for a duration of \> 1 month since the completion of the patient's primary therapy (definitive surgery, (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant radiation, and/or Her2-directed therapy) for the index malignancy.
• Patients with hormone-receptor positive breast cancer may not be receiving tamoxifen due to drug-drug interactions with hydroxychloroquine
• Patients who have initiated bone modifying agents within 3 months prior to the start of study treatment
• Patients who have had major surgery within 14 days prior to randomization (or treatment assignment)
• Patients who have any severe and/or uncontrolled medical conditions or other conditions that could affect their participation in the study
• Female patients who are pregnant or breast feeding, or adults of reproductive potential who are not using effective birth control methods.
• Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 7 days prior to the first dose of Abema

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine: lead

Study Sites (1)

Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Breast Neoplasms

Interventions

abemaciclib; Hydroxychloroquine

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Breast Diseases; Skin Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Chloroquine; Aminoquinolines; Quinolines; Heterocyclic Compounds, 2-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds, Fused-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds

Study Officials

• Amy Clark, MD

  Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Lauren Bayne, PhD

CONTACT

215-615-2367; breastcancerclinicaltrials@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 2
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SEQUENTIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 6, 2020
• First Posted: August 24, 2020
• Study Start: November 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2028
• Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Locations

US (1)