Testing the Addition of Anti-cancer Drug, ZEN003694, to the Usual Chemotherapy Treatment, Cetuximab Plus Encorafenib, for Colorectal Cancer
A Phase 1 Study of ZEN003694 (ZEN-3694) in Combination With Cetuximab and Encorafenib in Patients With Refractory BRAF V600E Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
4 other identifiers
interventional
30
1 country
15
Brief Summary
This phase I trial tests the safety, best dose, and effectiveness of ZEN003694 in combination with cetuximab and encorafenib in treating patients with colorectal cancer that has not responded to previous treatment (refractory), that has come back after a period of improvement (relapsed), and that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body (metastatic). ZEN003694 is a protein inhibitor that binds to BET proteins. When ZEN003694 binds to BET proteins, it disrupts gene expression. Preventing the expression of certain growth-promoting genes may inhibit proliferation of tumor cells that over-express BET proteins. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, may help the body's immune system attack the tumor, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Encorafenib is an enzyme inhibitor. It inhibits pathways that are responsible for controlling cell proliferation and survival, which may lead to a decrease in tumor cell proliferation. Both cetuximab and encorafenib have been approved to treat cancer. Adding ZEN003694 to cetuximab and encorafenib may be more effective at treating patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer than giving the usual treatment (cetuximab and encorafenib) alone.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P25-P50 for phase_1
Started Jun 2024
Typical duration for phase_1
15 active sites
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
October 25, 2023
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
October 26, 2023
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
June 5, 2024
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
January 30, 2027
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
January 30, 2027
April 13, 2026
February 1, 2026
2.7 years
October 25, 2023
April 9, 2026
Conditions
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Maximum tolerated dose (dose escalation cohort)
Will be determined based on the number of grade 3 or 4 adverse events in patients who participate on the study. Toxicities will be graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0 (CTCAE v 5.0).
Up to completion of dose escalation phase
Recommended phase 2 dose (dose escalation cohort)
Will be determined based on the number of grade 3 or 4 adverse events in patients who participate on the study. Toxicities will be graded according to CTCAE v 5.0.
Up to completion of dose escalation phase
Secondary Outcomes (3)
Time to progression
Time between consent onto study and progression, withdraw, or death, assessed up to 1 year
Time to death
Time between consent onto study and death, assessed up to 1 year
MAPK inhibition
Up to 1 year
Other Outcomes (1)
Presence or absence of a given gene mutation
At pre-treatment and post-progression
Study Arms (1)
Treatment (ZEN003694, cetuximab, encorafenib)
EXPERIMENTALPatients receive ZEN003694 PO QD on days 1-28 of each cycle, cetuximab IV over 120 minutes on days 1 and 15 of each cycle, and encorafenib PO QD on days 1-28 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo ECHO or MUGA, CT or MRI, and collection of blood samples throughout the trial. Patients may also undergo biopsy at screening and on study.
Interventions
Undergo ECHO
Given PO
Undergo MUGA
Undergo collection of blood samples
Undergo CT
Undergo biopsy
Given IV
Given PO
Undergo MRI
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Patients must have histologically confirmed and radiographically measurable metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma with known BRAF V600E mutation, confirmed in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified laboratory with at least one tumor measurable as defined by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1, and for which standard curative or palliative measures do not exist or are no longer effective
- Age ≥ 18 years. Because no dosing or adverse event data are currently available on the use of ZEN003694 in combination with cetuximab and encorafenib in patients \< 18 years of age, children are excluded from this study
- Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ≤ 2 (Karnofsky ≥ 60%)
- Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mcL
- Platelets ≥ 100,000/mcL
- Hemoglobin (Hb) ≥ 9 mg/dl
- Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dl (excluding Gilbert's disease)
- Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase \[SGPT\]) ≤ 3 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)
- Creatinine clearance (CrCL) glomerular filtration rate (GFR) ≥ 50 mL/min/1.73 m\^2
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients on effective anti-retroviral therapy with undetectable viral load within 6 months are eligible for this trial
- For patients with evidence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the HBV viral load must be undetectable on suppressive therapy, if indicated
- Patients with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection must have been treated and cured. For patients with HCV infection who are currently on treatment, they are eligible if they have an undetectable HCV viral load
- Patients with treated brain metastases are eligible if follow-up brain imaging after central nervous system (CNS)-directed therapy shows no evidence of progression
- Patients with new or progressive brain metastases (active brain metastases) or leptomeningeal disease are eligible if the treating physician determines that immediate CNS specific treatment is not required and is unlikely to be required during the first cycle of therapy
- Patients with a prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment does not have the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen are eligible for this trial
- +5 more criteria
You may not qualify if:
- Patients who have not recovered from adverse events due to prior anti-cancer therapy (i.e., have residual toxicities \> grade 1) with the exception of alopecia
- Patients who are receiving any other investigational agents
- History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to ZEN003694 or other agents used in study
- Patients with uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, active bleeding diatheses, poorly controlled infection/disorders, or nonmalignant medical illnesses that are uncontrolled or whose control may be jeopardized by the treatment with the study therapy
- Patients receiving any medications or substances that are strong inhibitors or inducers of CYP3A4 or substrates of CYP1A2 with narrow therapeutic windows are ineligible. Strong inhibitors or inducers of CYP3A4 must be discontinued at least 7 days prior to the first dose of ZEN003694. As proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), H2 receptor antagonists, and antacids may alter the pharmacokinetics of ZEN003694 by reducing ZEN003694 exposure, patients receiving proton pump inhibitors are ineligible. If H2 blockers or other acid reducing agents are used concomitantly with ZEN003694, a staggered dosing schedule should be used, either dose ZEN003694 2 hours before the H2 blocker or 10-12 hours after an H2 blocker. Because the lists of these agents are constantly changing, it is important to regularly consult a frequently-updated medical reference. As part of the enrollment/informed consent procedures, the patient will be counseled on the risk of interactions with other agents, and what to do if new medications need to be prescribed or if the patient is considering a new over-the-counter medicine or herbal product
- Pregnant women are excluded from this study because ZEN003694 is BRD and BET inhibitor agent with the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with ZEN003694, breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with ZEN003694. These potential risks may also apply to other agents used in this study
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (15)
UCI Health - Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care
Irvine, California, 92612, United States
Los Angeles General Medical Center
Los Angeles, California, 90033, United States
USC / Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
Los Angeles, California, 90033, United States
UC Irvine Health/Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Orange, California, 92868, United States
UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital
Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States
University of Kansas Clinical Research Center
Fairway, Kansas, 66205, United States
University of Kansas Cancer Center
Kansas City, Kansas, 66160, United States
University of Kansas Hospital-Indian Creek Campus
Overland Park, Kansas, 66211, United States
University of Kansas Hospital-Westwood Cancer Center
Westwood, Kansas, 66205, United States
Ochsner Medical Center Jefferson
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70121, United States
Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104, United States
M D Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
University of Virginia Cancer Center
Charlottesville, Virginia, 22908, United States
VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center
Richmond, Virginia, 23298, United States
Related Publications (1)
Lee HM, Zheng Z, Sorokin A, Wong CW, Napolitano S, Chowdhury S, Kanikarla PM, Singh AK, Kochat V, Bristow CA, Srinivasan S, Peoples M, Arslan E, Alshenaifi JY, Villarreal OE, Morris VK, Shen JP, Meric-Bernstam F, Jain AK, Fowlkes NW, Anderson A, Menter DG, Saw AK, Rai K, Kopetz S. Reprogramming of Cellular Plasticity via ETS and MYC Core-regulatory Circuits During Response to MAPK Inhibition in BRAF-mutant Colorectal Cancer. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2025 Jun 20:2025.06.15.659716. doi: 10.1101/2025.06.15.659716.
PMID: 40611889DERIVED
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Salvador Alonso Martinez
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center LAO
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- phase 1
- Allocation
- NA
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- SINGLE GROUP
- Sponsor Type
- NIH
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
October 25, 2023
First Posted
October 26, 2023
Study Start
June 5, 2024
Primary Completion (Estimated)
January 30, 2027
Study Completion (Estimated)
January 30, 2027
Last Updated
April 13, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-02
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will share
NCI is committed to sharing data in accordance with NIH policy. For more details on how clinical trial data is shared, access the link to the NIH data sharing policy page.