Mesothelioma gets its name from being a cancer of the cells that line many of the body’s internal organs. This protective lining is called the mesothelium. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleura, the outer lining of the lungs that also covers the inner side of the chest wall and rib cage. Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma so it is understandable that the lining of the lungs would be the most likely place to be damaged from asbestos exposure.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult for doctors to treat pleural mesothelioma. Researchers are looking for ways to improve treatment. Now a new mesothelioma clinical trial is seeking recruits to test a new drug to treat pleural mesothelioma. The clinical trial is testing an experimental drug called defactinib.
Defactinib can stop the signals that mesothelioma cells use to divide and grow. The trial is comparing defactinib with a dummy drug (placebo).The aims of the trial are to:
- Find out if defactinib helps people with pleural mesothelioma more than a dummy drug
- See what effect it has on peoples’ quality of life
The study is sponsored by Verastem, Inc., a company focused on developing new drugs to treat cancer by the targeted killing of cancer stem cells.
If you are interested in participating, discuss the mesothelioma clinical trial with your physician. Here are some of the specifics:
Placebo Controlled Study of VS-6063 in Subjects With Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (COMMAND)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01870609
First received: May 29, 2013
Last updated: January 16, 2014
Sponsor: Verastem, Inc.
Collaborators: FDA, Johns Hopkins University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, University of Chicago Medical Center, Cleveland Clinic, University of Texas Southwestern, and others.
Purpose: This study is a Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study of defactinib (VS-6063) in subjects with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).
Discussion of Outcome Measures:
- Compare the overall survival in subjects with malignant pleural mesothelioma receiving defactinib (VS-6063) or placebo
- Compare the progression free survival in subjects with malignant pleural mesothelioma receiving defactinib (VS-6063) or placebo
Estimated Enrollment: 372
Study Start Date: September 2013
Estimated Study Completion Date: December 2016
Estimated Primary Completion Date: July 2016
Eligibility: Proven diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma, completed only one round of chemotherapy, life expectancy of more than three months, no heart disease or other illness. (Check Clinicaltrials.gov for additional criteria.)
Contacts and Locations: There are 7 locations in the US and many overseas. Complete list of locations and contact for each one here.