Sponsor decision based on portfolio prioritization

Masitinib in First Line Treatment of Gastro-Intestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)

Masitinib is a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor with potent activity against wild-type c-Kit, the juxta membrane domain of c-Kit, and PDGFR. In addition to its direct inhibitory action against these kinase targets, masitinib is also thought to promote survival via modulation of immunostimulation-mediated anticancer effects and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. The objective of this prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, active-controlled study is to compare the efficacy and safety of masitinib with respect to imatinib in the first line treatment of gastro-intestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Treatment will be given until disease progression, limiting toxicity or patient consent withdrawal.

Main inclusion criteria include:

• Histologically proven, metastatic or locally advanced non resectable, or recurrent post-surgery GIST
• Naïve patient or patient previously treated with imatinib as neoadjuvant/adjuvant who relapsed after imatinib discontinuation
• c-Kit (CD117) positive tumours detected by immuno-histochemically or PDGFR positive if c-Kit negative

Main exclusion criteria include:

• Patient previously treated by tyrosine kinase inhibitors except imatinib in case of inclusion criteria
• Patient treated for a cancer other than GIST within 5 years before enrolment, with the exception of basal cell carcinoma or cervical cancer in situ
• Patient with active central nervous system (CNS) metastasis or with history of CNS metastasis