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Active, not recruitingNCT03742245Updated Mar 16, 2026

Olaparib in Combination With Vorinostat in Patients With Relapsed/Refractory and/or Metastatic Breast Cancer

A Phase 1 interventional study of Olaparib and Vorinostat in Breast Cancer Metastatic and Breast Cancer, sponsored by The Methodist Hospital Research Institute. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-16.

Sponsored by The Methodist Hospital Research Institute · Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
28
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study is to test the safety and preliminary efficacy of olaparib and vorinostat when used together in participants with relapsed/refractory and or metastatic breast cancer.

Read the detailed description

This is a Phase I/Ib study testing the safety and preliminary efficacy of olaparib and vorinostat when used together in participants with relapsed/refractory and or metastatic breast cancer. Cancer cells grow in an uncontrolled manner and this causes damage to their DNA (genetic makeup). Cancer cells that cannot repair this damage will not survive and die. Unfortunately, cancer cells contain certain proteins whose job is to repair DNA damage. Poly (adenosine 5' diphosphoribose) polymerase (PARP) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) are two such proteins. Olaparib stops PARP from working, and vorinostat stops histone deacetylase from working. The use of olaparib and vorinostat together may better block the ability of cancer cells to repair their DNA damage. This may lead to even better killing of cancer cells.

The study will be done in two parts. In part one of the study, different dose levels of olaparib and vorinostat will be tested in several study participants. This part of the study will allow us to see the doses of olaparib and vorinostat that can be used safely together in participants with relapsed/refractory and/or metastatic breast cancer. Up to 4 different dose levels will be studied. In part two of the study, the dose level of olaparib and vorinostat found to be the safest in the first part of the study will be tested. This part of the study will allow us to see how well relapsed/refractory and/or metastatic breast cancer responds to treatment with olaparib and vorinostat. Participants who received the dose level of olaparib and vorinostat found to be the safest in the first part of the study will also take part in part two of the study.

02

Conditions studied

  • Breast Cancer Metastatic
  • Breast Cancer

Keywords

  • breast cancer
  • relapsed
  • refractory
  • metastatic
03

In context

Breast Neoplasms

12,544 studies on the registry are indexed under Breast Neoplasms; 2,892 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 28 is below the median of 72 across 9,303 interventional studies indexed under Breast Neoplasms.

Browse Breast Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

The Methodist Hospital Research Institute is the lead sponsor of 157 studies on the registry; 60 are open to participants now.

Of its 25 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 15 (60%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Provision of informed consent prior to any study-specific procedures.
  • Female or male ≥18 years of age.
  • Histologically or cytologically confirmed relapsed/refractory and/or metastatic breast cancer with the exception of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer.
  • Evaluable or measurable disease as per the RECIST 1:1.
  • Normal organ and bone marrow function measured within 28 days prior to administration of the study treatment.
  • White blood cell (WBC) count >2,500/microL and \<15,000/microL
  • Lymphocyte count ≥500/microL
  • Total bilirubin (TBL) ≤1.5 × institutional ULN
  • Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤2.5 × institutional ULN (patients with liver metastases ≤5 × ULN) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) ≤2.5 × institutional ULN (patients with liver metastases ≤5 × ULN).
  • Serum creatinine ≤1.5 × ULN and creatinine clearance (CrCl) estimated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation of ≥51 mL/min
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1.
  • Life expectancy ≥6 months.
  • Postmenopausal or evidence of non-childbearing status for women of childbearing potential (WOCBP): negative serum (beta-human chorionic gonadotropin) pregnancy test within 28 days of study treatment and confirmed prior to treatment on Day 1.
  • WOCBP must be willing to use 2 highly effective methods of contraception for the course of the study through 1 month after the last treatment dose.
  • Male patients must be willing to use condom contraception for the course of the study through 3 months after the last treatment dose.
  • Willing and able to comply with the protocol for the duration of the study including undergoing treatment and scheduled visits and examinations.
  • Willing to undergo biopsy as required by the study.
  • Able to swallow pills and capsules

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Involvement in the planning and/or conduct of the study (applies to both AstraZeneca staff and/or staff at the study site).
  • Previous allogenic bone marrow transplant or double umbilical cord blood transplantation.
  • Whole blood transfusions in the last 120 days prior to study entry.
  • Unable to swallow orally administered medication and patients with gastrointestinal disorders likely to interfere with absorption of the study treatment.
  • Concomitant use of known strong or moderate cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A inhibitors.
  • Concomitant use of known strong or moderate CYP3A inducers.
  • Persistent toxicities (CTCAE Grade 2) caused by previous cancer therapy, excluding alopecia.
  • Participants with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)/acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or with features suggestive of MDS/AML.
  • Known hypersensitivity to olaparib or vorinostat or any of their excipients or analogues (PARP/HDAC inhibitors).
  • Breastfeeding women.
  • No active malignancy except for non-melanoma skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer, or a treated cancer from which the patient has been continuously disease free for more than 5 years.
  • Pneumonitis or at risk of pneumonitis.
  • Uncontrolled brain or leptomeningeal metastases.
  • Any systemic chemotherapy or radiation therapy within 4 weeks prior to study entry.
  • Major surgery within 4 weeks of starting the study treatment.
  • Participation in another clinical study with an investigational product during the last 3 months.
  • Any previous treatment with PARP inhibitor including olaparib or HDAC inhibitor including vorinostat.
  • New York Heart Association Class III or IV heart failure or unstable angina.
  • History of liver disease, such as cirrhosis or active/chronic hepatitis B or C.
  • Sustained or clinically significant cardiac arrhythmias including sustained ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, clinically significant bradycardia, advanced heart block (Mobitz II or higher atrioventricular nodal block), prolonged corrected QT interval (mean >470 milliseconds), or history of acute myocardial infarction.
  • Risk factors for torsades de pointes such as hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, cardiac failure, clinically significant/symptomatic bradycardia, or high-grade atrioventricular nodal block.
  • Concomitant disease(s) that could prolong QT interval such as autonomic neuropathy (caused by diabetes or Parkinson's disease), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cirrhosis, uncontrolled hypothyroidism, or cardiac failure.
  • Concomitant medication(s) known to prolong QT interval (patient must be off the drug for 2 weeks to be eligible).
  • Presence of active or suspected acute or chronic uncontrolled infection or history of immunocompromise, including participants who are known to be serologically positive for HIV.
  • Any severe and/or uncontrolled medical conditions or other conditions that could affect study participation, such as severely impaired lung function; any active (acute or chronic) or uncontrolled infection/disorders; or non-malignant medical illnesses that are uncontrolled or whose control may be jeopardized by the study treatment.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
28 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Olaparib and Vorinostat

    Phase I: Olaparib and vorinostat will be orally administered for 4 28-day cycles. Dose levels (DLs) are as follows: DL -1, 100 mg twice daily (b.i.d.) olaparib and 300 mg for 5 consecutive days per week vorinostat; DL 0 (starting dose), 200 mg twice daily (b.i.d.) olaparib and 300 mg once daily (q.d.) vorinostat; DL 1, 300 mg b.i.d. olaparib and 300 mg q.d. vorinostat; and DL 2, 300 mg b.i.d. olaparib and 400 mg q.d. vorinostat. . Patients who derive clinical benefit (CR, PR, or SD) after 4 cycles of treatment can continue to receive the study treatment until they experience unacceptable AEs or disease progression. Phase Ib: Olaparib and vorinostat will be administered at the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) determined in the Phase I portion of the study for 4 28-day cycles. Participants who derive clinical benefit (complete response, partial response, or stable disease) after 4 cycles will continue to receive study treatment until unacceptable toxicity or disease progression.

    Drug: Olaparib · Drug: Vorinostat

Interventions

  • DrugOlaparib

    PARP inhibitor

    Also known as: AZD2281, KU-0059436, Lynparza

  • DrugVorinostat

    HDAC inhibitor

    Also known as: Suberanilohydroxamic acid, Zolinza

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. MTD

    Determine the MTD of the olaparib and vorinostat combination

    Time frame: 16 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) and other adverse events

    Determine the DLTs and other adverse events associated with the olaparib and vorinostat combination, as assessed by the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.03

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  2. Recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D)

    Determine the RP2D of the olaparib and vorinostat combination

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  3. Antitumor activity

    Assess the antitumor activity of the olaparib and vorinostat combination in an expansion cohort of patients with relapsed/refractory and/or metastatic breast cancer, as assessed by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1:1

    Time frame: 16 weeks

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Houston Methodist Cancer Center
    Houston, Texas 77030, United States
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 16, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03742245
Lead sponsor
The Methodist Hospital Research Institute
Collaborators
AstraZeneca, Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
Responsible party
Polly A. Niravath, MD (Section Chief, Breast Oncology, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 15, 2018
Start date
Jun 11, 2019
Primary completion
Dec 1, 2025
Completion
Dec 1, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Mar 16, 2026

Study contacts

Polly Niravath, M.D.
principal investigator · Houston Methodist Cancer Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Mar 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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