ClinicalTrials.gg
TerminatedNCT04629781Updated Aug 1, 2024

Open-label Dose Escalation Phase 1b Trial of a New Micellar Docetaxel Compound in Patients With mCRPC

A Phase 1 interventional study of Docetaxel micellar in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer, sponsored by Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research. Terminated at 3 sites in Switzerland. Open to male participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-08-01.

Sponsored by Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research · Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

Why this study was terminated
SAKK decided to premature terminate this trial as additional follow-up visits do not further contribute to the efficacy data. This decision does not adversely impact the patients.
Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
11
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
Male
01

Study summary

Treatment with polysorbate 80-solved Docetaxel (Taxotere®) is hampered by the requirement to co-administer steroids. Chronic (intermittent) steroids are negatively impacting bone health and have well known immunosuppressive effects. Despite steroid premedication, polysorbate 80-solved Docetaxel (Taxotere®) results in occasional infusion reactions due to the solvent polysorbate 80. Docetaxel micellar is a promising alternative to polysorbate 80-solved Docetaxel (Taxotere) as it avoids the mandatory need for steroid administration pre and post infusion, and thus avoids immunosuppressive and bone-damaging effects.

There is an unmet medical need to develop steroid-free taxane regimens for patients with advanced cancer to avoid the need for steroid administration pre and post infusion (as outlined above). The unique Docetaxel micellar formulation suggests an improved safety profile compared to polysorbate 80-solved Docetaxel (Taxotere®).

Read the detailed description

Docetaxel, a semi-synthetic analogue of paclitaxel, is one of the most widely used human anti-cancer agents. Docetaxel and paclitaxel belong to a group of cytotoxic agents called taxanes. Docetaxel has been marketed worldwide by Sanofi-Aventis under the trade name Taxotere® and its use is approved for different types of solid tumors. The efficacy of docetaxel has been proven in two different phase 3 trials in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and is a standard of care option for patients with prostate cancer. In Taxotere®, polysorbate 80 is used as surfactant. Fluid retention and hypersensitivity reactions are reported, and the patients are pre-treated with corticosteroids, e.g. dexamethasone, to avoid or at least reduce the frequency and the severity of both hypersensitivity reactions and fluid retention.

Oasmia Pharmaceutical AB (Uppsala, Sweden) has developed a novel formulation of docetaxel (Docetaxel micellar) with N-(all-trans-retinoyl)-L-cysteic acid methyl ester sodium salt (XMeNa) as excipient, thus reducing adverse reactions caused by polysorbate 80. XMeNa forms micelles into which docetaxel can be incorporated thus increasing its aqueous solubility and keeping it dissolved.

Rational Treatment with polysorbate 80-solved Docetaxel (Taxotere) is hampered by the requirement to co-administer steroid pre and post Taxotere infusion. Chronic (intermittent) steroids are hurting bone health and have well known immunosuppressive effects. Despite steroid premedication, polysorbate 80-solved Docetaxel (Taxotere) results in occasional infusion reactions due to the solvent polysorbate 80. The new micellar formulation of docetaxel is a promising alternative to polysorbate 80-solved Docetaxel (Taxotere) as it avoids the mandatory need for steroid administration pre and post infusion, and thus avoids immunosuppressive and bone-damaging effects.

Safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of Docetaxel micellar have been assessed in 2 clinical studies, but only in breast cancer patients. This is the first clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of 3-weekly intravenous Docetaxel micellar infusions in patients with mCRPC.

The primary objective of this study is to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) for Docetaxel micellar in patients with mCRPC.

02

Conditions studied

  • Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer

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Keywords

  • metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
  • micellar docetaxel compound
  • anti-cancer agent
  • Docecal
  • Docetaxel
03

In context

Prostatic Neoplasms

7,046 studies on the registry are indexed under Prostatic Neoplasms; 1,580 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 11 is below the median of 60 across 5,348 interventional studies indexed under Prostatic Neoplasms.

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Lead sponsor

Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research is the lead sponsor of 106 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

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

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Written according to Swiss law and ICH GCP E6(R2) regulations before registration and prior to any trial specific procedures.
  • confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate
  • castration resistant, progressive disease as defined as per PCWG3 criteria
  • Ongoing concurrent use of GnRH agonist or antagonist is required if the patient has not been surgically castrated
  • Measurable or evaluable disease per Recist 1.1 and as per PCWG3
  • Patients with treated and stable are eligible, provided they meet the following criteria:

    • No ongoing requirement for as therapy for symptomatic CNS disease; anticonvulsants at a stable dose allowed
    • No stereotactic radiation or whole-brain radiation within 7 days prior to registration,
    • No evidence of progression for at least 4 weeks after completion of CNS-directed therapy as verified by clinical examination and brain imaging (MRI or CT) during the screening period
  • Patients with a previously treated are eligible, when the risk of the prior malignancy interfering with either safety or efficacy endpoints is very low.
  • Age ≥ 18 years
  • performance status 0-1
  • Adequate bone marrow function: (patient must not have received any growth factor or blood transfusion within 7 days prior to registration): ≥ 1.5 x 109/L , count ≥ 100 x 109/L, ≥ 80 g/L
  • Adequate hepatic function: total ≤ 1.5 x (except for patients with Gilbert's disease 3.0 x ULN), and ALT ≤ 2.5 x ULN
  • Adequate renal function: estimated (eGFR) ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (according to CKD-EPI formula)
  • Willingness to have a central venous line inserted (PICC or Porth-a-Cath) if not already present.
  • Men agree not to donate sperm or to father a child during trial treatment and until 6 months after the last dose of drug. Sexually active patients must agree to have an effective during study treatment and for 6 months after the last dose.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Clinical or radiological evidence of spinal cord compression
  • Known predominant small cell or neuroendocrine component on histological diagnosis
  • Prior chemotherapy including docetaxel for the treatment of prostate cancer (previous administration of chemotherapy concomitant with ADT is not allowed )
  • Prior use of taxane-based chemotherapy for any other previous cancer
  • Prior systemic treatment, immunotherapy, hormonal therapy (with the exception of GnRH agonists or antagonists) or agents within 21 days before registration, with the exception of palliative radiotherapy (within 2 weeks)
  • Concomitant or within 28 days of registration treatment with any other experimental drug (enrollment in another clinical trial except participation in SAKK 96/12 and/or 63/12]
  • Concomitant use of other anti-cancer drugs (other than GnRH agonists or antagonists). Bone-modifying agents (such as bisphosphonates or denosumab) are allowed before study entry and during treatment.
  • Patients who have not recovered to grade ≤1 from adverse events of prior therapies, except for residual toxicities, such as alopecia, which do not pose an ongoing medical risk.
  • Peripheral neuropathy > CTCAE grade 1
  • Localized or general edema > CTCAE grade 1
  • Severe or uncontrolled cardiovascular disease (congestive heart failure III or IV; unstable angina pectoris, history of myocardial infarction within the last six months, serious arrhythmias requiring medication (with exception of atrial fibrillation or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia), known significant -prolongation, uncontrolled hypertension.
  • Major surgery within 4 weeks prior to registration
  • Known history of (HIV) or active chronic or Virus infection or any uncontrolled active systemic infection requiring intravenous (iv) antimicrobial treatment.
  • Concomitant or prior use of medication within 28 days before registration, with the exceptions of intranasal and inhaled , or systemic corticosteroids which must not exceed 10 mg/day of prednisone or a dose equivalent corticosteroid)
  • Concomitant treatment with strong inducers or inhibitors
  • Any concomitant drugs for use with the trial drugs according to the approved product information
  • Known to trial drug(s) or to any component of the trial drug(s)
  • Any other serious underlying medical, psychiatric, psychological, familial or geographical condition, which in the judgment of the investigator may interfere with the planned staging, treatment and follow-up, affect patient compliance or place the patient at high risk from treatment-related complications.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(27)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Histologically or cytologically confirmed

The diagnosis was confirmed by looking at a sample under a microscope: tissue from a biopsy or surgery (histology), or cells from a fluid or needle sample (cytology).

Your pathology report is the document that shows this.

Metastases

Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.

Brain metastases

Cancer deposits in the brain from a cancer that started elsewhere in the body (CNS metastases include the spinal cord).

Studies differ: some leave out any brain metastases, some accept ones treated and stable for some weeks. Check what this study allows.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

ECOG performance status

A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.

0
Fully active, no restrictions.
1
Limited in strenuous activity, but walking and able to do light work, such as housework or office work.
2
Walking and able to look after yourself, but unable to work; up and about more than half of waking hours.
3
Able to look after yourself only in part; in bed or a chair more than half of waking hours.
4
Unable to look after yourself at all; in bed or a chair all day.

Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.

Absolute neutrophil count (ANC)

The number of neutrophils, white blood cells that help fight infection, in a given amount of blood. Too few raises the risk of infection.

It is a count, not a percentage of the white cells. Limits are written in units that mean the same: ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L is ≥ 1,500 per mm³ (µL). Each lab has its own reference range.

Platelets

Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).

Bilirubin

A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.

Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.

ULN (upper limit of normal)

The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.

“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.

ALT and AST (liver enzymes)

Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.

Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.

GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)

GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².

Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

CTCAE grade

The US National Cancer Institute’s scale of how severe an adverse event is — any unwanted medical event during a study, such as a symptom, an illness or an abnormal test result, whether or not a treatment caused it. Whether it did is judged separately.

1
Mild.
2
Moderate.
3
Severe.
4
Life-threatening.
5
Death due to the event.

“Side effects of earlier treatment resolved to grade 1 or less” means they have settled to mild or gone.

Clinically significant

Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.

NYHA class (heart failure)

The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.

I
No limits: ordinary activity causes no undue tiredness or breathlessness.
II
Slight limits: comfortable at rest, ordinary activity causes symptoms.
III
Marked limits: comfortable at rest, less than ordinary activity causes symptoms.
IV
Symptoms even at rest; any activity makes them worse.

Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.

QT and QTc

On an ECG, the QT interval is the time the heart’s lower chambers take to activate electrically and recover in each beat. QTc is that time adjusted for heart rate (QTcF by Fridericia’s formula, QTcB by Bazett’s). Some medicines lengthen it, and a long QTc can raise the risk of a dangerous heart rhythm.

The study may name a correction formula and a limit in milliseconds, often around 450–480.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

Hepatitis C tests

Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.

After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.

Hepatitis B tests

Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.

Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.

Immunosuppression

A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.

Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.

CYP3A (CYP3A4) inhibitors and inducers

CYP3A is a group of enzymes, mainly CYP3A4, in the liver and gut that break down many medicines. Some medicines, supplements and foods (grapefruit, St John’s wort) slow them down or speed them up, which changes how much of a study drug stays in the body.

Studies list them so they can be avoided or switched; bring a list of everything you take, including supplements.

Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

05

Study design

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

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Docetaxel micellar

    Trial Treatment with Docetaxel micellar

    Drug: Docetaxel micellar

Interventions

  • DrugDocetaxel micellar

    There will be three dose levels, 1-3, with each level consisting initially of a cohort containing 3 patients. One additional dose level, dose level -1, shall be allowed in the event that dose level 1 is considered too toxic

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT)

    DLT is defined as the occurrence of any of a set of specified hematological, hepatic, gastro-intestinal, nervous systems disorders, fluid retention or other adverse events (AEs) which: * occur during cycle 1 of the trial treatment defined as the DLT monitoring period * is considered by the Investigator or the Sponsor to be at least possibly related to the IMP.

    Time frame: at the end of Cycle 1 (each cycle is 21 days)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS)

    rPFS is defined as the time from treatment start to radiographic progression, or death due to any cause, whichever occurs first. The assessment of radiographic disease progression is based on local evaluations.

    Time frame: from date of treatment start to date of radiographic progression, or death due to any cause, whichever occurs first, assessed up to 36 months

  2. Time to PSA progression

    Time to PSA progression is defined as the time from treatment start to the time point of PSA progression. The PSA progression date is defined as the date of * ≥ 25% increase AND ≥ 2 ng/mL increase above the nadir, confirmed by a second value ≥ 3 weeks later, if there is PSA decline from baseline (last PSA measurement before treatment start), or * ≥ 25% increase AND ≥ 2 ng/mL increase from baseline beyond 12 weeks if there is no PSA decline from baseline Time to PSA progression is defined as the time from treatment start to the time point of PSA progression. The PSA progression date is defined as the date of * ≥ 25% increase AND ≥ 2 ng/mL increase above the nadir, confirmed by a second value ≥ 3 weeks later, if there is PSA decline from baseline (last PSA measurement before treatment start), or * ≥ 25% increase AND ≥ 2 ng/mL increase from baseline beyond 12 weeks if there is no PSA decline from baseline

    Time frame: from date of treatment start to date of PSA progression, or start of a subsequent anticancer treatment, whichever occurs first, assessed up to 36 months

  3. PSA response

    PSA response is defined as a PSA decline of ≥ 50% from baseline measured twice at least 3 weeks apart during treatment.

    Time frame: from date of treatment start to date of end of treatment, assessed up to 30 weeks

  4. Partial (PR) or complete (CR) radiological soft tissue response according to RECIST 1.1

    Partial (PR) or complete (CR) radiological soft tissue response achieved according to RECIST 1.1 criteria. Patients without any response assessment during trial treatment will be considered as having a non-evaluable response (NE) and thus will be regarded as failure for this endpoint.

    Time frame: from date of treatment start to date of end of treatment, assessed up to 30 weeks

  5. Duration of response (DoR) according to RECIST 1.1

    DoR is defined as the time from the earliest date of the first documented evidence of complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) until earliest date of disease progression according to RECIST 1.1 or death due to any cause, whichever occurs first. Patients not experiencing an event at the time of the analysis, as well as patients starting a subsequent anticancer treatment in the absence of an event, will be censored at the date of their last available tumor assessment before starting a subsequent anticancer treatment, if any.

    Time frame: from date of response to date of disease progression according to RECIST 1.1 or death, whichever occurs first, assessed up to 36 months

  6. Adverse Events

    AEs will be assessed according to the NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE v5.0).

    Time frame: From registration until 28 days after last dose of trial treatment

07

Study locations

3 sites
  • IOSI - Ospedale Regionale Bellinzona e Valli
    Bellinzona, 6500, Switzerland
  • Kantonsspital Graubuenden
    Chur, CH-7000, Switzerland
  • Kantonsspital St. Gallen
    St. Gallen, Switzerland
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 1, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04629781
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Nov 16, 2020
Start date
May 28, 2021
Primary completion
Jan 29, 2024
Completion
Jan 29, 2024
Last update
Aug 1, 2024

Study contacts

Ilaria Colombo, MD
study chair · IOSI, Ospedale San Giovanni, Bellinzona

Oversight

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

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This study is terminated, as verified in Jul 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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