The kinase inhibitor drugs dabrafenib and tramentinib combined target different points in the same growth-factor pathway. This postponed the development of drug resistance in patients with BRAF-positive metastatic melanoma, the authors of the study claim.
Melanoma is the most horrible form of skin cancer and is often fatal. The problem is that through the various phases of treatment patients develop a drug resistance. This two-drug combo can help remedy this problem.
The study was conducted at 14 sites in the United States and Australia and it included 162 patients who received different dose combinations of the drugs.
- 1) Two daily 150 mg doses of dabrafenib plus one 2 mg dose of tramentinib
- 2) The same dabrafenib does with a 1 mg dose of tramentinib
- 3) Treatment with dabrafenib alone.
It was discovered that patients who received dabrafenib alone were able to receive the full-dose combination if their cancer progressed again. After one year of treatment, 41% of patients receiving the full-dose combination treatment showed no progression, whereas 9% of those receiving dabrafenib alone showed no progression.
A phase 3 testing will be conducted shortly. This final phase is necessary for the drugs to get approval for use in practice.
Source: US News
