A trial looking at AZD2014 for advanced kidney cancer (ZEBRA)

The trial team found that AZD2014 did not work as well as everolimus and so recruitment into the trial was stopped early. 

This was a phase 2 trial, 49 people took part. 

The trial was randomised. This means the people taking part were put into 1 of 2 treatment groups by a computer. Neither they nor their doctor chose which group they were in.

• 26 people had AZD2014 tablets 
• 23 people had everolimus tablets

The researchers looked at the time it took for the cancer to start growing again. On average it was

• Just under 2 months for people who had AZD2014 
• Just over 4 ½ months for people who had everolimus

The researchers also looked at how long people lived for. They found that on average 

• People having everolimus lived for just over 16 ½ months
• People having AZD2014 lived for just over 6 months

The most common side effects reported in both groups were 

• A drop in the number of red blood cells causing tiredness and breathlessness
• Tiredness (fatigue)

There were no significant differences between the groups in the type of side effects people had. But more people having everolimus rated their side effects as severe, compared to those having AZD2014.

The researchers concluded that people coped well with the side effects of either drug. 
 
The researchers planned to recruit 120 patients. But the trial was stopped after 16 months. This was because the researchers found that AZD2014 was not as good a treatment as everolimus. 

All patients stopped treatment as part of the trial. Future treatment was then discussed with people on an individual basis. 

These findings support earlier trials that show everolimus is a useful drug for people with advanced clear cell kidney cancer. 

We have based this summary on information from the research team. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists (peer reviewed ) and published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the trial team who did the research. We have not analysed the data ourselves.