A trial of fexagratinib with cisplatin and capecitabine for advanced cancer (FACING)

Fexagratinib (AZD4547) is a type of targeted cancer treatment called a cancer growth blocker. It helps stop the signals that cancer cells need to divide and grow.

It stops signals from a specific growth factor  called fibroblast growth factor (FGF). A gene  called FCFR2 controls the amount of FGF that cells produce. Researchers hoped fexagratinib would work for people whose cancer cells have more copies of the FGFR2 gene.

There were 2 parts to this trial.

The first part was for people with different types of cancer. People in this part had different doses of fexagratinib. This was so the research team could find the best dose to give.

The second part was for people with advanced cancer of the stomach or oesophagus. People in this part were put into a treatment group at random:

• half had cisplatin, capecitabine and fexagratinib
• half had cisplatin, capecitabine and a dummy drug (placebo)

The main aims of the trial were to find out:

• the best dose of fexagratinib to give 
• if fexagratinib and chemotherapy helps people with advanced cancer and more copies of the FGFR2 gene