
"I was delighted to take part in a clinical trial as it has the potential to really help others in the future.”
Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.
This trial is looking at a drug called GSK2256098 for people who have a that is not responding to other treatment. A solid tumour is any type of cancer, except for leukaemia or lymphoma.
Some types of cancer produce high levels of a protein called focal adhesion kinase or FAK. FAK plays a role in the way cancer grows and spreads. Blocking it may stop cancer spreading.
In this trial, researchers are looking at a drug called GSK2256098 which can block FAK. It is known as a FAK inhibitor.
The aims of this trial are to find out
You may be able to enter this trial if you
To join parts 2 or 3 of the trial, you must have a type of cancer that is known to produce high levels of FAK. This includes mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, head and neck cancer, stomach cancer, womb cancer, non small cell lung cancer and prostate cancer.
To join part 4 of the trial, you must
You cannot enter this trial if you
As well as the above, you cannot join part 4 of the trial if you have had bleeding in or around your brain.
This is a phase 1 study that will recruit about 160 people all together. There are 5 different parts to the study.
In part 1, the researchers are looking for the highest dose of GSK2256098 that you can safely have. The first few patients taking part will have a low dose of the drug. If they don’t have any serious side effects, the next few patients will have a higher dose. And so on, until they find the highest dose they can safely give. This is called a dose escalation study.
In part 2, the researchers will find out more about how safe GSK2256098 is and what happens to it in your body (), as well as finding out how it affects cancers with high levels of FAK.
In part 3, they will study how different doses of GSK2256098 affect your body. This is called . None of the doses they look at will be any higher than the highest safe dose they find in part 1. But studying different doses of the drug may mean that people can have a lower dose in future. This part of the study includes the collection of hair, skin and tumour tissue.
In part 4, the researchers want to learn more about the safety and pharmacokinetics of GSK2256098, but this part of the study is only for people who have a type of brain tumour called a glioblastoma multiforme that has come back after other treatment.
In part 5 of the study, the researchers will look at the amount of GSK2256098 in your blood at different times during treatment. They will also see if it interacts with other medication.
Everybody in the trial takes GSK2256098 tablets each day. As long as you don’t have bad side effects, you can carry on having the drug for as long as it helps you.
You see the trial doctors and have some tests before you start treatment. The tests include
The trial team will get a sample of your cancer that was removed when you had surgery or a .
You go to hospital once a week for the first 3 or 4 weeks of treatment and then once every 3 weeks for as long as you continue having the trial drug. Each visit lasts between 2 and 4 hours. You have a physical examination, blood tests and urine tests each time. You have an ECG every 3 weeks during treatment and a CT or MRI scan every 6 weeks.
Depending on which part of the trial you join, the trial team may take of your cancer. They may also take skin biopsies and hair samples. Researchers will use samples of your cancer to look for substances called
which can help them to see how well the treatment is working. Samples of skin and hair can also help them see what effect the drug is having.
If you have a biopsy of your cancer, a member of the trial team will numb your skin and put a needle through the skin into the cancer to remove some cells.
If you have skin biopsies, they will take small samples of skin from your bottom. They will numb the area beforehand each time and you may need a few stitches afterwards.
If you give hair samples, they will use tweezers to pluck about 10 hairs from your head.
Depending on which part of the trial you join, you may have some extra blood tests before and after taking some doses of GSK2256098. This is to see how much of the drug gets into your bloodstream, and how long your body takes to get rid of it. The trial team will give you more information about this.
When you finish treatment, you go back to see the trial team about 3 weeks later. You have a physical examination, an ECG, blood and urine tests.
As GSK2256098 is a new drug, there may be side effects we don’t know about yet. In trials so far, the most common side effects have included
The trial team will give you more information about other less common side effects.
If you have biopsies taken from your cancer, the area can be tender for a few days afterwards and there is a small risk of infection or bleeding from the site.
If you have skin biopsies, you may have some pain or bruising and there is a small risk of infection or bleeding. Taking hair samples can also be a bit painful.
You must not drink red wine during the trial or eat fruits such as Seville oranges and grapefruit (or drink their juices). The trial team will also advise you to reduce the amount of time you spend in the sun. If you need to be outdoors, you will need to protect your skin with loose fitting clothing, a hat and sunscreen.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Sarah Blagden
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
"I was delighted to take part in a clinical trial as it has the potential to really help others in the future.”