Brigatinib Dose Rationale in Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Exposure-Response Analyses of Pivotal ALTA Study

Brigatinib is a kinase inhibitor indicated for patients with advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer who progressed on or are intolerant to crizotinib. Approval was based on results from a randomized, dose-ranging phase II study (ALK in Lung Cancer Trial of AP26113 (ALTA)). Despite an apparent dose-response relationship for efficacy in ALTA, an exposure-response relationship was not discernable using static models driven by time-averaged exposure. However, exposure-response modeling using daily time-varying area under the concentration curve as the predictor in time-to-event models predicted that increasing the dose of brigatinib (range, 30 mg once daily (q.d.) to 240 mg q.d.) would result in clinically meaningful improvements in progression-free survival (PFS), intracranial PFS, and overall survival. Grade >= 2 rash and amylase elevation were predicted to significantly increase with brigatinib exposure. These results provided support for a favorable benefit-risk profile with the approved dosing regimen (180 mg q.d. with 7-day lead-in at 90 mg) versus 90 mg q.d.