Sponsor: Stanford University (other)
Phase: 2
Start date: Aug. 6, 2025
Planned enrollment: 60
AMXT 1501 dicaprate (also known as AMX 513 dicaprate or AMXT-1501) is an oral small-molecule polyamine transport inhibitor being developed primarily in combination with difluoromethylornithine (DFMO/eflornithine), an irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). A first-in-human, multi-part phase 1 study in advanced solid tumors has been completed and published in 2025. Pediatric development is planned in neuroblastoma, for which the combination received FDA Orphan Drug Designation in October 2025. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Phase 1 (NCT03536728) in heavily pretreated patients with unresectable, locally advanced, or metastatic solid tumors (n=56) evaluated AMXT 1501 alone and in combination with DFMO, then established the combination dose and included an expansion cohort. Confirmed responses were observed in 2 patients; 16 had stable disease, yielding an overall response rate of 6% and a clinical benefit rate of 49%. The recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) was AMXT 1501 600 mg twice daily plus DFMO 500 mg. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Additional ongoing/early clinical work includes a phase 0 pharmacodynamic study assessing DFMO with or without AMXT 1501 in high-grade glioma using intracranial microdialysis to measure tumor extracellular metabolites; results are exploratory. (mayo.edu)
In pediatrics, a multicenter trial of eflornithine plus AMXT 1501 in neuroblastoma and related tumors is planned (NCT06465199; not yet recruiting as of September 10, 2025). (onclive.com)
In the phase 1 study (n=56), the most common treatment-emergent adverse events were gastrointestinal: diarrhea (39.3%), nausea (37.5%), and vomiting (33.9%). No grade 4–5 treatment-emergent adverse events and no treatment-emergent deaths were reported. Overall, the combination was considered tolerable with preliminary antitumor activity. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Notes: As of November 11, 2025, published human efficacy data consist of the single-arm phase 1 trial in mixed solid tumors; randomized efficacy data have not yet been reported. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Last updated: Nov 2025
Goal: Evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining LAG-3/PD-1 blockade (relatlimab plus nivolumab) with CTLA-4 blockade (ipilimumab) for patients with melanoma brain metastases, including both asymptomatic and symptomatic cohorts, with a focus on intracranial disease control.
Patients: Adults (≥18 years) with histologically confirmed non-uveal melanoma with measurable untreated intracranial metastasis (5–40 mm) and adequate organ function. ECOG 0–1 for asymptomatic patients (Cohort A) and 0–2 for symptomatic patients (Cohort B). Prior adjuvant/neoadjuvant PD-1, CTLA-4, or LAG-3 allowed if >6 months since last dose; prior systemic therapy for metastatic disease with these agents is not allowed. Limited corticosteroid use permitted in symptomatic cohort (≤4 mg dexamethasone daily or equivalent). Exclusions include leptomeningeal disease, prior whole brain radiation, significant uncontrolled comorbidity, active autoimmune disease requiring systemic therapy, and prohibitive cardiac disease or elevated cardiac biomarkers.
Design: Multicenter, nonrandomized, open-label phase II study with two parallel experimental cohorts (asymptomatic and symptomatic). Planned enrollment is 60 patients.
Treatments: Ipilimumab combined with fixed-dose nivolumab plus relatlimab. Nivolumab + relatlimab is a fixed-dose combination of a PD-1 inhibitor (nivolumab) and a LAG-3 inhibitor (relatlimab) that augments antitumor T-cell activity by dual checkpoint blockade; this pairing has demonstrated improved outcomes versus PD-1 alone in advanced melanoma outside the brain. Ipilimumab adds CTLA-4 blockade to potentially enhance intracranial immune activity based on known synergy of multi-checkpoint inhibition in melanoma, particularly in brain metastases.
Outcomes: Primary: Intracranial clinical benefit rate at 6 months per modified RECIST 1.1 (CR, PR, or SD ≥6 months). Secondary: Safety by CTCAE v5.0, intracranial ORR, extracranial ORR and clinical benefit rate, global ORR and clinical benefit rate, duration of response, progression-free survival, intracranial progression-free survival, and overall survival, with time horizons up to 60 months.
Burden on patient: Moderate to high. Patients will require baseline and serial brain MRI and systemic imaging for intracranial and extracranial response assessments within the first 6 months and beyond, frequent clinic visits for combination immune checkpoint therapy, and routine laboratory monitoring for immune-related adverse events. Provision of archival tumor tissue or a new biopsy for PD-L1 testing may be requested during screening, adding procedural burden if archival tissue is unavailable. Symptomatic patients may require careful steroid management and additional monitoring. No intensive pharmacokinetic sampling is described, but the triplet immunotherapy regimen typically entails close surveillance and potential need for immunosuppressive management of toxicities, contributing to visit frequency and travel demands over the multi-year follow-up period.
Last updated: Nov 2025
Inclusion Criteria:
1. Histologically confirmed non-uveal melanoma that has metastasized to the brain. At least 1 measurable intracranial target lesion (5-40mm) which was not previously treated with local therapy (no prior SRS to this lesion). Prior surgery for a brain metastasis is allowed but this lesion cannot be a target lesion.
a. Growth or change in a lesion previously irradiated will not be considered measurable. Regrowth in cavity of previously excised lesion will not be considered measurable.
2. Age ≥ 18 years
3. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-1 for Cohort A (asymptomatic), ECOG performance status 0-2 for Cohort B (symptomatic)
4. No prior anti-CTLA-4, anti-PD-1, or anti-LAG-3 therapy for unresectable stage III/IV melanoma. Prior CTLA-4, PD-1, and/or LAG-3 therapy in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting is acceptable if \>6 months since last treatment. Participants may have had prior BRAF+MEK inhibitors for adjuvant therapy and/or unresectable/metastatic melanoma if \>2 weeks have elapsed since last treatment.
5. Adequate organ function as assessed by the following parameters:
1. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 3 times the upper limit of normal (≤ 3 ×ULN); patients with liver metastasis ≤ 5 × ULN
2. Estimated creatinine clearance (eCrCl) ≥ 30 mL/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula at Screening
3. Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5x ULN OR direct bilirubin ≤ ULN for participants with total bilirubin levels \>1.5x ULN
6. Patients must have recovered from all prior anti-cancer therapy-related adverse events (AEs) to ≤ Grade 1 (per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events \[CTCAE\] v 5.0), except for alopecia, vitiligo, thyroid dysfunction, hypophysitis, or adrenal insufficiency, prior to enrollment.
7. Cohort A (asymptomatic): participants must be free of neurologic signs and symptoms related to metastatic brain lesions and must not have required or received systemic corticosteroid therapy greater than physiologic replacement (\>10 mg of prednisone/day or equivalent) in the 10 days prior to beginning protocol therapy. Cohort B (symptomatic): participants may be on steroids with doses no higher than a total daily dose of 4 mg of dexamethasone or equivalent that is stable or tapering within 10 days prior to treatment. Patients who are symptomatic and are not being treated with steroids are also eligible.
8. Participants with known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection are eligible providing they are on effective anti-retroviral therapy and have undetectable viral load at their most recent viral load test and within 90 days prior to treatment.
9. Participants with a known history of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection must have been treated and cured. Participants with HBV or HCV infection who are currently on treatment must have an undetectable HCV viral load prior to treatment.
10. Representative formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor specimens in paraffin blocks (blocks are preferred) OR at least 4 unstained slides, with an associated pathology report, for testing of tumor PD-L1 expression:
1. Tumor tissue should be of good quality based on total and viable tumor content.
2. Patients who do not have tissue specimens may undergo a biopsy during the screening period. Acceptable samples include core-needle biopsies for deep tumor tissue or excisional, incisional, punch, or forceps biopsies for cutaneous, subcutaneous, or mucosal lesions. Fine Needle Aspirations (FNA) will not be considered acceptable for tissue procurement.
3. Tumor tissue from bone metastases is not evaluable for PD-L1 expression and is therefore not acceptable.
4. However, if repeat biopsy is not feasible, and no archival tissue available patient still may be enrolled.
11. Any radiation treatment or excision of non-target brain lesions must have occurred ≥ 1 weeks before the start of dosing for this study. NOTE: The radiation field must not have included the brain index lesion(s).
12. Radiation to non-CNS lesions is allowed and does not require a washout period for treatment initiation. Any radiation-related toxicity must have recovered to ≤ Grade 1 (per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events \[CTCAE\] v 5.0).
13. Women of child-bearing potential (WOCBP) must not be breastfeeding and must have a negative pregnancy test within 3 days prior to initiation of dosing. WOCBP (or female partners of male participants) must agree to use an acceptable method of birth control from the time of the negative pregnancy test, through the duration of treatment with the study combination and for 12 months after their last dose of any study component medication.
NOTE: A female participant is eligible to participate if she is not a woman of childbearing potential.
Approved methods of birth control are as follows:
Combined (estrogen and progesterone containing) hormonal birth control associated with inhibition of ovulation: oral, intravaginal, transdermal Progesterone-only hormonal birth control associated with inhibition of ovulation: oral, injectable, implantable Intrauterine device (IUD) Intrauterine hormone-releasing system (IUS) Bilateral tubal occlusion Vasectomized partner True sexual abstinence when this is in line with the preferred and usual lifestyle of the patient. Periodic abstinence (eg, calendar ovulation, symptothermal, post-ovulation methods) is not acceptable
14. Patients (or legally authorized representative) must have the ability to understand the requirements of the study, have provided written informed consent as evidenced by signature on an ICF approved by an Institutional Review Board/Independent Ethics Committee (IRB/IEC) and agree to abide by the study restrictions and return to the site for the required assessments.
Exclusion Criteria
1. Another primary malignancy within the previous 3 years (with the exception of carcinoma in situ of the breast, cervix, or bladder; localized prostate cancer; and non-melanoma skin cancer that has been adequately treated).
2. Active medical illness(es) that would pose increased risk for study participation, including: active systemic infections (including COVID-19), coagulation disorders, or other major active medical illnesses of the cardiovascular, respiratory, or immune systems.
3. Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic therapy with corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive agents within the past 3 years (excluding immune-related adverse events from immunotherapy as described above.
4. Implanted device that precludes the use of MRI.
5. Prior Grade 4 treatment-related AE with immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment.
6. History of leptomeningeal metastasis determined by imaging or lumbar puncture.
7. Prior whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT)
8. Women who are breast-feeding or pregnant
9. History of clinically significant cardiac disease or congestive heart failure \> New York Heart Association (NYHA) class 2. Subjects must not have unstable angina (anginal symptoms at rest) or new-onset angina within the last 3 months or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months or a history of myocarditis
10. Troponin T (TnT) or I (TnI) \> 2 × institutional ULN. Participants with TnT or TnI levels between \> 1 to 2 × ULN will be permitted if repeat levels within 24 hours are ≤ 1 ULN. If TnT or TnI levels are between \>1 to 2 × ULN within 24 hours, the participant may undergo a cardiac consultation and be considered for treatment, following cardiologist recommendation. When repeat levels within 24 hours are not available, a repeat test should be conducted as soon as possible. If TnT or TnI repeat levels beyond 24 hours are \< 2 × ULN, the participant may undergo a cardiac consultation and be considered for treatment, following cardiologist recommendation. Notification of the decision to enroll the participant following cardiologist recommendation has to be made to the principal investigator.
11. Investigational drug use within 14 days (or 5 half-lives, whichever is longer) of the first dose of study treatment.
12. Dexamethasone use \> 4mg/day (or equivalent)
Palo Alto, California, 94304, United States
[email protected] / 650-736-5790
Status: Recruiting