KRAS G12C IS CHALLENGING
For over 40 years, KRAS had been challenging to target due to the protein’s smooth surface providing few binding pockets for small molecules, and high binding affinity for GTP.1,2
See 3 reasons why KRAS G12C may require a treatment that can challenge its relentlessness in advanced NSCLC.
GTP=guanosine triphosphate; NSCLC=non-small cell lung cancer.
KRAS G12 IS A PREVALENT DRIVER MUTATION WITH POOR PROGNOSIS3-10
The presence of a KRAS G12C mutation in advanced NSCLC is correlated with poorer prognosis in patients treated with chemotherapy when compared to patients with KRAS wild type.6,7
Second-line+ treatment with docetaxel in patients with KRAS G12C-mutated NSCLC is associated with a real-world PFS of less than 5 months.8-10
ALK=anaplastic lymphoma kinase; BRAF=B-Raf proto-oncogene; EGFR=epidermal growth factor receptor; HER2=human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; MET=mesenchymal epithelial transition; NTRK1=neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase; PFS=progression free survival; PIK3CA=phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha; RET=rearranged during transfection; ROS1=proto-oncogene C-Ros1, receptor tyrosine kinase.
Prevalence of specific driver mutations in lung adenocarcinoma3,4
METASTASES IN NSCLC ARE COMMON11-14
- 40% of patients with KRAS G12C-mutated NSCLC developed brain metastases11*
~50% of patients with NSCLC and brain metastases were asymptomatic12†
~30%-40% of patients with lung cancer develop bone metastases during the course of their disease13,14
*Based on retrospective analysis of patients with KRAS G12C-mutated advanced nonsquamous NSCLC (n=65) from a large tertiary referral center.11
†In a single-center prospective observational study of treatment-naïve patients with NSCLC (N=496); brain metastases were detected in 104 (21%); 53 (51%) were asymptomatic.12
NSCLC=non-small cell lung cancer.
CONTINUOUS REGENERATION MAY REQUIRE CONTINUOUS INHIBITION15-17
- KRAS G12C mutations produce abnormal KRAS proteins that lead to aberrant signaling and uncontrolled cellular proliferation18-20
- KRAS G12C may need to be continuously inhibited to suppress tumorigenesis15-17
References:
- Ghimessy A, Radeczky P, Laszlo V, et al. Current therapy of KRAS-mutant lung cancer. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2020;39(4):1159-1177.
- Lu S, Jang H, Muratcioglu S, et al. Ras conformational ensembles, allostery, and signaling. Chem Rev. 2016;116(11):6607-6665.
- Pakkala S, Ramalingam SS. Personalized therapy for lung cancer: striking a moving target. JCI Insight. 2018;3(15):e120858.
- Nassar AH, Adib E, Kwiatkowski DJ. Distribution of KRASG12C somatic mutations across race, sex, and cancer type. N Engl J Med. 2021;384(2):185-187.
- Acker F, Stratmann J, Aspacher L, et al. KRAS mutations in squamous cell carcinomas of the lung. Front Oncol. 2021;11:788084.
- Svaton M, Fiala O, Pesek M, et al. The prognostic role of KRAS mutation in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with second- or third-line chemotherapy. Anticancer Res. 2016;36(3):1077-1082.
- Hames ML, Chen H, Iams W, et al. Correlation between KRAS mutation status and response to chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer. 2016;92:29-34.
- Iams WT, Balbach ML, Phillips S, et al. A multicenter retrospective chart review of clinical outcomes among patients with KRAS G12C mutant non-small cell lung cancer. Clin Lung Cancer. 2023;24(3):228-234.
- Gray JE, Hsu H, Younan D, et al. Real-world outcomes in patients with KRAS G12C-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with docetaxel in second-line or beyond. Lung Cancer. 2023;181:107260.
- de Langen AJ, Johnson ML, Mazieres J, et al. Sotorasib versus docetaxel for previously treated non-small-cell lung cancer with KRASG12C mutation: a randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2023;401(10378):733-746.
- Cui W, Franchini F, Alexander M, et al. Real world outcomes in KRAS G12C mutation positive non-small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer. 2020;146:310-317.
- Naresh G, Malik PS, Khurana S, et al. Assessment of brain metastasis at diagnosis in non–small cell lung cancer: a prospective observational study from north India. JCO Glob Oncol. 2021;7:593-601.
- Al Husaini H, Wheatly-Price P, Clemons M, Shepherd FA. Prevention and management of bone metastases in lung cancer: a review. J Thorac Oncol. 2009;4(2):251-259.
- D’Antonio C, Passaro A, Gori B, et al. Bone and brain metastases in lung cancer: recent advances in therapeutic strategies. Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2014;6(3):101-114.
- Stites EC, Shaw AS. Quantitative systems pharmacology analysis of KRAS G12C covalent inhibitors. CPT Pharmacometrics Syst Pharmacol. 2018;7(5):342-351.
- Shukla S, Allam US, Ahsan A, et al. KRAS protein stability is regulated through SMURF2: UBCH5 complex-mediated β-TrCP1 degradation. Neoplasia. 2014;16(2):115-128.
- Bergo MO, Gavino BJ, Hong C, et al. Inactivation of Icmt inhibits transformation by oncogenic K-Ras and B-Raf. J Clin Invest. 2004;113(4):539-550.
- Fernández-Medarde A, Santos E. Ras in cancer and developmental diseases. Genes Cancer. 2011;2(3):344-358.
- Cox AD, Fesik SW, Kimmelman AC, Luo J, Der CJ. Drugging the undruggable RAS: mission possible? Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2014;13(11):828-851.
- Waters AM, Der CJ. KRAS: the critical driver and therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2018;8(9):a031435.