A review of binimetinib for the treatment of mutant cutaneous melanoma

Abstract

Although significant progress has been made in the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma, at least half of all advanced melanoma patients eventually progress and pass away due to their disease. In particular, patients with NRAS-mutated melanoma still face limited therapeutic options, with immunotherapy being the current treatment type of choice. Binimetinib is a selective inhibitor of MEK, a central kinase in the tumor-promoting MAPK pathway. The results of a recent Phase III trial rendered binimetinib the first targeted therapy agent to significantly improve progression-free survival in NRAS-mutated melanoma. This review will summarize the development and clinical data of binimetinib in melanoma in general and also explore the potential future role of this substance as single agent or combination therapy.

Keywords:

• binimetinib
• BRAF-mutated melanoma
• MAPK pathway
• NRAS mutations

Financial & competing interests disclosure

P Koelblinger has received honoraria for travel support and consulting/advisory roles for Roche, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Merck Sharp & Dome (MSD), Novartis, and Amgen outside the submitted work. R Dummer has intermittent project focused consulting and/or advisory relationships with Novartis, MSD, BMS, Roche, Amgen, Takeda, and Pierre Fabre outside the submitted work. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

P Koelblinger has received honoraria for travel support and consulting/advisory roles for Roche, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Merck Sharp & Dome (MSD), Novartis, and Amgen outside the submitted work. R Dummer has intermittent project focused consulting and/or advisory relationships with Novartis, MSD, BMS, Roche, Amgen, Takeda, and Pierre Fabre outside the submitted work. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.