Dovitinib (CHIR258, TKI258): Structure, Development and Preclinical and Clinical Activity

ABSTRACT

Dovitinib is an oral multikinase inhibitor targeting FGF receptors, PDGF receptors and VEGF receptors. Its activity against FGF receptors suggests its usefulness in treating cancers after the failure of VEGF/VEGF receptor-targeting agents. The identified dose and schedule to be used in further studies was 500 mg orally for 5 days on and 2 days off. Biological considerations and the results achieved in a Phase I/II trial suggested its activity in advanced renal cell carcinoma patients pretreated with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor and an mTOR inhibitor. Surprisingly, in a randomized controlled Phase III trial versus sorafenib in the same setting, dovitinib failed to demonstrate any superiority. At present, dovitinib is being tested in different tumor types. However, molecular-based patient selection seems to be key to fully exploit the activity of this drug.

KEYWORDS:

• dovitinib
• drug development
• FGFR inhibitor
• renal cell carcinoma
• VEGFR inhibitor

Disclaimer

In addition to the peer-review process, with the author(s) consent, the manufacturer of the product(s) discussed in this article was given the opportunity to review the manuscript for factual accuracy. Changes were made at the discretion of the author(s) and based on scientific or editorial merit only.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

C Porta acted as consultant and speaker for Novartis Pharma and received a research grant from the same company, unrelated to dovitinib development or the present review; he also took part in dovitinib GOLD Phase III trial. Chiara Paglino acted as a speaker for Novartis Pharma. 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.