Dr. Ascierto on Triplet of Encorafenib, Binimetinib, and Ribociclib in Melanoma

Paolo A. Ascierto, MD, director at the Unit of Melanoma, Cancer Immunotherapy and Innovative Therapy, National Tumor Institute Fondazione G. Pascale, discusses findings from a phase Ib/II dose-escalation study evaluating triple combination therapy with encorafenib, binimetinib, and ribociclib (Kisqali) in patients with BRAF V600-mutant solid tumors and melanoma.

This is the first triplet combination with a CDK4/6 inhibitor in melanoma, Ascierto explains. The phase I expansion cohort enrolled 21 patients, all with BRAF V600-mutant solid tumors, which included melanoma, colorectal cancer, and brain cancer. Encorafenib was administered to patients at 200 mg, binimetinib was given at 45 mg, and ribociclib was given at 600 mg.

The data are interesting but they showed that the response rate was 56%, which was not higher than the BRAF/MEK inhibitor regimen, says Ascierto. Additionally, the progression-free survival in the expansion cohort was 9.3 months, which was not a statistical improvement over binimetinib and encorafenib combined without ribociclib.