Invented by Array BioPharma Inc. and licensed to Novartis in 2010, binimetinib is a small molecule selective inhibitor of the kinases MEK1 and MEK2.
Results from the 117 patient Phase 2 study showed median progression free survival (mPFS) of 3.6 months and objective response rate (ORR) of 14.5%, including one patient who achieved a complete response. These findings were consistent with previously disclosed interim results at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2012 annual meeting. In addition, the median overall survival (mOS) of 12.2 months is encouraging for this patient population, which has a particularly poor prognosis. NEMO, a global phase 3 trial currently enrolling patients with NRAS mutant melanoma, is designed to measure the difference in PFS between patients treated with binimetinib versus those treated with dacarbazine, a current standard of care.
