Deciphera Pharmaceuticals expands clinical trial for advanced malignancies to include patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumors (TGCTs).

The drug candidate DCC-3014 is a small molecule switch-control inhibitor of colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) and is designed to selectively bind to the switch pocket in CSF1R over other human kinases. CSF1R influences the function of macrophages, including those that tumors induce to suppress the immune response. Deciphera Pharmaceuticals believes that, by binding to CSF1R, DCC-3014 can inhibit the immune response and improve outcomes in cancers in which tumor-associated macrophages are implicated.

Early results of a phase I trial of DCC-3014 in patients with advanced malignancies have been very promising. “Material reductions” in CSF1R⁺ macrophages in the blood were observed, suggesting that the drug works as expected. The company believes that its pharmacokinetic data support twice-weekly maintenance dosing.

These results have encouraged the company to expand its development of DCC-3014. Deciphera Pharmaceuticals is continuing enrollment in the phase I trial in advanced malignancies and will expand the trial to include patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumors (TGCTs) –– benign, recurring tumors that can damage surrounding tissues as they grow. Current treatment involves surgical removal of the TGCTs.