CHIR-265-MEL01 | A Phase I/II, Open-label, Dose Escalation Trial to Evaluate the Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of RAF265 (CHIR-265)Administered Orally to Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Melanoma.

Summary

Principal SponsorNovartis Pharmaceuticals

Last updated: January 13, 2026

Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Study start date: April 1, 2006Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

The Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway plays a prominent role in controlling several key cellular functions including growth, proliferation and survival. B-Raf is a member of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway and is frequently mutated in melanoma resulting in activation of the MAPK pathway. RAF265 is a novel, orally active, small molecule with potent inhibitory activity against B-Raf kinase and additional antiangiogenic activity through inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor type 2 (VEGFR-2) in non-clinical studies. The primary objectives of this study are to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), dose limiting toxicities (DLTs), and the safety profile of RAF265 when administered orally to subjects with locally advanced or metastatic melanoma; to determine the plasma pharmacokinetics (PKs) of orally administered RAF265; and to evaluate potential pharmacodynamic effects of RAF265 using tumor biopsies, peripheral blood samples, and tumor imaging.

Official TitleA Phase I/II, Open-label, Dose Escalation Trial to Evaluate the Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of RAF265 (CHIR-265)Administered Orally to Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Melanoma.

NCT00324935 NCT00304525

Principal SponsorNovartis Pharmaceuticals

Last updated: January 13, 2026

Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

Design Details

104 patients to be enrolledTotal number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.

Treatment Study

These studies test new ways to treat a disease, condition, or health issue. The goal is to see if a new drug, therapy, or approach works better or has fewer side effects than existing options.

How participants are assigned to different groups/arms
In this clinical study, participants are assigned to groups based on specific criteria, such as their medical history or a doctor's recommendation. This approach ensures that treatments are given to those who may benefit the most, based on known factors.

Other Ways to Assign Participants
Randomized allocation: Participants are assigned randomly, like flipping a coin, to ensure fairness and reduce bias.
None (Single-arm trial): If the study has only one group, all participants receive the same treatment, and no allocation is needed.

How treatments are given to participants
Participants receive treatments one after another in a pre-planned sequence. The next treatment may depend on how the participant responds to the previous one.

Other Ways to Assign Treatments
Single-group assignment: Everyone gets the same treatment.
Parallel assignment: Participants are split into separate groups, each receiving a different treatment.
Cross-over assignment: Participants switch between treatments during the study.
Factorial assignment: Participants receive different combinations of treatments.
Other assignment: Treatment assignment does not follow a standard or predefined design.

How the effectiveness of the treatment is controlled
In a non placebo-controlled study, no participants receive an inert substance (placebo) to compare outcomes. Instead, all participants receive either the experimental treatment or an alternative treatment (often the Standard of Care). This method allows researchers to compare the effects of the experimental treatment with those of a different active intervention, rather than a placebo.

Other Options
Placebo-Controlled: A placebo is used to compare the effects of the experimental treatment with those of an inert substance, isolating the true treatment effect.

How the interventions assigned to participants is kept confidential
Everyone involved in the study knows which treatment is being given. This is typically used when it's not possible or necessary to hide the treatment details from participants or researchers.

Other Ways to Mask Information
Single-blind: Participants do not know which treatment they are receiving, but researchers do.
Double-blind: Neither participants nor researchers know which treatment is given.
Triple-blind: Participants, researchers, and outcome assessors do not know which treatment is given.
Quadruple-blind: Participants, researchers, outcome assessors, and care providers all do not know which treatment is given.

Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Conditions

Criteria

Any sexBiological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.

Over 18 YearsRange of ages for which participants are eligible to join.

Healthy volunteers not allowedIf individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.

Conditions

Pathology

Melanoma

Neoplasms

Neoplasms by Histologic Type

Neoplasms by Site

Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal

Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue

Skin Diseases

Skin Neoplasms

Neuroectodermal Tumors

Nevi and Melanomas

Neuroendocrine Tumors

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Confirmed diagnosis of melanoma, locally advanced AJCC Stage IIIB to metastatic Stage IV 2. Measurable disease - at least one lesion measured in at least one dimension as ≥ 20 mm with conventional techniques or ≥ 10 mm with spiral computed tomography (CT) scan 3. ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 4. No concurrent anticancer or investigational therapy for at least 4 weeks prior to enrollment 5. No major surgery for at least 4 weeks prior to enrollment Exclusion Criteria: 1. Significant cardiac disease or other significant medical/psychiatric disease 2. History of primary central nervous system tumor or brain metastases 3. History of melena, hematemesis, or hemoptysis within the last 3 months 4. Previous therapy with certain molecularly targeted agents

Study Plan

Find out more about all the medication administered in this study, their detailed description and what they involve.

Treatment Groups

Study Objectives

5 intervention groups

are designated in this study

This study does not include a placebo group