Clinical outcomes of genomically guided trametinib monotherapy across cancer types: results from the IMPRESS-Norway trial
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2340/1651-226X.2026.45086Abstract
Background and purpose: Molecular profiling guides cancer treatment, by identifying actionable genomic alterations. The IMPRESS-Norway trial (NCT04817956) is a nation-wide precision medicine trial evaluating the efficacy of approved cancer drugs on a novel indication in patients with advanced cancers harbouring potentially actionable alterations. Trametinib, a selective MEK1/2 inhibitor targeting the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway, is approved for BRAF V600 mutant melanoma but may also show activity in tumours with other alterations. This sub-study aimed to assess the efficacy of trametinib monotherapy across tumour types with alterations activating the MAPK signalling pathway.
Patient/material and methods: In the IMPRESS-Norway trial patients are screened with the TruSight Oncology 500 panel or circulating tumour DNA profiling. Eligible patients are offered biomarker matched targeted therapies. In this subgroup analysis, we identified patients treated with trametinib monotherapy. Primary endpoints were disease control rate (DCR) after 16 weeks and safety. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).
Results: DCR after 16 weeks of treatment was 39% in 52 response evaluable patients, with four patients (8%) experiencing partial response, and 16 (31%) stable disease. Responses were seen in tumours harbouring BRAF fusions, GNA11, GNAQ, KRAS, NF1, and NRAS alterations, most frequently in low-grade serous ovarian cancer, central nervous system tumours, and uveal melanoma. Forty-eight percent of patients experienced treatment-related adverse events, including two treatment related deaths. Median PFS and OS were 4 and 9 months, respectively.
Interpretation: Trametinib monotherapy achieved a 39% DCR in patients lacking standard options, supporting further studies to confirm efficacy and identify predictive biomarkers for treatment response.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Kathinka Schmidt Slørdahl, Katarina Puco, Ragnhild Sørum Falk, Ingrid Dyvik, Sigmund Brabrand, Pitt Niehusmann, Eli Sihn Samdal Steinskog, Egil S. Blix, Åsmund Flobak, Irja Alida Oppedal, Sebastian Meltzer, Cecilie Fredvik Torkildsen, Hanne Blakstad, Kristina Lindemann, Sigbjørn Smeland, Anita Amundsen, Kjetil Taskén , Åslaug Helland
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