Table of Contents
- Overview of BMS-986408
- Purpose of the Study
- Treatment Arms and Combinations
- Safety and Tolerability
- Efficacy Measurements
- Pharmacokinetic Assessments
Overview of BMS-986408
BMS-986408 is an investigational drug being studied for the treatment of advanced solid tumors[1]. Solid tumors are abnormal masses of tissue that don’t contain cysts or liquid areas. They can occur in various parts of the body, such as the lungs, breast, colon, or prostate. When these tumors are described as “advanced,” it typically means the cancer has spread beyond its original site or is in a later stage.
Purpose of the Study
The primary goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the safety profile of BMS-986408 when used alone and in combination with other drugs[1]. The researchers aim to:
- Determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) – This is the highest dose of a drug that can be given without causing unacceptable side effects.
- Establish the Recommended Phase 2 Dose (RP2D) – This is the optimal dose that balances the drug’s effectiveness and safety for further testing.
- Understand the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship – This involves studying how the body processes the drug (pharmacokinetics) and how the drug affects the body (pharmacodynamics).
Treatment Arms and Combinations
The study is divided into several parts, exploring different treatment combinations[1]:
- BMS-986408 Monotherapy: This arm tests BMS-986408 alone to understand its effects without other medications.
- BMS-986408 with Nivolumab: This combination pairs BMS-986408 with nivolumab, an immunotherapy drug that helps the immune system fight cancer cells.
- BMS-986408 with Nivolumab and Ipilimumab: This arm combines BMS-986408 with two immunotherapy drugs, potentially enhancing the immune response against cancer.
- BMS-986408 with Nivolumab and Chemotherapy: This combination tests the experimental drug with both immunotherapy and traditional chemotherapy.
- BMS-986408 with Rabeprazole: This arm explores the combination of BMS-986408 with rabeprazole, a medication typically used to reduce stomach acid.
Safety and Tolerability
A crucial aspect of this study is assessing the safety of BMS-986408. The researchers will closely monitor[1]:
- Dose-Limiting Toxicities (DLTs): These are side effects severe enough to prevent increasing the dose of the drug.
- Adverse Events (AEs): Any unfavorable and unintended sign, symptom, or disease temporarily associated with the use of the study drug.
- Number of deaths: This is a standard safety measure in clinical trials, especially those involving patients with advanced cancers.
Efficacy Measurements
While safety is the primary focus, the study also looks at how well BMS-986408 works against advanced solid tumors[1]:
- Objective Response Rate (ORR): This measures the proportion of patients whose cancer shrinks or disappears after treatment.
- Duration of Response (DOR): This indicates how long the beneficial effects of the treatment last.
Both of these measures will be assessed using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1, a standardized way to measure how well a cancer patient responds to treatment.
Pharmacokinetic Assessments
The study will also examine how BMS-986408 behaves in the body[1]:
- Maximum concentration (Cmax): The highest concentration of the drug in the blood after administration.
- Time of maximum observed concentration (Tmax): How long it takes to reach the maximum drug concentration in the blood.
- Area under the concentration-time curve (AUC): This measures the total exposure to the drug over time.
These measurements help researchers understand how the body processes BMS-986408, which is crucial for determining the right dosage and frequency of administration.



