Ayvakit (avapritinib)

P=N/A, N=80, Not yet recruiting, Blueprint Medicines Corporation

P1/2, N=37, Active, not recruiting, Blueprint Medicines Corporation | Trial primary completion date: Feb 2025 --> Nov 2025

Both patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, but subsequently developed refractory disease progression unresponsive to multiple salvage regiments. Strikingly, avapritinib intervention achieved unprecedented clinical responses in these complex cases.

Molecular analyses confirmed the KIT mutation in multiple non-infiltrated tissues, demonstrating the germline nature of the mutation. Despite targeted treatment with pharmacokinetically monitored midostaurin and adjunct therapies, the disease progressed rapidly, resulting in fatal multiorgan failure.

P2, N=251, Active, not recruiting, Blueprint Medicines Corporation | Trial completion date: Jan 2028 --> Jun 2027

APB and encorafenib (ECB as the internal standard) were separated using an isocratic mobile phase approach on an Agilent SB-C18 (reversed-phase) column. The metabolic stability characteristics including the intrinsic clearance and the in vitro half-life of APB were determined to be 22.11 mL min-1 kg-1 and 36.67 min, respectively. In silico analysis suggests that minor structural changes to the methyl pyrazole moiety in drug design may improve the metabolic stability and safety relative to APB.

In advanced or metastatic disease, standard care involves sequential treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, including imatinib, sunitinib, and regorafenib. The expanding range of targeted therapies, such as avapritinib for the PDGFRA D842V mutation, underscores the importance of molecular profiling in guiding optimal treatment strategies. This review aims to summarize current knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment of GIST, with a focus on the role of molecular-genetic profiling, the therapeutic value of individual tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and emerging options for advanced disease, with particular emphasis on ripretinib.

Sunitinib, regorafenib, and ripretinib are currently approved as standard second-, third-, and fourth-line therapies, each demonstrating efficacy against distinct mutational profiles. Avapritinib, notably effective against PDGFRA D842V mutations, represents a milestone for previously untreatable subgroups. Several alternative agents-such as nilotinib, masitinib, sorafenib, dovitinib, pazopanib, and ponatinib-have shown varying degrees of success in refractory cases or specific genotypes. Investigational compounds, including crenolanib, bezuclastinib, famitinib, motesanib, midostaurin, IDRX-42, and olverembatinib, are under development to address resistant or wild-type GISTs...Future strategies include precision medicine approaches such as ctDNA-guided therapy, rational drug combinations, and novel drug delivery systems to optimize bioavailability and reduce toxicity. Ongoing research will be crucial for refining treatment sequencing and expanding therapeutic options, especially for rare GIST subtypes.

P1/2, N=78, Recruiting, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University

Despite the considerable therapeutic progress in recent years, systemic mastocytosis is an incurable disease. In the last 20 years, the management of systemic mastocytosis has transformed from a one-size-fits-all approach, characterized by nonspecific cytoreductive drugs, to a tailored strategy focused on increasingly precise molecular targets, with the most notable example being the KIT inhibitors. Recently, the FDA and EMA have approved two drugs for treating systemic mastocytosis: avapritinib and midostaurin. Moreover, numerous trials are currently assessing the efficacy of new molecules: most are testing new-generation KIT inhibitors (ripretinib, bezuclastinib, elenestinib, masitinib, nintedanib), others focusing on Bruton's kinase (TL-895), interleukin-6 (sarilumab), sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin-8 (lirentelimab), mTOR and CD33, among others. Real-life data are needed to confirm preliminary preclinical results.

It covers the role of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), specifically imatinib, and further treatment options, such as sunitinib, regorafenib, and ripretinib, as well as avapritinib for platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha D842V mutations. In addition, this review emphasizes individualized treatment strategies within multidisciplinary expert teams, including surgery and other locoregional therapies, together with the importance of mutation-guided approaches, particularly for wild-type GISTs. Finally, it explores the potential of next-generation KIT inhibitors, combination therapies, and other investigational approaches.

Avapritinib extends PFS and OS among patients with PDGFRA D842V-mutant GIST in real-world practice, mirroring pivotal trial outcomes. Its substantial activity supports its use as a first-line therapy for this subgroup. The manageable safety profile reinforces avapritinib viability for routine use. Given the rarity of these cases, it is advised to consult sarcoma-expert units.