Updated clinical results and associated biomarkers from an ongoing phase 1 study of FX-909, a first-in-class peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) inhibitor, in patients (pts) with advanced urothelial carcinoma (adv UC).
Abstract
LBA639 Background: PPARG is a master regulator of luminal lineage in UC with two-thirds of adv tumors classified as luminal. FX-909 is a first-in-class oral small molecule that potently and selectively inhibits both ligand-mediated and basal PPARG activity, offering a novel approach to targeting key cancer cell-intrinsic biology. Preliminary phase 1A data have demonstrated objective responses with FX-909 monotherapy (Gao, AACR Targets 2025). Here we report updated safety, tolerability, antitumor activity and predictive biomarker discovery to identify pts most likely to benefit from FX-909. Methods: 56 pts enrolled in a phase 1A open-label dose escalation study (30-100 mg PO QD, 28-day cycles), including additional 10 adv UC patients in 30 mg PO and 50 mg PO QD backfill cohorts. Baseline archival tissue (<30 months old) or a fresh biopsy collected for PPARG IHC (SP500 clone) and NGS correlative biomarker analysis. A provisional PPARG TPS cutoff was determined using linear regression modeling leveraging molecular real-world data (RWD) (N=2609 adv UC pts, Tempus xT). Serial blood samples collected for ctDNA analysis. Results: As of Nov 10, 2025, 46 pts with adv UC have been treated across four dose levels; 30 mg (17); 50 mg (16); 70 mg (11); and 100 mg (2). Median age was 71 (range 44-86), 71.7% ECOG PS 1, and 100% had mUC. Median lines of prior therapy was 3 (range, 1-8), including prior EV and anti-PD(L)1 treatment in 69.6%. Concordance between PPARG mRNA and TPS (r = 0.88, p<0.001) supported linear regression modeling, which inferred a provisional TPS cutoff of ≥60% (PPARG high ). Among 40 efficacy-evaluable adv UC pts, 35 had PPARG IHC results. 18/26 PPARG high pts showed tumor regressions, including 5 confirmed and 1 unconfirmed partial response. Decreases in ctDNA VAF occurred in 7/8 PPARG high pts with available results at cycle 2 (3 PR, 3 SD). Additional data demonstrating the relationship between PPARG high status, luminal subtype, and specific genomic alterations (PPARG(CN≥3), RXRA S427F and FGFR3) will be presented. At 30mg and 50mg doses, the most common ≥Gr3 TRAEs were anemia (18.9%), thrombocytopenia (16.2%) and fatigue (10.8%). Other common TEAEs were diarrhea (32.4%), hypertriglyceridemia (27%) and hyperglycemia (24.3%). The 30 mg dose was associated with fewer Gr3 TRAEs (35.3%), longer time to TRAE onset (52 days, range 44, 85), and fewer dose interruptions (29.4%) and dose reductions (11.8%). Conclusions: FX-909, a first-in-mechanism orally bioavailable PPARG inhibitor, demonstrates clinical proof-of-concept for targeting the master regulator of luminal lineage in heavily pretreated adv UC pts and may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for PPARG high adv UC. A randomized phase 1B expansion study is ongoing (NCT05929235). A combination study of FX-909/anti-PD1 is planned for early 2026. Clinical trial information: NCT05929235 .
Article Details
Journal Info
Journal of Clinical Oncology
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Authors (15)
Matthew D. Galsky
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Joaquim Bellmunt
Department of Medical Oncology Dana‐Farber Cancer Institute Boston Massachusetts USA
Charlene Mantia
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Benjamin Garmezy
Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN
Gopa Iyer
Daniel P. Petrylak
Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
Evisa Gjini
Flare Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
Adarsh Joshi
Flare Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
Yelena Mikhailov
Flare Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
Ani Nguyen
Flare Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
Bijal Kakrecha
Flare Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
Michael L. Meyers
Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Waltham, MA
Michaela Bowden
Flare Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
Matthew I. Milowsky
Xin Gao