A Study of Encorafenib Plus Cetuximab With or Without Chemotherapy in People With Previously Untreated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate two study medicines (encorafenib plus cetuximab) taken alone or together with standard chemotherapy for the potential treatment of colorectal cancer that: * has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic); * has a certain type of abnormal gene called "BRAF"; and * has not received prior treatment. Participants in this study will receive one of the following study treatments: * Encorafenib plus cetuximab: These participants will receive encorafenib by mouth at home every day and cetuximab once every two weeks by intravenous (IV) infusion (an injection into the vein) at the study clinic. * Encorafenib plus cetuximab with chemotherapy: These participants will receive encorafenib and cetuximab in the way described in the bullet above. Additionally, they will receive standard chemotherapy by IV infusion and oral treatment at home. * Chemotherapy alone: These participants will receive chemotherapy, the standard treatment for this condition, by IV infusion at the study clinics and oral treatment at home. This study is currently enrolling participants who will receive either encorafenib plus cetuximab with chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone. The study team will monitor how each participant responds to the study treatment for up to about 3 years.

Timeline

Start

2020-12-21

Primary completion

2025-03-01

Completion

2027-12-28

Publications

• Kopetz S, Tabernero J, Elez E. BREAKWATER Phase III: results for encorafenib and cetuximab plus mFOLFOX6 in first-line BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer. Future Oncol. 2025 Dec;21(28):3585-3588. doi: 10.1080/14796694.2025.2579882. Epub 2025 Nov 13.
• Elez E, Yoshino T, Shen L, Lonardi S, Van Cutsem E, Eng C, Kim TW, Wasan HS, Desai J, Ciardiello F, Yaeger R, Maughan TS, Morris VK, Wu C, Usari T, Laliberte R, Dychter SS, Zhang X, Tabernero J, Kopetz S; BREAKWATER Trial Investigators. Encorafenib, Cetuximab, and mFOLFOX6 in BRAF-Mutated Colorectal Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2025 Jun 26;392(24):2425-2437. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2501912. Epub 2025 May 30.
• Kopetz S, Yoshino T, Van Cutsem E, Eng C, Kim TW, Wasan HS, Desai J, Ciardiello F, Yaeger R, Maughan TS, Beyzarov E, Zhang X, Ferrier G, Zhang X, Tabernero J. Encorafenib, cetuximab and chemotherapy in BRAF-mutant colorectal cancer: a randomized phase 3 trial. Nat Med. 2025 Mar;31(3):901-908. doi: 10.1038/s41591-024-03443-3. Epub 2025 Jan 25.
• Van Cutsem E, Taieb J, Yaeger R, Yoshino T, Grothey A, Maiello E, Elez E, Dekervel J, Ross P, Ruiz-Casado A, Graham J, Kato T, Ruffinelli JC, Andre T, Carriere Roussel E, Klauck I, Groc M, Vedovato JC, Tabernero J. ANCHOR CRC: Results From a Single-Arm, Phase II Study of Encorafenib Plus Binimetinib and Cetuximab in Previously Untreated BRAFV600E-Mutant Metastatic Colorectal Cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2023 May 10;41(14):2628-2637. doi: 10.1200/JCO.22.01693. Epub 2023 Feb 10.

Drugs

Indications