TiNT Trial: Now open in Australia & New Zealand

ANZCHOG is delighted to announce the opening of a new trial for Australian and New Zealand children and young adults to reduce tumour growth caused by their neurofibromatosis condition.

The TiNT study (Trametinib in paediatric, adolescent and young adult patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 associated plexiform neurofibromas or progressive optic pathway gliomas) has been developed by Australian and New Zealand researchers. The trial will evaluate the use of trametinib, a drug which has been used in adults with melanoma, but which appears to also be effective in treating neurofibromatosis tumours.

The TiNT trial will be available at every children’s cancer centre throughout Australia and New Zealand, with the first centre, Perth Children’s Hospital in Western Australia, opening this week. ANZCHOG is the national sponsor for TiNT at all participating sites, with ANZCHOG’s National Trials Centre providing central coordination and oversight for the trial.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common genetic condition, affecting 1 in 3000 Australians, which can cause a number of medical issues ranging in severity. Some children and young adults develop tumours, called low grade optic pathway gliomas (OPG) or plexiform neurofibromas (PN). Although survival is high, many patients suffer from visual loss, pain, disfigurement and brain impairments.

Associate Professor Geoffrey McCowage is the lead investigator for the TiNT trial, and is an experienced oncologist at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. “Trametinib and the MEK-inhibitor family have shown really promising results in early studies. If we can stabilise or reduce tumour growth, we can limit the debilitating effects of these tumours. There are very few trials available for these patients – it is so important we keep striving for treatment options which are desperately needed for these children and adolescents to reduce the debilitating effects of NF-associated tumours.”

The TiNT trial is examining if treatment with trametinib (a MEK inhibitor) can reduce tumour growth in Australian and New Zealand children and adolescents experiencing NF-associated tumours. Other Quality of Life (QoL) aspects will also be measured, including pain, vision and memory. Additional data will be gathered on safety, event-free and overall survival.

TiNT is supported by the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF; MRF1199564), Flicker of Hope and Children’s Tumour Foundation of Australia (CTF). New Zealand centres are supported by the Wayne Francis Charitable Trust, New Zealand.

“Due to the strong support of the Australian Government, Flicker of Hope, CTF and the Wayne Francis Charitable Trust), we can open TiNT at every children’s cancer centre in Australia and New Zealand. This means that every eligible Australian and New Zealand child and adolescent will have the option to access this innovative drug as a part of their treatment,” said A/Professor McCowage. “This had been made possible by the generosity of our co-funders and Novartis who is supplying trametinib for our patients”.

The TiNT trial will open at centres across Australia and New Zealand.

The TiNT trial is supported by grants from the following organisations: