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Updated June 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 1INTERVENTIONAL

Safety Study of MELK Inhibitor to Treat Patients With Advanced Breast Cancer and Triple Negative Breast Cancer

A Phase I Study of OTS167PO, a MELK Inhibitor, to Evaluate Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics in Patients With Advanced Breast Cancer and Dose-Expansion Study in Patients With Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Safety Study of MELK Inhibitor to Treat Patients With Advanced Breast Cancer and Triple Negative Breast Cancer (NCT02926690) is a Phase 1 interventional studying Relapsed/Refractory Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer and Triple Negative Breast Cancer, sponsored by OncoTherapy Science, Inc.. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

The purpose of this study is to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of OTS167 administered via oral capsule (PO) to patients with relapsed/refractory locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 1 trials test a new treatment for the first time in humans, focusing on safety, dosing, and how the body processes the drug. For Relapsed/Refractory Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer and Triple Negative Breast Cancer, a Phase 1 study typically enrolls a small number of participants — often healthy volunteers or patients who have exhausted standard treatment options. Phase 1 results determine whether a treatment moves into larger Phase 2 efficacy studies.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

Target enrollment of 70 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Relapsed/Refractory Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer and Triple Negative Breast Cancer subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: Dose Escalation and Dose Expansion Cohorts Patients must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for participation in the study: 1. Female patients, ≥ 18 years of age at the time of obtaining willing to sign a consent form. 2. Patients with a documented (histologically- or cytologically-proven) breast cancer that is locally advanced or metastatic. 3. Patients with a malignancy that is either relapsed/refractory to standard therapy or for which no standard therapy is available. 4. Patients with a malignancy that is currently not amenable to surgical intervention due to either medical contraindications or non-resectability of the tumor. 5. Patients with measurable or non-measurable disease according to the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumor (RECIST, v1.1). 6. Patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) of 0 or 1 (see APPENDIX B: Performance Status Evaluation). 7. Life expectancy of greater than or equal to 3 months. 8. Resolution of all chemotherapy-related or radiation-related toxicities to Grade 1 severity or lower, except for stable sensory neuropathy (less than or equal to Grade 2). 9. Patients who are either not of childbearing potential or who agree to use a medically effective method of contraception during the study and during 3 months after the last dose of study drug. (See Appendix H: Forms of contraception). 10. Patients with the ability to understand and give written willing to sign a consent form for participation in this trial, including all evaluations and procedures as specified by this protocol. Dose expansion Cohort - TNBC 1. Patients with conditions as follows: - ER \<10%, PR \<10% by IHC assay; And - HER2 negative based on ASCO CAP guideline 2. Patients with measurable disease according to the response evaluation criteria in TNBC (RECIST, v1.1) 3. Patients with measurable disease that can be easily accessed for biopsy. ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: Dose Escalation and Dose Expansion Cohorts Patients must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for participation in the study: 1. Female patients, ≥ 18 years of age at the time of obtaining informed consent. 2. Patients with a documented (histologically- or cytologically-proven) breast cancer that is locally advanced or metastatic. 3. Patients with a malignancy that is either relapsed/refractory to standard therapy or for which no standard therapy is available. 4. Patients with a malignancy that is currently not amenable to surgical intervention due to either medical contraindications or non-resectability of the tumor. 5. Patients with measurable or non-measurable disease according to the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumor (RECIST, v1.1). 6. Patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) of 0 or 1 (see APPENDIX B: Performance Status Evaluation). 7. Life expectancy of greater than or equal to 3 months. 8. Resolution of all chemotherapy-related or radiation-related toxicities to Grade 1 severity or lower, except for stable sensory neuropathy (less than or equal to Grade 2). 9. Patients who are either not of childbearing potential or who agree to use a medically effective method of contraception during the study and during 3 months after the last dose of study drug. (See Appendix H: Forms of contraception). 10. Patients with the ability to understand and give written informed consent for participation in this trial, including all evaluations and procedures as specified by this protocol. Dose expansion Cohort - TNBC 1. Patients with conditions as follows: * ER \<10%, PR \<10% by IHC assay; And * HER2 negative based on ASCO CAP guideline 2. Patients with measurable disease according to the response evaluation criteria in TNBC (RECIST, v1.1) 3. Patients with measurable disease that can be easily accessed for biopsy. 4. Relapsed (recurrence or disease progression after achieving a documented clinical response to first- or second-line treatment) or refractory (disease progression while receiving first line or second line treatment). In the case of TNBC, prior initial therapy with at least one known active regimen for TNBC including, but not limited to, any combination of anthracyclines, taxanes, platinum agents, Ixabepilone, and/or cyclophosphamide is required. Exclusion Criteria: Dose Escalation and Dose Expansion Cohorts Patients meeting any of the following criteria are ineligible for participation in the study. 1. Women who are pregnant or lactating. Women of child-bearing potential (WOCBP) not using adequate birth control see Appendix H: Forms of contraception. 2. Patients with known central nervous system (CNS) or leptomeningeal metastases not controlled by prior surgery, radiotherapy or requiring corticosteroids to control symptoms, or patients with symptoms suggesting CNS involvement for which treatment is required. 3. Patients with primary brain tumors. 4. Patients with any hematologic malignancy. This includes leukemia (any form), lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. 5. Patients with any of the following hematologic abnormalities at baseline. (Patients may have received a red blood cell product transfusion prior to study, if clinically warranted.): * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \< 1,500 per mm3 * Platelet count \< 100,000 per mm3 * Hemoglobin \< 8.0 gm/dL 6. Patients with any of the following serum chemistry abnormalities at baseline: * Total bilirubin ≥ 1.5 × the ULN for the institution value * AST or ALT ≥ 3 × the ULN for the institution value (≥ 5 × if due to hepatic involvement by tumor) * Creatinine ≥ 1.5 × ULN for the institution value (or a calculated creatinine clearance \< 60 mL/min/1.73 m2\* ) 7. Patients with a significant active cardiovascular disease or condition, including: * Congestive heart failure (CHF)requiring therapy * Need for antiarrhythmic medical therapy for a ventricular arrhythmia * Severe conduction disturbance * Unstable angina pectoris requiring therapy * QTc interval \> 450 msec (males) or \> 470 msec (females) * QTc interval ≤ 300 msec * History of congenital long QT syndrome or congenital short QT syndrome * LVEF \< 50% as measured by echocardiography or MUGA scan * Uncontrolled hypertension (per the Investigator's discretion) * Class III or IV cardiovascular disease according to the New York Heart Association's (NYHA) Functional Criteria (see APPENDIX C: New York Heart Association's Functional Criteria). * Myocardial infarction (MI) within 6 months prior to first study drug administration 8. Patients with a known or suspected hypersensitivity to any of the components of OTS167. 9. Patients with a known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or active infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). 10. Patients with any other serious/active/uncontrolled infection, any infection requiring parenteral antibiotics, or unexplained fever \> 38ºC within 1 week prior to first study drug administration. 11. Patients with inadequate recovery from any prior surgical procedure, or patients having undergone any major surgical procedure within 4 weeks prior to first study drug administration. 12. Patients with any other life-threatening illness, significant organ system dysfunction, or clinically significant laboratory abnormality, which, in the opinion of the Investigator, would either compromise the patient's safety or interfere with evaluation of the safety of the study drug. 13. Patients with a psychiatric disorder or altered mental status that would preclude understanding of the informed consent process and/or completion of the necessary studies. 14. Patients with the inability or with foreseeable incapacity, in the opinion of the Investigator, to comply with the protocol requirements. 15. Any anti-neoplastic agent or monoclonal antibody therapy for the primary malignancy (standard or experimental) within 2 weeks prior to first study drug administration. 16. Radiotherapy with a wide field of radiation within 4 weeks or radiotherapy with a limited field of radiation for palliation within 1 week of the first dose of study treatment. If acute symptoms of radiation have fully resolved, the extent and timing of radiotherapy for eligibility can be discussed between Investigator and Sponsor. 17. Patients requiring surgery for the primary or metastatic primary malignancy. 18. Herbal preparations or related over the counter (OTC) preparations/supplements containing herbal ingredients within 1 week prior to first study drug administration and during study. 19. Systemic hormonal therapy which is not related to breast cancer treatment (standard or experimental) within 1 week prior to first study drug administration and during study. The following therapies are allowed: * Hormonal therapy (e.g., Megace) for appetite stimulation * Nasal, ophthalmic, inhaled, and topical glucocorticoid preparations * Oral replacement glucocorticoid therapy for adrenal insufficiency * Low-dose maintenance steroid therapy for other conditions (excluding steroid tapers for brain edema/metastases/radiation) * Hormonal contraceptive therapy (for WOCBP must be combined with non-hormonal contraceptive equivalent to a double-barrier method) 20. Any other investigational treatments during study. This includes participation in any medical device or therapeutic intervention clinical trials. Dose expansion Cohort - TNBC 21. Patients with only lesions that cannot be accessed for biopsy.

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

OTS167PO

Single arm, no competitor

Locations (8)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Norwalk Hospital
Norwalk, Connecticut, United States
Emory University, Winship Cancer Institute
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Dartmouth Cancer Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States
Weill Cornell Medicine | NewYork-Presbyterian
New York, New York, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York, United States
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, United States
Froedtert Hospital & the Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT02926690), the sponsor (OncoTherapy Science, Inc.), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT02926690 clinical trial studying?

The purpose of this study is to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of OTS167 administered via oral capsule (PO) to patients with relapsed/refractory locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT02926690?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT02926690?

Contact information for this trial may be available directly on the ClinicalTrials.gov record. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar for the official source. Always discuss any potential trial with your doctor before contacting the study site.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT02926690. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT02926690. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-06-07 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.