Decision brief · what the records say, not our assessment
Targeted Therapy Directed by Genetic Testing in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Advanced Solid Tumors, The ComboMATCH Screening Trial
NCT05564377 · National Cancer Institute (NCI) · PHASE2 · recruiting · Breast cancer · Open Targets disease: breast carcinoma
Six questions a reader deciding whether to spend more time on this asks, each answered with flags: yes, no, or not published (hatched), each with its rule and source record. Flags are never added up into a score or a verdict, because published success rates disagree by a factor of two and more.
1. Is the biology right?
- Somatic driver evidence: yes · PIK3CA, MAP2K1, MAP2K2, ESR1, AKT2, AKT3, AKT1 in breast carcinomaRule: Open Targets has somatic-mutation evidence for the target in this cancer. Source: Open Targets: PIK3CA in breast carcinoma, 2026-11-11Published context: 2.3× relative success for targets with somatic (IntOGen) support in oncology (Minikel et al., Nature 2024, drug programs to 2023). A ratio between groups, not a probability for this program; mostly phase 2 to 3.
- Human genetic evidence: yes · PIK3CA: somatic; MAP2K1: somatic; MAP2K2: somatic; ESR1: germline, somatic; AKT2: somatic; AKT3: somatic; AKT1: somaticRule: Any germline or somatic human genetic evidence for the target in this cancer, counted apart from animal-model and literature evidence. Source: Open Targets: PIK3CA in breast carcinoma, 2026-11-11Published context: 2.6× relative probability of success, phase 1 to launch, with human genetic support (Minikel et al., Nature 2024, drug programs to 2023). All therapy areas, mostly germline evidence; not a probability for this program.
- Pediatric target: yes · PIK3CA, MAP2K1, MAP2K2 on the FDA listRule: Target is on FDA's Pediatric Molecular Target List (relevant targets); membership alone neither requires nor waives a study. Source: FDA Pediatric Molecular Target List (Listed as February 2026 on the FDA Pediatric Oncology page; the file served is 9.7.22_the_relevant_molecular_target_list.xlsx, whose Summary of Changes sheet is headed 'SEPTEMBER 2022 UPDATE' (footnote date 2022-09-01)), 2026-11-11
- Haematologic cancer: no · Solid tumourRule: From the indication, or the registry conditions when no indication matches. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05564377, 2026-11-11Published context: Likelihood of approval from phase 1: 7.5% haematologic vs 4.6% solid (BIO / Informa / QLS 2021, 2011–2020). Population-level, not a prediction.
- Background therapy: Fluorouracil, Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin: standard agents, not counted in these flags.
- PIK3CA (via Alpelisib): Evidence types in breast carcinoma: literature, affected_pathway, somatic_mutation, clinical; literature listed separately from human genetics. Datasources: clinical_precedence, cancer_gene_census, eva_somatic, crispr, europepmc. · Open Targets: PIK3CA in breast carcinoma
- MAP2K1 (via Binimetinib): Evidence types in breast carcinoma: literature, somatic_mutation; literature listed separately from human genetics. Datasources: cancer_gene_census, europepmc. · Open Targets: MAP2K1 in breast carcinoma
- MAP2K2 (via Binimetinib): Evidence types in breast carcinoma: literature, somatic_mutation; literature listed separately from human genetics. Datasources: cancer_gene_census, europepmc. · Open Targets: MAP2K2 in breast carcinoma
- ESR1 (via Fulvestrant): Evidence types in breast carcinoma: rna_expression, clinical, affected_pathway, literature, genetic_association, somatic_mutation; literature listed separately from human genetics. Datasources: clinical_precedence, gwas_credible_sets, cancer_gene_census, crispr, europepmc, expression_atlas. · Open Targets: ESR1 in breast carcinoma
- AKT2 (via Ipatasertib): Evidence types in breast carcinoma: literature, somatic_mutation; literature listed separately from human genetics. Datasources: cancer_gene_census, europepmc. · Open Targets: AKT2 in breast carcinoma
- AKT3 (via Ipatasertib): Evidence types in breast carcinoma: literature, rna_expression, somatic_mutation; literature listed separately from human genetics. Datasources: cancer_gene_census, europepmc, expression_atlas. · Open Targets: AKT3 in breast carcinoma
- AKT1 (via Ipatasertib): Evidence types in breast carcinoma: literature, affected_pathway, somatic_mutation; literature listed separately from human genetics. Datasources: reactome, cancer_gene_census, crispr, europepmc. · Open Targets: AKT1 in breast carcinoma
- Not loaded on this app yet: Normal-tissue expression in vital organs. Source: Human Protein Atlas (ticket 36).
- Not loaded on this app yet: Pan-essential in cell lines. Source: DepMap (ticket 36).
- Not loaded on this app yet: Approved drug on this target. Source: Drugs@FDA (ticket 30).
2. Can the result be trusted?
- Randomised: yes · Randomised allocationRule: Registry allocation field. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05564377, 2026-11-11
- Small denominator: no · 2900 planned; each patient moves a rate by 100 ÷ 2900 = 0.0 pointsRule: Enrolment under 30; the arithmetic is shown, not a benchmark. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05564377, 2026-11-11
- Primary endpoint is overall survival: no · Accrual of patients to ComboMATCH treatment trials; Assignment of patients to ComboMATCH treatment trials; Enrollment rates to ComboMATCH treatment trialsRule: A registered primary outcome measure names overall survival. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05564377, 2026-11-11Published context: Non-OS primary endpoint: odds ratio 2.79 for a positive phase 3 (Otsuka 2021, 400 phase 3 oncology trials, to 2020). Shown with the next figure: a surrogate is easier to hit, and often a weak guide to survival.Published context: 52% of surrogate-to-OS correlations are low (Prasad 2015, published to 2014). Shown with the figure above.
- Results overdue: no · Primary completion expected 2030-07-01; not yet dueRule: Primary completion (actual) more than 12 months ago and no results posted to the registry. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05564377, 2026-11-11
- Not loaded on this app yet: Treated and evaluable counts, assessor, confirmed response, follow-up and data cutoff. Source: Readout extraction (ticket 32).
- Not loaded on this app yet: Primary endpoint changed between registry versions. Source: Registry versions in the store (ticket 32).
3. What must it beat?
- Not loaded on this app yet: Control-arm result and approved therapies for the same segment, with label links. Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA labels and readouts (tickets 30, 32).
4. Too crowded, or too late?
- Stopped on this target: 104 terminated, withdrawn or suspended trials of drugs against PIK3CA; 12 give no reason. Reasons are quoted as the registry gives them on the target page. · PIK3CA: what already stopped
- Not loaded on this app yet: Programs on the target by phase and months behind the leader. Source: Programs and Drugs@FDA (ticket 33).
5. Can it be approved, and stay approved?
- Single-country: no · 484 sites in 2 countries; 480 in the United States (99%)Rule: All listed sites are in one country; the share of US sites is shown. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05564377, 2026-11-11
- EU paediatric investigation plan: yes · EMEA-002016-PIP05-23 (alpelisib, Treatment of lymphatic malformations associated with a PIK3CA mutation): P: decision agreeing on a investigation plan, with or without partial waiver(s) and or deferral(s), 12 Apr 2024; EMEA-001454-PIP06-23 (binimetinib, Treatment of lung cancer): W: decision granting a waiver in all age groups for all conditions or indications, 8 Sept 2023; EMEA-001454-PIP03-15-M03 (binimetinib, Treatment of melanoma): PM: decision on the application for modification of an agreed PIP, 21 Apr 2023; compliance positive 26 Apr 2024; EMEA-002016-PIP03-19-M02 (alpelisib, Treatment of PIK3CA related overgrowth spectrum): PM: decision on the application for modification of an agreed PIP, 30 Sept 2022; +4 moreRule: An EMA PIP decision (agreement, modification or waiver) lists the drug as its active substance, exact name. Source: EMA data download (dated snapshot), 2026-11-11
- EU orphan designation: yes · EU/3/21/2420 positive 26 Mar 2021: Treatment of PIK3CA related overgrowth spectrum; EU/3/23/2841 positive 13 Oct 2023: Treatment of lymphatic malformationsRule: An EU orphan designation lists the drug as its active substance (exact name) or belongs to a medicine that does; withdrawn and expired designations are listed with their status. Source: EMA data download (dated snapshot), 2026-11-11
- Authorised in the EU: yes · Piqray: authorised since 27 Jul 2020; Vijoice: authorised since 15 Jul 2026, orphan medicine, conditional; Fulvestrant Mylan: authorised since 8 Jan 2018; Mektovi: authorised since 20 Sept 2018; +3 moreRule: An EMA medicine record lists the drug as its active substance or INN, exact name; national-only authorisations are not in this file. Source: EMA data download (dated snapshot), 2026-11-11
- FDA orphan designation: not published · FDA's orphan designation database turns away automated requests, so this app does not read it; search it by hand at the linkRule: Would be: an FDA orphan designation names the drug. Source: FDA orphan designations search
- FDA pediatric oncology approval: no · FDA's table lists no pediatric approval of Alpelisib, Binimetinib, Fulvestrant, IpatasertibRule: FDA's Pediatric Oncology Drug Approvals table names the drug. Source: FDA Pediatric Oncology Drug Approvals (content current as of 2026-03-03), 2026-11-11
- Registered studies open to children: yes · 47 interventional studies of Alpelisib, Binimetinib, Fulvestrant, Ipatasertib include patients under 18; 18 are recruiting, not yet recruiting or activeRule: The registry's age group includes Child (birth to 17 years), which also counts studies that set no minimum age. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov search, 2026-11-11
- Caveat: Site counts are not patients per country, and trials registered only outside ClinicalTrials.gov are not covered. Where the sites are is a fact about the record, not a judgement of its quality.
- Rare pediatric disease voucher: FDA, content current as of 29 Apr 2026: “As of February 3, 2026, enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, the rare pediatric disease PRV program will sunset after September 30, 2029. FDA may not award any PRVs under this program after September 30, 2029.” Voucher sale prices are not shown here; they appear only as company-reported news. · FDA: Rare Pediatric Disease Designation and Priority Review Voucher Programs
- Not loaded on this app yet: Precedent approvals for target, modality and endpoint; accelerated-approval status. Source: Drugs@FDA and FDA accelerated-approval tables (ticket 30).
6. Can the sponsor finish?
- Sponsor: National Cancer Institute (NCI) (academic or other) · ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05564377
- principal investigator: James M Ford, ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group · Person page
- Not loaded on this app yet: Filed cash, quarterly spend and the runway arithmetic. Source: SEC XBRL company facts (ticket 37).
- Not loaded on this app yet: Sponsor's completed vs stopped oncology trials and results-reporting record. Source: Registry, by company (ticket 37).
What public data cannot tell you
Public records cannot show: sales forecasts; a probability of success for this asset; full deal terms and net prices; FDA designations and action dates before approval (shown only as company-reported); clinical holds unless the company disclosed them; manufacturing; patents on unapproved drugs; whether preclinical findings have been replicated.
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05564377 (2026-11-11); Open Targets Platform (2026-11-11); FDA Pediatric Molecular Target List (Listed as February 2026 on the FDA Pediatric Oncology page; the file served is 9.7.22_the_relevant_molecular_target_list.xlsx, whose Summary of Changes sheet is headed 'SEPTEMBER 2022 UPDATE' (footnote date 2022-09-01)) (2026-11-11). JSON: /api/brief/trial/NCT05564377. Not medical advice.