# Angiogenic biomarker discovery to direct bevacizumab therapy in cervical cancer - Blood-based Angiome Profiling: An ancillary analysis of GOG-0240

> **NIH NIH R21** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $123,270

## Abstract

Project Summary
The anti-angiogenic agent bevacizumab (BEV) is one of the most effective forms of biologic therapy developed
thus far for cervical cancer (CC). However, response is variable, BEV is expensive, and significant toxicity may
occur. Given the projected increase in the global burden of cancer and limited health care resources, it is
imperative that research be conducted to define patients that will truly benefit from expensive therapies. The
development of an angiogenic biomarker to direct the use of BEV could maximize benefit, as well as minimize
toxicity and cost. My collaborator, Dr. Andrew Nixon, and his team at Duke have developed a protein-based
plasma multiplex array (angioma) that consists of 26 growth factors and cytokines involved in angiogenesis
and inflammation. We propose to evaluate our most promising biomarker, interleukin-6 (IL-6), which has
demonstrated predictive efficacy for BEV in other solid tumors, in women with advanced metastatic CC
enrolled on the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) 240. Our primary aim is to determine if IL-6 levels can be
utilized to direct BEV therapy for women with CC. The pivotal phase III GOG-0240, a 2x2 bifactorial placebo-
controlled trial of taxane-based chemotherapy with and without BEV is the ideal platform to assess biomarkers.
Our specific aims will determine if (a) baseline IL-6 is predictive of BEV benefit based on survival outcomes, (b)
other angiome biomarkers are predictive and/or prognostic of survival outcomes in women with advanced CC
and c) angiome biomarker change is associated with outcome and response. Plasma samples at baseline and
pre-cycle 2 from GOG-0240 will be analyzed in Dr. Nixon’s laboratory using several multiplex systems
including technology from Quanterix Corporation, MesoScaleDiscovery, and Protein Simple (R&D Systems).
Statistical analyses will be performed to identify and validate biomarkers of interest. Kaplan-Meier plots and
log-rank tests will compare treatment groups. Our ultimate goal is to improve the outcome for women with CC
by rationally directing BEV therapy; minimizing toxicity and cost; and identifying novel targets to develop future
anti-angiogenic therapies. We anticipate that our research will help to harmonize analyses across other
malignancies, which will be critical for understanding if IL-6 and other candidate biomarkers predictive of BEV
efficacy are, or are not, disease specific.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10322184
- **Project number:** 5R21CA256384-02
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** ANDREW B. NIXON
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $123,270
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-01-01 → 2023-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10322184

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10322184, Angiogenic biomarker discovery to direct bevacizumab therapy in cervical cancer - Blood-based Angiome Profiling: An ancillary analysis of GOG-0240 (5R21CA256384-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10322184. Licensed CC0.

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