A Phase II Study of MK-2206 in Patients with Progressive, Recurrent/Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

Adenoid cystic cancers are rare tumors that affect the salivary glands and sometimes other sites. While surgery and radiation therapy help some patients, a significant proportion of patients still have the cancer recur in other parts of the body, and standard chemotherapy is typically not effective. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the investigational drug MK-2206 in patients with adenoid cystic cancer that cannot be cured with surgery or radiation therapy or which has returned or spread despite prior treatment.

MK-2206 works by inhibiting the activity of a protein in cancer cells called Akt, which may also decrease levels of a protein called c-myb that is present at high levels in most adenoid cystic cancers. The hope is that by lowering c-myb levels, MK-2206 may cause these cancers to shrink. MK-2206 is taken orally (by mouth).