Paper of the Month · January 2026
Binimetinib and encorafenib for the treatment of advanced solid tumors with non‑V600E BRAF mutations: results from the Phase II BEAVER trial
A. A. N. Rose*‡, J. Maxwell*, E. Rousselle*, C. L. Mukonoweshuro, I. E. Elkholi, M. Riaud, M. Biondini, E. Cianfarano, I. Soria‑Bretones, C. Tobin, M. McGuire, R. W. Y. Law, A. J. Elia, B. X. Wang, I. King, T. Zhang, T. Pugh, Z. Saeed Kamil, M. O. Butler, F. A. Shepherd, N. Leighl, A. Abdul Razak, A. Hansen, S. Saibil, P. L. Bedard, P. M. Siegel, L. L. Siu, D. W. Cescon, A. Spreafico*. Equal Contribution ‡Co‑Corresponding Authors. Nature Communications. 2026. 17:1323.
Class 2 and 3 non-V600E BRAF mutations are oncogenic drivers in many cancer types, yet there are no established targeted therapies with proven efficacy for these cancers.
The investigator-initiated Phase II BEAVER trial (NCT03839342) evaluated BRAF and MEK inhibitors in patients with non-V600E BRAF mutations. By analyzing patient tumors, circulating tumor DNA, patient-derived xenografts and cell lines, the team uncovered MAPK-dependent and independent mechanisms of resistance, and found that combining CDK4/6 or SHP2 inhibitors with BRAF/MEK inhibitors was more effective in preclinical models.