Veliparib in Combination With Carboplatin and Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. To determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) of the combination of weekly carboplatin, paclitaxel, and veliparib. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess the safety, tolerability, and MTD of the combination of weekly carboplatin, paclitaxel, and veliparib. II. To assess the safety and toxicity of this combination as determined by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0 (CTCAE v. 4.0) and to determine the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). III. To determine the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of this combination, including determinations of poly (adenosine diphosphate \[ADP\]-ribose) polymerase (PAR) in tumor specimens when available, assessment of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage as measured by gamma H2A histone family, member X (g-H2AX) in skin biopsies and tumor specimens will be obtained. IV. To assess characteristics of primary tumor specimens that may contribute to efficacy of this combination including breast cancer, early onset (BRCA) by immunohistochemistry, gene analysis of PARP 1, PARP 2, BRCA, and triple negative and homologous recombination repair (HRR) deficiency gene expression signatures. V. To document any anti-tumor response. OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of veliparib. DOSE-ESCALATION: Patients receive veliparib orally (PO) twice daily (BID) on days 1-5, 8-12, and 15-19 and paclitaxel IV over 1 hour and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes in course 1 and 3 hours in subsequent courses on days 3, 10, and 17. After 4 courses, patients receive paclitaxel and carboplatin on days 3 and 10 only. Courses repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. (Completed as of 12/2012) EXPANSION COHORT: Patients receive veliparib PO BID on days 1-21 and paclitaxel IV over 1 hour and carboplatin IV over 3 hours on days 3 and 10. Courses repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study therapy, patients are followed up for 4 weeks.