Phase 2 Study of Alisertib (MLN8237) in Combination With Paclitaxel Versus Placebo in Combination With Paclitaxel as Second Line Therapy for Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)

The drug tested in this study is called alisertib. Alisertib is being tested to treat people who have Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC). This study determined the safety and efficacy for alisertib when given twice a day along with paclitaxel. This open label study enrolled 178 patients. Participants were randomly assigned (by chance, like flipping a coin) to one of the two treatment groups-which remained undisclosed to the patient and study doctor during the study (unless there is an urgent medical need) and participants were stratified at baseline as to whether brain mets were present or not; whether they were sensitive to prior therapy or were relapsed/refractory to prior therapy; and by world region: * Alisertib 40 mg + Paclitaxel 60 mg/m\^2 * Paclitaxel 80 mg/m\^2 + Placebo (dummy inactive pill) - this is a tablet that looks like the study drug but has no active ingredient All participants received treatment until their disease progressed or they experienced unacceptable alisertib-related toxicity. This multi-center trial was conducted world-wide. The overall time to participate in this study was approximately up to 22 months. Participants made multiple visits to the clinic, and were contacted by telephone every month for 6 months after the end of treatment (EOT) for follow-up assessment of progression free survival and for overall survival every 2 months until death, study closure, or 14 months after randomization of the last participant.