A Phase 2 interventional study of Ipilimumab and Nivolumab in Breast Cancer, Hormone Receptor Positive Tumor and Metastatic Breast Cancer, sponsored by Oslo University Hospital. Completed at 6 sites in 2 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-10-15.
Sponsored by Oslo University Hospital · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment
Breast cancer is rarely curable after metastasis, and the therapeutic options are limited. Interestingly, the host immune response is strongly predictive for the effect of chemotherapy in subgroups of patients with breast cancer. The aim is to release the brake on the immune response by use of ipilimumab, which blocks CTLA-4 and may deplete regulatory T cells, combined with nivolumab (anti PD1). Importantly, it is possible that non-responders to nivolumab/ipilimumab (nivo/ipi) can be turned responders by use of immunogenic chemotherapy.
There is compelling evidence from animal studies, supported by data from humans, that some chemotherapeutic agents are immunogenic. Doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide have been shown to be particularly powerful inducers of immunogenic cell death. Both agents fulfil 5/5 criteria established for assessing the immunogenicity of different chemotherapeutic drugs. There is also strong evidence from humans, particularly in breast cancer, indicating that the clinical effect of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide depends on the host immune response. Further, these agents have been shown to induce a Type I interferon immune response in breast cancer. Taken together, there is a strong rationale for synergy between doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide and PD-1/CTLA-4 blockade. The trial combines nivolumab and ipilimumab with established 1st choice chemotherapy in patients with metastatic hormone reseptor positive breast cancer. Nivolumab/ipilimumab (nivo/ipi) may i) potentiate the patient´s spontaneous anti-tumor immune response ii) synergize with chemotherapeutic agents that induce immunological cell death
Exclusion Criteria:
Known CNS disease, except for asymptomatic CNS metastases, provided all of the following criteria are met:
A history of autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years (i.e. with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs). Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxin, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc.) is not considered a form of systemic treatment. Patients with eczema, psoriasis, lichen simplex chronicus or vitiligo with dermatologic manifestations only (e.g., no psoriatic arthritis) are permitted provided that they meet all of the following conditions:
Received treatment with systemic corticosteroids or other systemic immunosuppressive medications (including but not limited to prednisone, dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, methotrexate, thalidomide, and anti-tumor necrosis factor [TNF] agents) within 2 weeks prior to randomization, or anticipated requirement for systemic immunosuppressive medications during the trial
Received a live vaccine within 30 days of planned start of study therapy, or is expected to receive such a vaccine while on therapy
a. Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally inactivated flu vaccines and are allowed; however intranasal influenza vaccines (e.g., Flu-Mist®) are live attenuated vaccines, and are not allowed.
Chemo only (pegylated liposomal doxorubicin + cyclophosphamide)
Drug: Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin · Drug: Cyclophosphamide
Chemo + ipilimumab + nivolumab
Drug: Ipilimumab · Drug: Nivolumab · Drug: Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin · Drug: Cyclophosphamide
Ipilimumab blocks CTLA-4 and may deplete regulatory T cells
Also known as: Yervoy
Nivolumab blocks PD-1 and thereby enhances the effector phase of the immune reaction, by enabling T cells to kill tumor cells and engage effectively with other PD-L1 expressing targets.
Also known as: Opdivo
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Toxicity: CTCAE v4.0
Assessment of toxicity of combined treatment with ipilimumab, nivolumab, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (ipi/nivo/chemo)
Time frame: 3 years
Progression-free survival (PFS)
Assessment of clinical response in ipi/nivo/chemo group compared to chemo only group: Progression-free survival (PFS); compare the PFS rates when 95% of patients in the control croup have PD
Time frame: We expect to reach the data-driven time point for PFS-analysis (95% PFS in the control group) approximately 3 years after the study opens. If this is not met within 24 months after inclusion of the last patient, the PFS-analysis will be performed at this
Duration of Response (DR)
Assessment of clinical response in ipi/nivo/chemo group compared to chemo only group: duration of response (DR)
Time frame: 3 years
Overall Survival (OS)
Assessment of clinical response in ipi/nivo/chemo group compared to chemo only group: overall survival (OS)
Time frame: 5 years
Duration of Response (DR) in cross-over arm
Assessment of clinical response in ipi/nivo group: duration of response (DR)
Time frame: 3 years
Overall Suvival (OS) in cross-over arm
Assessment of clinical response in ipi/nivo group: overall survival (OS)
Time frame: 5 years
Toxicity, cross-over arm, CTCAE v4.0
Assessment of toxicity of ipi/nivo (without chemotherapy) in cross-over arm
Time frame: 3 years
Objective tumor Response Rate (ORR)
Assessment of clinical response in ipi/nivo/chemo group compared to chemo only group: Objective tumor response rate (ORR)
Time frame: 3 years
Durable tumor Response Rate (DRR)
Assessment of clinical response in ipi/nivo/chemo group compared to chemo only group: durable tumor response rate (DRR; \>6 months)
Time frame: 3 years
Objective tumor Response Rate (ORR) in cross-over arm
Assessment of clinical response in ipi/nivo group: Objective tumor response rate (ORR)
Time frame: 3 years
Durable tumor Response Rate (DRR) in cross-over arm
Assessment of clinical response in ipi/nivo group: durable tumor response rate (DRR; \>6 months)
Time frame: 3 years
Clinical Benefit Rate (CBR)
Proportion of patients with an objective tumor response or with stable disease lasting at least 6 months
Time frame: 3 years
Clinical Benefit Rate (CBR) in cross-over arm
Proportion of patients with an objective tumor response or with stable disease lasting at least 6 months
Time frame: 3 years
PD-L1 expression
Assessment of PD-L1 expression, mutation load and immune gene expression as biomarkers for clinical response
Time frame: 3 years
Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ)
Assessment of patient reported outcomes, as measured by the Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ)
Time frame: 3 years
Pain intensity
Assessment of patient reported outcomes, as measured by an 11 point Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain intensity
Time frame: 3 years
EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL
Assessment of patient reported outcomes, as measured by the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL
Time frame: 3 years
Biological response in molecular subtypes of breast cancer
Comparison of clinical and biological response in molecular subtypes of breast cancer
Time frame: 3 years
Immunological response
Assessment of immunological response. In selected patients, the specificity of T-cell responses will be analysed. The analysis will be based neoantigen prediction and will be performed by multimer technology.
Time frame: 3 years
Biomarkers for clinical response
Identification of biomarkers for clinical response by use of gene profiling, pathology, cytokine assays and other analysis on material from study patients. The following predefined biomarkers will be compared between responders and non-responders: PD-L1 in biopsies, immune gene signature in biopsies. Further explorative investigations will be performed to identify new candidate biomarker signatures.
Time frame: 3 years
Biomarkers for toxicity
Identification of biomarkers for toxicity by use of gene profiling, pathology, cytokine assays and other analysis on material from study patients. The analysis is explorative and will be performed to identify new candidate biomarker signatures. The candidate signatures will be compared between patients with and without immune related adverse events.
Time frame: 3 years
Assessment of changes in the immunological milieu in tumor and peripheral blood
Considering each study arm separately, and by comparing arm A to arm B. The assessment will be performed by flow cytometry and CyTOF of immune cells, and by gene expression profiling of tumor biopsies. In periferal blood,the frequency of immune cell subsets will be determined and compared between baseline and later timepoints. In biopsies, gene expression profiles will be compared between baseline and later timepoints.
Time frame: 3 years
Plan to share: No
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Oslo University Hospital