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
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
82
Ipilimumab blocks CTLA-4 and may deplete regulatory T cells
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.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Institut Jules Bordet
Brussels, Brussels Capital, Belgium
Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc
Brussels, Brussels Capital, Belgium
CHU UCL Namur
Namur, Namur, Belgium
Soerlandet Hospital HF Kristiansand
Kristiansand, Norway
Oslo University Hospital
Oslo, Norway
Stavanger University Hospital
Stavanger, Norway
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
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