The ACTME study is an investigator initiated, single center phase I/II clinical trial for patients with progressive unresectable stage III or stage IV melanoma. The trial consists of both a phase I part to determine safety and feasibility and a phase II part to evaluate first clinical activity of IFN-alpha, nivolumab and TIL. The treatment with IFN-alpha will be added after the combination of TIL and nivolumab has proven to be safe.
The ACTME is an investigator initiated, single center phase I/II clinical trial for patients with progressive unresectable stage III or stage IV melanoma. Patients are conditioned by low-dose IFN-alpha and treated with ACT and PD-1 antibodies. With this approach the investigators hope to solve 4 of the most important aspects curtailing the efficacy of current immunotherapies in metastatic melanoma: 1. the lack of sufficient numbers of activated tumor-reactive T cells in patients by providing ACT; and 2. the inhibition of T-cell effector function through PD-1 signalling by administration of nivolumab; as well as 3. the toxicity of high-dose IL-2, and 4. long term hospitalization of patients due to the conditioning-regimen used in most ACT protocols by replacing it with low-dose IFN-alpha treatment. The trial consists of both a phase I part to determine safety and feasibility and a phase II part to evaluate first clinical activity of IFN-alpha, nivolumab and TIL. The treatment with IFN-alpha will be added after the combination of TIL and nivolumab has proven to be safe in the first cohort of the phase I part of the trial.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
34
During 15 weeks patients will be treated with nivolumab (3mg/kg i.v.) once every two weeks. Four weeks after starting nivolumab, patients will receive their first TIL infusion (2.5-7.5x10\^8 T cells i.v.) once every three weeks for three infusions. In the second group treatment with IFN-alpha (3 million IU s.c.) daily will be added one week before the first TIL infusion and will be continued for 11 weeks.
Leiden University Medical Center
Leiden, Netherlands
Incidence of treatment-related serious adverse events as assessed by CTCAE 4.0 criteria
To evaluate the safety and toxicity of ACT with nivolumab, followed by evaluating the safety and toxicity of IFN-alpha, and nivolumab plus ACT according to the common terminology criteria of adverse events (CTCAE) 4.0 criteria. Treatment related adverse events grade 3 or less and SAE related to treatment that do not result in treatment termination are considered acceptable for continuation of the study. * Grade 1: Mild; asymptomatic or mild symptoms; clinical or diagnostic observations only; intervention not indicated. * Grade 2: Moderate; minimal, local or noninvasive intervention indicated; limiting age-appropriate instrumental ADL * Grade 3: Severe or medically significant but not immediately life-threatening hospitalization or prolongation of hospitalization indicated; disabling; limiting self care ADL * Grade 4: Life-threatening consequences; urgent intervention indicated * Grade 5: Death related to AE
Time frame: 14 weeks after start of treatment
Evaluation of disease control rate according to RECIST 1.1 criteria
Disease control is defined by complete response, partial response or stable according to RECIST 1.1 versus no clinical benefit defined as progressive disease. Complete response: Disappearance of all target and nontarget lesions, nodes must regress to \<10mm short axis, no new lesions, confirmation required Partial response: ≥30% decrease in tumor burden compared with baseline, confirmation required Progressive disease: ≥20% + 5 mm absolute increase in tumor burden compared with nadir, appearance of new lesions or progression of nontarget lesions Stable disease: neither partial response nor progressive disease
Time frame: 14 weeks after first nivolumab infusion
Evaluation of disease control rate according to immune RECIST response criteria
Disease control is defined by complete response, partial response or stable according to the iRECIST versus no clinical benefit defined as progressive disease. Complete response: Disappearance of all lesions Partial response: ≥30% decrease in tumor burden compared with baseline. Progressive disease: ≥20% + 5 mm absolute increase in tumor burden compared with nadir Stable disease: neither progressive disease nor partial response
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Time frame: 14 weeks after first nivolumab infusion
To study the potential working mechanisms of the different treatment compounds. Therefore, blood will be drawn to analyse changes in circulating immune cells and their function during treatment.
The investigators will analyse the patients their tumor material, blood, serum and the TILs used for infusion
Time frame: Within 5 years after first inclusion
To establish a possible prognostic biomarker profile in patients tumor material, blood, serum and TILs used for infusion
The investigators will analyse the patients their tumor material, blood, serum and the TILs used for infusion to look at changes in the number and phenotype of circulating immune cells, the cytokines that are produced by these cells and serum/plasma markers of persistence.
Time frame: Within 5 years after first inclusion
To characterize the infusion product
The expression of co-inhibitory molecules on T cells and regulatory T cells will be measured by flow cytometry. Furthermore, the investigators will assess the fraction of tumor-specific TIL, their cytolytic capacity as well as to analyse their persistence in the circulation. The supernatants of T cell are used for cytokine analysis assays.
Time frame: Within 5 years after first inclusion
To analyse potential correlations between the clinical response and hypothesis related immune parameters
Time frame: Within 5 years after first inclusion
To analyse the overall survival following treatment
The overall survival of all patients entering the study will be monitored
Time frame: Within 5 years after first inclusion