Primary Objective: * To confirm the safety and feasibility of canakinumab and spartalizumab (PDR-001) administered using a standard dose / schedule in the neo-adjuvant setting in renal cell carcinoma Secondary Objectives: * To assess the immune response to combination canakinumab and spartalizumab * To assess anti-tumor activity as measured by pathologic downstaging
Patients with localized and non-metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) represent an "at-need" population who would benefit from immunotherapy earlier in their disease course with a programmed cell death protein 1(PD-1) therapy combined with a second immunotherapy agent. A logical next step is to pursue the combination of an anti- programmed cell death protein 1(PD1) therapy with cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) blockade extrapolating from recent successes in the metastatic setting. The primary concern with previous approaches and studies is that CTLA-4 based therapy is associated with increased risk of autoimmune side effects which potentially could delay a curative surgery. Clearly, the neoadjuvant setting in RCC represents an ideal space to evaluate novel I/O combination strategies aside from CTLA-4 blockade. This study intends to confirm the safety and feasibility of canakinumab and spartalizumab (PDR-001) administered using a standard dose / schedule in the neo-adjuvant setting in renal cell carcinoma. This is a single-center, single arm, open-label pilot study evaluating the feasibility, safety, anti-tumor effect, and immunogenicity of neoadjuvant canakinumab and spartalizumab given prior to radical nephrectomy in patients with localized renal cell carcinoma. Patients will be recruited from the outpatient Urology clinic. Eligible patients will receive canakinumab at a dose of 300 mg Q4weeks and spartalizumab at 400 mg Q4weeks IV. Approximately 14 days after the last dose of canakinumab and spartalizumab, patients with proceed to radical nephrectomy, and nephrectomy tissue will be examined for the secondary endpoints. Follow-up evaluation for adverse events will occur 30 days and 90 days after surgery. Patients will then be followed by their urologists and oncologist according to standard institutional practices, but will require repeat labs every 3 months along with standard of care surveillance imaging.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
17
Spartalizumab at 400 mg weeks x 2 doses prior to radical nephrectomy Infusion
Canakinumab 300 mg IV Q4 weeks x 2 doses prior to radical nephrectomy Infusion
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
New York, New York, United States
Percentage of subjects who proceed to radical nephrectomy
Feasibility of spartalizumab and canakinumab will be met if \> 85% of patients proceed to radical nephrectomy (12 of 14).
Time frame: 6 Weeks
Quantification of cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8) T cell infiltration into the tumor / peritumoral area infiltrates
To assess the immune response to combination canakinumab and spartalizumab. Tumor blocks and/or additional unstained slides will be collected for study-specific quantitative immunohistochemical evaluations. Cell infiltration into the kidney resection specimens will be quantified as the mean staining percentage, using immunohistochemical staining methods.
Time frame: 6 Weeks
Quantification of immune cell populations (PMN-MDSC) in the tumor/ peritumoral area
To assess the immune response to combination canakinumab and spartalizumab. Tumor blocks and/or additional unstained slides will be collected for study-specific quantitative immunohistochemical evaluations. Cell infiltration into the kidney resection specimens will be quantified using immunohistochemical staining methods which will attempt to determine the potential potential ratio of CD8 and the regulatory T cells (Treg).
Time frame: 6 Weeks
Objective tumor response rate
To assess the immune response to combination canakinumab and spartalizumab. By RECIST and by Immunotherapeutics Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (iRECIST), proportion of pathologic complete response (pathCR (pT0)) and downstaging (decrease in size from baseline scans) will be calculated.
Time frame: 6 Weeks
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