This single-center, pilot study (phase IIa) will evaluate the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of FMT from patients with HCC who responded to PD-(L)1-based immunotherapy to patients with HCC who failed to respond to atezolizumab/bevacizumab.
The main purpose of this phase IIa pilot study is to test the safety and efficacy of fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) combined with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in patients who failed to achieve or maintain a complete or partial radiological response (according to mRECIST) to prior immunotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC). The primary objective is to assess the safety of FMT combined with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab, as measured by incidence and severity of treatment-related adverse events. The secondary objectives are to assess the efficacy of FMT in combination with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab as measured by best radiological response, objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Furthermore, the objective is to evaluate the impact of FMT with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab on the quality of life, as assessed by EQ-5D-5L questionnaires. Finally, this study also aims to assess the following exploratory endpoints: * the effect of FMT on recipient gut microbiota composition, diversity, rate of change from baseline, and similarity to donor stool composition over time (compared between responders and non-responders) * the effect of FMT on immune activity in the gut * metagenome assemblies and functional profiling before and after FMT * single cell analyses of circulating immune cells before and after FMT * serum and stool metabolomic and lipidomic signatures before and after FMT This is a phase II, single-center, open-label pilot study. Twelve patients suffering from advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma will be enrolled in this trial. The planned duration for this study are 48 months.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
12
Single FMT from patients with HCC who responded to PD-(L)1-based immunotherapy to patients with HCC who failed to achieve complete or partial response (according to mRECIST) to atezolizumab/bevacizumab. After single FMT, patients will continue to receive atezolizumab/bevacizumab every 21-days according to protocol.
Medical University of Vienna
Vienna, Austria
Safety of atezolizumab/bevacizumab in combination with FMT, measured by incidence and severity of treatment-related adverse events, determined according to National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v.5.0.
Time frame: 24 months
Efficacy assessed by the number of study participants achieving complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD) or progressive disease (PD) as best radiological response evaluated according to mRECIST/ RECIST v1.1 criteria.
Time frame: 24 months
Efficacy as assessed by objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). Objective response is defined as either complete or partial response, while disease control rate comprises complete/partial response as well as stable disease.
Time frame: 24 months
Efficacy as assessed by progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).
Time frame: 24 months
Quality of life (QoL) as assessed by the patient-reported outcome EQ-5D-5L (European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions 3 Level Version) questionnaire.
Time frame: 24 months
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