phase II, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, non pharmacological clinical trial that aims to determine the effect of postbiotics Postbiotix-HLA™ on immuno-related adverse events (irAEs) in patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (RM HNSCC) treated with in first line pembrolizumab as standard of care (SoC). The selected patient population will be randomised to receive the postbiotics Postbiotix-HLA™ or placebo for 4 cycles while in treatment with pembrolizumab as per clinical practice.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
45
Postbiotix-HLA™, 1 capsule (400 mg) daily PO from cycle 1 day 1 up to cycle 5 day1 (i.e. 4 cycles);
Agente di carica: Mannitolo; Opercolo: Idrossipropilmetilcellulosa, Carbonato di calcio, Carragenina; Agente di carica: Cellulosa microcristallina; Agenti antiagglomeranti: Sali di magnesio di acidi grassi, Biossido di silicio.
Pembrolizumab 200 mg q21 up to tumor progression, intolerable toxicities or 35 cycles (approximately 2 years of therapy).
Istituto Clinico Humanitas
Rozzano, Milano, Italy
RECRUITINGChanges in oral and fecal microbiota composition
Comparison of changes in the composition and diversity of microbiota in oral and fecal samples between treatment groups (pembrolizumab + Postbiotix-HLA™ vs pembrolizumab + placebo). Samples will be collected at baseline and Week 13. Microbiota composition will be analyzed using shotgun sequencing.
Time frame: 2 years
Change in HLA Class I-expressing circulating MDSCs
Comparison of the proportion of HLA Class I - expressing circulating MDSCs from baseline to week 13 of therapy with pembrolizumab + Postbiotix-HLA™ vs pembrolizumab + placebo, measured by flow cytometry on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from peripheral blood samples
Time frame: 2 years
Change in circulating regulatory T cells (Tregs)
Comparison of the proportion of circulating Tregs from baseline to week 13 of therapy with pembrolizumab + Postbiotix-HLA™ vs pembrolizumab + placebo measured by flow cytometry on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from peripheral blood samples.
Time frame: 2 years
Change in tumor NLRC5 expression
Change in tumor expression level of NLRC5 from baseline to week 13 of therapy with Postbiotix-HLA™ + pembrolizumab vs pembrolizumab + placebo assessed on tumor tissue samples
Time frame: 2 years
Incidence and severity of treatment-related immune-related adverse events (irAEs)
Comparison of treatment-related irAEs between treatment groups (pembrolizumab + Postbiotix-HLA™ vs pembrolizumab + placebo), assessed and graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0.
Time frame: 2 years
Patient-reported treatment-related symptoms using NCI-PRO-CTCAE
Comparison of patient-reported treatment-related symptoms between treatment groups (pembrolizumab + Postbiotix-HLA™ vs pembrolizumab + placebo), assessed using the NCI PRO-CTCAE Items (Italian; Item Library Version 1.0). Patients will self-report symptom frequency, severity, and interference at each study visit using standardized questionnaires.
Time frame: 2 years
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