The combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has significantly improved clinical outcomes in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, 40%-60% of patients still develop primary or acquired resistance. For those with resistant disease, current immune rechallenge strategies have yet to demonstrate clear clinical benefit. Emerging evidence indicates that the gut microbiota plays a critical role in modulating responses to immunotherapy. Microbiota-modulating approaches, including fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and live bacterial formulations such as CBM588, have shown preliminary potential to enhance sensitivity to immunotherapy and improve patient outcomes. Nevertheless, whether gut microbiota modulation can resensitize advanced RCC to immunotherapy remains to be investigated. The REMEDY-RCC trial is an investigator-initiated, prospective, open-label, phase II, parallel two-cohort exploratory study primarily designed to investigate whether gut microbiota modulation can restore sensitivity to immunotherapy in patients with advanced RCC. Given the substantial differences in the tumor immune microenvironment and response to ICIs between clear cell RCC (ccRCC) and non-clear cell RCC (nccRCC), this study employs a parallel two-cohort design to stratify these two patient populations: a primary cohort consisting of patients with metastatic ccRCC, and an exploratory cohort consisting of patients with metastatic nccRCC. The primary and secondary endpoints will be analyzed in the primary cohort, whereas the exploratory cohort will be used solely for exploratory and descriptive analyses. The study plans to enroll approximately 33 adult patients with advanced or metastatic RCC, including 27 with metastatic ccRCC and 6 with metastatic nccRCC. Eligible patients will receive the following sequential interventions: bowel decontamination with amoxicillin-clavulanate potassium followed by polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution, high-dose gut colonization and maintenance supplementation with live Clostridium butyricum powder combined with soluble dietary fiber, and immune rechallenge therapy consisting of a PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) combined with four cycles of a CTLA-4 ICI, followed by maintenance therapy with the PD-1 ICI alone. Treatment will continue until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, completion of the planned treatment cycles, or withdrawal of consent. The REMEDY-RCC trial requires specific follow-up for enrolled patients. Radiological response is assessed longitudinally using computed tomography (CT). Tissue and body fluid samples collected from patients will be used for biomarker and multi-omic analyses. The primary endpoint of the trial is the objective response rate (ORR) in the primary cohort, as assessed by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1. Sample size for the primary cohort was determined using Simon's optimal two-stage design, with a one-sided α of 0.10 and power (1-β) of 0.80. The unacceptable response rate (P0) was set at 17.4%, based on the ORR observed in the FRACTION-RCC study for nivolumab plus ipilimumab rechallenge in patients with metastatic ccRCC who had progressed after prior immunotherapy. The target response rate (P1) was established considering that FMT has been shown to increase ORR by approximately 20% in immunotherapy-resistant melanoma. Given that metastatic RCC and melanoma are both considered immunologically responsive tumor types, a comparable therapeutic benefit from gut microbiota remodeling is anticipated. Accordingly, P1 was set at 37.4%. This effect size is clinically meaningful and would be non-inferior to the clinical efficacy of cabozantinib in metastatic RCC that has progressed following immunotherapy. The primary cohort will initially enroll six patients for safety assessment. If the treatment is deemed safe, further accrual will follow Simon's two-stage design, and enrollment of the exploratory cohort will be considered. After these six patients, an additional six patients will be enrolled, bringing the total to 12, at which point an interim analysis will be performed. If the number of objective responses at the interim analysis is ≤ 2, the trial will be terminated early. If ≥3 objective responses are observed, an additional 12 patients will be enrolled, resulting in a total sample size of 24 patients. Accounting for a potential 10% dropout rate, the study plans to enroll 27 patients in total. The exploratory cohort is planned to enroll no more than 6 patients (not exceeding 20% of the total enrollment), with a fixed-sample descriptive design. The sample size calculation is not based on statistical hypothesis testing, and all efficacy endpoints will be reported using descriptive statistics. The total planned sample size is 33 patients, comprising 27 patients in the primary cohort and 6 patients in the exploratory cohort.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
33
Beginning on day 15, patients receive toripalimab (240 mg, Q3W IV) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, completion of the prespecified treatment course, or withdrawal from the study. Dose modifications are as follows: administration of toripalimab may be delayed in patients suspected of experiencing grade 3 or higher adverse events attributable to toripalimab, as per CTCAE version 5.0. In the event of serious adverse reactions, treatment discontinuation is permitted. Investigators may adjust the dosing regimen for patients achieving a complete or partial response, in accordance with the study protocol.
Patients will receive four cycles of ipilimumab (1mg/kg, Q3W IV). During study treatment, if a patient experiences Grade ≥2 or intolerable adverse events, the investigator may evaluate the patient's condition and resume toripalimab plus ipilimumab therapy after the toxicity has resolved to Grade ≤1 or returned to baseline, with a treatment interruption not exceeding 21 days in principle. Ipilimumab should be discontinued, and the patient should enter the study follow-up phase, if any of the following criteria are met:①Grade ≥3 immune-related adverse events,② symptomatic progression leading both the physician and patient to opt for an alternative treatment, ③patient refusal to continue ipilimumab therapy, or the investigator's judgment that ipilimumab is no longer appropriate for the patient.
Jinling Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University
Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGJinling Hospital,Affiliated Hospital of Medical School,Nanjing University
Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
RECRUITINGObjective Response Rate(ORR)
The efficacy population (EP) comprised patients who received at least one dose of toripalimab plus ipilimumab and had measurable disease at baseline. Tumor responses were assessed by an independent review committee (IRC) using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1. The best overall response was defined as either complete response (CR) or partial response (PR). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients in the EP achieving CR or PR. All responses required confirmation by repeat imaging performed at least four weeks after the initial documentation.
Time frame: Up to 2 years after treatment
Progression-Free Survival(PFS)
PFS was defined as the time from the first treatment date to the first documented disease progression per RECIST version 1.1 as assessed by an IRC, or death from any cause, whichever occurred first. For patients who had not experienced an event by the analysis data cutoff date, data were censored at the date of the last radiological evaluation.
Time frame: Up to 2 years after treatment
Disease Control Rate(DCR)
Per RECIST version 1.1, the proportion of patients in the EP with a best overall response of CR, PR, or stable disease (SD) was assessed by an IRC. Confirmed responses (CR/PR) required repeat imaging at least 4 weeks after the initial documentation. SD had to be maintained for at least 8 weeks from the first assessment.
Time frame: Up to 2 years after treatment
Duration of Response(DoR)
Among patients achieving a CR or PR, the DOR was defined as the time from the first documented response (CR or PR) to the first documented disease progression per RECIST v1.1 or death from any cause, whichever occurred first.
Time frame: Up to 2 years after treatment
Overall Survival(OS)
OS was defined as the time from the first treatment date to death from any cause. Patients who were still alive or lost to follow-up at the analysis data cutoff date were censored at the date of the last known alive status.
Time frame: Up to 2 years after treatment
Safety and Tolerability
Safety and tolerability were assessed using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE) version 5.0. The safety analysis set (SAS) comprised all patients who received at least one dose of toripalimab plus ipilimumab. Evaluated parameters included the incidence, severity, and causal relationship to the treatment regimen of treatment-related adverse events (AEs), serious adverse events (SAEs), and immune-related adverse events (irAEs), as well as the proportion of patients with treatment discontinuation, dose delay, or dose adjustment due to adverse events.
Time frame: Up to 2 years after treatment
Patient quality of life - Assessment will be performed using the NCCN FKSI-19+.
The NCCN FKSI-19⁺ is a disease-specific symptom burden scale for patients with renal cell carcinoma. It comprises 19 core items that capture disease-related symptoms, treatment side effects, and functional status, making it suitable for longitudinal clinical monitoring and efficacy evaluation. The assessment time points include: baseline (before treatment), week 6 (with an allowable window of ±7 days), week 12 (with an allowable window of ±7 days), and every 12 weeks thereafter (±7 days) until the end of treatment.
Time frame: Up to 2 years after treatment
Patient quality of life - Assessment will be performed using the QLQ-C30.
The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a core quality of life questionnaire developed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer. It comprises 30 items that assess five functional domains (physical, role, cognitive, emotional, and social), three symptom domains (fatigue, nausea/vomiting, and pain), global health status, and several single-item symptom measures. It is widely used for the standardized assessment of health-related quality of life in patients with malignant tumors. The assessment time points include: baseline (before treatment), week 6 (with an allowable window of ±7 days), week 12 (with an allowable window of ±7 days), and every 12 weeks thereafter (±7 days) until the end of treatment.
Time frame: Up to 2 years after treatment
Patient quality of life - Assessment will be performed using the EuroQoL EQ-5D-5L.
The EuroQoL EQ-5D-5L is a preference-based generic health status instrument consisting of five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression), each with five severity levels, along with a visual analog scale. It is used to derive health utility values and is applicable for cost-utility analysis and population health surveys. The assessment time points include: baseline (before treatment), week 6 (with an allowable window of ±7 days), week 12 (with an allowable window of ±7 days), and every 12 weeks thereafter (±7 days) until the end of treatment.
Time frame: Up to 2 years after treatment
Patient quality of life - Assessment will be performed using the HADS.
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) comprises 14 items, with seven items each for the anxiety and depression subscales, scored on a four-point scale from 0 to 3. It was designed for use in non-psychiatric hospitalized patients to minimize the interference of somatic symptoms with the assessment of emotional states. The scale demonstrates good clinical feasibility, reliability, and validity. The assessment time points include: baseline (before treatment), week 6 (with an allowable window of ±7 days), week 12 (with an allowable window of ±7 days), and every 12 weeks thereafter (±7 days) until the end of treatment.
Time frame: Up to 2 years after treatment
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