Immunotherapy With MK-3475 in Surgically Resectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Sponsor
Washington University School of Medicine (Other)
Overall Status
Completed
CT.gov ID
NCT02296684
Collaborator
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC (Industry)
67
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2
84.4
22.3
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Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

The goal of this trial is to test the ability of MK-3475 (pembrolizumab) to improve locoregional recurrence and distant metastatic rates in high-risk patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) that are treated with current standard of care surgical approaches.

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase
  • Biological: MK-3475 (neoadjuvant)
  • Procedure: Surgery
  • Radiation: Intensity modulated radiation therapy
  • Radiation: Image-guided radiation therapy
  • Drug: Cisplatin
  • Biological: MK-3475 (adjuvant)
  • Procedure: Peripheral blood
Phase 2

Study Design

Study Type:
Interventional
Actual Enrollment :
67 participants
Allocation:
Non-Randomized
Intervention Model:
Sequential Assignment
Masking:
None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose:
Treatment
Official Title:
Immunotherapy With MK-3475 in Locoregionally Advanced, Surgically Resectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Actual Study Start Date :
Mar 25, 2015
Actual Primary Completion Date :
Apr 5, 2022
Actual Study Completion Date :
Apr 5, 2022

Arms and Interventions

Arm Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: Cohort 1: Neoadjuvant MK-3475 and Adjuvant MK-3475

MK-3475 will be given intravenously once approximately 2-3 weeks prior to standard of care surgery. Adjuvant therapy will be dictated by surgical pathology and occurs after standard of care surgery and will consist of: risk-based intensity modulated radiation therapy consisting of 60 Gy in 2 Gy once-daily fraction size (total of 30 fractions)once-daily fraction size (total of 30 fractions) optional image-guided radiation therapy risk-based cisplatin administered intravenously on Days 1, 22, and 43 of treatment course MK-3475 will be given intravenously once every 3 weeks for a maximum of 6 doses if participant is considered high-risk based on 's surgical pathology from standard of care surgery shows high risk features (positive margins or extracapsular extension). These doses of MK-3475 will be given after surgery and after all acute toxicities of post-operative standard of care chemotherapy and radiation have resolved to grade 1 or less.

Biological: MK-3475 (neoadjuvant)
Other Names:
  • SCH 900475
  • Pembrolizumab
  • Keytruda
  • Procedure: Surgery
    Standard of care

    Radiation: Intensity modulated radiation therapy
    Recommended, standard of care
    Other Names:
  • IMRT
  • Radiation: Image-guided radiation therapy
    Recommended, standard of care
    Other Names:
  • IGRT
  • Drug: Cisplatin
    Standard of care
    Other Names:
  • cis-DDP
  • cis-Platinum II
  • cis-Diamminedichloroplatinum
  • DDP
  • Biological: MK-3475 (adjuvant)
    Other Names:
  • SCH 900475
  • Pembrolizumab
  • Keytruda
  • Procedure: Peripheral blood
    -Baseline, time of surgery (between day 14-24 inclusive), 3 months post surgery, 6 months post surgery, 9 months post surgery, 12 months post surgery

    Experimental: Cohort 2: Neoadjuvant MK-3475

    -MK-3475 will be given once intravenously and then given again 21 days after dose 1 (14-24 days before standard of care surgery

    Biological: MK-3475 (neoadjuvant)
    Other Names:
  • SCH 900475
  • Pembrolizumab
  • Keytruda
  • Procedure: Surgery
    Standard of care

    Radiation: Intensity modulated radiation therapy
    Recommended, standard of care
    Other Names:
  • IMRT
  • Radiation: Image-guided radiation therapy
    Recommended, standard of care
    Other Names:
  • IGRT
  • Drug: Cisplatin
    Standard of care
    Other Names:
  • cis-DDP
  • cis-Platinum II
  • cis-Diamminedichloroplatinum
  • DDP
  • Procedure: Peripheral blood
    -Baseline, time of surgery (between day 14-24 inclusive), 3 months post surgery, 6 months post surgery, 9 months post surgery, 12 months post surgery

    Outcome Measures

    Primary Outcome Measures

    1. Locoregional recurrence rates in Cohorts 1 and 2 [1 year]

    2. Distant failure rate in Cohorts 1 and 2 [1 year]

    3. Rate of major pathologic treatment effect in Cohort 1 [After one dose of neoadjuvant MK-3475]

    4. Rate of major pathologic treatment effect in Cohort 2 [After two doses of neoadjuvant MK-3475]

    Secondary Outcome Measures

    1. Occurrence of adverse events in Cohorts 1 and 2 [90 days after last dose of MK-3475]

      Reportable adverse events will be tracked for 30 days following the last day of study treatment. For the purposes of this protocol, reportable adverse events are events thought to be possibly, probably, or definitely related to MK-3475. Events thought to be probably or definitely related to surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, or radiotherapy need not be recorded. Please note that patients must be followed for events of clinical interest for 90 days following the last day of study treatment.

    2. Surgical complications and/or delays in Cohorts 1 and 2 [At the time of surgery (approximately 2-3 weeks after registration)]

    3. Rate of locoregional recurrences (LRR) in Cohorts 1 and 2 [1 year]

    4. Rate of distant metastases (DM) in Cohorts 1 and 2 [1 year]

    Eligibility Criteria

    Criteria

    Ages Eligible for Study:
    18 Years and Older
    Sexes Eligible for Study:
    All
    Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
    No
    Inclusion Criteria:
    • Histologically or cytologically confirmed stage III or IV HNSCC oral cavity, hypopharynx, oropharynx, larynx (excluding p16 or HPV-positive oropharynx primaries and sinonasal primaries).

    • Measurable disease defined as lesions that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded) as >10 mm with CT scan, as >20 mm by chest x-ray, or >10 mm with calipers by clinical exam by RECIST 1.1.

    • At least 18 years of age.

    • ECOG performance status ≤ 1

    • Normal bone marrow and organ function as defined below:

    • Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mcl

    • Platelets ≥ 100,000/mcl

    • Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL

    • Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x IULN OR Direct bilirubin ≤ IULN for patients with total bilirubin > 1.5 x IULN

    • AST(SGOT)/ALT(SGPT) ≤ 2.5 x IULN (or ≤ 5 x IULN for patients with liver metastases)

    • Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 x IULN OR Creatinine clearance by Cockcroft-Gault ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 for patients with creatinine levels > 1.5 x IULN

    • INR ≤ 1.5 x IULN unless patient is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as INR or PTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants

    • aPTT ≤ 1.5 x IULN unless patient is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as INR or PTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants

    • Sexually active women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use 2 methods of contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control, abstinence) prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation, and for 120 days after last dose of MK-3475. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she must inform her treating physician immediately.

    • Ability to understand and willingness to sign an IRB approved written informed consent document (or that of legally authorized representative, if applicable).

    Exclusion Criteria:
    • Prior treatment for head and neck cancer.

    • Patients with HPV-positive or p16-positive oropharyngeal SCCA.

    • Patients with sinonasal SCCAs

    • Patients with metastatic SCCA neck disease with an unknown primary tumor site

    • Prior treatment with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, anti-PD-L2, anti-CD137, or anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) antibody (including ipilimumab or any other antibody or drug specifically targeting T-cell co-stimulation or checkpoint pathways).

    • Received a live vaccine within 30 days prior to the first dose of MK-3475. Examples of live vaccines include, but are not limited to, the following: measles, mumps, rubella, varicella/zoster (chicken pox), yellow fever, rabies, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), and typhoid vaccine. Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally killed virus vaccines and are allowed; however, intranasal influenza vaccines (e.g. FluMist) are live attenuated viruses and are not allowed.

    • A history of other malignancy ≤ 3 years previous with the exception of previous head and neck cancer treated only by surgery, basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin which were treated with local resection only, or carcinoma in situ of the cervix.

    Note: patients with synchronous head and neck cancer primaries are an exception to this criterion and may qualify for the study.

    • Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving systemic steroid therapy (in dosing exceeding 10 mg daily of prednisone equivalent) or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of MK-3475.

    • Currently receiving any other investigational agents or has participated in a study of an investigational agent or using an investigational device within 4 weeks of the first dose of MK-3475.

    • A history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to MK-3475 or other agents used in the study.

    • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection requiring systemic therapy, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, immunosuppression, autoimmune conditions, underlying pulmonary disease, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.

    • Has an active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years (i.e. with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive drugs). Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc.) is not considered a form of systemic treatment.

    • Has a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required steroids or current pneumonitis.

    • Pregnant and/or breastfeeding. Patient must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test within 72 hours of study entry.

    • Known history of active TB (bacillus tuberculosis).

    • Known history of hepatitis B (defined as hepatitis B survace antigen [HBsAg] reactive) or known active hepatitis C (defined as HCV RNA [qualitative] is detected) infection. Note: know testing for hepatitis B and hepatitis C is required unless mandated by local health authority.

    • Known history of HIV (HIV 1/2 antibodies).

    Contacts and Locations

    Locations

    Site City State Country Postal Code
    1 Dana Farber Cancer Institute Boston Massachusetts United States 02215
    2 Washington University School of Medicine Saint Louis Missouri United States 63110
    3 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York New York United States 10065

    Sponsors and Collaborators

    • Washington University School of Medicine
    • Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

    Investigators

    • Principal Investigator: Douglas R Adkins, M.D., Washington University School of Medicine

    Study Documents (Full-Text)

    None provided.

    More Information

    Additional Information:

    Publications

    None provided.
    Responsible Party:
    Washington University School of Medicine
    ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
    NCT02296684
    Other Study ID Numbers:
    • 201412118
    First Posted:
    Nov 20, 2014
    Last Update Posted:
    Apr 28, 2022
    Last Verified:
    Apr 1, 2022
    Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:
    No
    Plan to Share IPD:
    No
    Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product:
    Yes
    Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product:
    No
    Additional relevant MeSH terms:

    Study Results

    No Results Posted as of Apr 28, 2022