Abstract 3996
Background
This ongoing trial is investigating the safety and efficacy of combining the therapeutic cancer vaccine UV1 with the anti-PD-1 mAb pembrolizumab. UV1 is a peptide-based vaccine directed against telomerase, an essential enzyme for unlimited cell-division and a hallmark of cancer. Due to its selective expression, telomerase serves as a unique cancer antigen. UV1 consists of 3 long peptides (15-30 aa) representing fragments of the reverse transcriptase subunit of telomerase (hTERT). The peptides contain both CD4 and CD8 epitopes and are shown to be immunogenic in 78% of HLA unselected patients across different cancer types. UV1 induces hTERT-specific tumor-reactive T cells, and has the potential to induce epitope spreading. UV1 can increase the efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors in patients with insufficient numbers of T cells spontaneously primed by tumor antigens. Reciprocally, the efficacy of UV1 may be enhanced by checkpoint inhibitors, since the effector activity of UV1-induced T cells will be restricted by intrinsic and tumor-induced suppressor mechanisms. UV1 and pembrolizumab thus have the potential to produce synergistic immunological activity which may provide increased clinical benefit as compared to pembrolizumab alone.
Trial design
The ongoing phase I, open-label, multicenter study is planned to include 20 patients with untreated unresectable or metastatic melanoma. UV1 (300 μg) with GM-CSF (37,5 μg) as adjuvant is administered intradermally for a total of 8 doses, 3 doses during week 1, and one dose during week 2, 3, 8, 11 and 14. Pembrolizumab is administered every third week starting week 2 for up to two years or until progressive disease. Patients are followed for up to 2 years after the first UV1 dose. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of the UV1 and pembrolizumab therapy. Secondary objectives are UV1 vaccine-specific immune responses and evaluation of tumor response (RECIST). Samples of blood, feces, and tumor tissue are collected for translational research purposes.
Clinical trial identification
NCT03538314.
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
Ultimovacs AS.
Funding
Ultimovacs AS.
Disclosure
Y. Zakharia: Advisory / Consultancy: Amegen; Advisory / Consultancy: Roche Diagnostics; Advisory / Consultancy: Novartis; Advisory / Consultancy: JNJ; Advisory / Consultancy: Eisai; Advisory / Consultancy: Exelixis; Advisory / Consultancy: Castle Bioscience; Advisory / Consultancy: Pfizer; Advisory / Consultancy: Bayer; Advisory / Consultancy: Array. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
5031 - Sarcoidosis-Like Reaction Mimics Progression in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Presenter: Sophie Hans
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
5650 - Tissue-based activation of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells in combination ipilimumab and nivolumab checkpoint inhibitor (CI) colitis.
Presenter: Sarah Sasson
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
5944 - Significance of severe immune-related adverse effects (irAE) on patients with advanced tumors treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors being admitted for secondary toxicity: Clinical relevance and next steps
Presenter: Leyre Zubiri
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
5989 - Implementation of a dedicated immuno-oncology toxicity service reduces the acute impact of immune-related adverse events
Presenter: Anna Olsson-Brown
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3267 - Cardiotoxic and pro-inflammatory effects induced by the association of immune checkpoint inhibitor Pembrolizumab and Trastuzumab in preclinical models
Presenter: Nicola Maurea
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3417 - Interstitial lung disease associated with immune-checkpoint inhibitors in malignant diseases
Presenter: Akira Yamagata
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2071 - A Phase 1 Study of Intraperitoneal MCY-M11 Anti-Mesothelin CAR for Women with Platinum Resistant High Grade Serous Adenocarcinoma of the Ovary, Primary Peritoneum, or Fallopian Tube, or Subjects with Peritoneal Mesothelioma with Recurrence after Prior Chemotherapy
Presenter: Christina Annunziata
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4935 - Trial in progress: First-in-human study of a novel anti-NY-ESO-1–anti-CD3, TCR-based bispecific (IMCnyeso) as monotherapy in NY-ESO-1/LAGE-1A-positive advanced solid tumors (IMCnyeso-101)
Presenter: Juanita Lopez
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
5613 - Nimotuzumab-Cisplatin-Radiation versus Cisplatin-Radiation in HPV negative oropharyngeal cancer
Presenter: Kumar Prabhash
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2576 - Interim analysis of a single arm phase 2 study of adjuvant nivolumab after salvage resection in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients previously treated with definitive therapy.
Presenter: Trisha Wise-draper
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract