Oops, you're using an old version of your browser so some of the features on this page may not be displaying properly.

MINIMAL Requirements: Google Chrome 24+Mozilla Firefox 20+Internet Explorer 11Opera 15–18Apple Safari 7SeaMonkey 2.15-2.23

Poster Display session 2

1492 - A phase Ib study of pembrolizumab following trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): PETAL.

Date

29 Sep 2019

Session

Poster Display session 2

Topics

Tumour Site

Hepatobiliary Cancers

Presenters

David Pinato

Citation

Annals of Oncology (2019) 30 (suppl_5): v253-v324. 10.1093/annonc/mdz247

Authors

D.J. Pinato1, T. Cole2, B. Bengsch3, P. Tait4, A.A. Sayed5, F. Abomeli6, D. Gramenitskaya6, E. Allara6, R. Thomas4, C. Ward6, C.N. Wong6, A.U. Akarca7, J. Miguens Blanco8, T. Marafioti7, J. Marchesi8, R. Sharma6

Author affiliations

  • 1 Surgery And Cancer, Imperial College London - Hammersmith Hospital, W12 0HS - London/GB
  • 2 Clinical Research Facility, Imperial College London, W120NN - London/GB
  • 3 Internal Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, 79106 - Freiburg/DE
  • 4 Interventional Radiology, Imperial College NHS Trust, W120NN - London/GB
  • 5 Centre For Haematology, Imperial College London, W120NN - London/GB
  • 6 Surgery And Cancer, Imperial College London, W120NN - London/GB
  • 7 Histopathology, University College London, WC1E 6BT - London/GB
  • 8 Hepatology, Imperial College London, W120NN - London/GB

Resources

Login to get immediate access to this content.

If you do not have an ESMO account, please create one for free.

Abstract 1492

Background

The efficacy of TACE is secondary to its dual ischaemic and cytotoxic effect, which promotes immunogenic tumor cell death. TACE may prime adaptive immunity and facilitate pembrolizumab (pembro; anti-PD1) in promoting tumour immune rejection and improve outcome in HCC. We designed this phase Ib study to evaluate safety, preliminary activity of TACE+pembrolizumab and explore mechanisms of efficacy.

Methods

Up to 32 patients (pts) with intermediate-stage HCC were planned to receive up to 2 rounds of conventional TACE followed by pembro 200 mg q3w 30 days post-TACE until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity for up to 1 year. Primary endpoint was safety with dose-limiting toxicities emerging from the combination being evaluated over a 21-days window from commencement of pembro. Secondary endpoints included PFS rates q12w. We explored tumour and host determinants of response in tissue, blood and stool samples to confirm the bioactivity of the combination.

Results

In cohort 1 (n = 6) patients were all of BCLC-B stage, 83% males, 16% HCV-positive, 50% ECOG PS 0, median age 62 years. Child-Pugh (CP) was A in 5 and B7 in 1 pt. Median tumour size was 4 cm, and median number of lesions was 2. All-grade adverse events potentially related to treatment (tx) occurred in 50% of pts including diarrhoea (n = 1, G3), skin rash (n = 2, G2), infusion reaction (n = 1, G2) and adrenal insufficiency (n = 1, G2). Pembro yielded no synergistic toxicity with TACE and no DLTs were reported. At data cut-off, tx was ongoing for 3 pts with a median duration of tx of 2.8 months. Of the 4 radiologically evaluable patients, 3 had stable disease on pembro, 1 had progressive disease. Cause of withdrawal included disease progression/death (n = 2) and worsening liver failure in the CP B7 pt, non tx-related (n = 1). Updated data from an expanded pt cohort will be shown and efficacy data will be correlated with T-cell responses to recognized tumor-associated antigens, tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte profiling and stool bacterial metagenomics.

Conclusions

The TACE+pembro combination had a tolerable safety profile with no evidence of synergistic toxicity. Alongside emerging efficacy data, this encourages the clinical development of the combination in CP A pts.

Clinical trial identification

NCT03397654.

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

Imperial College London.

Funding

Merck Sharp & Dohme.

Disclosure

D.J. Pinato: Research grant / Funding (self), Funder of the clinical study presented: MSD; Research grant / Funding (self), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: BMS; Honoraria (self): ViiV Healthcare; Honoraria (self), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Bayer. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential, while others help us improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.

For more detailed information on the cookies we use, please check our Privacy Policy.

Customise settings
  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and you can only disable them by changing your browser preferences.