An Open-Label, Multiple-Center, Phase IIa/IIb Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of VG161 as Monotherapy and in Combination With Nivolumab for Treatment of Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma or Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Phase 2

Recruiting

• Conditions: Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma; Hepatocellular Carcinoma
• Interventions: Drug: VG161; Drug: Nivolumab Injection [Opdivo]

• Registration Number: NCT05223816
• Lead Sponsor: Virogin Biotech Canada Ltd

Brief Summary

Safety Run-in Cohort (cohort 1):

10 patients will be treated with IT injection of VG161 in the cohort 1 at dose level of 1.0x10E8 PFU x 3 days.

Monotherapy Cohorts (Cohort 2 and 3) Cohort 2 (HCC) This part is a single-agent, single one-dose level and single-arm design. Approximately 39 subjects will be enrolled in the study to receive VG161. In the first stage, 21 subjects will be enrolled. If there is only 1 or fewer subjects has been observed with objective response and no more than 12 (\<13) subjects have PFS longer than 3 months, the trial will be stopped. Otherwise, this study will continue to enter the second stage, and 18 additional subjects will be added, and the total number of trial subjects will reach 39.

Cohort 3 (ICC) This part is a single-agent, single one-dose level and single-arm design. The trial will be carried out in two periods. In the first period, a total of 20 subjects will be enrolled. If there is only 1 or fewer response case in the 20 subjects, the trial will be stopped to investigate the efficacy of the IP, otherwise, subjects will continue to enter the second period, and 13 additional subjects will be added, and the total number of trial cases will reach 33.

Cohort 4 (ICC and HCC) Combination with Nivolumab Combination cohort and subjects will receive VG161 at the same schedule as the monotherapy cohorts and 240 mg of intravenous Nivolumab on days 8 and 15 of each treatment cycle. The Nivolumab dose can be changed to 480 mg every 4 weeks after cycle one based on investigator's discretion.

Detailed Description

Not available

Basic Information
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Recruitment & Eligibility
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Study & Design
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Trial Locations

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2021-12-20
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-01-24
• Study First Posted: 2022-02-04
• Study Start: 2024-01-24
• Status Verified: 2024-08
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-08-07
• Last Update Posted: 2024-08-09
• Primary Completion: 2025-10-01
• Study Completion: 2025-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 97

Inclusion Criteria

1. Signed written informed consent.
2. Males or females aged 18 years and older.
3. Performance status: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0 or 1.
4. For subject in Cohort 2: cytologically confirmed advanced/metastatic or surgically unresectable HCC, with documented disease progression after at least two lines of FDA approved systemic therapy, including immunotherapy or anti-angiogenesis therapy as the first line treatment and at least one regimen of the following agents as the second line: anti-angiogenesis agents, tyrosine kinase inhibitors or immunotherapy.
5. For subject in Cohort 3: Histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced/metastatic or surgically unresectable ICC, with documented disease progression after chemotherapy as the first line systemic therapy. For patients with known IDH1 mutation, they must receive the appropriate targeted therapy with a IDH1 inhibitor and for patients with MSI-H tumors, they must receive immunotherapy with PD-1 inhibitors.
6. For subjects in Cohort 1 and Cohort 4: should fulfill either inclusion criteria 4) or 5).
7. Liver function: Child-Pugh A-B for cohort 1 and 2.
8. At least one measurable lesion per RECIST 1.1
9. At least 1 injectable lesion; ≥15 mm in longest diameter and deemed injectable as per Investigator's discretion. Subjects with deep or visceral lesions (such as hepatic or intraperitoneal lymph nodes) that can be safely injected under guided imaging can be considered for intratumoral injection of VG161..

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Exclusion Criteria

1. Participation in any trial of any other investigational agent within the last 4 weeks prior to dosing. Wash out periods to be reviewed on a case by case basis with Medical Monitor, as required.
2. Tumors to be injected lying in mucosal regions or close to an airway, major blood vessel or spinal cord that, in the opinion of the Investigators, could cause occlusion or compression in the case of tumor swelling or erosion into a major vessel in the case of necrosis.
3. Subjects with any primary Central Nervous System (CNS) malignancy including glioma and current, active, progressing CNS malignancy, including carcinomatosis meningitis are excluded. Subjects with treated brain metastases are eligible if there is no evidence of progression for at least 4 weeks after CNS-directed treatment, as ascertained by clinical examination and brain imaging (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] or computed tomography [CT] scan) during the screening period and off steroids (for at least 2 weeks prior to first dose of IP).
4. Major surgery within 14 days prior to dosing.
5. Intercurrent serious infections within 28 days prior to Screening or treated systematically with antibiotics within 14 days prior to signing ICF.
6. Life-threatening illness unrelated to cancer.
7. Active Herpes infection.
8. Treatment with antiviral agents within 14 days prior to dosing.
9. Uncontrolled congestive heart failure.
10. Known to test positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or syphilis.
11. Active infection including hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV) that currently under anti-virus treatment which can affect study drug treatment as per investigator's decision.
12. Use of ganciclovir or acyclovir within 14 days prior to dosing.
13. Subjects with a condition requiring systemic treatment with either corticosteroids (>10 mg daily prednisone equivalent) or other immunosuppressive medications within 14 days prior to dosing. Inhaled or topical steroids, and adrenal replacement steroid doses ≤10 mg daily prednisone equivalent, are permitted in the absence of active autoimmune disease.
14. Subjects who have been on systemic anticoagulants within 14 days prior to dosing and/or with International Normalized Ratio (INR) > 1.5 x the upper limit of the reference range are excluded from this study.
15. Subjects with prior radiation therapy to the tumor lesion to be injected are excluded from the study, unless there is evidence of tumor progression in the most recent imaging, following completion of radiotherapy.

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SEQUENTIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Safety Run-in Cohort	VG161	10 patients will be treated with IT injection of VG161 in the cohort 1 at dose level of 1.0x10E8 PFU x 3 days.
Cohort 4 (HCC and ICC)	Nivolumab Injection [Opdivo]	Up to 12 patients will be treated with IT injection of VG161 ar dose level of 1.0x10E8 PFU x 3 days. and Nivolumab per approved label.
Cohort 2 (HCC)	VG161	21 patients will be treated with IT injection of VG161 in the cohort 1 at dose level of 1.0x10E8 PFU x 3 days.
Cohort 3 (ICC)	VG161	20 patients will be treated with IT injection of VG161 in the cohort 1 at dose level of 1.0x10E8 PFU x 3 days.
Cohort 4 (HCC and ICC)	VG161	Up to 12 patients will be treated with IT injection of VG161 ar dose level of 1.0x10E8 PFU x 3 days. and Nivolumab per approved label.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Safety in Cohort1	12 months	Occurrence and severity of AEs, SAEs (according to NCI CTCAE version 5.0) in Safety Run-in Cohort (cohort 1)
ORR	12 months	Objective response rate in HCC Cohort (Cohort 2) and ICC Cohort (Cohort 3)
PFS	3 months	Progression-free survival in HCC Cohort (Cohort 2)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
ORR in cohort 1	12 months	objective response rate in Cohort1
OS	12 months	Overall survival rate in all cohorts
Blood concentration of VG161	12 months	Quantity of Blood concentration of VG161 in cohort 1
Immunogenicity endpoints	12 months	serum antibodies (ADA and Nab) at different time points in cohort 1
serum antibodies in cohort 1	12 months	Quantity of serum antibodies in cohort 1
Viral shedding	12 months	VG161 DNA tested in cohort 1
PD-L1 blocking peptide and IL12, IL-15 concentrations	12 months	Quantity of PD-L1 blocking peptide and IL12, IL-15 concentrations in cohort 1
Safety in Cohort2 and Cohort3	12 months	Occurrence and severity of AEs, SAEs (according to NCI CTCAE version 5.0) in cohort 2 and cohort 3
plasma cytokines	12 months	Quantity of plasma cytokines (IL-15, IL-6, TNF-a, IFN-γ) in cohort 2 and cohort 3
PFS	12 months	Progression-free survival in all cohorts
DOR	12 months	Duration of response in all cohorts
peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets	12 months	Quantity of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, CD19+, CD16+CD56+ (NK) cells) in cohort 2 and cohort 3
immune-related indicators	12 months	Quantity of immune-related indicators (PD-L1, PD-1, CD69, CD8+Ki67high) in cohort 2 and cohort 3
anti-HSV-1 antibody	12 months	Quantity of anti-HSV-1 antibody in cohort 2 and cohort 3

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Mayo Clinic; 🇺🇸 Rochester, Minnesota, United States

Mayo Clinic Florida; 🇺🇸 Jacksonville, Florida, United States