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A Combination of Ipilimumab and Fotemustine for Treat Unresectable Locally Advanced or Metastatic Melanoma

Phase 2
Completed
Conditions
Metastatic Malignant Melanoma
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT01654692
Lead Sponsor
Italian Network for Tumor Biotherapy
Brief Summary

This study is designed to assess the safety and efficacy of a combination of ipilimumab and fotemustine in Patients with Unresectable Locally Advanced or Metastatic Malignant Melanoma.

Detailed Description

Immunotherapy, chemotherapy and chemotherapy combinations are currently the most effective accepted systemic treatments for metastatic melanoma. However, significant and prolonged responses are rare.

The trial will determine the additional benefit achieved from adding fotemustine to the anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody,ipilimumab .

It is assumed that the mechanism by which ipilimumab augments the effects of chemotherapy in animal models relies on the ability of the cytotoxic agent to induce apoptosis of tumor cells. These apoptotic cells then can function as potent inducers of an immune response against any non-tolerized antigen that they contain. Thus, the chemotherapy may be creating an in vivo autologous tumor vaccine. Ipilimumab prevents the down regulation of this immune response, allowing for tumor rejection. Animal models evaluating the combination of anti-CTLA4 antibody and chemotherapy have given only a brief acute treatment with chemotherapy - presumably adequate to induce some tumor apoptosis, but inadequate to induce significant prolonged tumor rejection.

Since patients with metastatic melanoma generally require therapy within a relatively short period of time, this protocol will allow for the use of fotemustine. Standard dosing of fotemustine will be used to optimize the chance for tumor control.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
86
Inclusion Criteria
  • Histologic diagnosis of malignant melanoma
  • Stage III (unresectable) or Stage IV melanoma
  • Maximum 1 line of chemotherapy for advanced disease allowed
  • No prior chemotherapy within 4 weeks from treatment start (6 weeks in case of nitrosourea)
  • No previous systemic corticosteroid therapy within 10 days
  • Prior adjuvant treatment with IFN or other immunotherapy allowed
  • Asymptomatic brain metastases allowed
  • Measurable disease
  • Prior treatment of brain metastases. In case stereotactic radiotherapy (or surgery) was not applicable, whole brain radiotherapy should have been performed
  • Life expectancy >= 16 weeks
  • ECOG performance status of 0 or 1
  • Normal laboratory tests were required
  • Negative screening tests for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.
  • Men and women, of and over 18 years old. Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) must be using an adequate method of contraception to avoid pregnancy throughout the study and for up to 8 weeks after the study in such a manner that the risk of pregnancy is minimized.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Any malignancy from which the patient has been disease-free for less than 5 years, with the exception of adequately treated and cured basal or squamous cell skin cancer, superficial bladder cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix;
  • Primary ocular or mucosal melanoma. Medical History and Concurrent Diseases
  • Symptomatic brain metastases requiring immediate local intervention (radiotherapy (RT) and/or surgery)
  • Autoimmune disease
  • Any underlying medical condition, which in the opinion of the investigator, will make the administration of study drug hazardous or obscure the interpretation of adverse events, such as a condition associated with frequent diarrhea.

Prohibited Treatments and/or Therapies

  • Concomitant therapy with any anti-cancer agent
  • Immunosuppressive agents
  • Any non-oncology vaccine therapy used for prevention of infectious diseases (for up to 1 month prior to or after any dose of study drug); surgery or radiotherapy ; other investigational anti-cancer therapies; or chronic use of systemic corticosteroids ;
  • Previous treatment with other investigational products, including cancer immunotherapy, within 30 days;
  • Previous enrollment in another clinical trial or prior treatment with a CD137 agonist or anti-CTLA-4 and/or fotemustine.

Sex and Reproductive Status

  • WOCBP who are unwilling or unable to use an acceptable method to avoid pregnancy for the entire study period and for up to 8 weeks after the study;
  • Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding;
  • Women with a positive pregnancy test on enrollment or prior to investigational product administration;
  • Sexually active fertile men not using effective birth control if their partners are WOCBP.

Other Exclusion Criteria

  • Prisoners or subjects who are involuntarily incarcerated;
  • Subjects who are compulsorily detained for treatment of either a psychiatric or physical illness.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Single arm of ipilimumab and fotemustineIpilimumab and FotemustineIpilimumab in combination with Fotemustine
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
The immune response disease control rate (irDCR) using the immune-related (ir) tumor response criteria of the combination of ipilimumab and fotemustine in patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic melanoma.Weeks 24

Immune-related Disease Control Rate (irDCR) is the proportion of treated subjects with a BOR of confirmed irCR, confirmed irPR or irSD.

Tumor assessment (including determination of overall response at each tumor assessment and best overall response (BOR) taken over all tumor assessments prior to subsequent therapy is performed using the immune-related (ir) tumor response criteria.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Immune-related Major Durable Disease Control Rate (irMDDCR)up to 24 weeks

Immune-related Major Durable Disease Control Rate (irMDDCR) is the proportion of treated subjects with a duration of disease control of \>= 24 weeks measured from Week 12, or (for those subjects with a confirmed irCR or confirmed irPR prior to Week 12) from the date of first overall response of irCR or irPR, until the date of irPD or death (whichever occurs first).

Immune-related Objective Response Rate (irORR)Weeks 24

Immune-related Objective Response Rate (irORR) is the proportion of treated subjects with a BOR of confirmed irCR or confirmed irPR.

Overall Survival (OS)2 years

Overall Survival (OS) is defined as the time from first dosing date until the date of death. For those subjects who have not died, OS will be censored at the recorded last date of subject contact, and for subjects with a missing recorded last date of contact, OS will be censored at the last date the subject was known to be alive.

OS will be further described using the survival rate at one year, defined as the probability that a subject is alive at 1 and 2 years following first dose of study therapy and estimated via the Kaplan-Meier method.

Brain Progression-free Survival (Brain-PFS)2 years

Brain Progression-free Survival (Brain-PFS) is defined as the time from first dosing date to the date of progression as per MRI of existing brain lesions, or of occurrence as per MRI of a new lesion located in the brain, or of death.

safety and feasibility of the combination of ipilimumab and fotemustine2 years

A first clinical safety assessment will be performed to identify any early safety signals from ipilimumab given in combination with fotemustine at the first 18 treated patients. All subjects who receive at least 1 dose of study drug will be evaluable for safety parameters. Additionally, any occurrence of a SAE from time of consent forward will be reported.

Immune-related Time to Response (irTTR)Weeks 24

irTTR is defined as the time from first dosing date until the measurement criteria (using irRC) are first met for overall response of irPR or irCR (whichever status comes first, and provided it is subsequently confirmed).

Immune-related Progression-Free Survival (irPFS)2 years

Immune-related Progression-Free Survival (irPFS) is defined as the time between the first dosing date and the date of irPD, or date of death, whichever occurs first. (ie, subjects who die without reported irPD will be considered to have progressed on the date of death).

Trial Locations

Locations (7)

Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Institute

🇮🇹

Milan, Italy

National Institute for Cancer Research

🇮🇹

Genoa, Italy

Immunotherapy and Somatic Cell Therapy Unit, Scientific Institute of Romagna

🇮🇹

Meldola, Italy

European Institute of Oncology

🇮🇹

Milan, Italy

Melanoma Unit, San Raffaele Hospital

🇮🇹

Milan, Italy

Medical Oncology and Innovative Therapy, National Cancer Institute

🇮🇹

Naples, Italy

Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy-University Hospital of Siena

🇮🇹

Siena, Italy

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