MedPath

Melanoma Checkpoint and Gut Microbiome Alteration With Microbiome Intervention

Phase 1
Completed
Conditions
Metastatic Melanoma
Interventions
Drug: Placebo for antibiotic
Drug: Matching Placebo for SER-401
Registration Number
NCT03817125
Lead Sponsor
Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
Brief Summary

This study is designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of treatment with oral microbiome study intervention (SER-401) or matching placebo in combination with anti-programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD-1) therapy (nivolumab) in participants with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. The study also intends to assess clinical outcomes, the impact of microbiome study intervention administration on the microbiome profile, and its association with clinical and immunological outcomes.

Detailed Description

This is a Phase 1b, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded study in adult participants with anti-PD-1 therapy naïve, unresectable or metastatic melanoma to evaluate the safety and tolerability of SER-401, or matching placebo in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy (nivolumab). Prior to initiating microbiome study intervention and nivolumab, participants will undergo an antibiotic or antibiotic placebo treatment lead-in to prime the gut microbiome for engraftment of the oral microbiome study intervention. Study intervention groups will be assessed for safety, changes in the microbiome, changes in the percentage of tumoral CD8 T cells, and antitumor activity. Participants must have measurable disease that can be biopsied and consent to baseline and on-treatment biopsies, as well as stool and blood biomarker collection throughout the study.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
14
Inclusion Criteria
  1. Participant must be willing to provide a baseline stool sample.

  2. Histologically-confirmed Stage IV cutaneous melanoma or Stage III cutaneous, acral or mucosal melanoma that is judged inoperable. Participants with a history of uveal melanoma are not eligible.

  3. Measurable disease as defined by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1; ie, defined as at least 1 lesion that can be accurately measured in at least 1 dimension [longest diameter to be recorded] with a minimum size of ≥ 10 mm by computerized tomography [CT] scan or caliper measurement on clinical exam or ≥ 20 mm by chest X-ray).

    1. Malignant lymph nodes must be ≥ 15 mm in short axis when assessed by CT scan to be considered pathologically enlarged and measurable.
    2. Participants must have at least one measurable lesion by RECIST and a separate lesion amenable to biopsy that has not been previously irradiated.

    i. Participants must be willing to undergo a newly-obtained core needle or incisional biopsy at baseline (prior to antibiotic or antibiotic placebo administration). Fine needle aspiration is not acceptable.

  4. Participants must be willing to undergo tumor biopsy on treatment.

  5. Prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant melanoma therapy is permitted if completed at least 6 weeks prior to randomization and all related AEs have either returned to baseline or stabilized.

    1. Prior anti-CTLA-4 therapy in the adjuvant setting is allowed if completed at least 12 weeks prior to the first dose of anti-PD-1.
Exclusion Criteria
  1. Participants who require hemodialysis.

  2. Participants with a history of another cancer in the last 5 years, except for: a) curatively resected non-melanoma skin cancer; b) curatively treated cervical carcinoma in situ; c) localized prostate cancer not requiring systemic therapy; and c) other primary tumors with no known active disease present that, in the opinion of the Investigator and the Sponsor, will not affect participant outcome in the setting of the current diagnosis.

  3. Any known, untreated brain metastases. Participants with brain metastases are eligible if these have been treated, and provided:

    1. Brain metastases must be stable (image-documented) 4 weeks after completion of treatment for brain metastases and require treatment with less than 10 mg/day prednisone equivalent for at least 2 weeks prior to study intervention administration.
    2. Neurological symptoms should be absent or returned to baseline.
  4. Prior checkpoint inhibitor therapy with anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 in the adjuvant setting.

    a. Exception: Participants with stage 3 or 4 cutaneous melanoma status post-resection who have received up to one year of adjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy who have recurred > 6 months after their last dose of anti-PD-1 therapy are eligible.

  5. Other prior systemic treatment (ie, anticancer chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or investigational agents) for unresectable or metastatic melanoma EXCEPT:

    1. Prior BRAF-targeted therapy (ie, BRAF or BRAF-MEK) in the metastatic setting is allowed if completed at least 4 weeks prior to the first dose of anti-PD-1.
    2. Prior anti-CTLA 4 therapy in the adjuvant setting are allowed if completed at least 12 weeks prior to the first dose of anti-PD-1.
  6. History of active inflammatory bowel disease (eg, active Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis) with diarrhea OR major gastrointestinal surgery (not including appendectomy or cholecystectomy) within 3 months of enrollment (ie, signed informed consent for the study), OR any history of total colectomy or bariatric surgery (bariatric surgery which does not disrupt the gastrointestinal lumen, ie, restrictive procedures such as banding, are permitted).

  7. Any diagnosis of autoimmune disease. Participants with Type I diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism only requiring hormone replacement, adrenal insufficiency on replacement dose steroids, skin disorders (such as vitiligo, psoriasis or alopecia) not requiring systemic treatment, or conditions not expected to recur in the absence of an external trigger are permitted to enroll.

    a. Participants with controlled Type 1 diabetes mellitus on a stable insulin regimen may be eligible.

  8. Has a condition requiring systemic treatment with either corticosteroids (> 10 mg daily prednisone equivalents) or other immunosuppressive medications within 14 days of study intervention administration or has a contrast allergy requiring premedication with corticosteroids. Inhaled or topical steroids, and adrenal replacement doses > 10 mg daily prednisone equivalents are permitted in the absence of active autoimmune disease.

  9. History of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonitis (including drug induced), organizing pneumonia (ie, bronchiolitis obliterans, cryptogenic organizing pneumonia, etc.), or evidence of active pneumonitis on screening chest CT scan.

    a. History of radiation pneumonitis in the radiation field (fibrosis) is permitted.

  10. Has a transplanted organ or has undergone allogeneic bone marrow transplant.

  11. Has received a live vaccine within 30 days prior to first dose. Participants must not receive live, attended influenza vaccine (eg, FluMist) within 30 days prior to Cycle 1, Day 1 or at any time during the study and 100 days after last dose of nivolumab.

  12. Has used antibiotics within 30 days prior to randomization or has planned or required need for antibiotic prophylaxis for more than 24 consecutive hours during the course of the study.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
SER-401 Matching Placebo/ NivolumabPlacebo for antibioticParticipants will undergo a 4-day lead-in pretreatment with antibiotic placebo, then matching placebo for SER-401 and nivolumab (480 mg) treatment.
SER-401 Matching Placebo/ NivolumabMatching Placebo for SER-401Participants will undergo a 4-day lead-in pretreatment with antibiotic placebo, then matching placebo for SER-401 and nivolumab (480 mg) treatment.
SER-401/ NivolumabVancomycin pretreatmentParticipants will undergo a 4-day lead-in pretreatment with antibiotic (vancomycin) to prime the gut microbiome for engraftment of the oral microbiome study intervention, then SER-401 and nivolumab treatment.
SER-401/ NivolumabSER-401Participants will undergo a 4-day lead-in pretreatment with antibiotic (vancomycin) to prime the gut microbiome for engraftment of the oral microbiome study intervention, then SER-401 and nivolumab treatment.
SER-401 Matching Placebo/ NivolumabNivolumabParticipants will undergo a 4-day lead-in pretreatment with antibiotic placebo, then matching placebo for SER-401 and nivolumab (480 mg) treatment.
SER-401/ NivolumabNivolumabParticipants will undergo a 4-day lead-in pretreatment with antibiotic (vancomycin) to prime the gut microbiome for engraftment of the oral microbiome study intervention, then SER-401 and nivolumab treatment.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Percentage of Patients With Adverse Events (AEs)Up to 2 years

Investigators recorded AEs during each participant interaction. Symptoms were evaluated by the Investigator using the CTCAE version 5.0. This system grades AEs on a 1 to 5 scale: Grades 1 and 2 indicate mild to moderate events; Grade 3 denotes severe events; Grades 4 and 5 signify life-threatening or fatal outcomes.

A treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE) is defined as any event that either occurs after the initiation of study intervention, having been absent at baseline, or, if present at baseline, appears to have worsened in severity or frequency, regardless of its relation to the intervention. Adverse events deemed 'Possibly', 'Probably', or 'Definitely' related to the intervention were labeled as treatment-related adverse events (TRAE).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Progression-free Survival (PFS)Up to 2 years

Defined as the time from randomization to date of first documented progression of disease, date of death due to any cause, or date of most recent participant contact that documented progression-free status

Disease Control Rate (DCR)Up to week 52

Defined as CR, PR, or stable disease (SD) for ≥ 24 weeks as best response by RECIST v1.1.

Mean Change From Baseline in the Number of Newly Appearing Spore-forming SpeciesUp to 2 years

Engraftment was defined as the number of spore-forming species detected in SER-401 that were absent in participant baseline samples, and present post-microbiome-treatment, also referred to as newly appearing dose species.

Objective Response Rate (ORR)Up to week 52

Objective Response Rate (ORR) is defined as the proportion of participants who attain a best overall response of complete response (CR; disappearance of all target lesions) or partial response (PR; \>=30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions), as determined by RECIST version 1.1. Confirmation of response by a repeat tumor assessment is not required.

Overall Survival (OS)Up to 2 years

Defined as the time from randomization until death or last contact if still alive at the time of final data collection (after completion of anti-PD-1 therapy).

Duration of ResponseUp to 2 years

Defined as time from date of documented CR or PR to date of first documented progression of disease, date of death due to any cause, or date of most recent participant contact that documented response (ie, scan date).

Absolute Change in the Percentage of CD8 Cells in Tumor Tissue From Baseline at Cycle 2.At cycle 2 (each cycle is 28 days)

Absolute change in the percentage of CD8 cells in tumor tissue from baseline at Cycle 2.

Trial Locations

Locations (7)

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

🇺🇸

New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States

Massachusetts General Hospital

🇺🇸

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

🇺🇸

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute

🇺🇸

Los Angeles, California, United States

Huntsman Cancer Institute

🇺🇸

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

🇺🇸

New York, New York, United States

MD Anderson Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Houston, Texas, United States

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath