Denosumab in Combination With Chemotherapy as First-line Treatment of Metastatic Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Phase 2

Completed

Conditions: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Interventions: Drug: Zoledronic acid
Drug: Denosumab
Drug: Placebo to Denosumab
Drug: Standard Chemotherapy
Drug: Placebo to Zoledronic Acid

Registration Number: NCT01951586

Lead Sponsor: Amgen

Brief Summary: This randomized phase 2 trial is studying the effect of adding denosumab to standard chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced lung cancer.

Detailed Description: This is a global randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study in patients with Stage IV untreated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with or without bone metastasis. Eligible participants are to receive 4 to 6 cycles of a standard of care platinum-doublet chemotherapy regimen. Participants will be randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive denosumab or matching placebo with the first investigational product dose coinciding with participant's first cycle of chemotherapy and continuing until the primary analysis, unacceptable toxicity, withdrawal of consent, death, or lost to follow-up. Participants who discontinued the investigational product early (ie, before primary analysis) were followed for disease status and survival. The primary analysis took place when 149 events of death had been reported. All participants were followed for 2 years after the last dose of blinded investigational product.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 226

Inclusion Criteria

Histologically or cytologically confirmed stage IV non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), according to 7th Tumor/Node/Metastasis (TNM) classification (cytological specimens obtained by bronchial washing or brushing, or fine-needle aspiration are acceptable)
Subject has available and has provided consent to release to the sponsor (or designee) a tumor block with confirmed tumor content (or approximately 20 unstained charged slides [a minimum of 7 slides is mandatory]) and the corresponding pathology report
Planned to receive 4 to 6 cycles of pemetrexed or gemcitabine in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin

• For subjects to receive pemetrexed, planned to receive vitamin B12 and folate per pemetrexed approved labeling
Radiographically evaluable (measurable or non-measurable) disease (according to modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 criteria
Other inclusion criteria may apply

Exclusion Criteria

Known presence of documented sensitizing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activating mutation or echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (EML4-ALK) translocation (screening following local standards, but strongly encouraged in non-squamous histology)
Known brain metastases (systematic screening of patients not mandatory)
Any prior systemic therapy (before randomization) for the treatment of NSCLC (including chemoradiation), except if for non-metastatic disease and was completed at least 6 months prior to randomization
Planned to receive bevacizumab
Significant dental/oral disease, including prior history or current evidence of osteonecrosis/ osteomyelitis of the jaw, or with the following:
- Active dental or jaw condition which requires oral surgery
- Non-healed dental/oral surgery
- Planned invasive dental procedures for the course of the study.

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Placebo	Standard Chemotherapy	Participants received placebo matching to denosumab by subcutaneous injection once every 4 weeks plus one loading dose on study day 8 in addition to platinum-based standard chemotherapy. Participants with bone metastases also received 4 mg zoledronic acid administered as an IV infusion Q4W or Q3W.
Placebo	Placebo to Denosumab	Participants received placebo matching to denosumab by subcutaneous injection once every 4 weeks plus one loading dose on study day 8 in addition to platinum-based standard chemotherapy. Participants with bone metastases also received 4 mg zoledronic acid administered as an IV infusion Q4W or Q3W.
Denosumab	Standard Chemotherapy	Participants received 120 mg denosumab by subcutaneous injection once every 4 weeks plus one loading dose on study day 8 in addition to platinum-based standard chemotherapy. Participants with bone metastases also received placebo to zoledronic acid administered as an IV infusion Q4W or Q3W.
Denosumab	Placebo to Zoledronic Acid	Participants received 120 mg denosumab by subcutaneous injection once every 4 weeks plus one loading dose on study day 8 in addition to platinum-based standard chemotherapy. Participants with bone metastases also received placebo to zoledronic acid administered as an IV infusion Q4W or Q3W.
Placebo	Zoledronic acid	Participants received placebo matching to denosumab by subcutaneous injection once every 4 weeks plus one loading dose on study day 8 in addition to platinum-based standard chemotherapy. Participants with bone metastases also received 4 mg zoledronic acid administered as an IV infusion Q4W or Q3W.
Denosumab	Denosumab	Participants received 120 mg denosumab by subcutaneous injection once every 4 weeks plus one loading dose on study day 8 in addition to platinum-based standard chemotherapy. Participants with bone metastases also received placebo to zoledronic acid administered as an IV infusion Q4W or Q3W.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Overall Survival (OS)	From randomization until the end of study; median time on study was 9.64 months.	Overall survival was calculated as the time from the date of randomization to the date of death from any cause. Participants last known to be alive were censored at the last contact date.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Progression-free Survival (PFS)	From randomization until the data cut-off date of 29 July 2016; median time on study was 9.64 months.	Progression-free survival was defined as the time from randomization to the first observed disease progression per modified RECIST 1.1 criteria or death from any cause. Participants last known to be alive who did not experience disease progression were censored at their last imaging assessment date, last contact date if they were in the survival follow up phase, end of the study date, or the primary analysis cut-off date, whichever was first. If a participant underwent surgical resection while on study, the participant was censored at the last evaluable imaging assessment prior to the surgery.
Serum Denosumab Trough Levels in Participants Who Received Q4W Dosing	Prior to dosing at day 8 and weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24	Serum samples were analyzed for denosumab using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) following a validated procedure. The lower limit of quantification for the assay was 20 ng/mL.
Correlation of Tumor Tissue RANK Expression With Overall Survival	From randomization until the data cut-off date of 29 July 2016; median time on study was 9.64 months.	To assess whether the treatment effect on overall survival was correlated with receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-κB (RANK) protein expression in tumor cells, RANK expression in archival tumor samples was measured using immunohistochemistry. The intensity of stain in the cytoplasm, membrane, and total was categorized as 0 (negative), 1+ (weak), 2+ (moderate) or 3+ (strong); All intensity is the sum of levels +1, +2 and +3. In addition, an H-score was calculated using the following formula: H-score=(percentage of cells of weak×1)+(percentage of cells of moderate×2)+(percentage of cells of strong×3). The maximum H-score was 300, corresponding to 100% of cells with strong intensity. The correlation between RANK expression level and OS was evaluated using a Cox proportional hazard models that included RANK expression level stratified by the randomization stratification factors in the corresponding treatment group.
Correlation of Tumor Tissue RANK Ligand Expression With Overall Survival	From randomization until the data cut-off date of 29 July 2016; median time on study was 9.64 months.	To assess whether the treatment effect on overall survival was correlated with RANK ligand (RANKL) protein expression in tumor cells, RANKL expression in archival tumor samples was measured using immunohistochemistry. The intensity of stain in the cytoplasm was categorized as 0 (negative), 1+ (weak), 2+ (moderate) or 3+ (strong); All intensity is the sum of levels +1, +2 and +3. In addition, an H-score was calculated using the following formula: H-score=(percentage of cells of weak×1)+(percentage of cells of moderate×2)+(percentage of cells of strong×3). The maximum H-score was 300, corresponding to 100% of cells with strong intensity. The correlation between RANKL expression level and OS was evaluated using a Cox proportional hazard models that included RANKL expression level stratified by the randomization stratification factors in the corresponding treatment group.
Number of Participants With Treatment-emergent Adverse Events	From first dose of study drug to the end of study date; the median (min, max) duration was 10.0 (0.2, 41.4) and 9.4 (0.2, 42.9) months for Placebo and Denosumab respectively.	An adverse event (AE) is defined as any untoward medical occurrence in a clinical trial participant. The event does not necessarily have a causal relationship with study treatment. A serious adverse event is defined as an AE that meets at least 1 of the following criteria * fatal * life threatening * requires in-patient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization * results in persistent or significant disability/incapacity * congenital anomaly/birth defect * other medically important serious event Treatment-related AEs include only TEAEs for which the investigator indicated there was a reasonable possibility they may have been caused by study drug. Fatal adverse events include only deaths reported on the Adverse Event Case Report Form.
Correlation of Tumor Tissue RANKL Expression With Objective Response Rate	From randomization until the data cut-off date of 29 July 2016; median time on study was 9.64 months.	To assess whether the treatment effect on objective response rate (ORR) based on RECIST 1.1 was correlated with RANKL protein expression in tumor cells, RANKL expression in archival tumor samples was measured using immunohistochemistry. The intensity of stain in the cytoplasm was categorized as 0 (negative), 1+ (weak), 2+ (moderate) or 3+ (strong); All intensity is the sum of levels +1, +2 and +3. In addition, an H-score was calculated using the following formula: H-score=(percentage of cells of weak×1)+(percentage of cells of moderate×2)+(percentage of cells of strong×3). The maximum H-score was 300, corresponding to 100% of cells with strong intensity. The correlation between RANKL expression level and ORR was evaluated within each treatment group using a logistical regression model that included RANKL expression value as an independent variable and stratified by the randomization stratification factors. The odds ratio and 95% confidence interval are reported.
Clinical Benefit Rate	From randomization until the data cut-off date of 29 July 2016; median time on study was 9.64 months.	Clinical benefit rate was defined as the percentage of participants with an objective response (CR or PR) or stable disease (SD) or better for at least 16 weeks achieved over the study duration. If a participant underwent surgical resection while on study, the participant was not evaluated for response after the surgery. Participants who did not meet the criteria for clinical benefit by the analysis cutoff date were considered as non-responders.
Correlation of Tumor Tissue RANK Expression With Objective Response Rate	From randomization until the data cut-off date of 29 July 2016; median time on study was 9.64 months.	To assess whether the treatment effect on objective response rate (ORR) based on RECIST 1.1 was correlated with RANK protein expression in tumor cells, RANK expression in archival tumor samples was measured using immunohistochemistry. The intensity of stain in the cytoplasm, membrane, and total was categorized as 0 (negative), 1+ (weak), 2+ (moderate) or 3+ (strong); All intensity is the sum of levels +1, +2 and +3. In addition, an H-score was calculated using the following formula: H-score=(percentage of cells of weak×1)+(percentage of cells of moderate×2)+(percentage of cells of strong×3). The maximum H-score was 300, corresponding to 100% of cells with strong intensity. The correlation between RANK expression level and ORR was evaluated within each treatment group using a logistical regression model that included RANK expression value as an independent variable and stratified by the randomization stratification factors. The odds ratio and 95% confidence interval are reported.
Objective Response Rate	From randomization until the data cut-off date of 29 July 2016; median time on study was 9.64 months.	Objective response rate was defined as the percentage of participants with a complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) based on modified RECIST 1.1 achieved over the study duration. CR: Disappearance of all target and non target lesions, normalization of tumor marker levels and no new lesions. PR: At least a 30% decrease in the size of target lesions with no progression of non-target lesions and no new lesions, or, disappearance of target lesions with persistence of one or more non-target lesions and/or maintenance of tumor marker levels above normal limits and no new lesions. Participants who underwent surgical resection while on study were not evaluated for response after the surgery. Participants who did not meet the criteria for an objective response by the analysis cutoff date were considered non-responders.
Serum Denosumab Trough Levels in Participants Who Received Q3W Dosing	Prior to dosing at day 8 and weeks 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24.	Serum samples were analyzed for denosumab using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) following a validated procedure. The lower limit of quantification for the assay was 20 ng/mL.