Phase 1b Safety Study of CMB305 in Patients With Locally Advanced, Relapsed, or Metastatic Cancer Expressing NY-ESO-1

Immune Design, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. (Rahway, New Jersey USA)

Status and phase: Terminated; Phase 1

Conditions: Melanoma; Sarcoma; Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Ovarian Cancer

Treatments: Biological: G100; Biological: CMB305; Drug: Metronomic CPA

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Industry

Identifiers

NCT02387125

V943A-001

IMDZ-C131 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a Phase 1b, open label, multi-center study of CMB305 (sequentially administered LV305 [a dendritic cell-targeting viral vector expressing the NY-ESO-1 gene] and G305 [NY-ESO-1 recombinant protein plus GLA-SE]) in patients with melanoma, sarcoma, ovarian cancer, or non-small cell lung cancer that express NY-ESO-1.

Full description

This study is designed to investigate and examine the safety and immunogenicity of the combinatorial regimen called CMB305, where intradermal LV305 is administered sequentially with intramuscular G305 over three months. During Part 1, a dose escalation design will be utilized in patients with melanoma, NSCLC, ovarian cancer, or sarcoma. After completion of Part 1, the study will be expanded in Part 2 and will enroll patients with NSCLC, ovarian cancer, synovial sarcoma or myxoid/round cell liposarcoma. While this is an exploratory study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of the CMB305 regimen, the study will also evaluate the safety and response to with oral metronomic CPA or intratumoral G100 in the context of CMB305.

CMB305 is a prime-boost vaccine approach against NY-ESO-1-expressing tumors, designed to generate an integrated, anti-NY-ESO-1 immune response in vivo via a targeted, specific interaction with dendritic cells.

G100 contains a potent synthetic small molecule toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) agonist, Glucopyranosyl Lipid A (GLA) that leverages the activation of both innate and adaptive immunity, including dendritic cells, in the tumor microenvironment to create an immune response against the tumor's preexisting diverse set of antigens.

Enrollment: 79 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Locally advanced, relapsed, and/or metastatic cancer

2. Tumor histology consistent with one of the following: In Part 1, Dose Escalation - melanoma, NSCLC, ovarian cancer (including fallopian tube carcinoma), or sarcoma (any subtype). In Part 2, Patient Expansion - NSCLC, ovarian cancer (including fallopian tube carcinoma), or the sarcoma subtypes, synovial sarcoma or myxoid/round cell liposarcoma

3. Tumor specimen positive for NY-ESO-1 expression by IHC and/or RT-PCR. At least one tumor must be accessible and patients must consent for biopsies in Arms C and D.

4. Inadequate response, relapse, and/or unacceptable toxicity with one or more prior systemic, surgical, or radiation cancer therapies, and for whom curative standard therapy is not an option (except patients with NSCLC who must have experienced either an inadequate response, relapse, and/or unacceptable toxicity with two or more prior systemic, surgical, or radiation cancer therapies)

5. ≥ 18 years of age 7. Life expectancy of ≥ 6 months per the investigator 8. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1 9. ECG without evidence of clinically significant arrhythmia or ischemia 10. If female of childbearing potential (FCBP), willing to undergo pregnancy testing and agrees to use at least one highly effective or two effective contraceptive methods during the dosing period and for three months after last CMB305 injection 11. If male and sexually active with a FCBP, must agree to use highly effective contraception such as latex condom during the dosing period and for three months after last CMB305 injection

Exclusion criteria

1. Investigational therapy within 3 weeks prior to CMB305 dosing

2. Prior administration of other NY-ESO-1-targeting immunotherapeutics

3. Significant immunosuppression from:

   1. Concurrent, recent (≤ 4 weeks ago) or anticipated treatment with systemic corticosteroids at any dose, or
   2. Other immunosuppressive medications such as methotrexate, cyclosporine, azathioprine (antihistamines, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin permitted) or conditions such as common variable hypogamma-globulinemia or exposures such as large field radiotherapy

4. Cancer therapies, including chemotherapy, radiation, biologics or kinase inhibitors, G-CSF or GM-CSF within 3 weeks prior to the first scheduled CMB305 dosing

5. Psychiatric, other medical illness or other condition that in the opinion of the PI prevents compliance with study procedures or ability to provide valid informed consent

6. Significant autoimmune disease with the exception of alopecia, vitiligo, hypothyroidism or other conditions that have never been clinically active or were transient and have completely resolved and require no ongoing therapy

7. Myocardial infarction within 6 months of study initiation, active cardiac ischemia or New York Heart Association (NYHA) Grade III or IV heart failure

8. Inadequate organ function including:

   1. Marrow: Peripheral blood leukocyte count (WBC) < 3000/mm3, absolute neutrophil count ≤ 1500/mm3, platelets < 75000/mm3, or hemoglobin < 10 gm/dL
   2. Hepatic: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) > 2.5 x ULN, total serum bilirubin > 1.5 x ULN (patients with Gilbert's Disease may be included if their total bilirubin is ≤3.0 mg/dL)
   3. Renal: Creatinine > 1.5x ULN
   4. Other: INR (prothrombin time ratio) or partial thromboplastin time (PTT) >1.5 x ULN

9. History of other cancer within 3 years (except non-melanoma cutaneous malignancies and cervical carcinoma in situ).

10. Active tuberculosis or recent (< 2 week ago) clinically significant infection or evidence of active hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV infection

11. For melanoma: Uveal melanoma or LDH >1.1 x ULN

12. Brain metastases considered unstable as:

    1. Without confirmed stability over 60 days in patients previously treated with prior surgery or radiation; OR
    2. Associated with symptoms and/or findings; OR
    3. Requiring corticosteroids or anticonvulsants in the prior 60 days

13. Pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or nursing

14. Known allergy(ies) to any component of CMB305 or CPA

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Sequential Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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79 participants in 2 patient groups

Part 1 Dose Escalation of CMB305

Experimental group

Description:

Patients with melanoma, NSCLC, ovarian cancer, or sarcoma will be enrolled. Patients will receive CMB305, a sequential regimen of LV305 and G305. Two cohorts are planned based on LV305 dose.

Treatment:

Biological: CMB305

Part 2 Expansion of CMB305

Experimental group

Description:

Arm A will enroll up to 9 patients each with NSCLC or ovarian cancer, or up to 18 patients with the sarcoma subtypes, synovial sarcoma or MRCL. Arm B will enroll up to 9 additional patients with selected sarcoma subtypes to explore subcutaneous (SC) dosing of LV305 and G305 on the same schedule. Arm C will enroll up to 9 patients with synovial sarcoma or MRCL for treatment with CMB305 and with oral metronomic CPA. Arm D will enroll up to 9 patients with synovial sarcoma or MRCL at selected sites for treatment with CMB305 and IT G100. Arm E will enroll up to 6 patients with soft tissue sarcoma any subtype for treatment with a higher dose of CMB305 than previous arms.

Treatment:

Biological: CMB305

Drug: Metronomic CPA

Biological: G100