Tabelecleucel in combination with pembrolizumab (Pembro) in platinum-pretreated, recurrent/metastatic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma (EBV+NPC).

Authors

Lillian Siu

Lillian L. Siu

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Lillian L. Siu , Joshua Bauml , Douglas Adkins , A. Dimitrios Colevas , Cesar Augusto Perez , Jennifer Hsing Choe , Yang Zhang , Wen Shi , Willis H. Navarro , Missak Haigentz Jr., Guilherme Rabinowits , David G. Pfister

Organizations

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Phialdelphia, PA, Division of Medical Oncology and Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford, CA, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL, Duke University, Chapel Hill, NC, Atara Biotherapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, Atlantic Health System, Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, NJ, Head and Neck and Cutaneous Medical Oncology, Miami Cancer Institute, Miami, FL, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

Research Funding

Pharmaceutical/Biotech Company

Background: Approximately 25% of patients (pts) with NPC develop RM disease, which has a poor prognosis (median overall survival [mOS]: 12–16 mo), despite standard treatments with radiation and/or chemotherapy. NPC is an EBV-associated cancer in which programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression is upregulated upon EBV activation. Pembro showed antitumor activity in a phase 1b study of pts with RM-NPC (objective response rate [ORR]: 26%; mOS: 16.5 mo) (Hsu, J Clin Oncol 2017;35:4050-56). Targeting RM EBV+ NPC with tab-cel immunotherapy (off-the-shelf, allogeneic EBV-specific T cells) in pts has also shown promise, with 2-yr OS rates of 84% (Prockop, ASCO 2016;34:3012). The favorable safety profile of tab-cel offers the opportunity for combination immunotherapy with pembro for increased efficacy. Methods: This multicenter, open-label, single-arm phase 1b/2 study evaluates safety and efficacy of tab-cel in combination with pembro. Study participants are ≥12 yrs of age with incurable, locally recurrent or metastatic EBV+ NPC previously treated with platinum-containing therapy. Pts are checkpoint-inhibitor naïve (phase 1b/2) or refractory to anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 therapy (phase 1b). Tab-cel is selected from a bank based on matching ≥2 HLA alleles, including ≥1 restricting HLA allele, between pts and donors. Tab-cel will be administered intravenously (IV) on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 21-day cycle. Initial tab-cel dose is 2x106 cells/kg and the de-escalated tab-cel dose (if needed) is 1x106 cells/kg. Pembro is administered at 200 mg IV Q3W in adults and 2 mg/kg IV Q3W in pts aged 12 to 17 yrs. Primary outcomes of phase 1b are to characterize dose-limiting toxicities, identify the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) or in the absence of MTD, the recommended phase 2 dose, and assess safety. Primary outcomes for phase 2 are ORR and safety. Secondary endpoints include progression-free survival, OS, and duration of response. Enrollment is ongoing for 12-24 participants in the phase 1b portion of the study with a 6+6 design. Phase 2 is expected to enroll 36 pts. Clinical trial information: NCT03769467

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2019 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Head and Neck Cancer

Track

Head and Neck Cancer

Sub Track

Local-Regional Disease

Clinical Trial Registration Number

NCT03769467

Citation

J Clin Oncol 37, 2019 (suppl; abstr TPS6092)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2019.37.15_suppl.TPS6092

Abstract #

TPS6092

Poster Bd #

79b

Abstract Disclosures