Pembrolizumab (pembro) vs placebo (pbo) in patients (pts) with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC) previously treated with sorafenib: Updated data from the randomized, phase III KEYNOTE-240 study.

Authors

Philippe Merle

Philippe Merle

Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France

Philippe Merle , Julien Edeline , Mohamed Bouattour , Ann-Lii Cheng , Stephen Lam Chan , Thomas Yau , Marcelo Garrido , Jennifer J. Knox , Bruno Daniele , Andrew X. Zhu , Valeriy Vladimirovich Breder , Ho Yeong Lim , Sadahisa Ogasawara , Abby B. Siegel , Ahmadur Rahman , Ziwen Wei , Richard S. Finn

Organizations

Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France, Centre Eugène Marquis, Rennes, France, Hôpital Beaujon, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Clichy, France, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University Cancer Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Sir YK Pao Center for Cancer, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, Ospedale del Mare, Naples, Italy, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, N. N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Moscow, Russian Federation, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, South Korea, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

Research Funding

Pharmaceutical/Biotech Company
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA.

Background: KEYNOTE-240 (NCT02702401) examined the anti-PD-1 antibody pembro and demonstrated improvement in OS and PFS vs pbo in pts with aHCC previously treated with sorafenib. However, the study did not meet prespecified statistical significance criteria for OS and PFS. Median OS (final analysis) was 13.9 mo for pembro vs 10.6 mo for pbo (HR 0.781; 95% CI 0.611-0.998). At the first interim analysis when PFS and ORR were prespecified to be tested, median PFS was 3.0 mo for pembro vs 2.8 mo for pbo (HR 0.775; 95% CI 0.609-0.987) and ORR was 16.9% (CR, n = 3) for pembro and 2.2% (CR, n = 0) for pbo. AEs were consistent with the known safety profile of pembro. Longer-term data from KEYNOTE-240 after ~1.5 years of additional follow-up are reported. Methods: Adults with confirmed aHCC who experienced failure (progression or intolerance) to sorafenib therapy were randomized 2:1 to pembro 200 mg IV Q3W + best supportive care (BSC) or pbo + BSC for ≤35 cycles or until confirmed progression/unacceptable toxicity, pt withdrawal of consent, or investigator decision. Dual primary end points were OS and PFS, assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR) per RECIST v1.1. Secondary end points included ORR, DOR, DCR, TTP (all assessed by BICR per RECIST v1.1), and safety. Results: Of 413 pts, 278 were randomized to pembro and 135 to pbo. As of July 13, 2020, median time from randomization to data cutoff was 39.6 mo (range 31.7-48.8) for pembro and 39.8 mo (31.7-47.8) for pbo. Median OS was 13.9 mo (95% CI 11.6-16.0) for pembro and 10.6 mo (8.3-13.5) for pbo (HR 0.771; 95% CI 0.617-0.964). Estimated OS rates at 24 and 36 mo for pembro and pbo were 28.8% and 20.4% and 17.7% and 11.7%, respectively. Median PFS was 3.3 mo (95% CI 2.8-4.1) for pembro and 2.8 mo (1.6-3.0) for pbo (HR 0.703; 95% CI 0.559-0.885). Estimated PFS rate at 24 mo was 11.8% for pembro and 4.8% for pbo. ORR was 18.3% (95% CI 14.0-23.4) for pembro and 4.4% (1.6-9.4) for pbo. Median time to response was 2.7 mo (95% CI 1.2-16.9) for pembro and 2.9 mo (1.1-6.9) for pbo. Median DOR was 13.9 mo (range 1.5+ to 41.9+) for pembro and 15.2 mo (2.8-21.9) for pbo; 45.1% of responders in pembro arm and 33.3% of responders in pbo arm had DOR ≥12 mo. DCR was 61.9% for pembro and 53.3% for pbo. Best overall responses were 10 CR, 41 PR, 121 SD, and 85 PD for pembro and 0 CR, 6 PR, 66 SD, and 54 PD for pbo. The median TTP was 4.0 mo (95% CI 2.8-5.3) for pembro and 2.8 mo (1.6-3.0) for pbo. No new or unexpected AEs occurred. The frequency of sponsor-assessed immune-mediated hepatitis events did not increase with additional follow-up. There continued to be no HBV or HCV viral flare events. Conclusions: In previously treated pts with aHCC, improvement in OS and PFS was maintained over time with pembro vs pbo, and the safety profile remained consistent over time. These data support the benefit:risk profile of pembro. Clinical trial information: NCT02702401

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2021 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

Session Type

Rapid Oral Abstract Session

Session Title

Rapid Abstract Session: Hepatobiliary Cancer, Neuroendocrine/Carcinoid, Pancreatic Cancer, and Small Bowel Cancer

Track

Hepatobiliary Cancer,Neuroendocrine/Carcinoid,Pancreatic Cancer,Small Bowel Cancer

Sub Track

Therapeutics

Clinical Trial Registration Number

NCT02702401

Citation

J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 3; abstr 268)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2021.39.3_suppl.268

Abstract #

268

Abstract Disclosures