Camrelizumab plus apatinib in patients with advanced cervical cancer: A multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II trial.

Abstract

6021 Background: Camrelizumab is a fully humanized, monoclonal antibody against PD-1. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab plus apatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting VEGFR2, in patients with advanced cervical cancer. Methods: In this open-label, single-arm, phase 2 study done at four centres in China, eligible patients were aged 18–70 years, had an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1, progressed after at least one line of systemic chemotherapy for metastatic, recurrent or persistent cervical cancer, and had measurable disease. Patients received camrelizumab 200 mg every 2 weeks and apatinib 250 mg once daily. Treatment continued until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, and withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR) assessed by RECIST version 1.1. An optimal Simon two-stage design was employed to test the null hypothesis of a 17% ORR versus 35% alternative (1-sided alpha 0.10, 80% power), if > 3 responses out of the first 16 patients were observed, then the study would continue to enroll a total of 44 patients. Results: Between Jan 21st, 2019, and Aug 1st, 2019, 45 patients were enrolled and received study treatment (safety population). The median age was 51 (range, 33–67) years. Median previous treatment lines were 2 (range, 1–4). As of Jan 22, 2020, median follow-up was 9.2 months (range, 2.4–12.2). 25 (59.5%; 95%: CI 44.7–74.4) of 42 patients who had at least one post-baseline tumor assessment (efficacy evaluable population) achieved an objective response, including two (4.8%) complete response, and 23 (54.8%) partial response. Median duration of response was not reached. The disease control rate was 88.1% (37/42). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 7.6 months (95% CI: 5.8–not reached). 31 (68.9%) patients had grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). Grade ≥ 3 TRAEs occurring in ≥ 5% of patients were hypertension (24.4%), anemia (20.0%), fatigue (15.6%), γ-glutamyltransferase increased (13.3%), neutropenia (6.7%), and thrombocytopenia (6.7%). In post-hoc analyses, objective response was noted in 20 (69%) of 29 patients with PD-L1-positive tumors, and in 5 (50.0%) of 10 patients with PD-L1-negative tumors (Chi-square test, P = 0.281). PFS was longer in patients with PD-L1-positive tumors than patients with PD-L1-negative tumors (median PFS: 9.6 versus 5.3 months; log-rank test, P = 0.017). Conclusions: Camrelizumab plus apatinib showed promising antitumor activity and tolerable toxicities in patients with advanced cervical cancer. Clinical trial information: NCT03816553.