Data from Targeted Natural Killer Cell–Based Adoptive Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Patients with NSCLC after Radiochemotherapy: A Randomized Phase II Clinical Trial

Abstract

<div>AbstractPurpose:<p>Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a fatal disease with poor prognosis. A membrane-bound form of Hsp70 (mHsp70) which is selectively expressed on high-risk tumors serves as a target for mHsp70-targeting natural killer (NK) cells. Patients with advanced mHsp70-positive NSCLC may therefore benefit from a therapeutic intervention involving mHsp70-targeting NK cells. The randomized phase II clinical trial (EudraCT2008-002130-30) explores tolerability and efficacy of <i>ex vivo</i>–activated NK cells in patients with NSCLC after radiochemotherapy (RCT).</p>Patients and Methods:<p>Patients with unresectable, mHsp70-positive NSCLC (stage IIIa/b) received 4 cycles of autologous NK cells activated <i>ex vivo</i> with TKD/IL2 [interventional arm (INT)] after RCT (60–70 Gy, platinum-based chemotherapy) or RCT alone [control arm (CTRL)]. The primary objective was progression-free survival (PFS), and secondary objectives were the assessment of quality of life (QoL, QLQ-LC13), toxicity, and immunobiological responses.</p>Results:<p>The NK-cell therapy after RCT was well tolerated, and no differences in QoL parameters between the two study arms were detected. Estimated 1-year probabilities for PFS were 67% [95% confidence interval (CI), 19%–90%] for the INT arm and 33% (95% CI, 5%–68%) for the CTRL arm (<i>P</i> = 0.36, 1-sided log-rank test). Clinical responses in the INT group were associated with an increase in the prevalence of activated NK cells in their peripheral blood.</p>Conclusions:<p><i>Ex vivo</i> TKD/IL2-activated, autologous NK cells are well tolerated and deliver positive clinical responses in patients with advanced NSCLC after RCT.</p></div>