Low-dose Ipilimumab Research Articles

New Treatments for Relapsed Hematologic Malignancies After alloHCT

New Treatments for Relapsed Hematologic Malignancies After alloHCT

LBA18_PR - Durable clinical benefit with nivolumab (NIVO) plus low-dose ipilimumab (IPI) as first-line therapy in microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair deficient (MSI-H/dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC)

LBA18_PR - Durable clinical benefit with nivolumab (NIVO) plus low-dose ipilimumab (IPI) as first-line therapy in microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair deficient (MSI-H/dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC)

Fatal enteric plexus neuropathy after one dose of ipilimumab plus nivolumab: a case report

BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are the treatment of choice for several cancers and can be associated with remarkable clinical benefit, but can also cause serious immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Management of rare and severe irAEs is challenged by an incomplete knowledge of their natural history and pathogenetic mechanisms. We report a case of fatal acute-onset gastro-intestinal (GI) hypomotility from myenteric plexus neuropathy following a single dose of ipilimumab plus nivolumab given for treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC).Case presentationA 66-year-old man with recurrent metastatic MCC involving several organs (liver, bones and disseminated retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy) developed profound pharyngeal dysphagia and ileus that started 7 days after receiving a single administration of combination immune checkpoint blockade consisting of nivolumab (3 mg/kg) and low-dose ipilimumab (1 mg/kg). A swallowing study showed oropharyngeal dysfunction and aspiration. Imaging studies were consistent with diffuse intestinal paresis. An extensive work-up did not reveal obvious causes of these symptoms, and enteric plexopathy was suspected. Empiric immune suppressive therapy was initiated urgently. Despite an escalating immunosuppressive regimen that included high dose steroids, tacrolimus and therapeutic plasma exchange, no improvement in GI motility was seen and the patient suffered repeated episodes of aspiration. Seven weeks after the onset of GI hypomotility, the patient succumbed to sepsis from intestinal perforations. At autopsy, histologic specimens obtained from the entire GI tract (pharynx to rectum) showed near complete loss of ganglion cells within the myenteric and submucosal plexuses. An associated inflammatory infiltrate was not seen, suggesting a ‘burned out’ phase of illness. C4d complement deposition was found at the ganglionic sites, suggesting antibody-mediated pathogenesis. Remarkably, at sites of previously suspected Merkel cell metastases, no residual viable Merkel cell carcinoma was identified.ConclusionsGI-tract paresis due to myenteric neuritis is a rarely reported toxicity of ICIs. Because the window of reversibility is likely to be very brief, quick and decisive interventions are warranted. Subtle functional and anatomic perturbations of the myenteric nervous system from the use of ICIs may be more prevalent than realized and should be suspected and addressed in both clinical and investigational settings.

Real world experience in low-dose ipilimumab in combination with PD-1 blockade in advanced melanoma patients

Dual immune-checkpoint blockade with the anti-PD-1 antibody nivolumab (1 mg/kg) and standard-dose ipilimumab (3 mg/kg) is the mainstay of immunotherapy in advanced melanoma and it is approved since 2016. However, severe side effects (grade 3/4) occur in up to 60% of the patients. Recently, clinical trials have shown similar anti-tumor activity with a more favorable toxicity profile in patients treated with low-dose ipilimumab (1 mg/kg) and standard-dose pembrolizumab (2 mg/kg). In this study we report on the real-world experience of this dosing regime in advanced melanoma patients not eligible for clinical trials. A total of 33 patients with metastatic melanoma (24 with cutaneous and 9 with uveal melanoma) were assessed, retrospectively. Brain metastases were present in 33% of the patients and lactate dehydrogenase was elevated in 70%. Overall response rates were 38% and 0% in cutaneous melanoma and uveal melanoma respectively. Median overall survival was not reached in cutaneous melanoma and was 18 months in uveal melanoma. In 18% of the patients at least one treatment-related severe adverse event was observed. Our observation that the combination of standard dose pembrolizumab and low-dose ipilimumab has a favorable toxicity profile yet anti-tumor activity comparable to the approved standard-dose combination regime in advanced patients not suitable for enrollment in clinical trials is encouraging.

Survival after sipuleucel-T (SIP-T) and low-dose ipilimumab (IPI) in men with metastatic, progressive, castrate-resistant prostate cancer (M-CRPC).

368 Background: Phase III trials evaluating enzalutamide or abiraterone in MP-CRPC prior to docetaxel report a median survival of 35 months. SIP-T functions by stimulating cancer-specific dendritic cells and prolongs survival. IPI showed a borderline survival advantage in a large randomized trial. Thus, there may be potential synergy with SIP-T and IPI (SIPIPI) in combination. Methods: Between April 2013 and April 2014, 9 docetaxel-naive men with MP-CRPC were treated prospectively with SIP-T followed immediately by low-dose IPI 1 mg/kg given for a total of 1 to 3 doses every three weeks. As has been previously published (Immuno Targets and Therapy, March 2017), cancer-specific immunoglobulins (IGS) directed at PA2024 and PAP showed a statistically-significant increase after SIP-T and a further statistically-significant increase, above the level achieved with SIP-T, after IPI. Three patients died from progressive disease after 9, 18, and 20 months. This abstract updates the outcome and survival of the remaining 6 patients. Results: Adverse events from SIPIPI were negligible. For the 9 men, the median age, Gleason score, and number of previous hormonal interventions were 77 years, 8, and 3, respectively. Median baseline PSA and Gleason score were 1.7 and 8, respectively. Eight men had bone metastases and 1 had lymph node metastasis. For the 6 surviving men, median follow-up since SIPIPI is 50.5 months (40-53). Their median PSA as of September 2017 is 5.5 (range: 0.27–18.10). Further treatment since SIPIPI includes abiraterone (4) enzalutamide (5) radium-223 (3) docetaxel (2) cabazitaxel (1) carboplatin (1) pembrolizumab (2) and Olaparib (1). One patient continues with a stable PSA of 0.27 without any further treatment post SIPIPI except SBRT. Conclusions: In this small trial of SIPIPI performed in men with docetaxel-naive MP-CRPC, median survival has now surpassed 4 years and the 6 surviving men still maintain a relatively low median PSA of 5.5. One man continues in durable remission without any further therapy except SBRT administered immediately post IPI.

BrUOG 324: Adjuvant nivolumab and low-dose ipilimumab for stage IIC, III, and resected stage IV melanoma: A phase II Brown University Oncology Research Group trial.

TPS202 Background: Adjuvant ipilimumab improves survival in stage III melanoma. Adjuvant nivolumab improves progression-free survival as compared to ipilimumab with reduced toxicity. Checkpoint 067 showed that the combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab is more active in advanced melanoma than either agent alone. The Brown University Oncology Research Group sought to evaluate dual checkpoint inhibition in the adjuvant setting. This may be particularly beneficial to patients with melanoma with low PD-L1 expression. To balance safety and efficacy, the combination of low dose ipilimumab and standard dose nivolumab was investigated. Methods: Patients with stage IIc, III and resected stage IV disease are eligible. No prior treatment for melanoma other than surgery or radiation was allowed. All patients received nivolumab 3mg/kg (maximum 240 mg) every 2 weeks and ipilimumab 1mg/kg every 6 weeks for 6 months. The primary goal is to determine the toxicity of adjuvant ipilimumab and nivolumab in patients with melanoma. Unacceptable toxicity has been defined as the development of grade 4 hematologic toxicity (neutropenia or thrombocytopenia), any transient grade ≥3 or persistent grade 2 treatment-related non-hematologic toxicity that prevents completion of the planned 6 month course of treatment in more than 35% of the enrolled patients; thus, if such events occur in 10 or more patients out of 25 evaluable patients, the study will have exceeded the limit for unacceptable adverse events. Secondary objectives are to determine the recurrence-free and overall survival. Results: Between August 2016 and August 2017, 17 patients have been enrolled, 11 male and 6 female. Median age is 59 (range 25-84). Twelve patients were Stage III disease, 2 patients were stage IIC and 3 were stage IV. Conclusions: BrUOG 324 represents one of the first trials investigating adjuvant dual checkpoint inhibition in melanoma. Preliminary safety and efficacy are being assessed. Acknowledgements: This study was supported in part by the Washington Trust Company and LIFEcycle Clinical trial information: NCT02656.

Pembrolizumab (pembro) plus low-dose ipilimumab (ipi) for patients (pts) with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC): Phase 1 KEYNOTE-029 study.

510 Background: The CTLA-4 antibody ipi and the PD-1 antibody pembro have demonstrated efficacy in pts with advanced malignancies. While these immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown robust activity as monotherapy, combination therapy may further improve outcomes. KEYNOTE-029 (NCT02089685) is a phase 1/2 study designed to assess the safety and efficacy of pembro + ipi or pegylated interferon alfa-2b (IFN-α) in pts with advanced melanoma or RCC. Here we report data from the phase 1 portion of the study in pts with RCC treated with pembro + ipi. Methods: Pts ≥18 years with advanced/unresectable or metastatic clear cell RCC who received ≥1 prior therapy for metastatic disease, had ≥1 measurable lesion per RECIST v1.1, and ECOG PS 0-1 were enrolled. Pts received pembro 2 mg/kg Q3W + low-dose ipi (1 mg/kg Q3W for 4 doses) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, investigator/patient decision, or 2 years of pembro treatment. AEs were monitored throughout treatment and for 30 days thereafter and graded per NCI CTCAE v4.0. Primary end point was safety; primary efficacy end point was ORR assessed per RECIST v1.1 by independent central imaging vendor review. Results: As of the March 17, 2016, data cutoff, 10 pts with RCC received pembro + low-dose ipi. 60% were male, 70% were white, median age was 61 years (range, 48-70 years), 40% received 2 prior lines of therapy, and 40% received prior immunotherapy. With a median follow-up of 17.4 months (0.9-23.5 months), 70% of pts experienced treatment-related AEs (TRAEs) of any grade, most commonly fatigue (30%); and 50% experienced grade 3/4 TRAEs, most commonly increased lipase (20%). 50% of pts discontinued pembro because of TRAEs, most commonly increased lipase (40%). There were no treatment-related deaths. ORR was 20% (2 partial responses); median duration of response was not reached (14.1+-17.1 months+). An additional 3 pts had stable disease; disease control rate was 50%. Conclusions: The combination of pembro + low-dose ipi for 4 doses, followed by pembro monotherapy, demonstrates a manageable toxicity profile and preliminary antitumor activity in pts with advanced RCC. Clinical trial information: NCT02089685.

Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) plus low-dose ipilimumab (IPI) in patients (pts) with advanced melanoma (MEL) or renal cell carcinoma (RCC): Data from the KEYNOTE-029 phase 1 study.

3009 Background: Pembrolizumab is a potent, highly selective, humanized monoclonal antibody against PD-1 that has shown robust antitumor activity against several advanced malignancies. In phase 1 t...

Control of minimal residual cancer by low dose ipilimumab activating autologous anti-tumor immunity

In this perspective article, we address the controversy regarding the safety-efficacy issue in ipilimumab trials. While the CTLA-4 blockade interrupted T-cell pathways responsible for immune down-regulation and mediated regression of established malignant tumors in a minority of patients, this has to be weighed against the immune related adverse events (irAEs) suffered by the majority. Based on two groundbreaking but neglected proof-of-principle papers that demonstrated augmented graft-vs.-malignancy (GVM) effect that reversed the relapse of malignancy without worsening the graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) by a CTLA-4 blockade, here we suggest a therapeutic paradigm shift, which may help break the impasse and resolve this timely issue in oncology.