PD-L1 Inhibitors Research Articles

A Senescence-Mimicking (Senomimetic) VEGFR TKI Side Effect Primes Tumor Immune Responses via IFN/STING Signaling.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) that block the vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs) not only disrupt tumor angiogenesis but also have many unexpected side effects that impact tumor cells directly. This includes the induction of molecular markers associated with senescence, a form of cellular aging that typically involves growth arrest. We have shown that VEGFR TKIs can hijack these aging programs by transiently inducting senescence markers (SMs) in tumor cells to activate senescence-associated secretory programs that fuel drug resistance. Here we show that these same senescence-mimicking ("senomimetic") VEGFR TKI effects drive an enhanced immunogenic signaling that, in turn, can alter tumor response to immunotherapy. By using a live cell sorting method to detect β-galactosidase, a commonly used SM, we found that subpopulations of SM-expressing (SM+) tumor cells have heightened IFN signaling and increased expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). These ISGs increase under the control of the STimulator of the INterferon Gene (STING) signaling pathway, which we found could be directly activated by several VEGFR TKIs. TKI-induced SM+ cells could stimulate or suppress CD8 T-cell activation depending on host-tumor cell contact while tumors grown from SM+ cells were more sensitive to PDL1 inhibition in vivo, suggesting that offsetting immune-suppressive functions of SM+ cells can improve TKI efficacy overall. Our findings may explain why some (but not all) VEGFR TKIs improve outcomes when combined with immunotherapy and suggest that exploiting senomimetic drug side effects may help identify TKIs that uniquely "prime" tumors for enhanced sensitivity to PDL1-targeted agents.

D-dimer levels predict the treatment efficacy and prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors.

This study aimed to explore the value of D-dimer levels in predicting the treatment efficacy and prognosis of advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with programmed cell death protein-1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors. The study retrospectively analyzed 233 ESCC patients who received PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. The optimal cut-off values for platelets, fibrinogen, and D-dimer were calculated based on maximally selected rank statistics for patients' overall survival. Univariate and multivariate analyses of progression-free survival and overall survival were conducted by Cox proportional hazards regression model. Subgroup analyses of D-dimer levels in different fibrinogen levels were performed by log-rank test. The multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that ESCC patients with D-dimer levels > 236 ng/mL exhibited both poorer progression-free survival (P = 0.004) and overall survival (P < 0.0001) compared to those with low D-dimer levels. The subgroup analyses further indicated that in the group of low fibrinogen levels, the higher D-dimer levels of ESCC patients exhibited significantly shorter progression-free survival (P = 0.0021) and overall survival (P < 0.0001). The study revealed that the D-dimer levels possess predictive value for the treatment efficacy and prognosis of ESCC patients treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors.

Identification of novel PD-1/PD-L1 small molecule inhibitors: virtual screening, synthesis and in vitro characterisation

The PD-1/PD-L1 pathway is considered as one of the most promising immune checkpoints in tumour immunotherapy. However, researchers are faced with the inherent limitations of antibodies, driving them to pursue PD-L1 small molecule inhibitors. Virtual screening followed by experimental validation is a proven approach to discover active compounds. In this study, we employed multistage virtual screening methods to screen multiple compound databases to predict new PD-1/PD-L1 ligands. 35 compounds were proposed by combined analysis of fitness scores, interaction pattern and MM-GBSA binding affinities. Enzymatic assay confirmed that 10 out of 35 ligands were potential PD-L1 inhibitors, with inhibitory rate higher than 50% at the concentration of 30 µM. Among them, ZDS20 was identified as the most effective inhibitor with low micromolar activity (IC50 = 3.27 μM). Altogether, ZDS20 carrying novel scaffold was identified and could serve as a lead for the development of new classes of PD-L1 inhibitors.

PD-L1 expression in ovarian clear cell carcinoma using the 22C3 pharmDx assay

BackgroundOvarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC), well known for its chemoresistance to platinum-based chemotherapy, exhibited a good response in clinical trials of anti–PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. By assessing PD-L1 expression, we sought to determine the potential therapeutic benefit of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in OCCC.Methods and resultsThe retrospective study included 152 individuals with OCCC between 2019 and 2022 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Paired tumors of primary versus recurrent lesions (17 pairs from 15 patients) or primary versus metastatic lesions (11 pairs from 9 patients) were also included. The 22C3 pharmDx assay and whole sections were used for PD-L1 immunohistochemical staining. Pathologists with experience in premarket clinical trials evaluated PD-L1 expression based on various diagnostic criteria (TPS 1%, CPS 1, or CPS 10). The number and percentage of positive PD-L1 cases were 34 (22.4%, TPS ≥ 1%) and 59 (38.8%, CPS ≥ 1), respectively. Thirty-three (21.7%) of the cases had high PD-L1 expression (CPS ≥ 10). Half of the platinum-resistant patients (11/22) were PD-L1 positive (CPS ≥ 1). In addition, positive PD-L1 expression (CPS ≥ 1) was related to clinicopathological characteristics that represented a worse prognosis, such as advanced stages, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis (p = 0.032, p < 0.001 and p = 0.003, separately). PD-L1 was expressed equally or more in the recurrent lesion compared with its matched primary lesion.ConclusionsIn conclusion, anti–PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors are a promising therapeutic choice for OCCC. For evaluation of PD-L1 expression, CPS is more recommended than TPS. Evaluation of recurrent lesion was still suitable and predictive when the primary tumor tissue was not available. Distant metastatic lesions can serve as alternative samples for PD-L1 evaluation, while usage of lymphatic metastatic lesions is not recommended.

Antibody nanoparticle conjugate-based targeted immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, which activate T cells, is a paradigm shift in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. However, the overall response remains low. To address this limitation, here we describe a novel platform, termed antibody-conjugated drug-loaded nanotherapeutics (ADN), which combines immunotherapy and molecularly targeted therapy. An ADN was designed with an anti-CD47 and anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PDL1) antibody pair on the surface of the nanoparticle and a molecularly targeted inhibitor of the PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase)/AKT/mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway, PI103, entrapped in the nanoparticle. The anti-CD47-PDL1-ADN exhibited greater antitumor efficacy than current treatment options with a PDL1 inhibitor in vivo in an aggressive lung cancer immunocompetent mouse model. Dual antibody-drug-loaded nanotherapeutics can emerge as an attractive platform to improve outcomes with cancer immunotherapy.

Efficacy and Safety of Atezolizumab as a PD-L1 Inhibitor in the Treatment of Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review.

The efficacy and safety of PD-L1 inhibitors in the treatment of cervical cancer is an ongoing research question. This review aims to establish a clear profile of atezolizumab, examining its impact on survival outcomes, response rates, and safety measured by serious adverse events (SAEs). A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, focusing on articles published up to February 2024. The review followed the PRISMA guidelines and synthesized outcomes from four randomized trial studies involving atezolizumab administered at 1200 mg IV every three weeks, alone or in combination with chemoradiotherapy. A total of 284 patients received atezolizumab, the majority being advanced stage cervical cancer (IVA-IVB). Median follow-up times ranged from 9 weeks to 32.9 months. It was found that combining atezolizumab with standard therapies extended median progression-free survival (PFS) from 10.4 to 13.7 months and overall survival (OS) from 22.8 to 32.1 months, according to the phase III trial. Monotherapy and initial treatment settings with atezolizumab also showed promising efficacy, with disease-free survival rates at 24 months reaching 79% compared to 52% with standard therapy alone. However, the treatment was associated with high rates of SAEs, reaching up to 79% in more intensive treatment combinations. Atezolizumab demonstrates significant potential in improving PFS and OS in patients with cervical cancer, supporting its inclusion as a first-line treatment option. Despite the efficacy benefits, the high incidence of SAEs necessitates careful patient selection and management strategies to mitigate risks. This systematic review supports the continued evaluation of atezolizumab in broader clinical trials to refine its therapeutic profile and safety measures in the context of cervical cancer treatment.

Germline prediction of immune checkpoint inhibitor discontinuation for immune-related adverse events.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can yield remarkable clinical responses in subsets of patients with solid tumors but can also often lead to immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Predictive features of clinically severe irAEs leading to cessation of ICIs have yet to be established. Using data from 1,327 patients with lung cancer treated with ICIs between 2009 and 2022 at four academic medical centers, we evaluated the association of a germline polygenic risk score for autoimmune disease and discontinuation of ICIs due to irAEs. Using Cox proportional hazards model, we assessed the association between a polygenic risk score for autoimmune disease (PRSAD) and cessation of ICI therapy due to irAEs. All models were adjusted for age at diagnosis, sex, lung cancer histology, type of therapy, recruiting center, and the first 5 principal components. To further understand the differential effects of type of therapy and disease stage on the association between PRSAD and cessation of ICI due to irAEs, we conducted stratified logistic regression analysis by type of ICI therapy and disease stage. We found an association between PRSAD and ICI cessation due to irAEs (HR per SD = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.02 - 1.37, P = 0.03). This association was particularly strong in patients who had ICI cessation due to irAEs within three months of therapy initiation (HR per SD = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.08 - 1.78, P = 0.01). Individuals in the top 20th percentile of PRSAD had 7.2% ICI discontinuation for irAEs by three months, compared to 3.9% discontinuation by three months among patients in the bottom 80th percentile (log-rank P = 0.02). In addition, among patients who received combination PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitor therapy, PRSAD had an OR per SD of 1.86 (95% CI = 1.08 - 3.51, P = 0.04). We demonstrate an association between a polygenic risk score for autoimmune disease and early ICI discontinuation for irAEs, particularly among patients treated with combination ICI therapy. Our results suggest that germline genetics may be used as an adjunctive tool for risk stratification around ICI clinical decision-making in solid tumor oncology.

Atezolizumab in patients (pts) with tumor mutational burden (TMB)–high tumors from the TAPISTRY trial.

LBA2509 Background: Studies have suggested that pts with TMB-high tumors could derive clinical benefit from atezolizumab, a PD-L1 inhibitor; however, these studies used inconsistent TMB cutoffs. We report efficacy and safety data of atezolizumab in adult and pediatric pts with TMB-high advanced/metastatic solid tumors from Cohort D of the TAPISTRY trial (NCT04589845), using two TMB cutoffs: ≥13 mutations [mut]/Mb and ≥16 mut/Mb. Methods: TAPISTRY is a phase II, global, open-label, multicohort basket trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of multiple therapies in pretreated pts with advanced/metastatic solid tumors. Pts in Cohort D had advanced unresectable/metastatic, PD-L1 inhibitor-naïve, TMB-high (≥13 mut/Mb) solid tumors. Atezolizumab was given every 21 days, at 1200 mg in pts ≥18 years old, and at ≥15 mg/kg (up to 1200 mg) in pts &lt;18 years old. Tumor responses were assessed per RECIST v1.1. Primary endpoint: objective response rate (ORR) by independent review committee (IRC) in pts with TMB ≥16 mut/Mb. Secondary endpoints included ORR by IRC in pts with TMB ≥13 mut/Mb, duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and safety. Results: At data cut-off (Nov 9, 2023), 150 pts with TMB ≥13 mut/Mb were enrolled. In the safety-evaluable population (n = 148), median age was 63 years (range 11–86); 56% of pts were male, and 56% had received ≥2 prior lines of therapy (median 2; range 0–14). The efficacy-evaluable population included 129 pts with TMB ≥13 mut/Mb (TMB ≥16 mut/Mb; n = 111); the most common tumor types were colorectal (n = 40; 31%), breast, and gastroesophageal cancer (n = 11 each; 9%). Key outcomes are presented (Table). After a median follow-up of 9.8 months, ORR by IRC was comparable between pts with TMB ≥16 mut/Mb (22.5%) and pts with TMB ≥13 mut/Mb (20.2%). Responses were seen across a variety of tumor types. DoR 6- and 12-month event-free rates were 79% and 72%, respectively. Median PFS was short, suggesting fast disease progression in non-responders. Fatigue (22%) and anemia (20%) were the most common adverse events. Safety of atezolizumab was consistent with its known profile. Conclusions: Atezolizumab was well tolerated and led to antitumor activity in pts with TMB-high solid tumors. Responses were seen across a variety of tumor types. Clinical trial information: NCT04589845 . [Table: see text]

Oligo-residual disease in PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor-treated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: incidence, pattern of failure, and clinical value of local consolidative therapy

ObjectivesTo investigate the feasibility and potential clinical value of local consolidative therapy (LCT) in PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor-treated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Materials and methodsPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor-treated metastatic NSCLC patients with measurable disease in three academic centers were screened and those with adequate follow-up were included. Oligo-residual disease (ORD) was defined as residual tumors limited to three organs and five lesions evaluated at the best response among patients with partial response or stable disease after PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Oligometastatic and multiple-metastatic disease (OMD/MMD) were similarly classified at baseline. Locoregional interventions, administered after effective treatment of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and before initial disease progression, were defined as LCT. Patterns of initial progressive disease (PD) were classified as involving only residual sites (RP), only new sites (NP), or a combination of both (BP).ResultsAmong the 698 patients included, ORD was documented in 73 (47.1%) of 155 patients with baseline OMD and 60 (11.0%) of 543 patients with baseline MMD. With a median follow-up of 31.0 (range, 6.0–53.0) months, 108 patients with ORD developed initial PD, with RP, NP, and BP occurring in 51 (47%), 23 (21.3%), and 34 (31.5%), respectively. Among the 133 patients with ORD, those receiving LCT (n = 43) had longer progression-free survival (HR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.40–0.85, p = 0.01) and overall survival (HR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.30–0.79, p < 0.0001).ConclusionORD occurs with a clinically relevant frequency among PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor-treated metastatic NSCLC patients and LCT may provide extra survival benefits in those with ORD.

Gut microbiota and metabolites signatures of clinical response in anti-PD-1/PD-L1 based immunotherapy of biliary tract cancer

BackgroundAccumulating evidence suggests that the gut microbiota and metabolites can modulate tumor responses to immunotherapy; however, limited data has been reported on biliary tract cancer (BTC). This study used metagenomics and metabolomics to identify characteristics of the gut microbiome and metabolites in immunotherapy-treated BTC and their potential as prognostic and predictive biomarkers.MethodsThis prospective cohort study enrolled 88 patients with BTC who received PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors from November 2018 to May 2022. The microbiota and metabolites significantly enriched in different immunotherapy response groups were identified through metagenomics and LC-MS/MS. Associations between microbiota and metabolites, microbiota and clinical factors, and metabolites and clinical factors were explored.ResultsSignificantly different bacteria and their metabolites were both identified in the durable clinical benefit (DCB) and non-durable clinical benefit (NDB) groups. Of these, 20 bacteria and two metabolites were significantly associated with survival. Alistipes were positively correlated with survival, while Bacilli, Lactobacillales, and Pyrrolidine were negatively correlated with survival. Predictive models based on six bacteria, four metabolites, and the combination of three bacteria and two metabolites could all discriminated between patients in the DCB and NDB groups with high accuracy. Beta diversity between two groups was significantly different, and the composition varied with differences in the use of immunotherapy.ConclusionsPatients with BTC receiving immunotherapy have specific alterations in the interactions between microbiota and metabolites. These findings suggest that gut microbiota and metabolites are potential prognostic and predictive biomarkers for clinical outcomes of anti-PD-1/PD-L1-treated BTC.

Combining nimotuzumab with PD-L1 inhibitors and chemotherapy to treat esophageal cancer: A retrospective study.

e16072 Background: Combining immunotherapy with targeted therapy and/or chemotherapy has been shown to have superior clinical benefits in cancer treatment. The combination of immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and chemotherapy may be an option for esophageal cancer. This study assessed retrospectively the efficacy and safety of nimotuzumab combined with the PD-L 1 inhibitor and chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with esophageal cancer. Methods: All enrolled patients were from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University between September 2021 and August 2023. All patients received intravenous nimotuzumab (200 mg/w) combining with PD-L1 inhibitors (Tirelizumab; Caralizumab; Sintilimab; Pembrolizumab; Nivolumab and Penpulimab, 6 cycles in total) and chemotherapy (albumin paclitaxel 150mg/m2, cisplatin 25mg/m2, for 1-3 days per cycle, for a total of 6 cycles). The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints consisted of the objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS) and safety. Efficacy was assessed according to the criteria of RECIST 1.1 and while adverse events (AEs) were graded according to CTCAE 5.0. Following treatment, patients’ general condition, levels of lymphocytes, IL-6, hs-CRP, PCT, CYFRA21, NSE(E), and SCC were monitored regularly. Results: A total of18 patients diagnosed with EC were enrolled in the study. The majority of the patients were male (16/18), 17 (94.4%) patients diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Lymphatic metastasis occurred in 13 (72.2%) patients and 5 (27.8%) patients experienced distant metastases. Six (33.3%) patients received radical surgery and five (27.8%) patients did not receive systematic antitumor therapy in the past. 17 (94.4%) patients diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). No patient achieved complete response (CR) and 6 (33.3%) patients achieved partial response (PR). The ORR and DCR were 33.3% and 83.3%, respectively. The median OS was not achieved, the 12-month OS rate was 84.8%, 24-month OS rate was 74.2%. The median PFS was 7.9 months, the 12- and 24-month PFS rates were 44.0% and 36.7%, respectively. The incidence of Grade ≥ 3 AEs was 43.85%, including anemia (18.8%), lymphopenia (18.8%) and rash (6.3%). Conclusions: This combinational treatment regimen results in a significant improvement in OS compared to the combination of PD-L1 inhibitors and chemotherapy without increased AEs. Compared to other combinations of targeted drugs with PD-L1 inhibitors and chemotherapy, the use of nituzumab significantly prolonged mPFS and increased OS rates at 12 and 24 months.

A real-world study of anlotinib in combination with PD-L1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy as first-line therapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.

e20135 Background: Current first-line treatment options for extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) are the PD-L1 inhibitor in combination with chemotherapy. Although these regimens have improved outcomes, most patients experience disease progression (PD), and median survival remains approximately 12 months. Anlotinib represents a tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting multiple receptor tyrosine kinases, achieved good efficacy in third-line therapy in ES-SCLC. We conducted a real-world study to explore the safety and efficacy of adding anlotinib to the current first-line therapy in ES-SCLC. Methods: This real-world study included 16 patients with ES-SCLC treated with antirotinib in combination with the PD-L1 inhibitor and etoposide and cisplatin chemotherapy at our hospital between Oct 2020 and Nov 2023. Patients received six cycles of a standard dose of the PD-L1 inhibitor (Atezolizumab; Adebrelimab; Envafolimab; Nivolumab; Pembrolizumab; Tirelizumab or Sugemalimab) in combination with cisplatin (25 mg/m2, day 1-3 of each cycle) and etoposide (100 mg/m2, day 1-3 of each cycle), and anlotinib was taken orally (4-6mg, day 1-14 of each cycle). Maintenance PD-L1 inhibitor plus anlotinib was followed in a 21-day cycle until disease progression, intolerant toxicity, or longer than 2 years of treatment. The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary outcomes were disease control rate (DCR), objective response rate (ORR), and adverse reactions. Treatment response and adverse events (AEs) were assessed using the RECIST 1.1 and CTCAE 5.0, respectively. Results: A total of 16 patients were recruited. The median age was 72 years (66-76). Four patients (25%) had brain metastases at baseline, and seven patients (43.8%) had liver metastases. Median PFS was 10.8 months (95% CI, 8.3-13.3 months) and the median OS was 16.4 months (95% CI, 9.6-23.2 months). Totally 15 and 1 participants showed PR and SD, respectively. ORR and DCR were 93.8% and 100%. All patients had treatment-related AEs, of which grade 3-4 AE occurred in 50% (8/16). No serious infection or treatment-related death occurred. Myelosuppression was the most common AE, such as anemia (100%), leukocytopenia (100%), lymphocytopenia (100%), neutropenia (87.5%), and thrombocytopenia (50%). Other common AEs included hypoproteinemia (68.8%); hyponatremia (62.5%); creatinine elevation (56.3%), proteinuria (43.8%); hypertension (37.5%) and hypertriglyceridemia (37.5%). No unexpected AEs were found in this study. No patient stopped treatment due to intolerable toxicity. Conclusions: The addition of anlotinib to first-line immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy results in extended PFS and OS in patients with ES-SCLC without additional AEs. The preliminary results warrant further investigation of this treatment modality in ES-SCLC.

Immunotherapy plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in perioperative treatment for locally advanced gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

e16083 Background: The standard care for locally advanced gastric (LAGC) or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer is perioperative chemotherapy (CTX) with surgery. The therapeutic landscape has evolved with PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors, showing promise in advanced or metastatic disease. Investigating their role in locally advanced disease is an active research area. In response, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of perioperative immunotherapy with CTX in LAGC/GEJ patients. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing perioperative PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors in combination with CTX versus CTX alone for LAGC/GEJ. Evaluated outcomes included pathological complete response (pCR), R0 resection rate, downstaging rate, and treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) with a grade ≥ 3. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics, employing a random-effects model for analysis. Statistical analyses were performed using R software version 4.3.2. Results: Among 2,452 patients from six RCTs, 1,228 (50.08%) received immunotherapy. Combining immunotherapy with CTX showed substantial improvements in pCR (RR 2.83; 95% CI 1.78-4.50; p &lt; 0.001). This effect persisted in the FLOT CTX subgroup (RR 2.15; 95% CI 1.37-3.38; p &lt; 0.001). Additionally, downstaging outcomes were superior in the immunotherapy group, with ypT0 (RR 1.96; 95% CI 1.50-2.55; p &lt; 0.001) and ypN0 (RR 1.36; 95% CI 1.19-1.54; p &lt; 0.001). However, no significant differences were observed in the R0 resection rate (RR 1.01; 95% CI 0.98-1.04; p = 0.603) and TRAE grade 3 or higher (RR 1.05; 95% CI 0.98-1.13; p = 0.177). Conclusions: These findings emphasize the effectiveness of combining PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors with CTX, indicating an improved pathological response compared to CTX alone. As expected, these positive outcomes persisted in the FLOT regimen. Our results provide evidence supporting the combination of immunotherapy and CTX as a perioperative treatment option for LAGC/GEJ patients.

The survival benefits and the risk of severe renal injury of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with cancer: The real-world evidence from the National Clinical Cohort Collaborative (N3C).

e24142 Background: The survival benefits and the risks of severe immune-related adverse events (sirAEs) of Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) vary dramatically among cancer patients. Among sirAEs, acute kidney injury (AKI) incidences are rising, often cause sustained renal damage, and are responsible for the deterioration of patients’ overall health and quality of life. There is an urgent need to support oncologists and nephrologists in choosing the right ICI drugs for the right patients. We aim to comprehensively scrutinize the tradeoff between the survival benefits and the severe AKI risk for ICI patients by leveraging the national electronic medical records (EMR) from the National Clinical Cohort Collaborative (N3C) registry. Our work provides real-world evidence for clinical decisions on ICI use. Methods: Cancer patients treated with ICI are followed up for at least 6 months using N3C data (01/01/2018 - 01/19/2024). Primary outcomes included severe AKI within 6 months of initiation or mortality up to the last follow-up. We fit multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate the effect of various ICI types, adjusting for age, gender, race, cancer types, smoking status, and comorbidities. Results: Our study cohort included 55,767 patients who received an ICI, with 25,197 deaths and 6,458 severe AKI events. The most common ICI used were PD-1 inhibitors (74.3%), PD-L1 inhibitors (16.6%), CTLA-4 inhibitors (0.3%), and combination treatments of PD-1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors (8.8%). Observed long-term severe AKI incidences exceeded prior reports, with 96%, 92%, 88%, and 71% at 1, 3, 6, and 36 months. Survival benefits of PD-1, CTLA-4 and their combinations versus PD-L1 inhibitors were comparable (HR: 0.94 [95%CI: 0.91–0.97]; HR: 0.81 [95%CI: 0.63–1.02]; HR: 1.09 [95%CI: 1.04–1.15]). Severe AKI risks were higher with CTLA-4 and combination therapy (HR: 1.48 [95%CI: 0.96–2.28]; HR: 1.96 [95%CI: 1.78–2.16]) compared to PD-L1 inhibitors, with PD-1 inhibitors also showing increased risk (HR: 1.15 [95%CI: 1.07–1.23]). We also scrutinize risk factors associated with significant AKI risk, including a history of AKI, congestive heart failure, dementia, complicated diabetes, hypertension, liver disease, other immunocompromised diseases, and cancers of the gynecologic type, prostate cancer, and gastrointestinal cancers, and being of Black race. Conclusions: Our work provides up-to-date and comprehensive real-world evidence of the survival benefits and severe renal injury risks for clinical decisions of ICI therapy. PD-L1 inhibitors are associated with a lower risk of severe AKI compared to PD-1, CTLA-4 inhibitors, and their combination. Future research should focus on identifying patient subgroups that may benefit from specific ICI therapies while minimizing adverse outcomes.

Envafolimab in combination with lenvatinib and albumin paclitaxel for previously treated advanced gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: Preliminary analysis of a phase II, two-cohort study.

e16039 Background: The combination of first-line chemotherapy and PD-1 has emerged as a standard treatment, enhancing the efficacy in advanced gastric/gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer. The efficacy of the combination of second-line chemotherapy and PD-1/PD-L1 remains unclear. This study aims to observe the efficacy of Envafolimab plus tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and second-line chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with advanced GEJ adenocarcinoma. Methods: This prospective, open-label, phaseⅡ, two cohort study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of Envafolimab-based therapy in patients experiencing progression after initial first-line treatment. Eligible patients with HER2-negative, microsatellite stable (MSS), advanced GEJ adenocarcinoma were consecutively enrolled and assigned into cohort A or cohort B, according to whether they received PD-1 inhibitors in the first-line treatment. Patients in both cohorts received Envafolimab (200mg, hypodermic injection, days 1 and 15, Q4W) combined with Lenvatinib (8mg/12mg, po, once a day) and albumin paclitaxel (100mg/m2, IV, days 1, 8 and 15, Q4W, up to 6 cycles) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or patients refusal to continue treatment. The primary endpoint was objective response rate(ORR) per iRECIST v1.1, and the secondary endpoints included disease control rate (DCR), progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and safety. The efficacy and safety data in this analysis were from patients in cohort A who previously failed in first-line chemotherapy and did not receive PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors ever. Results: From October 2022 to June 2023, cohort A enrolled 16 patients, and 15 of them were evaluable for efficacy analysis. The average age was 58.87 ±11.81 years, 80% patients were male. 6 patients had been tested for PD-L1 status, of which 1 (16.7%) was positive and 5 (83.3%) were negative. As of Jan29, 2024, the median follow-up was 10.6 months (95%CI = 8.67-12.53), the median number of treatment cycles was 7 cycles (IQR: 5, 8). Based on the iRECIST v1.1, the ORR was 60.00% (90% CI = 35.96%-80.91%), the DCR was 100.00% (90% CI = 81.90%-100.00%). The median PFS (mPFS) was 8.23 months (90% CI =6.27-8.61), and the median OS (mOS) was 10.6 months (90% CI =8.79-12.15). Overall incidences of adverse events (AEs) of any grade was 100%, and 75.00% (n = 12) had ≥ grade 3 AEs during treatment. Most treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of grade ≥3 included neutrophil count (56.25%), decreased leukocyte count (37.5%). Conclusions: In patients of advanced gastric cancer who have not previously received PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, this second-line combination therapy demonstrates promising preliminary effects. Clinical trial information: NCT06030934 .

Impact of body mass index (BMI) on survival outcomes in patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPI): A systematic review and meta analysis.

2624 Background: With the increased adoption of ICPI in treating various cancers, there is active exploration of individual-level factors that could predict treatment responses. A high-body mass index (BMI) induces a chronic inflammatory state and could drive T-cell dysfunction through high leptin levels, which may confer better outcomes with ICPI usage. However, there are conflicting outcomes in different studies. We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate survival outcomes with ICPI in patients with BMI ≥25 vs &lt;25 Kg/m2. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and web of science databases. The original studies evaluating response [overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS)], to ICPI-based therapies among adult cancer patients, stratified by BMI groups (high, BMI ≥25Kg/m2 or low, BMI &lt;25Kg/m2), were included. RevMan version 5.4.1 was used for statistical analysis. A random effect model with inverse variance as the statistical method was used for hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Of 1215 identified studies, 22 observational studies, comprising 5859 patients (60.3% males) met the inclusion criteria. ECOG performance score was reported as 0-1 for 40.3% patients, and ≥2 for 7.1% patients. In 12-studies only PD-1 and/or PD-L1 inhibitors were administered, but no CTLA-4 inhibitor. Most frequently reported cancers were non-small cell cancer of lung (40.9%), melanoma (36.6%), and renal cell cancer (31.8%) in advanced/metastatic stages. Higher BMI, compared to low BMI, favored significant improvement in PFS [HR 0.86; 95% CI (0.76, 0.99), P= 0.03, I2 47%], and OS [ HR 0.73; 95% CI (0.62, 0.85), P&lt; 0.0001, I2 53%] with any ICPI-based regimens. Similar findings were noted for patients treated with PD-1/PDL1 inhibitors [Table]. Conclusions: This study contributes to the evidence that BMI of 25 kg/m2 or higher exerts a beneficial impact on PFS and OS among cancer patients treated with ICPI. The favorable impact underscores the significance of considering BMI as a potential prognostic factor in ICPI therapy. However, the precise underlying mechanisms responsible for this observation warrant further investigation to deepen our understanding and potentially optimize therapeutic strategies in this patient population. [Table: see text]

Envafolimab combined with lenvatinib and gemcitabine plus cisplatin in advanced biliary tract cancer as first-line treatment: A single-arm, open-label, phase II study (ENLIGHTEN study).

e16188 Background: The prognosis of advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) remains unsatisfactory despite first-line treatment with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin. Lenvatinib (LEN), an anti-angiogenic multi-kinase inhibitor, has recently demonstrated promising antitumor activity in various tumors. This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of envafolimab (PD-L1 inhibitor) and LEN in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin as first-line treatment in advanced BTCs. Methods: This prospective, open-label, single-arm, Simon’s two-stage, phase II study in patients with advanced BTC is ongoing at two centers. All patients received subcutaneous envafolimab (400mg, Q3W) and LEN (8 mg/day, orally once daily) combined with gemcitabine (1000mg/m2, IV, days 1, 8, Q3W) plus cisplatin (25mg/m2, IV, days 1, 8, Q3W) up for 6-8 cycles, followed by maintenance envafolimab and LEN until disease progression (PD) or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1 (RECIST 1.1). A Simon’s two-stage phase II optimal design was used with following statistical assumptions: If 4 or more patients had partial response (PR) in 10 patients in stage 1, the cohort would expand to a total of 39 patients, and the outcomes would be positive if 15 or more patients achieved PR. The secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), disease control rate (DCR), and safety. Results: Between October 2022 and October 2023, 20 patients were enrolled, and included for efficacy and safety analysis. All patients received at least two doses of study medication. Of the first 10 patients enrolled, confirmed responses were noted in 4 patients, and the trial continued to accrual. The ORR and DCR were 45% and 80%, respectively. Nine patients (9/20, 45%) exhibited PR, seven patients (7/20, 35%) showed stable disease (SD), and four patients (4/20, 20%) experienced PD. The most common grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were GGT increased (n = 3, 15%) and platelet decreased (n = 2, 10%). No unacceptable toxicity or treatment-related deaths occurred. Conclusions: Envafolimab and LEN in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin seems to be an effective and tolerable treatment option in advanced BTC. Survival data is immature and will be updated in the future. Clinical trial information: NCT05410197 .

Efficacy and safety of immunotherapy in patients with liver metastases in patients with esophageal cancer: A retrospective, real-world study.

e16033 Background: Advanced or metastatic esophageal cancer patients tend to have a poor prognosis. The liver is the most common organ of distant metastasis in esophageal cancer. The liver metastases associated with a higher risk of survival. Developing the optimal treatment modalities is especially important for those patients. The efficacy of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) or its ligand (PD-L1) inhibitors have not been clearly clarified in liver metastasis of esophageal cancer. Methods: This is a single-center, retrospective, real-world study. We collected general information and clinical data from patients with liver metastasis of esophageal cancer who admitted to Luoyang Central Hospital between April 2020 and October 2023. All patients were first diagnosed esophageal cancer with liver metastasis and received PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor regimen or chemotherapy regimen for the first time. Patients treated with interventional therapy or who had received PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors were excluded. The efficacy and safety of patients receiving immunotherapy were evaluated, including overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), disease control rate (DCR), grade 3-5 treatment-related adverse events (TRAE), and immune-related adverse events (irAE). We also evaluated the relationship between clinical features and outcomes using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: We enrolled 61 patients with a median age of 61 (44-88) years, 63.9% males; 37 in the immunotherapy group (23 in the first-line group, 62.2%) and 24 in the chemotherapy group (19 in the first-line group, 79.2%). Median OS was 14.1 (95% CI 11.4-16.8) months in the immunotherapy group and 9.2 (95% CI 8.5-9.9, p &lt; 0.01) months in the chemotherapy group; In first-line treatment, the median OS in the two groups was 19.4 (95%CI 15.0-22.2) months and 9.6 (95%CI 8.9-10.3, p &lt; 0.01) months. In all patients, Median PFS was 7.2 (95% CI 6.4 – 8.0) months in the immunotherapy group and 4.6 (95% CI 3.8 – 5.4) months in the chemotherapy group, p = 0.174. The ORR of immunotherapy and chemotherapy was 56.8% and 33.3%; DCR was 78.4% and 62.5%. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that N stage and treatment regimen were significant factors related with OS. Grade 3 TRAE in immunotherapy group and chemotherapy group were 29.7% and 29.2%, respectively. The incidence of irAEs was 10.8%. No treatment-related deaths occurred. Conclusions: This real-world data showed PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors might have good efficacy and manageable safety in EC patients with liver metastases, especially in first-line patients. [Table: see text]

A phase I/II study of talazoparib and axitinib in patients with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

4541 Background: Targeting the VEGF pathway is a backbone therapeutic for patients with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Tumor and tissue hypoxia may also lead to DNA repair suppression and PARPs are key regulators of DNA damage and genomic maintenance which interact with HIF proteins. Pairing a potent VEGFR TKI with a selective PARP inhibitor (PARPi) may lead to improved outcomes in ccRCC patients. Methods: This was a phase I/II, investigator-initiated, single-center, open-label study (NCT04337970) of talazoparib plus axitinib in previously treated ccRCC patients. In the phase Ib dose escalation, patients must have been previously treated with a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor with no maximum lines of prior therapy, and those in dose expansion were required to have prior treatment with a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor and prior VEGFR TKI, with a maximum of 2 prior lines of therapy. Patients received escalating doses of talazoparib (0.5 mg, 0.75 mg and 1 mg daily) with axitinib (5 mg twice daily) in a 3+3 design, with primary endpoint of safety and tolerability. After establishing the recommended phase II dose (RP2D), a dose expansion cohort enrolled patients in a Simon two-stage design with a primary endpoint of objective response (ORR), and secondary endpoints including progression-free survival (PFS). Results: From 2020-2023, 23 ccRCC patients were enrolled and treated on study. In the dose escalation, 15 patients enrolled across all 3 dose levels and there were 2 observed DLTS (1 in dose levels 2 and 3). Both DLTs was due to a lack of minimum exposure to study drugs during cycle 1 due to treatment-related toxicities. The maximum tolerated dose and RP2D established was 1 mg talazoparib daily with axitinib 5 mg twice daily. In the phase II dose expansion portion, an additional 9 patients were enrolled to evaluate preliminary efficacy. In total, 13/14 patients treated at the RP2D discontinued therapy due to progressive disease. The objective response rate (ORR) was 7% (90% CI 0, 30), with 1 patient achieving a partial response and 12 patients achieving stable disease (86%). With a median follow-up of 13.2 months (R: 6.6 -29), the median PFS was 6.1 months (95% CI 3.5, 8.4) and median overall survival (OS) was 27 months (95% CI 12- NE). Across the study, 13 (56%) patients had at least one treatment-emergent AE of grade 3+, and 9 (39%) patients had at least one treatment-related AE of grade 3+. Most common grade 3+ AEs included diarrhea, nausea, and anemia. Conclusions: This is the first clinical study evaluating combination PARPi and VEGFR TKI in metastatic ccRCC patients. This study established the RP2D and MTD of combination talazoparib and axitinib and demonstrated a tolerable safety profile across all dose escalation cohorts. The study did not meet the pre-defined efficacy threshold for further enrollment per Simon stage two design. Exploratory efforts to evaluate this treatment approach with tissue biomarker data remain ongoing. Clinical trial information: NCT04337970 .

Immune checkpoint inhibitor plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in HER2-negative advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

e16052 Background: Synergistic effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and chemotherapy (CTX) have been documented, demonstrating promising efficacy across diverse cancer types. This report presents a meta-analysis aimed at assessing the effectiveness and safety profile of ICI plus CTX in patients diagnosed with Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor type 2 (HER2)-negative gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central, and ASCO Abstracts databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials comparing PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors plus CTX with CTX alone in patients diagnosed with HER2-negative gastric or GEJ cancers. The assessed outcomes included Progression-Free Survival (PFS) and Overall Survival (OS), stratified by PD-L1 Combinated Positive Score (CPS) in tumors, as well as any Adverse Events (AE) and Treatment-Related Adverse Events (TRAE) graded as ≥ 3. Statistical analysis employed a random effects model in R version 4.3.2, with heterogeneity assessed using the I2 statistic. Results: We conducted a meta-analysis comprising 6 RCTs involving 5,520 patients, among whom 2,766 received PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy. This combined regimen demonstrated significant improvements in both general PFS (HR 0.73; 95% CI [0.68; 0.78]; p &lt; 0.01) and OS (HR 0.77; 95% CI [0.71; 0.84]; p &lt; 0.01). Specifically, the combination of ICI with CTX exhibited enhanced PFS across various subgroups, including CPS ≥ 5 (HR 0.66; 95% CI [0.59; 0.75]; p &lt; 0.01), CPS ≥ 10 (HR 0.75; 95% CI [0.65; 0.87]; p &lt; 0.01), and CPS ≤ 1 (HR 0.75; 95% CI [0.69; 0.82]; p &lt; 0.01). Median OS similarly reflected this improvement in CPS ≥ 5 (HR 0.71; 95% CI [0.63; 0.81]; p &lt; 0.01) and CPS ≥ 10 (HR 0.66; 95% CI [0.57; 0.75]; p &lt; 0.01) subgroups, albeit not in the CPS ≤ 1 subgroup (HR 0.91; 95% CI [0.77; 1.08]; p = 0.29). Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in the incidence of adverse events (AE) (RR 1.01; 95% CI [0.99; 1.04]; p = 0.221), while grade 3 or more treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) were slightly higher in the ICI plus CTX group (RR 1.15; 95% CI [1.01; 1.32]; p = 0.038). Conclusions: These findings indicate that the combination of ICI with CTX demonstrates superior efficacy compared to CTX alone in HER2-negative gastric or GEJ cancer. However, this efficacy trend is not maintained in patients with PD-L1 CPS ≤ 1 tumors. Moreover, the absence of differences in AE and the slight increase in TRAE in the ICI plus CTX group still further supports the safety profile of this combination therapy.