Recurrent Nonsquamous Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Research Articles

Rechallenge of afatinib for EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer previously treated with osimertinib: a multicenter phase II trial protocol (REAL study).

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have revolutionized the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and contributed to the development of precision medicine. Osimertinib is a standard first-line (1L) treatment for EGFR-mutated NSCLC and has demonstrated superior survival benefits over previous-generation TKIs. However, resistance to osimertinib is nearly inevitable, and subsequent treatment strategies remain unmet medical needs in this setting. Afatinib, a second-generation EGFR-TKI, exhibits activity against certain uncommon EGFR mutation types in the 1L setting. There are a few case reports on the efficacy of afatinib against EGFR-dependent resistance after osimertinib treatment, although these have not been prospectively investigated. The present phase II, single-arm multicenter trial aims to verify the efficacy and safety of afatinib rechallenge after 1L osimertinib resistance. Patients (aged ≥20 years) with advanced or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC harboring drug-sensitive EGFR mutations (deletion of exon 19 or L858R) who were previously treated with 1L osimertinib and second-line chemotherapy other than TKIs are considered eligible. Undergoing next-generation sequence-based comprehensive genomic profiling is one of the key inclusion criteria. The primary endpoint is the objective response rate; the secondary endpoints are progression-free survival, overall survival, and tolerability. Thirty patients will be recruited in December 2023. The results of this study may promote incorporating afatinib rechallenge into the treatment sequence after 1L osimertinib resistance, a setting in which concrete evidence has not been yet established. UMIN Clinical Trial Registry: UMIN000049225.

Association of thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) expression with efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors plus pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy in advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) expression in advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been associated with the efficacy of pemetrexed plus platinum chemotherapy. However, the relation between TTF-1 expression and efficacy of the combination of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors plus pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy, a standard first-line treatment regimen for advanced non-squamous NSCLC, has remained unclear. We retrospectively evaluated TTF-1 expression in tumor tissue of patients with advanced or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors plus pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy in the first-line setting. Clinical characteristics and pathological data for each patient were assessed, and progression-free survival (PFS) was evaluated. Bias due to patient background was minimized by application of inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis. A total of 122 patients, 75 (61.5%) of whom were positive for TTF-1 immunostaining in tumor specimens, was included in this multicenter study. At the time of analysis, 89 (73.0%) patients had experienced progression events and 44 (36.1%) had died [median follow-up 14.6 months (range, 0.53-29.5 months)]. PFS was longer for TTF-1-positive patients than for TTF-1-negative patients [median, 12.2 vs. 6.0 months; hazard ratio (HR) =0.63 (95% CI: 0.37-1.06); log-rank P=0.028]. IPTW-adjusted PFS was significantly longer for TTF-1-positive than for TTF-1-negative patients [HR =0.62 (95% CI: 0.46-0.83); log-rank P=0.024]. TTF-1 expression in advanced non-squamous NSCLC can serve as a basis for prediction of PFS in patients treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors plus pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy in the first-line setting.

Abstract CT551: Randomized phase III study comparing the efficacy and safety of CT-P16, a new biosimilar, to reference bevacizumab (Avastin®) in patients with metastatic or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Abstract Background: CT-P16 is a proposed biosimilar to FDA approved reference bevacizumab (BV), namely Avastin®. This trial (NCT03676192) compared the efficacy and safety of CT-P16 and BV in patients with metastatic or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC. Methods: This double blind, randomized, multicenter study randomly assigned patients to CT-P16 or BV with carboplatin and paclitaxel, up to 6 cycles (Induction Period), followed by maintenance CT-P16 or BV monotherapy until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) during the Induction Period. ORR includes complete or partial responses based on RECIST v1.1 assessed by an independent reviewer. Secondary endpoints were Quality of life (QoL), PK, safety, and immunogenicity. Results: A total of 689 patients were randomized (CT-P16: 342, BV: 347). The baseline characteristics were well balanced. ORRs were similar between the two treatment arms and the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risk ratio estimate (0.7368, 1.3572) and 95% CIs for risk difference estimate (±12.5%) were within the equivalence margin in both ITT (intent-to-treat) and PP (per-protocol) sets. QoL results (QLQ-C30 and QLQ-LC13) and PK parameter (Ctrough) were comparable between the two treatment arms. The overall incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), serious AEs (TESAEs), AEs leading to discontinuation, and AEs leading to death was similar between the two treatment arms (96.2% vs. 92.4%, 19.4% vs. 20.1%, 15.1% vs. 14.5%, and 6.4% vs. 6.4% for the CT-P16 and BV treatment arm, respectively). The incidence of treatment-emergent anti-drug antibodies was comparable (14.2% vs. 16.0%). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that CT-P16 is equivalent to BV as measured by ORR in patients with metastatic or recurrent adenocarcinoma of the lung. Other endpoints including PK, QoL, safety and immunogenicity were comparable. Primary endpoint ITT PP CT-P16 (N=342) BV (N=347) CT-P16 (N=318) BV (N=303) Independent reviewer ORR (%) 95% CI 42.40 (37.16 - 47.64) 42.07 (36.88 - 47.27) 45.28 (39.81 - 50.75) 47.19 (41.57 - 52.82) Risk ratio estimate (90% CI) 1.0136 (0.8767, 1.1719) 0.9662 (0.8387, 1.1132) Risk difference estimate (%) (95% CI) 0.40 (-7.02, 7.83) -1.90 (-9.80, 6.00) Investigator ORR (%) 95% CI 43.86 (38.60 - 49.12) 39.19 (34.06 - 44.33) 46.54 (41.06 - 52.02) 43.89 (38.31 - 49.48) Risk ratio estimate (90% CI) 1.1234 (0.9683, 1.3032) 1.0648 (0.9209, 1.2313) Risk difference estimate (%) (95% CI) 4.87 (-2.53, 12.26) 2.90 (-4.99, 10.79) Citation Format: Yuichiro Ohe, Igor Bondarenko, Zoran Andric, Yuriy Ostapenko, Tudor Ciuleanu, Fedor Moiseenko, Tamta Makharadze, Sergii Shevnya, Alona Oleksiienko, Eduardo Yañez Ruiz, SungHyun Kim, KeumYoung Ahn, TaeHong Park, Sijin Park, JiEun Lee, MinJi Kim, Claire Verschraegen. Randomized phase III study comparing the efficacy and safety of CT-P16, a new biosimilar, to reference bevacizumab (Avastin®) in patients with metastatic or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr CT551.

Cost-Effectiveness of Bevacizumab Biosimilar LY01008 Combined With Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Chinese Patients With Advanced or Recurrent Nonsquamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Objective: To investigate whether LY01008, a locally developed bevacizumab biosimilar agent, is appropriate for widespread use among Chinese advanced or recurrent nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, our current study was designed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of first-line LY01008 combined with platinum-doublet chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone from the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system. Material and Methods: This economic evaluation designed a Markov model to compare the healthcare cost and quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) of first-line LY01008 combined with chemotherapy versus first-line chemotherapy. Transition probabilities, including disease progression, survival, and adverse event (AE)-related discontinuation of first-line treatment, were estimated using data from the clinical trials. Costs and health utilities were derived from local databases, hospitals, and published literature. Our base case analysis and scenario analysis focused on the cost-effectiveness of chemotherapy combined with a clinical trial dosage (15 mg/kg every 3-week cycle) and a real-world dosage (7.5 mg/kg every 3-week cycle) of LY01008, respectively. Results: In the base case analysis, first-line LY01008 combined with chemotherapy was associated with an increase of 0.48 QALYs in effectiveness and an increase of CNY 189,988 (US$ 26,240) in healthcare costs compared with first-line chemotherapy, resulting an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of CNY 375,425 (US$ 54,430)/QALY. In the scenario analysis, first-line LY01008 combined with chemotherapy was associated with a mean healthcare cost of CNY 265,060 (US$ 38,429), resulting an ICER of CNY 221,579 (US$ 32,125/QALY) between first-line LY01008 combined with chemotherapy versus first-line chemotherapy. The parameters that determine the cost of LY01008 have the greatest impact on the cost-effectiveness results. Conclusion: From the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system, first-line LY01008 at a real-world dosage combined with chemotherapy is likely to represent a cost-effective strategy compared with first-line chemotherapy alone for Chinese advanced or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC patients.

Efficacy and safety of MIL60 compared with bevacizumab in advanced or recurrent non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: a phase 3 randomized, double-blind study.

BackgroundWe compared the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of MIL60 with reference bevacizumab as first-line treatment in patients with advanced or recurrent non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in this phase 3, randomized, double-blind study.MethodsPatients with untreated advanced or recurrent NSCLC were randomized (1:1 ratio) to receive either MIL60 or bevacizumab in combination with paclitaxel/carboplatin. Patients with non-progressive disease continued maintenance single-agent MIL60 until disease progression, or intolerable toxicity. The primary endpoint was the 12-week objective response rates (ORR12) by independent review committee (IRC) using RECIST 1.1. Bioequivalence was established if the ORR ratio located between 0.75 and 1/0.75. The trial was registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03196986).FindingsBetween Aug 23, 2017, and May 8, 2019, 517 patients were randomly assigned to MIL60 group (n=257) and bevacizumab group (n=260). In the full analysis set (FAS) population including all randomized and evaluable patients who received at least one dose of MIL60 or bevacizumab, the ORR12 in MIL60 group and bevacizumab group were 48.6% and 43.1%, respectively. The ORR ratio of these two groups were 1.14 (90% CI 0.97-1.33), which fell within the pre-specified equivalence boundaries (0.75-1/0.75). The median DOR was 5.7 months (95% CI 4.5-6.2) for MIL60 and 5.6 months (95% CI 4.3-6.4) for bevacizumab. No significant difference was noted in median PFS (7.2 vs. 8.1 months; HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.78-1.30, p=0.9606) and OS (19.3 vs. 16.3 months; HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.64-1.02, p=0.0755). Safety and tolerability profiles were similar between the two groups. No patient detected positive for Anti-drug antibody (ADA).InterpretationThe efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of MIL60 were similar with bevacizumab, providing an alternative treatment option for advanced or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC.FundingThis study was sponsored by Betta Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

FKB238: A Bevacizumab Biosimilar.

FKB238 is a biosimilar of bevacizumab (a monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor) approved for use in the same types of cancer as reference bevacizumab. FKB238 has similar physicochemical and pharmacodynamic properties to those of reference bevacizumab and pharmacokinetic similarity was shown in healthy volunteers and in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). FKB238 demonstrated equivalent clinical efficacy to reference bevacizumab in patients with advanced or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC, with similar tolerability, safety and immunogenicity profiles.

Nivolumab with carboplatin, paclitaxel, and bevacizumab for first-line treatment of advanced nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer

This international, randomized, double-blind phase III study (ONO-4538-52/TASUKI-52) evaluated nivolumab with bevacizumab and cytotoxic chemotherapy as first-line treatment for nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Between June 2017 and July 2019, this study enrolled treatment-naïve patients with stage IIIB/IV or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC without sensitizing EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 alterations. They were randomly assigned in a 1 : 1 ratio to receive nivolumab or placebo in combination with carboplatin, paclitaxel, and bevacizumab every 3 weeks for up to six cycles, followed by nivolumab/placebo with bevacizumab until progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) assessed by an independent radiology review committee (IRRC). Overall, 550 patients from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan were randomized; of these patients, 273 and 275 received the nivolumab and placebo combinations, respectively. In the present preplanned interim analysis with a median follow up of 13.7 months, the IRRC-assessed median PFS was significantly longer in the nivolumab arm than in the placebo arm (12.1 versus 8.1 months; hazard ratio 0.56; 96.4% confidence interval 0.43-0.71; P < 0.0001). The PFS benefit was observed across all patients with any programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression levels including PD-L1-negative patients. The IRRC-assessed objective response rates were 61.5% and 50.5% in the nivolumab and placebo arms, respectively. The incidence of treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or 4 was comparable between the two arms; treatment-related adverse events leading to death were observed in five and four patients in the nivolumab and placebo arms, respectively. The TASUKI-52 regimen should be considered a viable new treatment strategy for treatment-naïve patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC.

P72.09 Study of Relationship Between Proportion of CTLA-4 Positive Tregs in Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes and PD-L1 TPS

KEYNOTE-189 regimen shows a good treatment outcome in patients with previously untreated metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without sensitizing EGFR or ALK mutation. The problem with this regimen is that patients with a programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) tumor proportion score (TPS) of less than 50% have poorer outcomes than those with a PD-L1 TPS of more than 50%. In 2020, FDA approved CheckMate 9LA regimen as first-line treatment of metastatic or recurrent NSCLC. This regimen is promising because similar therapeutic results were reported regardless of PD-L1 TPS. However, in subgroup analysis, the treatment outcome in the group with a PD-L1 TPS of 50% or more was similar to KEYNOTE-189 regimen. Furthermore, ipilimumab may cause a high frequency of adverse events. Biomarkers are desired for appropriate patient selection. Tumor mutation burden has been attracting attention as a biomarker for predicting the effect of ipilimumab, but it is currently considered negative according to the results of CheckMate 227 study. We focused on cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) positive regulatory T cells (Tregs), which are considered to be the main therapeutic target of ipilimumab. Tumor tissues resected from 55 patients with NSCLC were homogenized using gentleMACS™ Dissociator (Miltenyi Biotec, Germany), and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes were collected using autoMACS® (Miltenyi Biotec, Germany). Patients with sensitizing EGFR or ALK mutation were excluded. CTLA-4+ CD45RA- forkhead box P3++ Tregs were measured by flow cytometry. Then, we statistically examined the relationship between the proportion of those cells and PD-L1 TPS. The patient background did not vary depending on the PD-L1 TPS. The proportion of CTLA-4+ CD45RA- forkhead box P3++ Tregs in CD8 T cells was constant regardless of PD-L1 TPS (P=0.4857). Lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood did not differ depending on the PD-L1 TPS (P=0.1797). This result suggests that a certain proportion of patients are expected to benefit from CheckMate 9LA regimen, regardless of PD-L1 TPS. Further biomarker study is needed in order to provide appropriate treatment to individual patients.

SB8: A Bevacizumab Biosimilar.

SB8 is a biosimilar of the monoclonal anti-VEGF antibody bevacizumab and is approved in the EU for use in the same types of cancer as bevacizumab. SB8 has similar physicochemical and pharmacodynamic properties to those of reference bevacizumab and pharmacokinetic equivalence was shown in healthy volunteers and patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). SB8 demonstrated equivalent clinical efficacy to reference bevacizumab in patients with metastatic or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC, with similar tolerability, safety and immunogenicity profiles.

Open-label, multicenter, randomized phase II study on docetaxel plus bevacizumab or pemetrexed plus bevacizumab for treatment of elderly (aged ≥75 years) patients with previously untreated advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: TORG1323.

BackgroundThe effectiveness of bevacizumab monotherapy in elderly patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. The efficacy of the combinations for elderly patients was explored.MethodsUntreated patients (≥75 years; performance status 0–1) with stage IIIB, IV, or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC were included. Patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements were eligible even if they received tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive docetaxel (50 mg/m2) (DB) or pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) (PB) with bevacizumab (15 m/kg). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Treatment was administered every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.ResultsOverall, 103 patients (DB: n=51; PB: n=52) were enrolled. In the DB and PB arms, median ages [range] were 78 [75–88] and 79 [75–94] years, respectively; median PFS were 6.1 and 4.6 months, respectively [hazard ratio (HR), 1.03; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.66–1.61]; and response rates were 43%, and 40%, respectively (P=0.840). Grade ≥3 leukopenia, neutropenia, and fatigue incidences were significantly higher in the DB arm. Febrile neutropenia incidence did not differ significantly (16% vs. 12%, P=0.578). One patient in the PB arm died from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. Quality of life (QoL) analysis revealed less deterioration in the PB arm.ConclusionsIn previously untreated elderly patients with non-squamous NSCLC, PB shows feasibility, better QoL, and promising efficacy in terms of PFS, and an objective response rate for further analysis (UMIN000012786).

Assessing the significance of KRAS G12C mutation: Clinicopathologic features, treatments, and survival outcomes in a real-world KRAS mutant non-small cell lung cancer cohort.

e19324 Background: KRASG12C mutations are present in 15% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and have recently been shown to confer sensitivity to KRAS(G12C) inhibitors. This study aims to assess the clinical features and outcomes with KRASG12C mutant NSCLC in a real-world setting. Methods: Patients enrolled in an Australian prospective cohort study, Thoracic Malignancies Cohort (TMC), between July 2012 to October 2019 with metastatic or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC, with available KRAS test results, and without EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 gene aberrations, were selected. Data was extracted from TMC and patient records. Clinicopathologic features, treatment and overall survival was compared for KRAS wildtype ( KRASWT) and KRAS mutated ( KRASmut) patients, and between KRAS G12C ( KRASG12C) and other ( KRASother) mutations. Results: Of 1386 patients with non squamous NSCLC, 1040 were excluded for: non metastatic or recurrent (526); KRAS not tested (356); ALK, EGFR or ROS1 positive (154); duplicate (4). Of 346 patients analysed, 202 (58%) were KRASWT and 144 (42%) were KRASmut, of whom 65 (45%) were KRASG12C. 100% of pts with KRASG12C were smokers, compared to 92% of KRASother and 83% of KRASWT. The prevalence of brain metastases over entire follow-up period was similar between KRASmut and KRASWT (33% vs 40%, p = 0.17), and KRASG12C and KRASother (40% vs 41%, p = 0.74). Likewise, there was no difference in the proportion of patients receiving one or multiple lines of systemic therapy. Overall survival (OS) was also similar between KRASmut and KRASWT (p = 0.54), and KRASG12C and KRASother (p = 0.39). Conclusions: In this real-world prospective cohort, patients had comparable clinical features regardless of having a KRASmut, KRASG12C or KRASother mutation, or being KRASWT . Treatment and survival were also similar between groups. While not prognostic, KRASG12C may be an important predictive biomarker as promising KRAS G12C covalent inhibitors continue to be developed.

1565P - A phase III study comparing SB8, a proposed bevacizumab biosimilar, and reference bevacizumab in patients with metastatic or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC

BackgroundSB8 is a proposed biosimilar of the reference bevacizumab (BEV). This study compared the efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and immunogenicity of SB8 to BEV in patients with metastatic or recurrent non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MethodsIn this randomised, double-blind, multicentre study, patients were randomised (1:1) to receive SB8 or BEV with paclitaxel and carboplatin Q3W followed by SB8 or BEV maintenance therapy until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, death, or 1 year from the randomisation of the last patient. The primary endpoint was the best overall response rate (ORR) by 24 weeks of chemotherapy; risk ratio was analyzed in the full analysis set (FAS) and risk difference was analyzed in the per-protocol set (PPS). Secondary endpoints were progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), duration of response (DOR), safety, PK, and immunogenicity. ResultsA total of 763 patients (SB8, n=379; BEV, n=384) were randomized. Baseline characteristics were balanced between SB8 and BEV. In the FAS, the best ORR was 47.6% in SB8 and 42.8% in BEV; the risk ratio was 1.11 and its 90% CI was [0.975, 1.269], which was within the pre-defined equivalence margin of [0.737, 1.357]. In the PPS, the best ORR was 50.1% in SB8 and 44.8% in BEV; the risk difference was 5.3% and its 95% CI was [−2.2%, 12.9%], of which the lower margin was contained within and the upper margin was outside the pre-defined equivalence margin of [−12.5%, 12.5%]. The secondary efficacy endpoints in the FAS were comparable between SB8 vs BEV: median PFS (8.50 vs 7.90 months), median OS (14.90 vs 15.80 months), and median DOR (5.60 vs 5.85 months). The overall incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) was comparable between SB8 vs BEV (92.1% vs 91.1%). The most frequently occurring TEAEs were alopecia, anaemia, and nausea. PK parameters (Ctrough and Cmax) and the incidence of overall anti-drug antibodies (16.1% vs 11.0%) were comparable between SB8 vs BEV. ConclusionsThis study demonstrated equivalence between SB8 and BEV in terms of best ORR risk ratio. Other efficacy endpoints, safety, PK, and immunogenicity were comparable between SB8 and BEV. Clinical trial identificationNCT02754882. Legal entity responsible for the studySamsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. FundingSamsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. DisclosureM. Reck: Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd.; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: AbbVie; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Amgen; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: AstraZeneca; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: BMS; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Boehringer Ingelheim; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Celgene; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Lilly; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Merck; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: MSD; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Novartis; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Pfizer; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Roche. J. Choi: Full / Part-time employment: Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. D. Shin: Full / Part-time employment: Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Multicenter phase II study on cisplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab followed by maintenance with pemetrexed and bevacizumab for patients with advanced or recurrent nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer: MAP study

BackgroundWe evaluated the safety and efficacy of induction chemotherapy with bevacizumab followed by maintenance chemotherapy with bevacizumab for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in this multicenter phase II study.MethodsChemotherapy-naïve patient with stage IIIB–IV or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC were eligible. We planned approximately four cycles of induction cisplatin (75 mg/m2), pemetrexed (500 mg/m2), and bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) followed by maintenance with pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) and bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) until disease progression. Progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary endpoint.ResultsForty patients received a median of four induction chemotherapy cycles. Of them, 35 (87.5%) patients received a median of nine maintenance chemotherapy cycles. The objective response was 70.6%, and the disease control rate was 97.1%. The median PFS was 10.8 (95% CI, 9.0–12.6), and overall survival was 48.0 (95% CI, 32.9–63.1) months. Median PFS of 23 patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations and of 16 patients without EGFR mutations were 12.9 (95% CI, 9.4–16.3) and 7.9 (95% CI, 1.1–14.7) months, respectively. Toxicities graded ≥3 included neutropenia (15%), anemia (15%), hypertension (7.5%), anorexia (7.5%), fatigue (7.5%), thromboembolic events (5%), jaw osteonecrosis (5%), nausea (2.5%), oral mucositis (2.5%), tumor pain (2.5%), hyponatremia (2.5%), and gastrointestinal perforation (2.5%). Treatment-related deaths were not found.ConclusionsIn patients with advanced or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC, induction chemotherapy with cisplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab followed by maintenance chemotherapy with pemetrexed and bevacizumab is safe and effective regardless of their EGFR mutation status.Trial registrationUMIN Clinical Trial Registry: UMIN000005569. Registered date: May 8, 2011.

A Placebo-Controlled Phase II Study of Ruxolitinib in Combination With Pemetrexed and Cisplatin for First-Line Treatment of Patients With Advanced Nonsquamous Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer and Systemic Inflammation

BackgroundDysregulation of the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducers and activators of transcription pathway contributes to abnormal inflammatory responses and poor prognosis in non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We evaluated the JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib plus pemetrexed/cisplatin first-line in patients with stage IIIB/IV or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC with systemic inflammation (modified Glasgow prognostic score [mGPS] 1/2). Patients and MethodsPart 1 was an open-label, safety run-in, in which we assessed ruxolitinib (15 mg twice daily [b.i.d.]) plus pemetrexed (500 mg/m2 intravenous, day 1) and cisplatin (75 mg/m2 intravenous, day 1). Ruxolitinib dose selection for part 2 required <3 dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) for 9 evaluable patients. In part 2 patients were randomized to ruxolitinib or placebo (each plus pemetrexed/cisplatin). The trial terminated early for reasons unrelated to this trial. ResultsFifteen patients enrolled in part 1 (median age, 64 years; 80% male, 80% mGPS 1) received ruxolitinib 15 mg b.i.d. plus pemetrexed/cisplatin. Median treatment duration was 140 days and no DLTs occurred in 11 evaluable patients. No new safety concerns arose when ruxolitinib was combined with pemetrexed/cisplatin. At study termination, 39 patients were randomized to ruxolitinib and 37 to placebo in part 2. Median treatment duration was 43 days. Response rate was 31% (12 of 39) with ruxolitinib and 35% (13 of 37) with placebo (all partial responses). ConclusionRuxolitinib 15 mg b.i.d. had an acceptable safety profile in combination with pemetrexed/cisplatin asfirst-line treatment of patients with stage IIIB/IV or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC and systemic inflammation. Early study termination limited the interpretation of efficacy data in the randomized phase II part of the study.

Bevacizumab in the treatment of NSCLC: patient selection and perspectives.

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents about 85% of all lung cancers, and more than half of NSCLCs are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Chemotherapy has reached a plateau in the overall survival curve of about 10 months. Therefore, in last decade novel targeted approaches have been developed to extend survival of these patients, including antiangiogenic treatment. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway plays a dominant role in stimulating angiogenesis, which is the main process promoting tumor growth and metastasis. Bevacizumab (bev; Avastin®) is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody that neutralizes VEGF’s biologic activity through a steric blocking of its binding with VEGF receptor. Currently, bev is the only antiangiogenic agent approved for the first-line treatment of advanced or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC in “bev-eligible” patients. The ineligibility to receive bev is related to its toxicity. In the pivotal trials of bev in NSCLC, fatal bleeding events including pulmonary hemorrhage were observed with rates higher in the chemotherapy-plus-bev group. Therefore, in order to reduce the incidence of severe pulmonary hemorrhage, numerous exclusion criteria have been characteristically applied for bev such as central tumor localization or tumor cavitation, use of anticoagulant therapy, presence of brain metastases, age of patients (elderly). Subsequent studies designed to evaluate the safety of bev have demonstrated that this agent is safe and well tolerated even in those patients subpopulations excluded from pivotal trials. This review outlines the current state-of-the-art on bev use in advanced NSCLC. It also describes patient selection and future perspectives on this antiangiogenic agent.

P2.03a-014 A Dose-Finding and Phase 2 Study of Ruxolitinib plus Pemetrexed/Cisplatin for Nonsquamous Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

Dysregulation of the JAK/STAT pathway contributes to abnormal inflammatory responses, oncogenesis, treatment resistance, and poor prognosis in NSCLC. This phase 2 clinical trial evaluated the JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib+pemetrexed/cisplatin as first-line treatment for patients with stage IIIB/IV or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC and systemic inflammation (per modified Glasgow Prognostic Score [mGPS]). Key inclusion criteria were mGPS of 1/2 and ECOG performance status ≤1. Part 1, an open-label, 21-day safety run-in, assessed ruxolitinib (15 mg BID [chosen dose for Part 2]) plus pemetrexed (500 mg/m2 IV on Day 1) and cisplatin (75 mg/m2 IV on Day 1). Ruxolitinib dose selection for Part 2 required <3 dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) for 9 evaluable patients. Part 2 randomized patients to ruxolitinib+pemetrexed/cisplatin or placebo+pemetrexed/cisplatin. The trial was terminated early for lack of efficacy in other solid tumor programs in patients with high systemic inflammation. All 15 patients enrolled in Part 1 received ruxolitinib 15 mg BID plus pemetrexed/cisplatin. Median age was 64 years; male, 80%; mGPS 1, 80%. Median treatment duration was 140 days. The Table reports Part 1 safety data. Four patients were inevaluable for DLTs (<80% compliance, n=2; disease progression, n=2). No DLTs occurred in 11 evaluable patients. The Part 1 overall response rate (ORR) was 53% (8/15; all partial responses). At study termination, 39 and 37 patients were randomized in Part 2 to ruxolitinib and placebo, respectively. Median treatment duration was 43 days. ORR was 31% (12/39) with ruxolitinib+pemetrexed/cisplatin versus 35% (13/37) with placebo+pemetrexed/cisplatin (all partial responses). The short follow-up duration may limit interpretation of Part 2 efficacy. The Part 2 safety profile was consistent with Part 1 (data to be presented).TableThe Most Common Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events in Part 1Event, n (%)Ruxolitinib+Pemetrexed/Cisplatin (N=15)All-GradeGrade 3/4Nonhematologic*Nausea11(73)1(7)Fatigue8(53)3(20)Vomiting8(53)1(7)Constipation7(47)0Diarrhea7(47)0Dizziness7(47)0Peripheral edema7(47)0Decreased appetite6(40)0Pyrexia6(40)0Dyspnea5(33)1(7)Pneumonia4(27)3(20)Pulmonary embolism2(13)2(13)Sepsis2(13)2(13)New/worsening hematologic laboratory abnormalitiesAnemia13(87)5(33)Lymphopenia11(73)2(13)Leukopenia9(60)1(7)Neutropenia9(60)5(33)Thrombocytopenia9(60)1(7)*Common all-grade (≥30%) or grade 3/4 (≥10%) events. Open table in a new tab *Common all-grade (≥30%) or grade 3/4 (≥10%) events. Ruxolitinib 15 mg BID had an acceptable safety profile in combination with pemetrexed/cisplatin as first-line treatment of patients with stage IIIB/IV or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC.

Multicentre phase II study of nivolumab in Japanese patients with advanced or recurrent non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer

ObjectiveNivolumab is a fully human IgG4 programmed cell death 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nivolumab in Japanese patients with advanced or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC.MethodsIn this multicentre phase II study, patients with advanced or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC, which had progressed after platinum-containing chemotherapy, were treated with nivolumab 3 mg/kg, intravenously every 2 weeks until progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity was observed. The primary end point was independent radiology review committee (IRC) assessed overall response rate (ORR) and the secondary endpoints included ORR (investigator assessed), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), duration of response, time to response, best overall response, and safety.Results76 patients were enrolled across 19 sites in Japan. The ORR (IRC assessed) was 22.4% (95% CI 14.5% to 32.9%). The median PFS and OS were 2.8 months (95% CI 1.4 to 3.4) and 17.1 months (95% CI 13.3 to 23.0), respectively. The OS rate at 1 year was 68.0% (95% CI 56.2% to 77.3%). Current/former smokers were more responsive to treatment than non-smokers (ORR 29.1% vs 4.8%). Patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation wild type/unknown showed higher ORR compared with EGFR mutation-positive patients (ORR 28.6% vs 5.0%) and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression was likely associated with higher ORR, longer PFS and OS. Treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or higher were reported in 17 patients; these events resolved or were resolving with appropriate treatment including steroid therapy or discontinuation of nivolumab.ConclusionsNivolumab was well tolerated and showed clinical efficacy in Japanese patients with non-squamous NSCLC progressed after platinum-containing chemotherapy, especially in those with a history of smoking, wild type/unknown EGFR mutation status or positive PD-L1 expression.Trial registration numberJapicCTI-132073.

P2.06-023 A Phase III Study Comparing Gefitinib and Inserted Cisplatin plus Pemetrexed with Gefitinib for EGFR-Mutated Advanced Non-Squamous NSCLC: Topic: Phase III

Overcoming and prevention of acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs in the treatment for patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a critical issue. Although third-generation EGFR-TKIs, such as osimertinib, which are potent against EGFR carrying the T790M mutation, have been developed, they are insufficient to overcome other resistance mechanisms. We hypothesized that the insertion of platinum-doublet chemotherapy with EGFR-TKIs might prevent the emergence of acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs and prolong the patient survival. An early phase II study of inserted cisplatin and docetaxel with gefitinib showed promising outcomes, including a median progression-free survival of 19.5 months and median survival time of 48.0 months. This study (JCOG1404 / WJOG8214L: AGAIN study) is an intergroup, multicenter, randomized phase III study conducted by the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) and the West Japan Oncology Group (WJOG). The objective of this study is to confirm the superiority, in terms of the overall survival, of the study treatment, described below, over gefitinib monotherapy. As the study treatment, gefitinib are administered on days 1-56. Then, after a two-week drug-free period, three cycles of cisplatin and pemetrexed are administered on days 71, 92, and 113. Thereafter, gefitinib is re-started on day 134 and continued until disease progression. The secondary endpoints are progression-free survival, response rate, adverse events, severe adverse events and proportion of EGFR T790M mutation positive in the tumor samples at disease progression. The key eligibility criteria are: patients with advanced or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC harboring EGFR activating mutations (exon 19 deletion or exon21 L858R), age 20 to 74 years, and PS 0 or 1. This study was started in December 2015, and a total of 500 patients will be enrolled over a period of 3 years. This trial has been registered at UMIN-CTR[umin.ac.jp/ctr/] as UMIN000020242. Section not applicable. Section not applicable.

Patients' Attitudes and Physicians' Perceptions Toward Maintenance Therapy for Advanced Non–Small-cell Lung Cancer: A Multicenter Italian Survey

IntroductionPemetrexed maintenance therapy (MT) after induction with platinum-based chemotherapy has recently become a common treatment strategy for advanced nonsquamous non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the benefits of MT should be weighed with consideration of the patients' perceptions and preferences. The aim of the present study was to evaluate patients' attitudes toward MT and to describe physicians' awareness of their patients' inclinations. Materials and MethodsWe administered a 12-question anonymous survey and the Distress Thermometer Questionnaire to patients with advanced or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC. The survey was also distributed to the referring physicians. ResultsFrom December 2014 to July 2015, 92 patients and 37 physicians were enrolled. All 92 patients completed the questionnaire at T0 (before starting chemotherapy) and 56.5% also did so at T1 (after completion of induction). The physicians completed the survey only at T0. Most patients had a positive attitude toward MT at both T0 (78.9%) and T1 (86.5%), and 100% of the physicians thought their patients would be in favor of MT. The physicians believed that their patients' attitudes toward MT would decrease proportionally with the reduction in the magnitude of the overall survival increase and expected benefits. The decrease expected by the physicians was much greater than that reported by the patients. This was especially true for an overall survival increase as small as 1 month (51.9% of patients accepting MT vs. 13.5% supposed by physicians) or when the only treatment benefit was radiologic tumor stabilization (69.3% of patients accepting MT vs. 37.8% supposed by physicians). ConclusionNSCLC patients have a generally positive attitude toward MT, which is not directly proportional to the expected benefits and greater than the attitude expected by physicians.

Nintedanib plus pemetrexed versus placebo plus pemetrexed in patients with relapsed or refractory, advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LUME-Lung 2): A randomized, double-blind, phase III trial

ObjectivesLUME-Lung 2 investigated the efficacy/safety of nintedanib plus pemetrexed in patients with pretreated non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and methodsPatients with stage IIIB/IV or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC who had received one prior chemotherapy regimen were randomized (1:1 stratified by histology [adenocarcinoma/non-adenocarcinoma], prior bevacizumab, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status and presence of brain metastases) to receive intravenous pemetrexed 500mg/m2 on Day 1 plus nintedanib 200mg orally twice daily or matching placebo on Days 2–21, every 3 weeks until progression/unacceptable toxicity. Progression-free survival (PFS) by independent central review was the primary endpoint. Overall survival (OS) was the key secondary endpoint. ResultsBased on the pre-planned futility analysis of investigator-assessed PFS, conducted by an independent data monitoring committee, recruitment was halted on 18 June 2011 after 713 (n=353 nintedanib/pemetrexed; n=360 placebo/pemetrexed)/1300 planned patients had enrolled. There were no safety concerns. Subsequent analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in PFS favoring nintedanib/pemetrexed over placebo/pemetrexed (median 4.4 months vs 3.6 months; hazard ratio [HR]=0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.70–0.99, p=0.0435). There was no significant difference in OS (median 12.0 months vs 12.7 months; HR=1.01, 95% CI 0.85–1.21, p=0.8940) after 514 deaths. Nintedanib/pemetrexed resulted in a higher incidence of grade ≥3 elevated alanine aminotransferase (23.3% vs 7.3%), elevated aspartate aminotransferase (12.1% vs 1.7%) and diarrhea (3.5% vs 1.1%) compared with placebo/pemetrexed, but no difference in hypertension, bleeding or thrombosis. ConclusionAlthough recruitment stopped prematurely, combining nintedanib with pemetrexed significantly prolonged PFS in patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC after first-line chemotherapy, with a manageable safety profile.