Treatment Of Biliary Tract Cancer Research Articles

Molecular Characterization of Biliary Tract Cancer Predicts Chemotherapy and Programmed Death 1/Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Blockade Responses.

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) exhibits diverse molecular characteristics. However, reliable biomarkers that predict therapeutic responses are yet to be discovered. We aimed to identify the molecular features of treatment responses to chemotherapy and immunotherapy in BTCs. We enrolled 121 advanced BTC patients (68 cholangiocarcinomas [33 intrahepatic, 35 extrahepatic], 41 gallbladder cancers, and 12 Ampulla of Vater cancers) whose specimens were analyzed by clinical sequencing platforms. All patients received first-line palliative chemotherapy; 48 patients underwent programmed death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade therapy after failed chemotherapy. Molecular and histopathological characterization was performed using targeted sequencing and immunohistochemical staining to investigate treatment response-associated biomarkers. Genomic analysis revealed a broad spectrum of mutational profiles according to anatomical location. Favorable responses to chemotherapy were observed in the small-duct type compared with the large-duct type intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, with frequent mutations in BRCA1-associated protein-1/isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 and KRAS proto-oncogene, GTPase/SMAD family member 4 genes, respectively. The molecular features were further analyzed in BTCs, and transforming growth factor beta and DNA damage response pathway-altered tumors exhibited poor and favorable chemotherapy responses, respectively. In PD-1/PD-L1 blockade-treated patients, KRAS alteration and chromosomal instability tumors were associated with resistance to immunotherapy. The majority of patients (95.0%) with these resistance factors show no clinical benefit to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade and low tumor mutational burdens. Low tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density in tumors with these resistance factors indicated immune-suppressive tumor microenvironments, whereas high intratumoral TIL density was associated with a favorable immunotherapy response. This study proposes predictive molecular features of chemotherapy and immunotherapy responses in advanced BTCs using clinical sequencing platforms. Our result provides an intuitive framework to guide the treatment of advanced BTCs benefiting from therapeutic agents based on the tumors' molecular features.

A randomised phase II study of oxaliplatin/5-FU (mFOLFOX) versus irinotecan/5-FU (mFOLFIRI) chemotherapy in locally advanced or metastatic biliary tract cancer refractory to first-line gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy

BackgroundIn locally advanced or metastatic biliary tract cancer (BTC), second-line chemotherapy is challenging after progression from first-line gemcitabine/cisplatin. This study evaluated whether irinotecan/5-fluorouracil (5-FU; mFOLFIRI) was superior to oxaliplatin/5-FU (mFOLFOX) as a second-line treatment in BTC. Patients and methodsPatients diagnosed with BTC with disease progression after prior gemcitabine/cisplatin were randomised (1:1) to either mFOLFOX (control arm) or mFOLFIRI (experimental arm). Randomisation was stratified by tumour location (intrahepatic versus extrahepatic versus gallbladder versus ampulla of Vater) and ECOG performance status (0, 1 versus 2). The primary endpoint was the overall survival (OS) rate at 6 months. ResultsIn total, 120 patients were enrolled and 118 patients were randomised (mFOLFOX n = 59, mFOLFIRI n = 59). The baseline characteristics were well balanced between the two arms. The tumour location was intrahepatic bile duct in 48 patients (40.7%), extrahepatic bile duct in 29 patients (24.6%), gallbladder in 35 patients (29.7%) and ampulla of Vater in 6 patients (5.1%). At a median follow-up duration of 25.8 months, the 6-month OS rate was 54.1% in mFOLFOX and 44.1% in mFOLFIRI (p = 0.677). The median OS was 6.3 months (95% CI, 4.4–8.2) in mFOLFOX and 5.7 months (95% CI, 4.7–6.7) in mFOLFIRI (p = 0.677). The median progression-free survival was 2.8 months (95% CI, 2.3–3.3) in mFOLFOX and 2.1 months (95% CI, 1.1–3.1) in mFOLFIRI (p = 0.974). Of the 101 evaluable patients, the objective response rate and disease control rate were 5.9% and 66.7% in mFOLFOX and 4.0% and 64.0% in mFOLFIRI (p = 0.663 and p = 0.778, respectively). Peripheral neuropathy (37.5% versus 5.2%) and thrombocytopenia (35.7% versus 15.5%) in mFOLFOX and vomiting (19.0% versus 1.8%) and cholangitis (10.3% versus 0.0%) in mFOLFIRI occurred more frequently. No chemotherapy-related death was reported. ConclusionIn the second-line treatment of BTC, mFOLFIRI was not superior to mFOLFOX. However, mFOLFIRI was tolerable and showed comparable efficacy to mFOLFOX. Adverse events were different between the two arms. ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT03464968

Actionability evaluation of biliary tract cancer by genome transcriptome analysis and Asian cancer knowledgebase.

Introduction: Treatment options for biliary tract cancer (BTC) are very limited. It is necessary to investigate actionable genes and candidate drugs using a sophisticated knowledgebase (KB) and characterize BTCs immunologically for evaluating the actionability of molecular and immune therapies.Materials and Methods: The genomic and transcriptome data of 219 patients with BTC who underwent surgery were analyzed. Actionable mutations and candidate drugs were annotated using the largest available KB of the Asian population (CancerSCAN®). Predictive biomarkers of immune checkpoint inhibitors were analyzed using DNA and RNA sequencing data.Results: Twenty-two actionable genes and 43 candidate drugs were annotated in 74 patients (33.8%). The most frequent actionable genes were PTEN (7.3%), CDKN2A (6.8%), KRAS (6.4%). BRCA2, CDKN2A, and FGFR2 mutations were most frequently identified in case of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. PTEN and CDKN2A mutations were associated with significantly shorter overall survival. PD-L1 and PD-1 expression was significantly higher in case of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and T-cell-high expression. In total, 49.7% of cases were evaluated as having actionability for molecular therapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors.Conclusions: Identifying actionable genes and candidate drugs using the KB contribute to the development of therapeutic drugs and personalized treatment for BTC.

Chemotherapy for Biliary Tract Cancer in 2021.

Biliary tract cancer refers to a group of malignancies including cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder cancer, and ampullary cancer. While surgical resection is considered the only curative treatment, postoperative recurrence can sometimes occur. Adjuvant chemotherapy is used to prolong prognosis in some cases. Many unresectable cases are also treated with chemotherapy. Therefore, systemic chemotherapy is widely introduced for the treatment of biliary tract cancer. Evidence on chemotherapy for biliary tract cancer is recently on the increase. Combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin is currently the standard of care for first-line chemotherapy in advanced cases. Recently, FOLFOX also demonstrated efficacy as a second-line treatment. In addition, efficacies of isocitrate dehydrogenase inhibitors and fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors have been shown. In the adjuvant setting, capecitabine monotherapy has become the standard of care in Western countries. In addition to conventional cytotoxic agents, molecular-targeted agents and immunotherapy have been evaluated in multiple clinical trials. Genetic testing is used to check for genetic alterations and molecular-targeted agents and immunotherapy are introduced based on tumor characteristics. In this article, we review the latest evidence of chemotherapy for biliary tract cancer.

P5-5 Phase 2/3 study of bintrafusp alfa with gemcitabine plus cisplatin as first-line treatment of biliary tract cancer

P5-5 Phase 2/3 study of bintrafusp alfa with gemcitabine plus cisplatin as first-line treatment of biliary tract cancer

Phase III study of NUC-1031 + cisplatin versus gemcitabine + cisplatin for first-line treatment of patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (NuTide:121).

TPS4164 Background: Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis. Gemcitabine + cisplatin (GemCis) is the accepted global standard of care (SoC), however key cancer resistance mechanisms associated with the transport, activation and breakdown of gemcitabine are known to limit its clinical activity across a range of tumor types, including BTC. NUC-1031 is a phosphoramidate transformation of gemcitabine designed to overcome these key resistance mechanisms and generate much higher levels of the active anti-cancer metabolite, dFdCTP, in cells. Promising efficacy has been observed with single-agent NUC-1031 in a phase I study in advanced solid tumors and in the phase Ib ABC-08 study of NUC-1031 + cisplatin for first-line treatment of advanced BTC. Of 21 patients enrolled in 2 dose cohorts (NUC-1031 625 mg/m2 or 725 mg/m2 + cisplatin 25 mg/m2 on Days 1 and 8 of 21-day cycle), 16 were considered to be efficacy evaluable. In this population, 1 patient had a CR and 6 patients had PRs, resulting in an ORR of 44% (7/16). This compares favorably to the 26% ORR reported for the SoC regimen. In addition, 6 patients had SD, resulting in a DCR of 81% (13/16). The combination was well tolerated with no unexpected AEs or DLTs. The recommended dose of NUC-1031 with cisplatin was 725 mg/m2. The tolerability profile, together with encouraging efficacy led to initiation of a global registrational study. Methods: NuTide:121 is a phase III, open-label, randomized study of NUC-1031 + cisplatin vs GemCis for first-line treatment of advanced BTC. Patients ≥18 years with histologically- or cytologically-confirmed BTC (including cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder, or ampullary cancer), who have had no prior systemic chemotherapy for locally advanced/metastatic disease, are eligible. A total of 828 patients are being randomized (1:1) to either 725 mg/m2 NUC-1031 or 1000 mg/m2 gemcitabine, both with 25 mg/m2 cisplatin, administered on Days 1 and 8 of 21-day cycles. Primary endpoints are OS and ORR. Secondary endpoints include PFS, safety, PK and patient-reported quality of life. In addition to the final analysis, three interim analyses are planned. The study has passed an initial safety analysis, with no protocol changes required. NuTide:121 is being conducted at approximately 130 sites across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Clinical trial information: NCT04163900.

Prognostic value of dickkopf-1 and ß-catenin expression according to the antitumor immunity of CD8-positive tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in biliary tract cancer.

e16172 Background: Despite recent advancements in the understanding of the molecular biology of biliary tract cancer (BTC), target therapy and immunotherapy have demonstrated only limited efficacy, with cytotoxic systemic therapy still being the most effective treatment in BTC, except for surgery. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the role of DKK1 or β-catenin as a prognostic factor in BTC and determine the clinical association of ß-catenin and DKK1 with CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL). Methods: We used data in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network and the clinicopathological data of 145 patients with BTC who had undergone primary radical resection between 2006 and 2016. Immunohistochemistry was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections, and whole tissue sections of representative tumor samples were used for antigen retrieval. Results: CD8+TIL expression was a significant predictor of favorable overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (median OS, 34.9months in TIL-high, 16.7months in TIL-low, P < 0.0001 respectively; median RFS, 27.1months in TIL-high, 10months in TIL-low, P < 0.0001 respectively). Positive ß-catenin expression and high DKK1 expression was also associated with a shorter OS (median OS, 23.95months in positive ß-catenin, 26.1months in negative ß-catenin, P = 0.1009 respectively; median OS, 19.4months in high DKK1, 31.65months in Low DKK1, P = 0.0093 respectively), but not RFS (p = 0.1466, at ß-catenin respectively; p = 0.2924, in DKK1 respectively). In the CD8+TIL-high BTC group, the tumor expression of β-catenin and DKK1 had a significant negative impact on either OS or RFS (p = 0.0146 and p = 0.0112, at ß-catenin respectively; p = 0.0950 and p = 0.3904, in DKK1 respectively). However, in the TIL-low BTC group, there were no differences in OS or RFS according to ß-catenin and DKK1 expression (p = 0.5108 and p = 0.8431, at ß-catenin respectively; p = 0.1127 and p = 0.1095, in DKK1 respectively). Cox regression multivariate analysis demonstrated that CD8+ TIL (hazard ratio [HR], 0.490; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.303-0.791; p = 0.004) and β-catenin (HR, 1.652; 95% CI, 1.035-2.639; p = 0.036) retained significant association with OS after adjustment for all variables. Conclusions: Among patients with resected BTC, β-catenin and DKK1 protein levels are associated with poor clinical outcomes, whereas high CD8+ TIL levels are associated with good clinical outcomes. This confirms the differential clinical role of Wnt/β-catenin and DKK1 proteins according to TIL expression in BTC.

A single-arm, multicenter, open-label phase 2 trial of surufatinib in patients with unresectable or metastatic biliary tract cancer.

e16123 Background: Several clinical studies of vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGF/VEGFR) therapy as second-line treatment for biliary tract cancer (BTC) has demonstrated moderate efficacy. In this study, surufatinib was evaluated as a second-line VEGFR therapy in BTC patients. Methods: This was a single-arm, multi-center, open-label phase 2 study conducted in China. The study enrolled eligible BTC patients who progressed after fist-line chemotherapy. Patients received surufatinib monotherapy as second-line treatment, at doses of 300 mg, once daily, in 28-day cycles. Tumor assessments were performed every 8 weeks ± 7 days according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1. Results: As of Nov. 30, 2018, a total of 39 BTC patients, including 29 (74.4%) with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, 5 (12.8%) with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and 5 (12.8%) with gallbladder cancer, were enrolled and treated with surufatinib. Sixteen-week progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 46.33% (95% confidence interval [CI], 24.38‒65.73), with median PFS of 3.7 months and median overall survival (OS) of 6.9 months. In addition, results from subgroup and post-hoc analyses suggested the trends of better clinical efficacy in patients with tumor locations inside the liver, or with lower baseline values of CA19-9 (≤ 1000 IU/mL) and CEA (≤ 3 ng/mL). The top three treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) with severity of Grade ≥ 3 included blood bilirubin increased (20.5%), hypertension (17.9%), and proteinuria (12.8%). Conclusions: When applied in the treatment of BTC patients, surufatinib monotherapy has offered moderate clinical efficacy and has demonstrated favorable tolerability and safety profiles. Moreover, surufatinib further boosting the antitumor effects of cancer immunotherapy is desirable. Clinical trial information: NCT02966821.

Association of cell-free DNA dominant clone allele frequency with poor outcomes in advanced biliary cancers treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.

4079 Background: Cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) holds significant promise and is being used for clinical decision making in multiple tumors. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of pre-treatment ctDNA in metastatic biliary tract cancers (BTC) treated with platinum based first-line chemotherapy treatment. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 67 patients who underwent ctDNA testing before platinum-based chemotherapy for first-line treatment for metastatic BTC. For analysis we considered the detected gene with highest variant allele frequency (VAF). Results of ctDNA analysis were correlated with patients’ demographics, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: The median age of patients was 67 y/o (27-90). 54 (80.6%) of 67 patients evaluated had intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma; seven had extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and six gallbladder cancer. 46 (68.6%) of the patients were treated with cisplatin plus gemcitabine, 14 (21%) patients received gemcitabine and other platinum (carboplatin or oxaliplatin) combinations while 7 (10.4%) patients were treated on a clinical trial with gemcitabine and cisplatin plus additional targeted agents (CX4945 or PEGPH20). TP53, KRAS, APC, FGFR2 and IDH1 were the genes with highest frequency as dominant clone. The median dominant clone allele frequency (DCAF) was 3% (0-97%). DCAF >3% was associated with statistically significant worse PFS (median PFS: 4.05 vs. 7.70 months, p=0.046) and OS (median OS: 10.8 vs. 18.8 months, p=0.056). Each 1% increase in DCAF is associated with a hazard ratio of 26.21 in OS when adjusting for subtypes, age, treatment type, and CA19-9 [Table]. Conclusions: Patients with metastatic BTC with DCAF > 3% at diagnosis have worse PFS and OS compared to patients with low ctDNA when treated with upfront platinum-based chemotherapy.[Table: see text]

A phase II trial of trastuzumab plus modified-FOLFOX for gemcitabine/cisplatin refractory HER2-positive biliary tract cancer (BTC): Multi-institutional study of the Korean Cancer Study Group (KCSG-HB19-14).

TPS4161 Background: Biliary tract cancer (BTC), one of the most fatal cancers with limited treatment options, is generally rare in most high-income countries, but is relatively prevalent in South Korea. Recent genomic profilings have provided druggable molecular targets including HER2 amplification, which accounts for about 15% of total BTC patients. Trastuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody against HER2 with known efficacy in patients with HER2-positive breast and gastric cancer, and has not been tested prospectively in patients with HER2-positive BTC. The modified-FOLFOX regimen is currently being tested as a second-line therapy of BTC in phase III ABC-06 trial. This phase II study is investigating the combination of trastuzumab and modified-FOLFOX as second- or third-line treatment in HER2-postivie BTC. Methods: This study (KCSG-HB19-14; NCT04722133) is a phase II, multi-institutional, single arm trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab plus modified-FOLFOX in gemcitabine/cisplatin refractory patients with HER2-positive BTC. The main inclusion criteria are HER2-positive (defined as IHC3+, or IHC2+/ISH+; ISH+ defined as HER2/CEP17 ≥2.0, or ERBB2 gene copy number ≥ 6.0 by NGS) BTC (intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder cancer and ampulla of vater cancer) patients who progressed on gemcitabine/cisplatin containing chemotherapy (one or two previous cytotoxic chemotherapy lines permitted), ECOG 0 or 1, and adequate organ function. Patients receive trastuzumab-pkrb 4mg/kg (after 6mg/kg load) D1, oxaliplatin 85mg/m2 D1, leucovorin 200mg/m2 D1, 5-FU 400mg/m2 bolus D1, and 5-FU 2400mg/m2 infusion D1-2 every 2 weeks until unacceptable toxicities or disease progression. The study has a Simon's two-stage design, with objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST v1.1 as primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival, disease control rate, overall survival, safety, quality of life and correlative biomarker exploration. Additional patients were to be recruited if pre-specified thresholds for ORR are met at the first stage. The study will enroll up to 34 patients and is currently recruiting at eight sites in South Korea. As of February 2021, 16 patients have been enrolled. The pre-specified activity goal for the first stage of accrual was met; second stage accrual began in February 2021. Clinical trial information: NCT04722133.

ARID1A mutation to predict disease progression during first-line chemotherapy in biliary tract cancer patients.

4105 Background: Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is a retractable disease showing a dismal prognosis with therapeutic resistance. There are clinical unmet needs on predicting therapeutic response and precise strategy for the patient classification according to clinically relevant tumor biology in the patients with BTC. We aimed to identify clinically detectable genomic alteration predicting therapeutic response after first-line chemotherapy in BTC using real-world data. Methods: A comprehensive genomic analysis of multi-institutional cohorts of BTC cases was performed using next-generation sequencing (NGS) with targeted DNA panel and patients’ clinicopathologic data. Results: A total of 200 BTC patients with NGS panel tests from three cancer centers were included in this study. The genomic alteration of TP53 (55.5%), KRAS (23%), ARID1A (10%), and ERBB2 amplification (10%) were the most frequent alteration events in the BTC. Pathologically-proved BTC including extrahepatic (n = 52), ampulla of Vater (n = 4), gallbladder (n = 56), intrahepatic (n = 88) cancers showed a distinct pattern of genomic alterations in terms of ARID1A for extrahepatic BTC and ERBB2 amplification, RB1, ARID2 for GB cancer, and KRAS, IDH1, PBRM1, BAP1 for intrahepatic BTC respectively (chi-square test, P < 0.05). The oncologic outcomes for progression-free and overall survival were significantly stratified according to the best response after the first-line chemotherapy (log-rank test, P < 0.001). The logistic regression test revealed that ARID1A, BRCA2, and STK11 could significantly predict disease progression during first-line chemotherapy. ARID1A, especially, was the only independent predictive marker in the multivariate regression model in total BTC (OR 3.91, 95%CI 1.25-11.66, P = 0.015) and extrahepatic BTC (OR 5.71, 95%CI 1.23-28.98, P = 0.027). The predictive performance of significant genomic alteration was enhanced with the tumor marker CA19-9 (DeLong’s test, Z = 1.933, P = 0.053, AUC 0.73, 95%CI 0.623-0.837). Conclusions: Clinically available NGS test showed distinct genomic alterations in terms of different deterioration patterns for oncogenic molecular pathways according to the anatomic locations of BTC. Integrative analysis using the data for genomic alteration and therapeutic response for the first-line chemotherapy uncover that the patients with ARID1A mutation show a significant disease progression rate during initial treatment for BTC, especially in the extrahepatic BTC. Prospective translational studies revealing underlying biology and precision strategy should be followed to improve the therapeutic response of BTC.

Ivosidenib: an investigational drug for the treatment of biliary tract cancers

ABSTRACT Introduction: Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) [including cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer] are rare cancers associated with poor survival; most patients have advanced disease at diagnosis. Current chemotherapy reference regimens include cisplatin and gemcitabine as first-line; and oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil (FOLFOX) in second-line. Molecular profiling has identified several actionable therapeutic targets including isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)1 mutations. Ivosidenib is a reversible inhibitor of mutant IDH1; it is currently approved for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia and has been studied in patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma. Areas covered: This article introduces current treatments for BTC and sheds light on the mechanism of action, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, and safety of ivosidenib in advanced cholangiocarcinoma. The authors conclude with insights on the changing treatment paradigm created by emerging drugs and precision approaches. Expert opinion: Ivosidenib is well tolerated, with good oral exposure and long half-life as shown by phase I data. In a phase III study, ivosidenib has demonstrated improved progression-free survival compared to placebo (median 2.7 vs 1.4 months; hazard ratio 0.37; 95% confidence interval 0.25–0.54; one-sided p < 0.0001); it has also demonstrated a trend toward increased overall survival in patients with cholangiocarcinoma and disease progression on prior chemotherapy. Final survival data from this study are pending presentation. Increased use of molecular profiling will continue to identify potential therapeutic targets and improve the prognosis of patients with these cancers.

Current Status and Future Perspectives of Perioperative Therapy for Resectable Biliary Tract Cancer: A Multidisciplinary Review.

Simple SummaryFor decades, there has been no globally accepted neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy in resectable biliary tract cancer. Based on the results of the BILCAP trial, adjuvant capecitabine has been widely regarded as standard adjuvant therapy. Focusing on the management of resectable biliary tract cancer, this article reviews each therapeutic strategy including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and summarises published and ongoing clinical trials of neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy.Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a group of aggressive malignancies that arise from the bile duct and gallbladder. BTCs include intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IH-CCA), extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EH-CCA), and gallbladder cancer (GBCA). BTCs are highly heterogeneous cancers in terms of anatomical, clinical, and pathological characteristics. Until recently, the treatment of resectable BTC, including surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, has largely been based on institutional practice guidelines and evidence from small retrospective studies. Recently, several large randomized prospective trials have been published, and there are ongoing randomized trials for resectable BTC. In this article, we review prior and recently updated evidence regarding surgery, adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and adjuvant radiation therapy for patients with resectable BTC.

Durvalumab: an investigational anti-PD-L1 antibody for the treatment of biliary tract cancer

ABSTRACT Introduction: The prognosis of patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) remains dismal, with a 5-year overall survival rate of less than 10%. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment landscape of several hematological and solid tumors, controversial results have been reported in BTC. In this setting, the anti-PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab is currently under investigation in several clinical trials as monotherapy, or in combination with other pharmacological agents. Areas covered: We offer an overview of immunotherapies for BTC, discuss recently published or presented data on durvalumab pharmacology, safety, and efficacy in the treatment of BTC and consider future research directions for the agent in this setting. Expert opinion: The promising antitumor activity shown by durvalumab in early trials warrants further investigation because it may provide more effective, much needed treatment options. The results of clinical trials of this PD-L1 inhibitor, as a monotherapy or in combination, are eagerly awaited. Future efforts should focus on the identification and development of reliable biomarkers of response to durvalumab in BTC, clarifying the role of PD-L1 expression, microsatellite instability (MSI), mismatch repair (MMR), tumor mutational burden (TMB) and other emerging predictors.

Current Progress and Future Perspectives of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Biliary Tract Cancer.

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is an uncommon and aggressive neoplasm, with most patients presenting in an advanced stage. Systemic chemotherapy is the limited treatment available but is unsatisfactory, while targeted therapy is still awaiting validation from clinical trials. Given the potential effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the treatment of BTC, this review aims to summarize the evidence-based benefits and predictive biomarkers for using inhibitors of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4 (CTLA-4) ligand, or programmed cell death protein-1 and its ligand (PD-1 and PD-L1) as monotherapy or combined with other anti-tumor therapies, while also pointing out certain pitfalls with the use of ICIs which need to be addressed.

Advance in immunotherapy on biliary tract cancers

Biliary tract cancers(BTC),including gallbladder cancer and cholangiocarcinoma,has the characteristics of low early diagnosis rate,complex anatomy,insensitivity to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and poor prognosis.In recent years,immunotherapy as a new method,has made great progress in the treatment of advanced malignant tumors.Immunotherapy is gradually applied in the treatment of BTC,such as inhibitory agents targeting the immune checkpoint receptor pathway,adoptive immunotherapy and tumor vaccines.

Phase III study of NUC-1031 + cisplatin vs gemcitabine + cisplatin for first-line treatment of patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (NuTide:121).

TPS351 Background: Biliary tract cancer (BTC) carries a poor prognosis and no first-line treatments are approved. The accepted global standard of care is gemcitabine + cisplatin (GemCis). NUC-1031 is a phosphoramidate transformation of gemcitabine designed to overcome key cancer resistance mechanisms that are associated with gemcitabine. Promising efficacy has been observed with single-agent NUC-1031 in a phase I study in advanced solid tumors and in the phase Ib ABC-08 study of NUC-1031 + cisplatin for first-line treatment of advanced BTC. Of 14 patients enrolled in 2 cohorts (NUC-1031 625 mg/m2 or 725 mg/m2 + cisplatin 25 mg/m2 on Days 1 and 8 of 21-day cycle), 1 had a CR and 6 had PRs, resulting in an unconfirmed ORR of 50%. This represents an approximate doubling of ORR over SoC. The combination was well-tolerated with no unexpected AEs or DLTs. The RP2D of NUC-1031 with cisplatin was 725 mg/m2. The tolerability profile, together with encouraging efficacy, suggested NUC-1031 + cisplatin may represent a more effective therapy than GemCis for BTC and led to initiation of a global registrational study. Methods: NuTide:121 is a Phase III, open-label, randomized study of NUC-1031 + cisplatin vs GemCis for first-line treatment of advanced BTC. Patients ≥18 years with histologically- or cytologically-confirmed BTC (including cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder, or ampullary cancer), who have had no prior systemic chemotherapy for locally advanced/metastatic disease, are eligible. A total of 828 patients are being randomized (1:1) to either 725 mg/m2 NUC-1031 or 1000 mg/m2 gemcitabine, both with 25 mg/m2 cisplatin, administered on days 1 and 8 of 21-day cycles. Primary objectives are OS and ORR. Secondary objectives include PFS, safety, PK and patient-reported quality of life. In addition to the final analysis, three interim analyses, including two designed to support accelerated approval, are planned. The study has passed an initial safety analysis, with no protocol changes required. NuTide:121 is being conducted at approximately 130 sites across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific countries. Clinical trial information: NCT04163900.

An Assessment of Combination of the Camrelizumab With Chemotherapy in Metastatic Biliary Tract Cancers.

Background:Monoclonal antibodies that target the PD-1 receptor are emerging as promising therapeutic candidates for the treatment of biliary tract cancers (BTCs). The purpose of the current study was to assess the combination of the camrelizumab with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for metastatic BTCs.Methods:We conducted a prospective single-arm pilot study of PD-1 antibody (camrelizumab 3 mg/kg d1, Q2 W or Q3 W) combined with different chemotherapy regimens as first-line treatment for BTCs. Efficacy endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were also evaluated.Results:Fourteen patients with histologically confirmed BTCs were evaluated. The ORR was 14.3% (95% CI: 1.8 to 42.8) and the DCR was 64.3% (95%CI: 41.7 to 86.9). The median PFS was 6.5 months (95% CI: 3.8 to 9.2), and the 6- and 12-month PFS rates were 61.6% and 12.3%, respectively. The median OS was 9.9 months (95% CI: 7.6 to 12.2), and the 6-and 12-month OS rates were 74.5% and 26.6%, respectively. All patients displayed at least 1 TRAE., and Grade 3 or 4 TRAEs occurred in 6 (42.86%) patients.Conclusions:Camrelizumab combined with chemotherapy as first-line treatment for metastatic BTCs demonstrated acceptable safety and efficacy in our pilot study. These findings warrant prospective controlled clinical trials comparing combinations of camrelizumab and chemotherapy to standard regimens.

IMbrave 151: a randomized phase II trial of atezolizumab combined with bevacizumab and chemotherapy in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer.

Background:Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are heterogenous, highly aggressive tumors that harbor a dismal prognosis for which more effective treatments are needed. The role of cancer immunotherapy in BTC remains to be characterized. The tumor microenvironment (TME) of BTC is highly immunosuppressed and combination treatments are needed to promote effective anticancer immunity. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drives immunosuppression in the TME by disrupting antigen presentation, limiting T-cell infiltration, or potentiating immune-suppressive cells. Many VEGF-regulated mechanisms are thought to be relevant to repressed antitumor immunity in BTC, making dual targeting of VEGF and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 pathways a rational approach. Gemcitabine and Cisplatin (Gem/Cis) can also modulate anticancer immunity through overlapping and complementary mechanisms to those regulated by VEGF. Anti-PD-L1/VEGF inhibition, coupled with chemotherapy, may potentiate antitumor immunity leading to enhanced clinical benefit.Methods:IMbrave 151 is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, international phase II study to evaluate atezolizumab (a PD-L1 inhibitor) in combination with chemotherapy (gemcitabine and cisplatin) and bevacizumab (an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody) as a first-line treatment for advanced BTC. Approximately 150 patients with previously untreated, advanced BTC will be randomized to either Arm A (atezolizumab + bevacizumab + Gem/Cis) or Arm B (atezolizumab + placebo + Gem/Cis). Randomization is stratified by the presence of metastatic disease, primary tumor location, and geographic region. The primary efficacy endpoint is investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) per RECIST 1.1. Secondary endpoints include objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DoR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), and safety and patient reported outcomes (PROs). Tissue, blood, and stool samples will be collected at baseline and on-treatment in order to perform correlative biomarker analyses.Discussion:IMbrave 151 represents the first randomized study to evaluate combined PD-L1/VEGF blockade on a chemotherapy backbone in BTC.Trial registration:NCT identifier: NCT04677504; EUDRACT number: 2020-003759-14

Nivolumab: an investigational agent for the treatment of biliary tract cancer

ABSTRACT Introduction: Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) include four uncommon primary biliary malignancies characterized by poor prognosis: intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder cancer, and ampulla of Vater cancer. To date, the available therapeutic options are limited; nevertheless, with the advent of targeted therapy and immunotherapy, the treatment scenario is constantly changing, opening toward future possibilities for the personalized treatment of BTC. Among these treatments, nivolumab is currently being investigated in BTC. Areas covered: This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent progress and future perspectives of immunotherapy for the treatment of BTC, with a particular focus on nivolumab, which has demonstrated its effectiveness in many malignancies and is in its initial phase of evaluation in BTC. Expert opinion: BTCs are not among those tumors that demonstrated remarkable sensitivity to immunotherapy, such as melanoma or non-small-cell lung cancer. However, the results obtained with nivolumab are not disappointing if we analyze the population of the trials testing its efficacy, including pretreated patients, unselected for PD-L1 expression and with different BTCs. In our opinion, ICIs such as nivolumab could fill an empty spot in the treatment of selected BTC patients, especially in combination with other agents, and the results of ongoing clinical trials are awaited.