STEMVAC in Patients with Early Stage Triple Negative Breast Cancer
This phase II trial studies the effect of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) plasmid- based vaccine (STEMVAC) in patients with curatively treated stage I-III triple negative breast cancer. STEMVAC is designed to target proteins that are expressed on breast cancer stem cells and it is believed to work by boosting the immune system to recognize and destroy the invader cancer cells that are causing the disease. The purpose of this trial is to evaluate the immune system's response to STEMVAC.
Inclusion Criteria
- Participants with triple negative breast cancer, stages I, II or III. Estrogen receptor (ER)-negative and progesterone receptor (PR)-negative is defined as breast cancer with less than 10% of ER or PR expression. HER2 negative is defined as: * 0-1+ HER2 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) OR * Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) negative OR * HER2 2+ and FISH negative ** Note: Participants with low ER positivity (< 10%) who are already on adjuvant hormonal therapy will be allowed on study and can continue their adjuvant hormonal treatment during study participation
- Participants must have completed all standard of care (or investigational) systemic therapy (including immune modulating agents) and radiotherapy if used between 28 days – 3 years prior to enrollment * Note: Treatment with a bisphosphonate or denosumab to prevent bone loss is not considered to be systemic therapy for breast cancer and its use within the 28 day pre-enrollment period or while on study is not exclusionary. Treatment with adjuvant olaparib within the 28 day pre-enrollment period or while on study is not exclusionary
- Participants must agree to avoid systemic steroids for the duration of the treatment period and until completion of the 1 month post 2nd booster vaccine visit (end of treatment) * Note: Local steroid injection given > 72 hours prior to STEMVAC vaccination is allowable. Use of nasal steroids and steroid inhalers while on study is not exclusionary
- Participants must be at least 18 years of age * Note: Because no dosing or adverse event (AE) data are currently available on the use of STEMVAC in participants < 18 years of age, children and adolescents are excluded from this study but will be eligible for future pediatric trials, if applicable
- Participants must have Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status score of =< 1
- White blood cell (WBC) >= 3000/mm^3 (within 60 days of enrollment and at least 28 days post standard of care [SOC] treatment)
- Lymphocyte count >= 800/mm^3 (within 60 days of enrollment and at least 28 days post standard of care [SOC] treatment)
- Platelet count >= 100,000/mm^3 (within 60 days of enrollment and at least 28 days post standard of care [SOC] treatment)
- Hemoglobin (Hgb) >= 10 g/dl (within 60 days of enrollment and at least 28 days post standard of care [SOC] treatment)
- Serum creatinine =< 1.2 mg/dl OR creatinine clearance > 60 ml/min (within 60 days of enrollment and at least 28 days post standard of care [SOC] treatment)
- Total bilirubin =< 1.5 X upper limit of institutional normal (ULN) (within 60 days of enrollment and at least 28 days post standard of care [SOC] treatment)
- AST (aspartate aminotransferase)/serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) =< 1.5 X upper limit of institutional normal (ULN) (within 60 days of enrollment and at least 28 days post standard of care [SOC] treatment)
- Must have recovered from major infections and/or surgical procedures, and in the opinion of the investigator, not have any significant active concurrent medical illnesses or condition precluding protocol treatment
- The effects of STEMVAC on the developing human fetus are unknown. For this reason, * Female participant agrees to use adequate contraception (examples include: estrogen and/or progestogen containing hormonal contraception, barrier method (condom, cervical cap) or abstinence) while on the study and until 1 month after the 2nd booster vaccination when/if of childbearing potential. Exceptions: Females who have had a hysterectomy, tubal ligation or bilateral oophorectomy OR meet one of the following criteria for postmenopausal: Age > 60 or age < 60 with >= 12 months amenorrhea and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) within the testing facility's postmenopausal range * Female participant agrees to inform her study physician immediately should she become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study * Male participants who are having sex that can lead to pregnancy must use an acceptable form of contraception (vasectomy with the absence of sperm, sexual abstinence, condoms) throughout the course of the study
- Patients must be willing to not undergo major elective surgical procedures with general anesthesia or conscious sedation through the end of treatment visit. (Note: port removal is allowable)
- Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document
- Must be 14 days between a vaccine (i.e. coronavirus disease-2019 [COVID19], Flu, Shingrix, Tdap, etc.) and any STEMVAC vaccination
Exclusion Criteria
- Contraindication or known hypersensitivity to receiving sargramostim (rhuGM-CSF) or other yeast based products
- History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to STEMVAC
- Participants receiving any other investigational agents
- Chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is prohibited during the treatment period of the study, except when taken as low-dose (81 mg) aspirin therapy *Note: Prohibited chronic use is defined as daily use for more than 7 days
- Participants with any clinically significant autoimmune disease uncontrolled with treatment
- Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women are excluded from this study
- Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C * Note: These individuals are excluded in order to avoid confounding an existing condition with an immune response to STEMVAC
- Chronic usage of immunosuppressants and glucocorticoids (methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis [RA], etc.)
- History of invasive breast cancer prior to TNBC diagnosis * Note: Prior ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is allowable
Additional locations may be listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for NCT05455658.
See trial information on ClinicalTrials.gov for a list of participating sites.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
I. To determine the incidence of the development of immunity and level of antigen specific Th1 responses-induced by the CD105/Yb-1/SOX2/CDH3/MDM2-polyepitope plasmid DNA vaccine (STEMVAC vaccine) in stage I, II or III triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) participants who have completed standard of care systemic therapy (including immune modulating agents) and radiotherapy and are in complete remission.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To determine whether pre-existent T-cell immunity to any of the STEMVAC antigens prior to immunization affects the level of immunity achieved with vaccination.
II. To estimate the safety profile of the STEMVAC vaccine series in TNBC.
III. To describe potential generation of STEMVAC specific Th2 responses, activation status, and repertoire diversity of peripheral blood T-cells prior to and after STEMVAC vaccination.
IV. To explore if adjuvant vaccination with STEMVAC improves relapse free survival as compared to historical controls.
OUTLINE:
Patients receive STEMVAC vaccine with sargramostim intradermally (ID) every month for 3 months in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients then receive STEMVAC vaccine with sargramostim ID booster injections 3 months after the 3rd vaccination and 6 months after the 1st booster vaccination. Patients may also receive tetanus diphtheria (Td) vaccine at screening, undergo collection of blood samples on study.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 28 days, and then annually for 5 years.
Trial PhasePhase II
Trial Typeprevention
Lead OrganizationUniversity of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center - University Hospital
Principal InvestigatorMary Lenora (Nora) Disis
- Primary IDUWI20-00-01
- Secondary IDsNCI-2021-07734
- ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT05455658