This phase II trial tests whether CD105/Yb-1/SOX2/CDH3/MDM2-polyepitope plasmid DNA vaccine (STEMVAC) works to shrink tumors in patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer. STEMVAC targets specific immunogenic proteins that help lung cancer cells to grow. STEMVAC is made up of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which is a natural substance in every living organism. DNA acts like a blueprint that tells all the cells in your body how to function. The DNA used in this study contains instructions for your body to produce parts of the 5 proteins the investigators identified (CDH3, CD105, YB-1, MDM2 and SOX2). STEMVAC is given with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) which is being used as an adjuvant to help create a stronger immune response. Giving STEMVAC with GM-CSF to patients while on maintenance therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may help activate certain immune cells to recognize and kill lung cancer cells.
Additional locations may be listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for NCT05242965.
See trial information on ClinicalTrials.gov for a list of participating sites.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To determine whether intradermal (ID) injection of STEMVAC + GM-CSF vaccination increases the percentage of CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared to patients who receive ID GM-CSF alone.
II. To evaluate safety of STEMVAC immunization and concurrent pembrolizumab and/or pemetrexed maintenance therapy in patients with advanced NSCLC.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To evaluate the magnitude of the immune response to STEMVAC when given in combination with pembrolizumab and/or pemetrexed maintenance therapy.
II. To determine whether vaccine induced T-cells traffic to tumor and can eliminate cancer cells which have undergone epithelial to mesenchymal transformation (EMT).
IIa. To evaluate by T-cell receptor beta (TCRb) sequencing in matched peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients and in biopsy TILs whether the same TCRb clones in blood are found in abundance in tumor;
IIb. Biopsies before and after vaccination will be compared to determine if vaccination modulates the EMT gene signature in the tumor.
III. To evaluate potential clinical efficacy of STEMVAC immunization by comparing overall response rate between both arms.
IV. To determine whether vaccination increases CD8 T-cell activation markers (GZB, CD127 and PD1) and Type I immune cells (CD4 Th1) in the tumor.
OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.
ARM I: Patients receive STEMVAC intradermally (ID) and sargramostim ID on day 14 (+3 days) of the 21-day maintenance therapy cycle for a series of 3 vaccine doses and a booster vaccine 9 weeks after the third vaccine dose. Patients also undergo computed tomography (CT) and biopsy during screening and on the trial, as well as blood sample collection on trial and during follow-up.
ARM II: Patients receive sargramostim ID on day 14 (+3 days) of the 21-day maintenance therapy cycle for a series of 3 vaccine doses and a booster vaccine 9 weeks after the third vaccine dose. Patients also undergo CT and biopsy during screening and on the trial, as well as blood sample collection on trial and during follow-up.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up twice yearly for up to 5 years.
Lead OrganizationFred Hutch/University of Washington/Seattle Children's Cancer Consortium
Principal InvestigatorShaveta Vinayak