Lenvatinib with Pembrolizumab and Fulvestrant for the Treatment of ER positive HER2 negative Unresectable Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer
This phase Ib/II trial tests the safety, side effects, best dose and effectiveness of lenvatinib with pembrolizumab and fulvestrant in treating patients with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) HER2 negative breast cancer that cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable) and has spread from where it first started (primary site) to nearby tissue or lymph nodes (locally advanced) or to other places in the body (metastatic). Lenvatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, blocks tyrosine kinases which are proteins that are involved in the growth of cancer cells and the development of new blood vessels that supply these cells. By blocking tyrosine kinases, lenvatinib may cut off the blood supply that feeds cancer cells and prevent cancer growth. Pembrolizumab is an antibody, like the proteins made by the immune system to protect the body from harm. The drug blocks the protein PD-1 (programmed cell death receptor 1), which usually acts as a brake on the immune system. Blocking this protein is like releasing the brakes, so that the immune system can target cancer cells and destroy them. Fulvestrant is a hormonal therapy that works by decreasing the amount of estrogen (a hormone made by the body), which may slow or stop the growth of breast cancer cells that need estrogen to grow. Giving lenvatinib in combination with pembrolizumab and fulvestrant may be be safe and effective and cause few or mild side effects in patients with ER+ HER2- unresectable locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer.
Inclusion Criteria
- Male or female participants who are ≥ 18 years old with histologically confirmed diagnosis of unresectable locally advanced or MBC
- Male participants or premenopausal females are eligible as long as they are on gonadotrophin releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist for at least four weeks prior to starting trial therapy and commit to continue LHRH agonist for as long as patient is receiving trial therapy or medical contraindications arise
- Patients diagnosed with ER+ (ER > 1%), HER2- breast cancer as per American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines
- Progressed on at least 1 prior endocrine therapy combined with CDK 4/6 inhibitor. Prior fulvestrant therapy is permitted
- Have not received more than 2 lines of chemotherapy in the metastatic setting
- Stable previously treated brain metastases i.e. without radiological evidence of progression for at least 4 weeks (note that repeat imaging should be performed during study screening), clinically stable and without requirement of steroid treatment for at least 14 days prior to first dose of study intervention
- Life expectancy of ≥ 12 weeks
- A newly obtained biopsy of non-irradiated tumor must be available prior to the first dose of study drug for biomarker analysis. Patients with inaccessible tumors for biopsy specimens can be enrolled without a biopsy (if archival tissue is available within the previous 6-12 months) upon consultation and agreement by the Principal Investigator. Formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks are favored over slides and fresh tissue biopsies are preferred over archival tissue
- The participant provides written informed consent for the trial
- Have measurable disease based on RECIST 1.1. Lesions situated in a previously irradiated area are considered measurable if progression has been demonstrated in such lesions
- Have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 to 1. Evaluation of ECOG is to be performed within 30 days prior to the first dose of study intervention
- Have adequately controlled blood pressure (BP) with or without antihypertensive medications, defined as BP ≤ 150/90 mm Hg with no change in antihypertensive medications within 1 week prior to the start of study intervention
- Have adequate organ function as defined in the following table. Specimens must be collected within 14 days prior to the start of study intervention
- A female participant is eligible to participate if she is not pregnant or breastfeeding, and at least one of the following conditions applies: * Is not a woman of childbearing potential (WOCBP) OR * Is a WOCBP and using a contraceptive method that is highly effective (with a failure rate of < 1% per year), with low user dependency, or be abstinent from heterosexual intercourse as their preferred and usual lifestyle (abstinent on a long term and persistent basis), during the intervention period and for at least 120 days post pembrolizumab or 30 days post lenvatinib, whichever occurs last. The investigator should evaluate the potential for contraceptive method failure (i.e., noncompliance, recently initiated) in relationship to the first dose of study intervention * A WOCBP must have a negative urine pregnancy test (minimum sensitivity 25 IU/L or equivalent units of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin [beta-hCG]) within 72 hours before the first dose of study intervention. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required * Additional requirements for pregnancy testing during and after study intervention. The investigator is responsible for review of medical history, menstrual history, and recent sexual activity to decrease the risk for inclusion of a woman with an early undetected pregnancy.
- Male participants are eligible to participate if they agree to the following during the intervention period and for at least 7 days after the last dose of lenvatinib: * Be abstinent from heterosexual intercourse as their preferred and usual lifestyle (abstinent on a long term and persistent basis) and agree to remain abstinent OR * Must agree to use contraception unless confirmed to be azoospermic (vasectomized or secondary to medical cause) as detailed below: ** Agree to use a male condom plus partner use of an additional contraceptive method when having penile-vaginal intercourse with a WOCBP who is not currently pregnant. Note: Men with a pregnant or breastfeeding partner must agree to remain abstinent from penile-vaginal intercourse or use a male condom during each episode of penile-vaginal penetration. Please note that 7 days after lenvatinib is stopped, if the participant is on pembrolizumab only, no male contraception measures are needed.
- Criteria for known hepatitis B and C positive subjects: * Hepatitis B and C screening tests are required as per Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) policy but do not need to be repeated prior to study unless there is a known history of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection * Participants who have active hepatitis B infection (defined as hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] positive and/or detectable HBV deoxyribonucleic acid [DNA]) are eligible if they have received HBV antiviral therapy for at least 4 weeks and have undetectable HBV viral load prior to the start of study intervention. Participants should remain on anti-viral therapy throughout study intervention and follow MSK guidelines for HBV anti-viral therapy post completion of study intervention * Participants with a history of HCV infection (defined as anti-HCV antibody [Ab] positive and detectable HCV ribonucleic acid [RNA]) are eligible if HCV viral load is undetectable at screening. Participants must have completed curative anti-viral therapy at least 4 weeks prior to the start of study intervention
- Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1500/uL
- Platelets ≥ 100,000/uL
- Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL or ≥ 5.6 mmol/L (Criteria must be met without erythropoietin dependency and without packed red blood cell [pRBC] transfusion within last 2 weeks)
- Creatinine ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) OR measured or calculated creatinine clearance ≤ 30 mL/min for participant with creatinine levels > 1.5 x ULN (creatinine clearance [CrCl] should be calculated per institutional standard) (glomerular filtration rate [GFR] can also be used in place of creatinine or CrCl)
- Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x ULN OR direct bilirubin ≤ ULN for participants with total bilirubin levels > 1.5 x ULN
- Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT]) ≤ 2.5 x ULN ( ≤ 5 x ULN for participants with liver metastases)
- Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase [SGPT]) ≤ 2.5 x ULN ( ≤ 5 x ULN for participants with liver metastases)
- International normalized ratio (INR) OR prothrombin time (PT) ≤ 1.5 x ULN unless participant is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants
- Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) ≤ 1.5 x ULN unless participant is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or aPTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants
Exclusion Criteria
- Has received prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, or anti-PD-L2 agent or with an agent directed to another stimulatory or co-inhibitory T-cell receptor (eg, CTLA-4, OX-40, CD137)
- Prior exposure to lenvatinib or any other VEGF-directed anti-angiogenic agent
- Has received prior systemic anti-cancer therapy including investigational agents within 2 weeks prior to allocation. All acute toxicities related to prior systemic treatments must be resolved to grade ≤ 1, except for alopecia and grade ≤ 2 peripheral neuropathy
- Has received prior radiotherapy within 2 weeks of start of study intervention. Participants must have recovered from all radiation-related toxicities, not require corticosteroids, and not have had radiation pneumonitis. A 1-week washout is permitted for palliative radiation ( ≤ 2 weeks of radiotherapy) to non-central nervous system (CNS) disease
- Has received a live vaccine or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days before the first dose of study intervention. Administration of non-live-attenuated vaccines is permitted.
- Is currently participating in or has participated in a study of an investigational agent or has used an investigational device within 2 weeks prior to the first dose of study intervention
- Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving chronic systemic steroid therapy (in doses > 10 mg daily of oral prednisone equivalent) or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of study drug. Inhaled, intranasal, intra-articular, or topical steroid use are allowed
- Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 3 years. Note: Participants with basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or carcinoma in situ, excluding carcinoma in situ of the bladder, that have undergone potentially curative therapy are not excluded
- Has known active CNS metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis. Participants with previously treated brain metastases may participate provided they are radiologically stable, i.e. without evidence of progression for at least 4 weeks by repeat imaging (note that repeat imaging should be performed during study screening), clinically stable and without requirement of steroid treatment for at least 14 days prior to first dose of study intervention
- Has a history or evidence of active pneumonitis or interstitial lung disease that required steroids or has current pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease
- Has an active infection requiring antibiotics
- Has a known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
- Has an inability to swallow capsules
- Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality or other circumstance that might confound the results of the study, interfere with the participant’s participation for the full duration of the study, such that it is not in the best interest of the participant to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator
- Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial
- Is pregnant or breastfeeding or expecting to conceive within the projected duration of the study, starting with the screening visit through 120 days after the last dose of trial treatment
- Has had an allogenic tissue/solid organ transplant
- Has gastrointestinal malabsorption, gastrointestinal anastomosis, or any other condition that might affect the absorption of lenvatinib
- Has clinically significant hemoptysis ( ≥ 0.5 teaspoon of bright red blood) or tumor bleeding within 2 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug
- Has significant cardiovascular impairment within 12 months of the first dose of study drug: such as New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV congestive heart failure, unstable angina, myocardial infarction, cerebral vascular accident, or cardiac arrhythmia associated with hemodynamic instability. Note: Medically controlled arrhythmia would be permitted
- Has a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) below the institutional normal range of 50%, as determined by multigated acquisition (MUGA) or echocardiogram (ECHO)
- Prolongation of QTcF interval to > 480 ms. Note: If the QTcF is prolonged to > 480 ms in the presence of a pacemaker, contact the sponsor to determine eligibility
- Has significant vascular disease: such as an aortic aneurysm requiring surgical repair or peripheral arterial thrombosis. Note: history of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is permitted
- Has active autoimmune disease (with the exception of psoriasis) that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years (i.e. with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs). Replacement therapy (e.g. thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency) is not considered a form of systemic treatment
- Known intolerance to any of the study drugs (or any of the excipients)
- Has had major surgery within 3 weeks prior to first dose of study interventions. Note: Adequate wound healing after major surgery must be assessed clinically, independent of time elapsed for eligibility
- Has preexisting ≥ grade 3 gastrointestinal or non-gastrointestinal fistula
- Has urine protein ≥ 1 g/24 hours. Urine dipstick is the preferred method for testing urinary protein, however, urinalysis may be used if the use of urine dipsticks is not feasible. Note: Participants with proteinuria ≥ 2+ (≥ 100 mg/dL) on urine dipstick testing (urinalysis) will undergo 24-hour urine collection for quantitative assessment of proteinuria
- Has radiographic evidence of encasement or invasion of a major blood vessel, or of intratumoral cavitation. Note: The degree of proximity to major blood vessels should be considered because of the potential risk of severe hemorrhage associated with tumor shrinkage/necrosis following lenvatinib therapy
Additional locations may be listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for NCT06110793.
Locations matching your search criteria
United States
New Jersey
Basking Ridge
Middletown
Montvale
New York
Commack
New York
Uniondale
West Harrison
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To assess the safety and tolerability of the combination of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab plus fulvestrant and to confirm the maximum tolerated dose (MTD)/recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of the triplet. (Phase Ib)
II. To evaluate the overall response rate (ORR) by 24 weeks of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab plus fulvestrant using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST)1.1 in patients with ER+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (MBC). (Phase II)
SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:
I. To evaluate the ORR by 24 weeks of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab plus fulvestrant using RECIST1.1 in patients with ER+/HER2- MBC. (Phase Ib)
II. To assess the clinical benefit rate (CBR), defined as proportion of patients with complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) or stable disease (SD) ≥ 24 weeks, according to RECIST 1.1. (Phase II)
III. To assess the ORR by 24 weeks using Immune-Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (iRECIST) (ORRweek24), defined as best overall response as of week 24, according to iRECIST. (Phase II)
IV. To assess progression free survival (PFS), defined as time between the date of study inclusion and the date of documented disease progression or death, whichever occurs first. (Phase II)
V. To assess duration of response (DOR), defined as time from documentation of tumor response to disease progression, according to RECIST 1.1. (Phase II)
VI. To assess safety and tolerability of the triplet combination of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab plus fulvestrant, defined as rate of grade ≥ 3 adverse events (AEs). (Phase II)
EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:
I. To evaluate the relationship between programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression levels in tumor samples and the anti-tumor activity of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab plus fulvestrant.
II. To evaluate the relationship between other relevant blood and/or tissue biomarkers (e.g. stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocytes [sTILs], tumor associated macrophages [TAMs], circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid [ctDNA], genetic analysis) and the anti-tumor activity of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab plus fulvestrant.
III. To compare differences in the tumor microenvironment (TME) immune landscape (e.g. receptor tyrosine kinase [RTK] expression and immune related genes signatures, T cell receptor sequencing [TCR]) from biopsies taken prior to treatment versus those taken on day (D)14 (upon commencement of the triplet of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab plus fulvestrant).
OUTLINE:
Patients receive lenvatinib orally (PO) once daily (QD) on days 1-28 of each cycle and fulvestrant intramuscularly (IM) on days 1, 14, and 28 of cycle 1 and then day 1 of subsequent cycles. Cycles repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also receive pembrolizumab intravenously (IV) over 30 minutes on day 15 of cycle 1 and then day 1 of subsequent cycles. Cycles repeat every 6 weeks for up to 18 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo blood sample collections and computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or bone scans at screening and throughout study. Additionally, patients undergo multigated acquisition scan (MUGA) or echocardiography (ECHO) at screening and a tumor biopsy at screening, cycle 1 day 14 and optionally at end of treatment.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up within 14 days and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months.
Trial PhasePhase I/II
Trial Typetreatment
Lead OrganizationMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Principal InvestigatorSherry Shen
- Primary ID23-274
- Secondary IDsNCI-2023-11123
- ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT06110793