Immunotherapy in Combination with Radiation Therapy, with or without Platinum Doublet Chemotherapy, for the Treatment of Patients with Stage II or III Locally Advanced and Unresectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, TRIPL Trial
This phase II trial tests how well immunotherapy (cemiplimab and fianlimab) in combination with radiation therapy, with or without platinum doublet chemotherapy, works in treating patients with stage II or III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread to nearby tissue or lymph nodes (locally advanced) or that cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as cemiplimab and fianlimab, may help the body's immune system attack the tumor, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Platinum doublet chemotherapy is a drug combination of platinum compounds, which work by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of tumor cells. Combining immunotherapy with radiation therapy, with or without platinum doublet chemotherapy, may be effective at treating patients with stage II or III locally advanced and unresectable on-small cell lung cancer.
Inclusion Criteria
- Age ≥ 18 on the day of signing informed consent
- Previously untreated and biopsy-proven non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with measurable disease (at least 1 unidimensional, radiographically measurable lesion based on RECIST version [v]1.1) and one of the following stages: (prior resection or stereotactic radiotherapy for early-stage disease is allowed) * American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) version 8 stage II disease, medically or technically unresectable * AJCC version 8 stage III disease, eligible for non-surgical treatment
- Determination of PD-L1 expression on pretreatment tumor specimen using a clinically validated assay
- Eligible for standard nonsurgical treatment for stage III NSCLC, i.e., chemotherapy and concurrent radiation therapy (RT) followed by adjuvant durvalumab
- Whole body PET/CT within 42 days prior to study entry demonstrating hypermetabolic pulmonary lesion(s) and/or thoracic lymph node(s)
- MRI of the brain or head CT with contrast within 42 days prior to study entry
- Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) within 42 days of study entry
- Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2
- Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
- Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1.5 x 10^9/L (> 1500 per mm^3)
- Platelet count ≥ 100 x 10^9/L (> 100,000 per mm^3)
- Serum bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN). This will not apply to subjects with confirmed Gilbert’s syndrome (persistent or recurrent hyperbilirubinemia that is predominantly unconjugated in the absence of hemolysis or hepatic pathology), who will be allowed only in consultation with their physician
- Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT]) ≤ 2.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)
- Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)
- Serum creatinine clearance (CL) > 30 mL/min by the Cockcroft-Gault formula or by 24-hour urine collection for determination of creatinine clearance: (except for patients planned to receive pemetrexed, in which case serum creatinine clearance needs to > 45 ml/min)
- A female participant is eligible to participate if she is not pregnant (see exclusion criteria), not breastfeeding, and at least one of the following conditions applies: * Not a woman of childbearing potential (WOCBP) * A WOCBP who agrees to follow the contraceptive guidance during the treatment period and for at least 6 months (180 days) after the last dose of study treatment with cemiplimab and fianlimab * A WOBCP who agrees to follow the contraceptive guidance and for at least 6 months after the last dose of chemotherapy or as specified in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prescribing labels (e.g. 14 months after the last dose of cisplatin)
- A male participant must agree to use contraception during the treatment period and for at least 6 months after the last dose of study treatment and refrain from donating sperm during this period
- The participant (or legally acceptable representative if applicable) provides written informed consent for the trial
Exclusion Criteria
- Presence of known sensitizing epidermal growth factor (EGFR) mutation or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion * Determination of EGFR/ALK mutation status is required for non-squamous cell carcinoma histologies and recommended for squamous cell carcinoma
- Prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, or LAG-3 inhibitor
- Patient currently participating in or has participated in a study of an investigational agent or has used an investigational device within 4 weeks prior to the first dose of study treatment
- Active malignancy other than lung cancer that (1) requires active treatment other than hormonal therapy and (2) is deemed by the treating physicians to be likely to affect the patient’s life expectancy
- A history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required steroids or current pneumonitis
- Known history of myocarditis
- Troponin T (TnT) or troponin I troponin I (TnI) > 2 x institutional ULN at baseline. Patients with TnT or TnI levels between > 1 to 2 x ULN are permitted if repeat levels within 24 hours are ≤ 1 x ULN. If TnT or TnI levels are > 1 to 2 x ULN within 24 hours, the subject may undergo a cardiac evaluation and be considered for treatment by the investigator based on the medical judgement in the patient’s best interest
- Known active TB (Bacillus tuberculosis)
- Known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial
- Pregnancy, assessed with urine pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to study treatment allocation. If urine pregnancy test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test is required. If more than 72 hours elapse between screening pregnancy test and the first dose of study treatment, another pregnancy test (urine or serum) must be performed and must be negative
- Ongoing or recent (within 2 years) evidence of an autoimmune disease that required systemic treatment with immunosuppressive agents. The following are non-exclusionary: vitiligo, childhood asthma that has resolved, residual hypothyroidism that requires only hormone replacement, psoriasis not requiring systemic treatment
- History or current evidence of significant (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [CTCAE] grade ≥ 2) local or systemic infection (eg, cellulitis, pneumonia, septicemia) requiring systemic antibiotic treatment within 2 weeks prior to the first dose of trial medication
- Active infection requiring therapy
- Uncontrolled infection with HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection; or diagnosis of immunodeficiency that is related to, or results in chronic infection. * Patients with known HIV who have controlled infection (undetectable viral load and CD4 count above 350 either spontaneously or on a stable antiviral regimen) are permitted. For patients with controlled HIV infection, monitoring will be performed per local standards. * Patients with known hepatitis B (hepatitis B virus antigen positive [HepBsAg+]) who have controlled infection (serum hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid [DNA] polymerase chain reaction [PCR] that is below the limit of detection AND receiving antiviral therapy for hepatitis B) are permitted. Patients with controlled infections must undergo periodic monitoring of HBV DNA per local standards and must remain on anti-viral therapy for at least 6 months beyond the last dose of investigational study drug. * Patients who are known hepatitis C virus antibody positive (HCV Ab+) who have controlled infection (undetectable HCV ribonucleic acid [RNA] by PCR either spontaneously or in response to a successful prior course of anti-HCV therapy) are permitted. * Patients with HIV or hepatitis must be reviewed by a qualified specialist (eg, infectious disease or hepatologist) managing this disease prior to commencing and regularly throughout the duration of their participation in the trial
- Diagnosis of immunodeficiency or ongoing chronic systemic steroid therapy (in dosing exceeding 10 mg daily of prednisone equivalent) or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of study drug
- Known hypersensitivity to the active substances or to any of the excipients
- Received a live vaccine within 30 days of planned start of study medication * Live or live attenuated vaccination with replicating potential. If a patient intends to receive a coronavirus 2019 COVID-19 vaccine before the start of study drug, participation in the study should be delayed at least 1 week after any COVID-19 vaccination. During the treatment period, it is recommended to delay COVID-19 vaccination until patients are receiving and tolerating a steady dose of study drug. A vaccine dose should not be less than 48 hours before or after study drug dosing
Additional locations may be listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for NCT06865339.
Locations matching your search criteria
United States
New York
Bronx
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
I. Determine anti-tumor efficacy by characterizing response rates on positron emission tomography (PET) following three cycles of induction immunotherapy with cemiplimab and fianlimab without chemotherapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) patients with PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) expression ≥ 50% and with chemotherapy for patients with PD-L1 < 50%.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:
I. Establish safety of treatment with sequential cemiplimab plus fianlimab and radiotherapy for LA-NSCLC without chemotherapy for patients with PD-L1 TPS expression ≥ 50% and with chemotherapy for patients with PD-L1 < 50%.
EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:
I. Determine anti-tumor efficacy by characterizing 1) objective response rate (ORR) on computed tomography (CT) scan measured via Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 after receiving three cycles of induction immunotherapy (IO) with cemiplimab plus fianlimab, 2) progression-free survival (PFS) rates based on the time from study therapy initiation to the date of disease progression or death, and 3) overall survival (OS) rates based on time from study therapy initiation to the date of death.
II. Characterize effects on quality-of-life using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ)-Lung Cancer 13 (C13), EORTC QLQ-Core 30 (C30), and EORTC Q168 instruments.
III. Characterize the biology associated with sequential cemiplimab plus fianlimab and radiotherapy for LA-NSCLC without chemotherapy for those with PD-L1 TPS expression ≥ 50% and with chemotherapy for those with PD-L1 < 50%.
OUTLINE: Patients with PD-L1 TPS ≥ 50% are assigned to Cohort 1 and patients with PD-L1 TPS < 50% are assigned to Cohort 2.
COHORT 1: Patients receive cemiplimab intravenously (IV) and fianlimab IV over 30 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 21 days for 3 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients then undergo thoracic radiation therapy (RT) daily for 20 total fractions over 4 weeks. Then 4-6 weeks following completion of RT, patients receive cemiplimab IV and fianlimab IV over 30 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 21 days for 13 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT, PET/CT, and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and collection of blood samples throughout the trial. Patients may undergo biopsy at screening.
COHORT 2: Patients receive cemiplimab IV and fianlimab IV over 30 minutes on day 1 of each cycle and receive histology-specific platinum doublet chemotherapy (PDC) according to the treating clinician's discretion every 3 weeks. Cycles repeat every 21 days for 3 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients then undergo thoracic RT (with or without weekly PDC) daily for 20 total fractions over 4 weeks. Then 4-6 weeks following completion of RT, patients receive cemiplimab IV and fianlimab IV over 30 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 21 days for 13 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT, PET/CT, and/or MRI and collection of blood samples throughout the trial. Patients may undergo biopsy at screening.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 30 days and then every 12 weeks for up to 5 years after study initiation.
Trial PhasePhase II
Trial Typetreatment
Lead OrganizationMontefiore Medical Center-Weiler Hospital
Principal InvestigatorNitin Ohri
- Primary ID2024-16318
- Secondary IDsNCI-2025-06021
- ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT06865339