Final five-year median follow-up safety data from a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blinded, multicenter, phase IIb study evaluating the use of HER2/neu peptide GP2 + GM-CSF vs. GM-CSF alone after adjuvant trastuzumab in HER2-positive women with operable breast cancer.
Authors: Patel Snehal , McWilliams David , Fischette Christine T , Thompson Jaye , Patel Mira , Daugherty F. Joseph 
Published: June 2021

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Background: The final analysis of the GP2 prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blinded, multicenter Phase IIb trial investigating GP2+GM-CSF administered in the adjuvant setting to node-positive and high-risk node-negative breast cancer patients with tumors expressing any degree of HER2 (immuno-histochemistry [IHC] 1-3+) ( NCT00524277) is now complete with 5 year follow-up. The trial enrolled HLA-A02 patients randomized to receive GP2+GM-CSF versus GM-CSF alone. It was previously reported that completion of the GP2+GM-CSF Primary Immunization Series (PIS) reduced recurrence rates to 0% over a 5 year follow-up period in HER2 3+ patients, who received a standard course of trastuzumab after surgery. Methods: Each enrolled and consented patient was randomly scheduled to receive a total of 6 GP2+GM-CSF (500 mcg GP2: 125 mcg GM-CSF) or GM-CSF only intradermal injections every 3-4 weeks as part of the PIS for the first 6 months and 4 GP2+GM-CSF or GM-CSF only booster intradermal injections every 6 months thereafter. Boosters were introduced during the trial, thus some patients did not receive all 4 boosters. Injection sight reactions were measured. Results: Safety data was analyzed to assess local and systemic toxicity of each treatment arm. Most subjects completed the planned PIS, 81 (91.0%) GP2+GM-CSF and 86 (94.5%) GM-CSF only. In addition, 77 GP2+GM-CSF and 80 GM-CSF only subjects received all 4 booster injections. The most common local toxicities were erythema, induration and pruritis and they occurred with similar frequency in the two treatment arms. Local reactions were reported by almost all subjects over the course of vaccinations. Occurring in a smaller percentage of subjects, the most common systemic toxicities were fatigue, headache, and myalgia/arthralgia, again with similar incidence by treatment group. The majority of all events reported were of Grade 1 mild severity (GP2+GM-CSF 92.5%, GM-CSF only 90.6%). Only 5 events in 4 subjects were considered Grade 3: induration and maculopapular rash/pruritis, in two GP2+GM-CSF subjects and chest pain and hypersensitivity reaction in two GM-CSF only subjects. The incidence of local reactions minimally increased with subsequent vaccinations however, the types of events remain unchanged. No serious adverse events were reported over the full 5 year treatment and follow-up periods. Conclusions: The study confirms the finding from the Phase I trial evaluating GP2+GM-CSF that the vaccine is safe and well-tolerated. The majority of patients experienced only mild local and systemic toxicities. Importantly, toxicities in the GP2+GM-CSF group were comparable to those seen in the GM-CSF only group, suggesting the toxicities are attributable to GM-CSF. Clinical trial information: NCT00524277.