Evaluating the role of immune-checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) combinations in patients (pts) with unselected “cold” tumors enrolled in early clinical trials (CT).
Authors: Saavedra Santa Gadea Omar , Hernando-Calvo Alberto , Berche Roger , Vieito Maria , Brana Irene , Matos Ignacio , Alonso Guzman , Galvao Vladimir , Azaro Analia , Oberoi Honey Kumar , Ann Wornham Natassia , Ros Javier , Grau Béjar Juan Francisco , García Carmen , Macarulla Teresa , Capdevila Jaume , Elez Elena , Tabernero Josep , Dienstmann Rodrigo , Garralda Elena 
Published: June 2021

2597

Background: In order to improve the expected response rate (ORR) of less than 10% in cold tumors, several ICI combinations are being evaluated in clinical trials. However, most of these trials don’t require any biomarker and pts are included based solely in histology. We aimed to assess the benefit of ICI combinations in pts with unselected cold tumors included in early CT. Methods: ICI naïve pts with cold tumors treated from 2015 to 2021 with ICI combinations in early CT at VHIO were reviewed. Clinico-pathological data and anti-tumor activity were extracted from a prospective database. ORR was defined as per RECIST v1.1 and clinical benefit rate (CBR) as complete/partial response (CR/PR) + stable disease (SD) for ≥ 4 months (m). Kaplan Meier estimates of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated and a Cox model according to LIPI (Lung Immune Prognostic Index = baseline LDH and derived neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio) was constructed. Immune-related adverse events (irAE) were classified as per CTCAE v.4.03. Hyperprogressive disease (HPD) was evaluated using RECIST v1.1 (Matos et al, 2020). Results: Out of 97 pts, median age was 62y, 61% had ECOG 0 and 29.8% had LIPI 0 (good prognostic score). Most pts had microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (60.8%) or ovarian cancer (14.4%). Regimens included anti-PD1/L1 + another ICI in 69% (most commonly anti-LAG3 [26,8%] and CD40 agonist [20.9%]), anti-PD1/L1 + other molecule in 21.7% (most commonly SHP2 inhibitor [33.3%] and anti p53-HDM2 [28.5%]) and bispecific antibodies in 9.3% (anti-PD1/L1 + anti-LAG3 or CD137 agonist). No patient achieved a response. CBR was 15.3% (11 pts with MSS colorectal cancer, 2 ovarian cancer, 1 olfactory neuroblastoma, 1 paraganglioma). 33 pts (34%) presented irAE, 15 pts (15.5%) had irAE ≥ G2, 4 pts (4.1%) had G3 irAE (dry mouth, hypertransaminasemia, myocarditis and neutrophils count decreased) and 1 patient (1%) had G4 hyperglicemia. 58 pts (59.7%) had progressive disease (PD) as best response, 19 of these pts (32.7%) presented irAE. Overall, 20 pts (20.6%) met definition of HPD, representing 34.4% of pts with PD as best response. Median PFS for overall and CBR population were 1.9 m (CI95% 1.7-2.0) and 5.9 m (5.4-NR), respectively. Median OS for overall population was 7.6 m (5.9-9.5), with a trend for improved OS if LIPI good score vs. others (12.6 m vs. 6.2 m, hazard ratio 1.9, (CI 95% 1.1-3.3), p = 0.02). Among hyperprogressors, median OS was 5.33 m (3.39 - NR) and significantly worse LIPI scores (intermediate [1] or poor [2]) were observed as compared to pts with CBR (75% vs 53.3% p = 0.001). Conclusions: ICI combinations demonstrated very limited activity in pts with unselected cold tumors. However, the risk for irAE and HPD remain substantial. Further drug-biomarker co-development strategies are urgently needed to increase the risk benefit ratio for these pts.