Abstract CT119: A randomized, double-blind phase 2 evaluation of the anti-IL-8 monoclonal antibody BMS-986253 + nivolumab + ipilimumab vs nivolumab + ipilimumab in patients with advanced melanoma that progressed on/after anti-PD-(L)1 therapy
Authors: Simonelli Matteo , Calvo Emiliano , Davar Diwakar , Melear Jason , Richards Donald , Dallos Matthew , Gutierrez Martin , Moreno Victor , Marron Thomas , Rottey Sylvie , Orcurto Angela , Barriga Susana , Fan Jessy , Gibson Elizabeth , Dutta Santanu , Arora Vivek , Melero Ignacio 
Published: June 2022

Purpose: This phase 1/2 trial evaluates the novel immunotherapy BMS-986253 in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (NCT03400332). Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is an immunosuppressive chemokine often elevated in the serum of patients with cancer. High serum IL-8 concentration is associated with poor prognoses and resistance to immunotherapies, including anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) and anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) agents (Schalper et al. Nat Med 2020;26:688). The addition of anti-IL-8 therapy to anti-PD-1 nivolumab (NIVO) and anti-CTLA-4 ipilimumab (IPI) may sensitize patients with high serum IL-8 levels to immune checkpoint inhibition. BMS-986253, a fully human IgG1 anti-IL-8 monoclonal antibody, in combination with NIVO ± IPI is under investigation in a phase 1/2 trial of patients with advanced solid tumors. Initial results from part 1 indicate BMS-986253 + NIVO was well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxicities (Davar et al. J Immunother Cancer 2020;8. Abstract 394). Preliminary antitumor activity was observed, including partial responses in 5 of 28 patients with melanoma that had progressed on or after prior anti-PD-(L)1 therapy, a population with high unmet medical need. Part 2 is a randomized, double-blind phase 2 study comparing the efficacy of BMS-986253 in combination with NIVO + IPI vs NIVO + IPI in patients with advanced melanoma that progressed on or after prior anti-PD-(L)1 therapy.

Trial Design: Patients eligible for part 2 have histologically confirmed, unresectable, stage III/IV melanoma, have progressed on or after anti-PD-(L)1 treatment, had an anti-PD-(L)1 agent as their most recent therapy, and have not received anti-CTLA-4 treatment. PD-L1 and BRAFV600 mutation status (wild-type and BRAF mutations permitted) must be documented, and serum IL-8 levels will be measured at screening. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to receive BMS-986253 + NIVO + IPI or placebo + NIVO + IPI and stratified by serum IL-8 level, BRAF V600E status, and lactate dehydrogenase level. The dose and frequency of BMS-986253, NIVO, and IPI will be determined by part 1 data. Treatment with BMS-986253 or placebo and NIVO will continue ≤ 3 years or until disease progression or intolerance. The primary objective is to compare progression-free survival (PFS) by blinded independent central review (BICR) per RECIST v1.1 between treatment arms in patients with baseline serum IL-8 levels &gt; 10 pg/mL. Secondary objectives include PFS by BICR in all randomized patients, overall response rates by BICR per RECIST v1.1, overall survival, safety, pharmacokinetic profile, immunogenicity of BMS-986253, and associations of baseline factors with response. Recruitment will continue until ≈170 patients are enrolled.

Citation Format: Matteo Simonelli, Emiliano Calvo, Diwakar Davar, Jason Melear, Donald Richards, Matthew Dallos, Martin Gutierrez, Victor Moreno, Thomas Marron, Sylvie Rottey, Angela Orcurto, Susana Barriga, Jessy Fan, Elizabeth Gibson, Santanu Dutta, Vivek Arora, Ignacio Melero. A randomized, double-blind phase 2 evaluation of the anti-IL-8 monoclonal antibody BMS-986253 + nivolumab + ipilimumab vs nivolumab + ipilimumab in patients with advanced melanoma that progressed on/after anti-PD-(L)1 therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr CT119.