Clinical trial NCT05629702: ARISTOCRAT: Blinded Trial of Temozolomide +/- Cannabinoids
Official title: A Randomised Controlled Phase II Trial of Temozolomide with or Without Cannabinoids in Patients with Recurrent Glioblastoma
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: PHASE2
Conditions: Glioblastoma
Brain Tumor
Cannabis
Brain Tumor, Recurrent
Keywords: cannabinoid
GBM
temozolomide
sativex
nabiximols
cannabis
glioblastoma
brain
recurrent
Lead sponsor: University of Birmingham
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: University of Leeds
name: The Brain Tumour Charity
name: Jazz Pharmaceuticals
First posted: 2022-11-29
Enrollment: 234
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 16
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: ARISTOCRAT is a phase II, multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial to compare the cannabinoid Nabiximols with placebo in patients with recurrent MGMT methylated glioblastoma (GBM) treated with temozolomide (TMZ).

Detailed description: This is a phase II, multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial to compare the cannabinoid Nabiximols (Sativex®) with placebo in patients with recurrent MGMT methylated glioblastoma treated with temozolomide (TMZ). The trial will randomise a target number of 234 patients on a 2:1 basis to receive either Nabiximols or Nabiximols-matched placebo, in combination with standard TMZ.

Patients will be followed up at 4-weekly assessments for a minimum of 52 weeks from the start of trial treatment or until death, whichever is sooner. MRI scanning will be performed at screening, week 10, week 22, week 30, then 3-monthly after commencing trial treatment as per standard practice.

The trial includes an initial feasibility study of 40 patients to confirm safety, compliance and achievability of planned target recruitment. There are no formal criteria for evaluation of feasibility but once 40 patients have been recruited, the independent Data Monitoring Committee will review the adverse event data, details on protocol treatment received, monthly recruitment rates and projected recruitment in order to make recommendations on trial continuation.

The current phase II trial design will enable potential expansion of recruitment into a phase III trial, should the emerging phase II results warrant this development.

The trial will be linked to the Tessa Jowell BRAIN MATRIX (TJBM) programme; utilising TJBM infrastructure, opening the same participating sites, and aligning the data collection and Quality of Life assessments already embedded in TJBM. This collaboration will allow data sharing within the platform thereby streamlining patient entry and provide additional oversight through TJBM. Patients recruited to TJBM who are potentially eligible for ARISTOCRAT may be identified and suggested to sites for consideration to the trial.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Histological diagnosis of MGMT promoter methylated, IDH wild type (WT) GBM with consistent local molecular pathology (repeat biopsy at recurrence is NOT required).
* First recurrence of GBM planned for systemic treatment as determined by local Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), including agreement of a Consultant Neuro-Radiologist that imaging changes are most in keeping with recurrence and not pseudo-progression and patient is planned for systemic treatment. Patients with a prior recurrence treated by surgical resection alone are eligible at time of first recurrence planned for systemic treatment.
* Patients must have received initial first-line treatment with standard dose conventionally fractionated radiotherapy (i.e. 40 Gy in 15 fractions or 54-60 Gy in 28-33 fractions; other regimes may be considered in consultation with the ARISTOCRAT Trial Office) with concomitant and adjuvant TMZ.

  * A minimum of 3 cycles of adjuvant TMZ must have been received.
  * A minimum of SD (or PR/CR) at the end of first-line treatment.
* ≥3 months since day 28 of the last cycle of TMZ.
* Karnofsky Performance Status ≥60.
* Adequate hematologic, renal, and hepatic function within 14 days prior to randomisation:

  * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥1.5 x 109/L
  * Platelet count ≥100 x 109/L
  * Serum creatinine clearance (measured or calculated (using local standard practice)) \>30ml/min
  * Total serum bilirubin ≤1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
  * Liver transaminases \<2.5 x ULN
* If surgery has been performed for first recurrence then the wound must be adequately healed and there must be residual enhancing disease on MRI within 21 days of surgery or new enhancement at later follow up deemed suitable for systemic treatment.
* Recovered from previous treatment side-effects ≤ Grade 2.
* If on systemic steroids, must be on stable (≥7 days) or decreasing dose of steroids.
* Willing and able to provide trial-specific informed consent.
* Willing and able to comply with trial requirements.
* Age ≥16.
* Able to start treatment within 28 days of randomisation.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pathology inconsistent with IDH WT GBM (e.g. patients with molecular features of PXA or BRAF mutation (on original pathology) will be excluded).
* Prior invasive malignancy (except non-melanoma skin cancer), unless disease free for a minimum of one year.
* Prior treatment with stereotactic radiotherapy, brachytherapy or Convection Enhanced Delivery (CED) of any agent.
* Prior treatment, apart from debulking surgery, for first recurrence of GBM.
* Any active co-morbidity making patient unsuitable for trial treatment in the view of the Investigator.
* Personal history of schizophrenia, other psychotic illness, severe personality disorder or other significant psychiatric diagnosis other than depression associated with their underlying glioma condition.
* Prior allergic reaction or significant toxicity (≥Grade 3 CTCAE) related to TMZ treatment.
* Current or recent cannabis or cannabinoid-based medications within 30 days of randomisation and/or unwilling to abstain for the duration of the trial.
* Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or a woman of childbearing potential who is unwilling to use effective contraceptive methods during trial treatment and for 6 months after completion of trial treatment.

  o Women of childbearing age must have a negative pregnancy test within 7 days prior to randomisation.
* Men who are sexually active and unwilling/unable to use medically acceptable forms of contraception during trial treatment or for 6 months after completion of trial treatment.
* Contra-indication to MRI or gadolinium.
* Hereditary galactose intolerance, total lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption.
* Known hypersensitivity to cannabinoids or excipients of the IMP.
* Known history of current or prior alcohol or drug dependence.
* Known Hepatitis B (HBV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV) or opportunistic infection.
* Has received a live vaccine within 28 days prior to randomisation.
* Unable to administer oromucosal medication due to mucosal lesions or other issues.
* Participation in another therapeutic clinical trial whilst taking part in this trial.
* Any psychological, familial, sociological or geographical condition hampering protocol compliance.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Overall survival time (OS)
timeFrame: Time in whole days from date of randomisation to the date of death from any cause, assessed at a minimum of 12 months..
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Overall survival at 12 months (OS12) (and 6 and 24 months)
timeFrame: 6, 12 and 24 months
measure: Progression-free survival time (PFS)
timeFrame: Time in whole days from the date of randomisation to the date of the first documented evidence of disease progression or death (from any cause), whichever came first, assessed at a minimum of 12 months.
measure: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as assessed by EORTC QLQ-C30
timeFrame: Baseline (Week 0), Week 8, Week 16, End of Treatment (Week 24)
measure: Adverse events
timeFrame: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12, Week 16, Week 20, End of Treatment (Week 24)
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Northwood
country: United Kingdom
facility: Mount Vernon Hospital, The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
state: Middlesex
city: Aberdeen
country: United Kingdom
facility: Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, NHS Grampian
city: Belfast
country: United Kingdom
facility: Belfast City Hospital, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
city: Birmingham
country: United Kingdom
facility: Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
city: Bristol
country: United Kingdom
facility: Bristol Haematology & Oncology Centre, University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS Foundation Trust
city: Cambridge
country: United Kingdom
facility: Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
city: Cardiff
country: United Kingdom
facility: Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre University NHS Trust
city: Edinburgh
country: United Kingdom
facility: Western General Hospital, NHS Lothian
city: Glasgow
country: United Kingdom
facility: Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
city: Hull
country: United Kingdom
facility: Castle Hill Hospital, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
city: Leeds
country: United Kingdom
facility: St James's University Hospital, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
city: London
country: United Kingdom
facility: St Bartholomew's Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust
city: London
country: United Kingdom
facility: Guy's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
city: London
country: United Kingdom
facility: Charing Cross Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
city: Maidstone
country: United Kingdom
facility: Maidstone Hospital, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
city: Manchester
country: United Kingdom
facility: The Christie Hospital, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
city: Nottingham
country: United Kingdom
facility: City Hospital, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
city: Oxford
country: United Kingdom
facility: Churchill Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
city: Plymouth
country: United Kingdom
facility: Derriford Hospital, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
city: Southampton
country: United Kingdom
facility: Southampton General Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
city: Wirral
country: United Kingdom
facility: Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Leeds
name: Susan Short, MBBS, BSc, MRCP, FRCR, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Bhaskaran D, Savage J, Patel A, Collinson F, Mant R, Boele F, Brazil L, Meade S, Buckle P, Lax S, Billingham L, Short SC. A randomised phase II trial of temozolomide with or without cannabinoids in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (ARISTOCRAT): protocol for a multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. BMC Cancer. 2024 Jan 15;24(1):83. doi: 10.1186/s12885-023-11792-4.