Perioperative Pembrolizumab and Lenvatinib in Resectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Clinical Trial

— PRIMER-1  

Official title:

PRIMER-1 Perioperative Pembrolizumab and Lenvatinib in Resectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05185739
• Other study ID #: UCL/12/6928
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: August 25, 2022
• Est. completion date: July 2026

Study information

• Verified date: April 2022
• Source: University College, London
• Contact: Michelle Hung
• Phone: +44 20 7679 9887
• Email: ctc.primer1[@]ucl.ac.uk
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This is a multicentre randomised 3-arm phase II clinical trial in patients with resectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Sixty patients will be randomized 1:1:1 to 6 weeks of pre-operative therapy with: pembrolizumab, lenvatinib or the combination of pembrolizumab and lenvatinib followed by up to 12 months treatment with post-operative pembrolizumab. The aim of the study is to compare the efficacy of pembrolizumab combined with lenvatinib with that of pembrolizumab and lenvatinib alone in terms of major pathological response in patients with resectable HCC. Major pathological response will be defined by the proportion of patients with less than 10% viable tumour at resection.

Description:

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), or Liver cancer, is the second most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide and is the most rapidly increasing cause of cancer-related death in the West. The only potentially curative options are transplantation, surgical resection and ablation. Both surgical resection and ablation are associated with a high rate of recurrence and 70% of resected patients relapse within 5 years. To date, no standard adjuvant therapies have been approved. Recent studies provide evidence that immunotherapy may address a significant unmet need in the management of HCC.

Furthermore, there is also a rationale for pre-operative therapy which has been shown to be superior to a postoperative treatment approach as supported by pre-clinical studies. The feasibility and outcomes of this approach have recently been reported in the setting of lung cancer. Lenvatinib, an immunotherapy drug, has been approved as a first treatment option in HCC. Pembrolizumab, another immunotherapy treatment has been evaluated as first treatment option in HCC in two clinical trials. The combination of these two drugs has been explored in HCC in early phase trials.

The aim is to compare the efficacy of pembrolizumab (a type of immunotherapy designed to 're-awaken' the immune system) combined with lenvatinib (an anti-cancer drug that is a multiple kinase inhibitor) with that of pembrolizumab and lenvatinib alone in patients with resectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Treatment lasts for up to 18 months. Depending on when patients are recruited, patients will be followed up for a minimum of 1 year and maximum of 3 years, following the end of their post-surgery treatment. It is expected that it will take 24 months to recruit all the patients.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 60
• Est. completion date: July 2026
• Est. primary completion date: July 2026
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Have a diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) confirmed by radiology, histology, or cytology (fibrolamellar and mixed hepatocellular/cholangiocarcinoma subtypes are not eligible). Radiological confirmation of diagnosis is provided by the study site and defined by the presence of a liver mass of at least 1 cm and exhibiting arterial hypervascularity with washout in the portal venous phase seen in a tri-phasic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

2. At least one measurable disease based on RECIST 1.1.

3. Low risk of surgical morbidity and mortality from liver surgery as defined by the following criteria:

• Single tumour

• No requirement for vascular resection

• Expected residual liver volume 40%

• Minor (up to 3 segments) or major resection (up to 5 segments)

If non-cirrhotic based on history, imaging, liver function +/- uninvolved liver biopsy):

• Single tumour any size

If cirrhotic

• Single tumour = 5cm

• Major resection (up to 5 segments) only with good liver function as defined locally by:

• Normal Bilirubin and

• No varices on pre-operative computerised tomography (CT)

• Wedge pressure < 10mmHg or

• Biopsy of uninvolved liver showing mild cirrhosis (Ashak grading)

4. Child-Pugh A liver disease

5. International normalised ratio (INR) =1.4

6. ECOG Performance status 0 or 1

7. Adequate haematological function as defined by:

• Haemoglobin (Hb) > 90g/l

• Neutrophil Count > 1.5 x 109/l

• Platelets > 75 x 109/l

8. Adequate renal function with GFR >40ml/min using a validated creatinine clearance calculation (e.g. Cockcroft-Gault or Wright formula)

9. Adequate liver function as defined by:

• Aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) < 5.0 x ULN

• Albumin >32g/l

• Amylase and lipase = 1.5 x ULN

10. Patients with past or ongoing hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection will be eligible for the study. The treated patients must have completed their treatment at least 1 month prior to starting

11. Patients with controlled hepatitis B will be eligible as long as they meet the following criteria:

• Antiviral therapy for hepatitis B virus (HBV) must be given for at least 4 weeks and HBV viral load must be less than 500 IU/mL prior to first dose of study drug. Patients on active HBV therapy with viral loads under 500 IU/mL should stay on the same therapy throughout study treatment.

• Patients who are positive for anti-hepatitis B core antibody (HBc), negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and negative or positive for anti-hepatitis B surface antibody (HBs), and who have an HBV viral load under 500 IU/mL, do not require HBV anti-viral prophylaxis

12. 18 years of age or over

13. Predicted life expectancy of > 3 months

14. Patients must have given written informed consent

15. Patients must have the ability to swallow oral medication

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Has received any systemic chemotherapy, including anti-VEGF therapy, or any systemic investigational anticancer agents for advanced/unresectable HCC.

2. Has received local therapy including trans arterial embolic, chemo- or radiotherapy, external beam radiotherapy or ablative therapy to the measurable lesion to be resected.

3. Has received prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, or anti PD-L2 agent or with an agent directed to another stimulatory or co-inhibitory T-cell receptor (e.g., CTLA-4, OX-40, or CD137).

4. Oesophageal or gastric variceal bleeding within the last 6 months.

5. Has received a live vaccine within 30 days prior to registration (seasonal flu vaccines that do not contain live virus are permitted). Administration of killed vaccines is allowed.

6. Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment (i.e., with use of disease-modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs) in past 2 years except

• Vitiligo

• Psoriasis

• Autoimmune-related hyperthyroidism

• Autoimmune-related hypothyroidism who are in remission or on a stable dose of thyroid-replacement hormone replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency) is not considered a form of systemic treatment and is allowed.

7. Has a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease that required steroids or has current pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease.

8. A diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving systemic steroid therapy (>10mg daily prednisolone equivalent) or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to treatment.

9. Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 3 years. Note: Patients with basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or carcinoma in situ (e.g., breast carcinoma, cervical cancer in situ) that have undergone potentially curative therapy are not excluded.

10. Has clinically apparent ascites on physical examination that is not controlled with medication. Note: ascites detectable on imaging studies only are allowed.

11. Uncontrolled blood pressure (Systolic BP)>150 mmHg or diastolic BP >90 mmHg) in spite of an optimised regimen of anti-hypertensive medication.

12. Has had clinically diagnosed hepatic encephalopathy in the last 6 months. Patients on rifaximin or lactulose to control their hepatic encephalopathy are not allowed.

13. Has medical contraindications that preclude all forms of contrast enhanced imaging (tri-phasic CT or MRI).

14. Gastrointestinal malabsorption, gastrointestinal anastomosis, or any other condition that might affect the absorption of lenvatinib.

15. Has a pre-existing Grade =3 gastrointestinal or non-gastrointestinal fistula.

16. Clinically significant haemoptysis from any source or tumour bleeding within 2 weeks prior to start of treatment.

17. Electrolyte abnormalities that have not been corrected.

18. Significant cardiovascular impairment within 12 months of start of treatment such as history of congestive heart failure greater than New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II, unstable angina, myocardial infarction or stroke within 6 months of start of treatment, or cardiac arrhythmia requiring medical treatment at screening.

19. Prolongation of QTc interval to > 480 ms.

20. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) below the institutional normal range as determined by multigated acquisition scan (MUGA) or echocardiogram (ECHO).

21. Patients who are at risk for severe haemorrhage, bleeding or thrombotic disorders, or are receiving factor X inhibitors or anticoagulants that require therapeutic INR monitoring e.g. warfarin or similar agents. The degree of tumour invasion/infiltration of major blood vessels should be considered because of the potential risk of severe haemorrhage associated with tumour shrinkage/necrosis following lenvatinib therapy.

22. Patients having > 1+ proteinuria on urine dipstick testing unless a 24-hour urine collection for quantitative assessment indicates that the urine protein is <1 g/24 hours.

23. Patients who have not recovered adequately from any toxicity from other anti- cancer treatment regimens and/or complications from major surgery prior to starting therapy.

24. Has had major surgery to the liver prior to start of treatment. Note: If patient received any major surgery, they must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to starting study treatment.

25. Has had a minor surgery (i.e., simple excision) within 7 days prior to start of treatment (Cycle 1 Day 1).

26. Has a serious non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture.

27. History of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

28. Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy, with the exception of HBV, HCV.

29. Has severe hypersensitivity (=Grade 3) to pembrolizumab or lenvatinib and/or any of their excipients.

30. Has dual active HBV infection (HBsAg (+) and /or detectable HBV DNA) and HCV infection (anti-HCV Ab (+) and detectable HCV RNA) at study entry.

31. Has dual active HBV infection and hepatitis D virus (HDV) at the study entry.

32. Has a known history of active tuberculosis (Bacillus tuberculosis).

33. Has a known psychiatric or substance abuse disorder that would interfere with the patient's ability to cooperate with the requirements of the study.

34. Is 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 intervention. Note: Patients who have entered the follow-up phase of an investigational study may participate as long as it has been 4 weeks after the last dose of the previous investigational agent.

35. Has had an allogenic tissue/solid organ transplant.

36. Women who are pregnant or breast feeding.

37. Must be willing to use effective contraception during study and for 120 days after the last dose.

38. Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the study, interfere with the subject's participation for the full duration of the study, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Carcinoma
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular
• Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Intervention

Drug:
• Pembrolizumab
Pre-operative Pembrolizumab (200mg IV every 3 weeks) for 2 cycles
• Lenvatinib
Pre-operative Lenvatinib (8 or 12mg PO once daily according to bodyweight <60gk=) for 6 weeks
• Pembrolizumab and Lenvatinib
Pre-operative combination of pembrolizumab and lenvatinib at the standard doses and duration as per cohort 1 and 2

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United Kingdom	Queen Elizabeth Hospital	Birmingham
United Kingdom	Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	Cambridge
United Kingdom	Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre	Glasgow
United Kingdom	St James's Hospital, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust	Leeds
United Kingdom	Clatterbridge Cancer Centre	Liverpool
United Kingdom	King's College Hospital	London
United Kingdom	Royal Free Hospital	London
United Kingdom	The Christie NHS Foundation Trust	Manchester
United Kingdom	Northern Institute of Cancer Research	Newcastle Upon Tyne

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University College, London	Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United Kingdom, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Major pathological response rate, defined as the proportion of patients with less than 10% viable tumour at resection.	The primary aim of the study is to test the hypothesis that the combination of pembrolizumab and lenvatinib result in a higher rate of major pathological response than either drug used as a single-agent in patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma.	At 4 months
Secondary	Percentage of viable tumour cells at resection	The primary aim of the study is to test the hypothesis that the combination of pembrolizumab and lenvatinib result in a higher rate of major pathological response than either drug used as a single-agent in patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma.	At 4 months
Secondary	Radiological response rate	The hypothesis is that the radiological response rate of pembrolizumab and lenvatinib in combination is greater than that of pembrolizumab and lenvatinib as single agents. Measured by RECIST 1.1 and mRECIST performed pre-operatively and compared with pre-treatment baseline imaging)	Evaluated pre-surgery (at 2 months)
Secondary	Relapse free survival at 12 months from surgery	Relapse free survival at 12 months from surgery	12 months from surgery
Secondary	Proportion of patients with surgery delayed by more than 4 weeks from the planned surgery date	Defined as the proportion of patients with surgery delayed by more than 4 weeks from the planned surgery date due to IMP-related adverse events (AEs) or serious adverse events (SAEs))	Evaluated by time to surgery (at 3 months)
Secondary	30-day post-operative surgical complication rate	based on the Clavien-Dindo classification	Evaluated 30 days post surgery
Secondary	Completion of protocol-defined therapy	measured by the proprtion of patients mpleting protocol defined study-drug intervention.	6 weeks pre-operative
Secondary	Completion of protocol-defined therapy	measured by the proprtion of patients mpleting protocol defined study-drug intervention.	12 months post-operative
Secondary	Determine the toxicity of pre-operative therapy according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) V5.	Incidence and of adverse events (AEs) reported. Events will be classified according to CTCAE V5.0	Evaluated by monthly follow-up until patient relapse/ maximum of 3 years, following the end of their post-surgery treatment.