Bortezomib followed by pembrolizumab and cisplatin for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

Pilot Clinical Trial of Treatment With Bortezomib to Inhibit Homologous Recombination (HR) Followed by Pembrolizumab and Cisplatin in Patients With Chemotherapy-Pretreated Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer

This study is testing if a combination of bortezomib, pembrolizumab, and cisplatin can help people with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer by looking at how their tumors respond to the treatment.

Quick facts

• Phase: Early Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: Female
• Sponsor: Baylor Research Institute (Academic / other)
• Drugs / interventions: chemotherapy, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, prednisone, pembrolizumab
• Locations: 1 site (Dallas, Texas)
• Trial ID: NCT04265872 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This pilot trial investigates the use of bortezomib to inhibit the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway in patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Following bortezomib treatment, patients will receive pembrolizumab and cisplatin to assess their effectiveness against HR-deficient metastases. The study includes genomic and phosphoproteomic analyses to evaluate the patients' tumor characteristics before and after treatment. Patients will be monitored for disease progression and response to therapy, with the possibility of continuing pembrolizumab if they respond positively.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are female patients aged 18 and older with previously treated metastatic TNBC who have not received more than three prior chemotherapy regimens.

Not a fit: Patients with non-metastatic TNBC or those who have not received prior standard chemotherapy may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a new treatment strategy for patients with metastatic TNBC that is resistant to standard therapies.

How similar studies have performed: While this approach is novel, previous studies have shown promise in targeting HR-deficiency in breast cancer, suggesting potential for success.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* A patient will be eligible for inclusion in this study if she meets all of the following criteria:

  1. Female patients ≥18 years of age
  2. Have a diagnosis of metastatic TNBC previously treated with standard anthracycline, cyclophosphamide, and taxane chemotherapy, unless there was a contraindication to doxorubicin, in which case prior treatment with this agent is not required. NOTE: TNBC defined as ER-negative tumors with \< or = 10% tumor nuclei immunoreactivity, or "ER Low Positive" as defined by the updated ASCO/CAP guidelines 2020.
  3. Have not received more than 3 prior chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease. Prior platinum and/or taxane therapy in the adjuvant or metastatic setting is permitted.
  4. Have locoregional (eg, breast, chest wall, regional lymphatic) or pulmonary or hepatic metastatic disease that is amenable to core needle biopsy. If a research biopsy from a patient's metastatic disease cannot be safely obtained, a skin biopsy is permitted. If a skin biopsy cannot be safely obtained, patients may still be eligible, per physician discretion.
  5. Have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-1 (See Appendix I)
  6. Have adequate hematologic function, defined by:

     1. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>1500/μL
     2. Platelet count ≥100,000/μL
     3. Hemoglobin ≥9 g/dL or ≥5.6 mmol/L
  7. Have adequate liver function, defined by:

     1. AST and ALT ≤2.5 x the upper limit of normal (ULN) or ≤5 x ULN in presence of liver metastases
     2. Total bilirubin ≤1.5 x ULN OR direct bilirubin ≤ULN for patients with total bilirubin levels \>1.5 × ULN
  8. Have adequate renal function, defined by:

     a. Serum creatinine ≤1.5 x ULN or calculated creatinine clearance of ≥30 mL/min
  9. Have adequate coagulation function, defined by:

     1. International Normalized Ratio (INR) OR prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) ≤1.5 × ULN.
     2. If patient is receiving anticoagulant therapy, PT or aPTT must be within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants.
  10. Patients who have a history of brain metastasis are eligible for the study provided that all the following criteria are met:

      1. Brain metastases which have been treated
      2. Off-treatment with steroids for 2 weeks before administration of the first dose of bortezomib
      3. No ongoing requirement for dexamethasone or anti-epileptic drugs
      4. No clinical or radiological evidence of progression of brain metastases
  11. Patient must be accessible for treatment and follow-up.
  12. All patients must be able to understand the investigational nature of the study and give written informed consent prior to study entry.

Exclusion Criteria:

* EXCLUSION CRITERIA

A patient will be ineligible for inclusion in this study if she meets any of the following criteria:

1. Has received a live vaccine within 30 days of the first dose of study treatment. NOTE: seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally inactivated flu vaccines and are allowed; however, intranasal influenza vaccines (ie, FluMist ®) are live attenuated vaccines, and are not allowed.
2. Has an active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years (ie, with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive drugs). Replacement therapy (eg, thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency) is not considered a form of systemic therapy.
3. Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving chronic systemic steroid therapy (in dosing exceeding 10 mg daily of prednisone equivalent) or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of study drug.
4. Has a known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
5. Has known history of Hepatitis B (defined as Hepatitis B surface antigen \[HBsAg\] reactive) or known active Hepatitis C virus (defined as HCV RNA \[qualitative\] is detected) infection
6. Has a history of non-infectious pneumonitis that required steroids or current pneumonitis
7. Has peripheral neuropathy ≥grade 2
8. Has completed previous radiotherapy for metastatic disease \<2 weeks prior to study treatment initiation
9. Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy
10. Has significant cardiovascular disease, such as:

    1. History of myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, or coronary angioplasty/stenting/bypass grafting within the last 6 months
    2. Congestive heart failure (CHF) New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II-IV, or history of CHF NYHA class III or IV.
11. Has a known history of active tuberculosis
12. Women who are pregnant or lactating. All patients with reproductive potential must agree to use effective contraception from time of study entry until at least 3 months after the last administration of study drug.
13. Patients who have any severe and/or uncontrolled medical conditions or other conditions that could affect their participation such as:

    1. severe impaired lung functions as defined as spirometry and DLCO that is 50% of the normal predicted value and/or O2 saturation that is 88% or less at rest on room air
    2. liver disease such as cirrhosis or severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class C).
14. Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the study, interfere with the patient's participation for the full duration of the study, or is not in the best interest of the patient to participate, in the opinion of the Treating Physician.
15. Has received prior systemic anti-cancer therapy including investigational agents within 4 weeks prior to study treatment (this would not include bortezomib while on study). Monoclonal antibody agents should have a 4-week (28 day) washout period.
16. Any other investigational or anti-cancer treatments while participating in this study
17. Any other active malignancy

Where this trial is running

Dallas, Texas

• Baylor University Medical Center, Baylor Charles A Sammons Cancer Center — Dallas, Texas, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Joyce O'Shaughnessy, MD — Texas Oncology
• Study coordinator: Page Blas, MA

Conditions Breast Cancer