Combination therapy for high grade upper tract urothelial cancer patients refusing surgery

Renal Retention in High Grade Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer: A Phase II Trial of Enfortumab Vedotin and Pembrolizumab in Patients With Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (UTUC) Who Are Not Candidates for, or Refuse, Nephroureterectomy

This study is testing if a combination of two cancer drugs can help people with high grade upper tract urothelial cancer who don't want surgery live longer without their cancer getting worse.

Quick facts

• Phase: PHASE2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins (other)
• Drugs / interventions: enfortumab, atezolizumab, pembrolizumab, nivolumab, durvalumab, avelumab, chemotherapy, radiation, prednisone, pembrolozumab
• Locations: 2 sites (Washington D.C., District of Columbia and 1 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT05656235 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This phase II trial evaluates the effectiveness of combining pembrolizumab and enfortumab vedotin in patients with high grade non-metastatic upper tract urothelial cancer who choose not to undergo standard radical nephroureterectomy. The study aims to determine if this combination therapy can achieve event-free survival outcomes comparable to those of patients who underwent surgery. Participants will receive the treatments intravenously every 21 days until disease progression or intolerable side effects occur. The primary goal is to assess the time to systemic relapse or death in this patient population.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with histologically confirmed high grade upper tract urothelial cancer who refuse or are medically ineligible for radical nephroureterectomy.

Not a fit: Patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma or those who have received prior systemic therapy for advanced disease may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a non-surgical treatment option for patients with high grade upper tract urothelial cancer, potentially improving their survival outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: While this specific combination has not been extensively tested in this context, similar approaches in treating urothelial carcinoma have shown promise in other studies.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male/female participants who are at least 18 years of age on the day of signing informed consent with histologically confirmed diagnosis of histologically documented, high grade upper tract urothelial cancer, (UTUC can be diagnosed by direct visualization and biopsy, or by 3 dimensional imaging and positive urine cytology) will be enrolled in this study.
2. Patients must refuse definitive radical nephroureterectomy (RNU), or be medically ineligible for surgery. To be medically ineligible, patients must, in the opinion of the clinical team, be at high risk of complications intra or perioperative which would adversely impact morbidity and mortality, including risk of CKD and ESRD.
3. Subjects must not have received prior systemic therapy for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (in other locations such as the bladder or contralateral ureter or renal pelvis) with the following exceptions:

   1. Subjects who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with recurrence \>12 months from completion of therapy are permitted
   2. Subjects that received adjuvant chemotherapy following cystectomy with recurrence \>12 months from completion of therapy are permitted
4. Subjects may have radiographic evidence of N1 disease (Metastasis ≤2 cm in greatest dimension, in a single lymph node)
5. Subjects must be age 18 years or older.
6. Archival tumor tissue will be used for eligibility.
7. Subjects must have an ECOG Performance Status score of 0 or 2
8. Subjects must have adequate hematologic and organ function as defined by the baseline laboratory values in Table 3. Transfusion of red blood cells to meet eligibility criteria is allowed.

   Table 3 - Baseline Laboratory Values

   Hematological:

   ANC: ≥1500/μL Platelets: ≥100,000/μL Hemoglobin: ≥9.0 g/dL or ≥5.6 mmol/L

   Hepatic:

   Total Bilirubin: ≤1.5× ULN AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT): No adjustment in the starting dose is required when administering PADCEV to patients with mild hepatic impairment (total bilirubin 1 to 1.5 × ULN and AST any, or total bilirubin ≤ULN and AST \>ULN).
9. A female subject of childbearing potential is anyone born female who has experienced menarche and who has not undergone surgical sterilization (e.g., hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, bilateral oophorectomy) or has not completed menopause. Menopause is defined clinically as 12 months of amenorrhea in a person over age 45 in the absence of other biological, physiological, or pharmacological causes. Female subjects of childbearing potential must meet the following conditions:

   * Agree not to try to become pregnant during the study and for at least 6 months after the final dose of study drug.
   * Must have a negative urine or serum pregnancy test (minimum sensitivity of 25 mIU/mL or equivalent units of beta human chorionic gonadotropin \[β-hCG\]) within 1 day prior to administration of study drug. Female subjects with false positive results and documented verification of negative pregnancy status are eligible for participation.
   * If heterosexually active, must consistently use highly effective methods of birth control, with a failure rate of less than 1% (as described in Appendix L) starting at screening, throughout the study period, and for at least 6 months after the final dose of study drug.
   * Female subjects must agree not to breastfeed or donate ova starting at screening and throughout the study period, and for at least 6 months after the final dose of study drug.
10. A male subject who can father children is anyone born male who has testes and who has not undergone surgical sterilization (e.g., vasectomy followed by a clinical test proving that the procedure was effective). Male subjects who can father children, must meet the following conditions:

    * Must not donate sperm starting at screening and throughout the study period, and for at least 6 months after the final dose of study drug. Male subjects will be informed about the negative risk to reproductive function and fertility from the study treatment. Prior to treatment male subjects should be advised to seek information on fertility preservation and sperm cryoconservation.
    * Must consistently use highly effective methods of birth control, with a failure rate of less than 1% (as described in Appendix L) starting at screening and continue throughout study period and for at least 6 months after the final dose of study drug.
    * Male subjects with a pregnant or breastfeeding partner(s) must consistently use one of 2 contraception options for preventing secondary exposure to seminal fluid (as described in Appendix L) for the duration of the pregnancy or time partner is breastfeeding throughout the study period and for at least 6 months after the final dose of study drug.
11. Subjects must provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects who have previously received enfortumab vedotin or other MMAE-based ADCs.
2. Subjects who have received prior treatment with a PD-(L)-1 inhibitor for any malignancy, including earlier stage UC, defined as a PD-1 inhibitor or PD-L1inhibitor (including, but not limited to, atezolizumab, pembrolizumab, nivolumab, durvalumab, or avelumab).
3. Subjects who have previously received any prior treatment with an agent directed to another stimulatory or co inhibitory T-cell receptor (including but not limited to CD137 agonists, CTLA-4 inhibitors, or OX-40 agonists).
4. Subjects who have received anti-cancer treatment with chemotherapy, biologics, or investigational agents not otherwise prohibited by exclusion criterion 1-3 that is not completed 4 weeks prior to first dose of study treatment (ongoing hormonal/anti hormonal treatment, e.g., for breast cancer, is allowed, provided that the subject is eligible per exclusion criteria 14).
5. Subjects with uncontrolled diabetes. Uncontrolled diabetes is defined as hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥8% or HbA1c 7% to \<8% with associated diabetes symptoms (polyuria or polydipsia) that are not otherwise explained.
6. Subjects with an estimated life expectancy \<12 weeks
7. Subjects with ongoing sensory or motor neuropathy Grade 2 or higher.
8. Subjects with ongoing clinically significant toxicity associated with prior treatment (including radiotherapy or surgery) that has not resolved to ≤ Grade 1 or returned to baseline.
9. Currently receiving systemic antimicrobial treatment for active infection (viral, bacterial, or fungal) at the time of treatment initiation. Routine antimicrobial prophylaxis is permitted.
10. Subjects who have known active hepatitis B (defined as HBsAg reactive) or known active hepatitis C virus (defined as HCV RNA \[qualitative\] detected) infection, testing for hepatitis B and hepatitis C is required if mandated by country health authority. Subjects who have been curatively treated for hepatitis C infection are permitted if they have documented sustained virologic response of 12 weeks.
11. Has a known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Testing is not required unless mandated by the local health authority.
12. Subjects with conditions requiring high doses of steroids (\>10 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent) or other immunosuppressive medications are excluded. Inhaled or topical steroids are permitted in the absence of active autoimmune disease. Physiologic replacement doses of corticosteroids are permitted for subjects with adrenal insufficiency.
13. Subjects with another active second malignancy other than non-melanoma skin cancers and biochemical relapsed prostate cancer. Subjects that have completed all necessary therapy and are considered to be at less than 30% risk of relapse are not considered to have an active second malignancy and are eligible for enrollment.
14. Patients may have a history of resected urothelial cancer of the bladder or contralateral upper tract, (including neoadjuvant chemotherapy) in the following categories. These disease states are not exclusions and patients with this history will have this recorded and be considered for study on a case by case basis:

    * pT0, Tis, or T1N0 and have no evidence of disease (NED) for more than 2 years from surgery or chemotherapy;
    * pT2-3aN0 and NED for more than 3 years from surgery or chemotherapy; or
    * \>pT3b, or N+ and NED for more than 5 years from surgery or chemotherapy.
    * Patients with concomitant HG UTUC bilaterally will be considered for protocol on a case by case basis.
15. Subjects with a documented history of a cerebral vascular event (stroke or transient ischemic attack), unstable angina, myocardial infarction, or cardiac symptoms consistent with NYHA Class IV within 6 months prior to treatment initiation (Appendix D).
16. Subjects who have received radiotherapy within 2 weeks prior to treatment initiation. Subject must have recovered adequately from the toxicity from the intervention prior to starting study treatment. Participants must have recovered from all radiation-related toxicities, not require corticosteroids, and not have had radiation pneumonitis.
17. Subjects who have received major surgery within 4 weeks prior to treatment initiation. Subject must have recovered adequately from complications from the intervention prior to starting study treatment.
18. Subjects with known severe (≥ Grade 3) hypersensitivity to any enfortumab vedotin excipient contained in the drug formulation of enfortumab vedotin (including histidine, trehalose dihydrate, and polysorbate 20). Subjects with known severe (≥ Grade 3) hypersensitivity to any pembrolizumab excipient contained in the drug formulations of pembrolizumab. Subjects with known severe (≥ Grade 3) hypersensitivity to the platinum agent selected by the investigator for study treatment. Subjects with known severe (≥ Grade 3) hypersensitivity to the gemcitabine.
19. Subjects with active keratitis or corneal ulcerations. Subjects with superficial punctate keratitis are allowed if the disorder is being adequately treated in the opinion of the investigator.
20. History of autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years (i.e., with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive drugs).

    1. Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency) is not considered a form of systemic treatment and is allowed.
    2. Brief (\<7 days) use of systemic corticosteroids is allowed when use is considered standard of care.
    3. Subjects with vitiligo, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, or resolved childhood asthma/atopy will not be excluded.
    4. Subjects requiring intermittent use of bronchodilators, inhaled steroids, or local steroid injections will not be excluded.
    5. Subjects with hypothyroidism that is stable with hormone replacement or Sjögren's syndrome will not be excluded.
21. Subjects with a history of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, organizing pneumonia, drug-induced pneumonitis, idiopathic pneumonitis, or evidence of active pneumonitis on screening chest CT scan. Has a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease that required steroids or has current pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease.
22. Subjects who have received a prior allogeneic stem cell or solid organ transplant.

    Subjects who have received a live vaccine or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days prior to treatment initiation. Administration of killed vaccines is allowed.

    Note: Any licensed COVID-19 vaccine (including for Emergency Use) in a particular country is allowed in the study as long as they are mRNA vaccines, adenoviral vaccines, or inactivated vaccines. These vaccines will be treated just as any other concomitant therapy. Investigational vaccines (i.e., those not licensed or approved for Emergency Use) are not allowed.
23. Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally killed virus vaccines and are allowed; however, intranasal influenza vaccines (e.g., FluMist®) are live attenuated vaccines and are not allowed.
24. Subjects with active tuberculosis
25. Subjects with another underlying medical condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would impair the ability of the subject to receive or tolerate the planned treatment and follow-up; any known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperating with the requirements of the study.

Where this trial is running

Washington D.C., District of Columbia and 1 other locations

• Johns Hopkins University: Sibley Memorial Hospital — Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States (RECRUITING)
• Johns Hopkins University: Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center — Baltimore, Maryland, United States (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Jean Hoffman-Censits, MD — Johns Hopkins University
• Study coordinator: Debbie Schwartz, RN

Conditions: High Grade Urothelial Carcinoma, Bladder Cancer, Urothelial Carcinoma Bladder, Renal Retention in UTUC, High Grade UTUC, refusing nephroureterectomy, Enfortumab vedotin, Padcev