Clinical trial • Phase II • Oncology

AVELUMAB for Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (recurrent/metastatic)

Phase II trial of AVELUMAB for Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (recurrent/metastatic). open-label, none/not specified-controlled. 67 participants.

Overview

Trial Therapeutic Area
Oncology
Trial Disease
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (recurrent/metastatic)
Trial Stage
Phase II
Drug Modality
Monoclonal antibody

Key dates

Initial CTIS Submission Date
26-06-2024
First CTIS Authorization Date
09-10-2024

Trial design

open-label, none/not specified-controlled Phase II trial across 19 sites in Italy.

Open Label
Yes
Comparator
None/Not specified
Biomarker Stratified
True, PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS) 1-19
Target Sample Size
67

Eligibility

Recruits 67 No vulnerable populations selected; only adults (≥18 years) able to sign informed consent are eligible. Consent must be provided by the participant; no assent/parental consent procedures are described..

Pregnancy Exclusion
Pregnancy (absence of pregnancy must be confirmed by negative serum or urine pregnancy test - ß-HCG - for women of childbearing potential) and/or breastfeeding are not allowed. Subjects of childbearing potential willing to use effective contraceptive method [Pearl Index < 1; e.g. oral contraceptive (pill), hormone spiral, hormone implant, transdermal patch, a combination of two barrier methods (condom and diaphragm), sterilization, sexual abstinence] for the entire study duration and 30 days post-dosing.
Vulnerable Population
No vulnerable populations selected; only adults (≥18 years) able to sign informed consent are eligible. Consent must be provided by the participant; no assent/parental consent procedures are described.

Inclusion criteria

  • {"criterion_text":"- Subjects able to sign the informed consent and ≥18 y-old.\n- Adequate liver function: total bilirubin level < 1.5 X Upper Limit of Normal (ULN) (except from known medical reason not interfering with liver function, such as Gilbert syndrome), AP, GGT <3 x ULN and AST and ALT levels ≤ 2.5 × ULN.\n- Adequate renal function: calculated or analyzed creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min. For patients with a CrCl between ≥30 and <60 mL/min, carboplatin will be administered at a dose of AUC 5 every 21 days. If CrCl is ≥60 mL/min, cisplatin can be used instead of carboplatin. (Note: Symptomatic peripheral neuropathy NCI-CTC v5.0 grade ≥2 and / or ototoxicity grade ≥2 (except for cases in which ototoxicity is due to trauma or tumor-related mechanical impairment) and/or creatinine clearance < 60 mL/min are acceptable and they must be approached with carboplatin (instead of cisplatin) since the trial start.)\n- All patients deemed eligible by the investigator to receive first-line TPE regardless of their participation in the clinical study, will be considered for inclusion\n- Archival or fresh tissue of primary disease (i.e. T and/or N and/or M) OR recurrent/metastatic disease available at baseline (before starting TPE) (available as Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded - FFPE - or as unstained 10-20 slices).\n- Participants have to provide peripheral blood samples (at least 8-10 mL stored in EDTA) according the timing described in the translational part of thef Thecurrent\n- Palliative radiotherapy and/or surgery within 4 weeks before the study entry are allowed.\n- Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of HNSCC\n- Confirmed R/M HNSCC (i.e. oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, hypopharynx) not suitable for curative loco-regional therapy.\n- PD-L1 CPS≥1≤19 (assessment allowed either on primary and/or recurrent/metastatic site of disease).\n- Measurable disease according to RECIST Criteria 1.1.\n- Subjects should not have had prior systemic therapy administered in the R/M HNSCC setting.\n- Systemic therapy that was completed more than 6 months prior to signing consent, if given as a part of multimodal curative treatment for locally advanced disease, is allowed.\n- ECOG Performance Status (PS) 0-1.\n- Adequate bone marrow function: neutrophils ≥ 1.5 x 109/L, platelets ≥ 100 x 109/L, hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL."}

Exclusion criteria

  • {"criterion_text":"- Nasopharyngeal, salivary gland, nasal sinus, and non-melanoma skin cancers are not allowed.\n- Significant neurologic or known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation and the requirements of the trial.\n- Clinically significant (i.e., active) cardiovascular disease: cerebral vascular accident/stroke (≤6 months prior to enrollment), myocardial infarction (≤6 months prior to enrollment), unstable angina, congestive heart failure (≥ New York Heart Association Classification Class II), or serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication.\n- Prior organ transplantation including allogenic stem-cell transplantation\n- Active uncontrolled infection requiring systemic therapy (i.e. IV antibiotics).\n- Known history of testing positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or known acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are NOT ELIGIBLE.\n- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) Participants with active infectious diseases (a, b): a) Active hepatitis B infection (1, 2) (i.e. Positive test for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA) (1) Participants who are HBsAg positive with NEGATIVE HBV-DNA viral load before trial inclusion are ELIGIBLE. Negativization of HBV DNA viral load can be occurred spontaneously or after antiviral treatment (2) Participants with antecedents of hepatitis B (i.e., anti-hepatitis B core [HBc] positive, HBsAg and hepatitis B virus [HBV]-deoxyribonucleic acid [DNA] NEGATIVE) are ELIGIBLE. b) Active hepatitis C infection (3) (i.e. Positive test for hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA). (3) Participants who have positive anti-HCV antibodies with NEGATIVE HCV-RNA viral load before trial inclusion are ELIGIBLE. Negativization of HCV RNA viral load can be occurred spontaneously or after antiviral treatment\n- Live vaccination within 30 days of planned start of study treatment (inactivated vaccines are allowed).\n- Pregnancy (absence of pregnancy must be confirmed by negative serum or urine pregnancy test - ß-HCG - for women of childbearing potential) and/or breastfeeding are not allowed. Subjects of childbearing potential willing to use effective contraceptive method [Pearl Index < 1; e.g. oral contraceptive (pill), hormone spiral, hormone implant, transdermal patch, a combination of two barrier methods (condom and diaphragm), sterilization, sexual abstinence] for the entire study duration and 30 days post-dosing.\n- Life expectancy lower than 3 months according to the judgement of trial investigator is not allowed.\n- Previous chemotherapy, or biological therapy (i.e. Cetuximab), or immunotherapy administered for R/M setting of HNSCC is not allowed.\n- Diagnosis of immunodeficiency or subjects receiving systemic steroid therapy (> 10 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent) or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 30 days prior to start of study treatment which cannot be interrupted.\n- Known allergic/hypersensitivity reaction to investigational products or any component in their formulations.\n- Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years (i.e. with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs).\n- Active autoimmune disease that might deteriorate when receiving an immuno-stimulatory agent. Patients with type I diabetes, vitiligo, psoriasis, or hypo- or hyperthyroid diseases not requiring immunosuppressive treatment are eligible.\n- Any diagnosed and/or treated additional malignancy within 5 years before the study entry with the exception of: curatively treated basal cell carcinoma of the skin, curatively treated squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, curatively treated prostate cancer, curatively resected in situ cervical cancer, and curatively resected in situ breast cancer.\n- Subjects with a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial, interfere with the subjects’ participation for the full duration of the trial, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate, according to the opinion of the treating investigator."}

Endpoints

Primary endpoints

  • {"endpoint_text":"- To assess 6m-progression free survival (PFS) of cetuximab plus platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy followed by avelumab and cetuximab maintenance","definition_or_measurement_approach":""}

Secondary endpoints

  • {"endpoint_text":"- To assess overall survival (OS) of cetuximab plus platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy followed by avelumab and cetuximab maintenance\n- To assess overall response rate (ORR) of cetuximab plus platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy followed by avelumab and cetuximab maintenance\n- To assess safety of cetuximab plus platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy followed by avelumab and cetuximab maintenance\n- To assess duration of response (DOR) of cetuximab plus platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy followed by avelumab and cetuximab maintenance\n- Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in past 2 years (i.e. with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs).\n- Active autoimmune disease that might deteriorate when receiving an immuno-stimulatory agent. Patients with type I diabetes, vitiligo, psoriasis, or hypo- or hyperthyroid diseases not requiring immunosuppressive treatment are eligible.\n- Any diagnosed and/or treated additional malignancy within 5 years before the study entry with the exception of: curatively treated basal cell carcinoma of the skin, curatively treated squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, curatively treated prostate cancer, curatively resected in situ cervical cancer, and curatively resected in situ breast cancer.\n- Subjects with a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial, interfere with the subjects’ participation for the full duration of the trial, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate, according to the opinion of the treating investigator.\n- Significant neurologic or known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation and the requirements of the trial.\n- Clinically significant (i.e., active) cardiovascular disease: cerebral vascular accident/stroke (≤6 months prior to enrollment), myocardial infarction (≤6 months prior to enrollment), unstable angina, congestive heart failure (≥ New York Heart Association Classification Class II), or serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication.\n- Prior organ transplantation including allogenic stem-cell transplantation.\n- Active uncontrolled infection requiring systemic therapy (i.e. I.V. antibiotics).\n- Known history of testing positive for HIV or known acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.\n- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection at screening (positive HBV surface antigen or HCV RNA if anti-HCV antibody screening test positive).\n- Live vaccination within 30 days of planned start of study treatment (inactivated vaccines are allowed).\n- Pregnancy (absence of pregnancy must be confirmed by negative serum or urine pregnancy test-ß-HCG-for women of childbearing potential) and/or breast-feeding are not allowed. Subjects of childbearing potential willing to use effective contraceptive method [PI<1; e.g. oral contraceptive (pill), hormone spiral, hormone implant, transdermal patch, a combination of two barrier methods (condom and diaphragm), sterilization, sexual abstinence] for the entire study duration and 30 days post-dosing","definition_or_measurement_approach":""}

Recruitment

Planned Sample Size
67
Recruitment Window Months
60
Consent Approach
Informed consent must be signed by participants aged ≥18. Subject information and informed consent form documents are provided (titles listed in CTIS documents). No assent/parental consent procedures or languages specified in the source.

Geography

Total Number Of Sites
19
Total Number Of Participants
67

Italy

Earliest CTIS Part Ii Submission Date
17-06-2024
Latest Decision Or Authorization Date
24-02-2026
Processing Time Days
617
Number Of Sites
19
Number Of Participants
67

Sites

Site Name
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS
Department Name
Oncologia Medica
Contact Person Name
Alessandra Cassano
Site Name
Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Di Modena
Department Name
Oncology Day hospital and inpatient
Contact Person Name
Martina Napolitano
Contact Person Email
martinanapolitano87@gmail.com
Site Name
Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Degli Spedali Civili Di Brescia
Department Name
Oncologia Medica
Contact Person Name
Andrea Alberti
Contact Person Email
a.alberti015@unibs.it
Site Name
Ospedale San Raffaele S.r.l.
Department Name
Otolaringologia
Contact Person Name
Aurora Mirabile
Contact Person Email
mirabile.aurora@hsr.it
Site Name
ARNAS G. Brotzu
Department Name
S.C. Oncologia Medica
Contact Person Name
Maria Cristina Cau
Contact Person Email
mariac.cau@aob.it
Site Name
Istituto Tumori Bari Giovanni Paolo II
Department Name
Oncologia Medica
Contact Person Name
Loredana Palermo
Contact Person Email
l.palermo@oncologico.bari.it
Site Name
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori
Department Name
Head and Neck Medical Oncology 3 Department
Contact Person Name
Salvatore Alfieri
Site Name
A. O. U. Policlinico Sant'Orsola Malpighi
Department Name
Oncologia Medica
Contact Person Name
Elisabetta Nobili
Contact Person Email
elisebetta.nobili@aosp.bo.it
Site Name
Humanitas Mirasole S.p.A.
Department Name
Oncologia Medica dei tumori testa-collo e dei tumori della pelle spinocellulari e basocellulari
Contact Person Name
Carlo Resteghini
Contact Person Email
carlo.resteghini@hunimed.eu
Site Name
IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione Pascale
Department Name
SC. ONCOLOGIA SPERIMENTALE TESTA COLLO
Contact Person Name
Francesco Perri
Contact Person Email
f.perri@istitutotumori.na.it
Site Name
RCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neruologiche di Bologna
Department Name
Nervous system medical oncology
Contact Person Name
Alicia Tosoni
Contact Person Email
a.tosoni@isnb.it
Site Name
Careggi University Hospital
Department Name
Radioterapia oncologica
Contact Person Name
Lorenzo Livi
Contact Person Email
lorenzo.livi@unifi.it
Site Name
Istituto Oncologico Veneto
Department Name
Oncology Unit 2
Contact Person Name
Maria Grazia Ghi
Contact Person Email
mariagrazia.ghi@iov.veneto.it
Site Name
Azienda Ospedaliera Universita' Degli Studi Della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli
Department Name
Medicina Oncologica, Dipartimento Medicina Di Precisone
Contact Person Name
Morena Fasano
Contact Person Email
morena.fasano@unicampania.it
Site Name
IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino
Department Name
Oncologia Medica 2
Contact Person Name
Stefania Vecchio
Site Name
Policlinico Umberto I
Department Name
U.O.C. Oncologia
Contact Person Name
Alessio Cirillo
Contact Person Email
alessio.cirillo@uniroma1.it
Site Name
Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico Paolo Giaccone
Department Name
Oncologia Medica
Contact Person Name
Gaetana Rinaldi
Site Name
Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo
Department Name
Oncologia 1
Contact Person Name
Ilaria Imarisio
Contact Person Email
i.imarisio@smatteo.pv.it
Site Name
Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico G. Rodolico-San Marco Di Catania
Department Name
S.C. Oncologia Medica
Contact Person Name
Hector Josè Soto Parra

Sponsor

Primary sponsor

Full Name
Fondazione GONO Plus
Organisation Type
Laboratory/Research/Testing facility
Country Of Registered Address
Italy

Third parties

  • {"country":"","full_name":"Merck Serono S.p.A.","duties_or_roles":"Source of monetary support","organisation_type":""}

Investigational products

Investigational Product Name
AVELUMAB
Active Substance
AVELUMAB
Modality
Monoclonal antibody
Routes Of Administration
INTRAVENOUS ADMINISTRATION
Route
Intravenous
Authorisation Status
Marketing authorisation number not provided in source
Maximum Dose
Max daily dose 800 mg; max total dose 20800 mg
Investigational Product Name
Erbitux 5 mg/mL solution for infusion
Active Substance
CETUXIMAB
Modality
Monoclonal antibody
Routes Of Administration
INTRAVENOUS INFUSION
Route
Intravenous
Authorisation Status
Marketing authorisation: EU/1/04/281/003
Maximum Dose
Max daily dose 500 mg; max total dose 13000 mg
Combination Treatment
Yes

Related trials

Other published trials that may interest you.