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Pembrolizumab in Anaplastic/Undifferentiated Thyroid Cancer

Primary Purpose

Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

Status
Completed
Phase
Phase 2
Locations
United States
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Pembrolizumab
Sponsored by
Saad A Khan
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional treatment trial for Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

Eligibility Criteria

18 Years - undefined (Adult, Older Adult)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Be willing and able to provide written informed consent for the trial.
  2. Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of anaplastic thyroid cancer or undifferentiated thyroid cancer. A diagnosis of possible ATC/UTC will be allowed if the clinical presentation is consistent with anaplastic or undifferentiated thyroid cancer.
  3. Be ≥ 18 years of age on day of signing informed consent.
  4. Have measurable disease based on RECIST 1.1.
  5. Be willing to provide tissue from a newly obtained core or excisional biopsy of a tumor lesion. Newly-obtained is defined as a specimen obtained up to 6 weeks (42 days) prior to initiation of treatment on Day 1. Subjects for whom newly-obtained samples cannot be provided (e.g. inaccessible or subject safety concern) may submit an archived sample.
  6. Have a performance status of 0-1 on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Scale.
  7. Demonstrate adequate organ function as defined in the protocol. ,
  8. Female subject of childbearing potential should have a negative urine or serum pregnancy within 72 hours prior to receiving the first dose of study medication. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required.
  9. Female subjects of childbearing potential should be willing to use 2 methods of birth control or be surgically sterile, or abstain from heterosexual activity for the course of the study through 120 days after the last dose of study medication (Reference Section 5.7.2). Subjects of childbearing potential are those who have not been surgically sterilized or have not been free from menses for > 1 year.
  10. Male subjects should agree to use an adequate method of contraception starting with the first dose of study therapy through 120 days after the last dose of study therapy.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Is currently participating and receiving study therapy or has participated in a study of an investigational agent and received study therapy or used an investigational device within 4 weeks of the first dose of treatment.
  2. Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving systemic steroid therapy or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of trial treatment.
  3. Has a known history of active TB (Bacillus Tuberculosis).
  4. Hypersensitivity to pembrolizumab or any of its excipients.
  5. Has had a prior anti-cancer monoclonal antibody (mAb) within 4 weeks prior to study Day 1 or who has not recovered (i.e., ≤ Grade 1 or at baseline) from adverse events due to agents administered more than 4 weeks earlier.
  6. Has had prior chemotherapy, targeted small molecule therapy, or radiation therapy within 2 weeks prior to study Day 1 or who has not recovered (i.e., ≤ Grade 1 or at baseline) from adverse events due to a previously administered agent.

    • Note: Subjects with ≤ Grade 2 neuropathy are an exception to this criterion and may qualify for the study.
    • Note: If subject received major surgery, they must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to starting therapy.
  7. Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or requires active treatment. Exceptions include basal cell carcinoma of the skin or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that has undergone potentially curative therapy or in situ cervical cancer.
  8. Has known active central nervous system (CNS) metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis. Subjects with previously treated brain metastases may participate provided they are stable (without evidence of progression by imaging for at least four weeks prior to the first dose of trial treatment and any neurologic symptoms have returned to baseline), have no evidence of new or enlarging brain metastases, and are not using steroids for at least 7 days prior to trial treatment. This exception does not include carcinomatous meningitis which is excluded regardless of clinical stability.
  9. Has 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). Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc.) is not considered a form of systemic treatment.
  10. Has known history of, or any evidence of active, non-infectious pneumonitis.
  11. Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy.
  12. Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial, interfere with the subject's participation for the full duration of the trial, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator.
  13. Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial.
  14. Is pregnant or breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the trial, starting with the pre-screening or screening visit through 120 days after the last dose of trial treatment.
  15. Has received prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, or anti-PD-L2 agent.
  16. Has a known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (HIV 1/2 antibodies).
  17. Has known active Hepatitis B (e.g., HBsAg reactive) or Hepatitis C (e.g., HCV RNA [qualitative] is detected).
  18. Has received a live vaccine within 30 days of planned start of study therapy. Note: Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally inactivated flu vaccines and are allowed; however intranasal influenza vaccines (e.g., Flu-Mist®) are live attenuated vaccines, and are not allowed.

Sites / Locations

  • UT Southwestern Medical Center

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm Type

Experimental

Arm Label

Pembrolizumab

Arm Description

200 milligrams of Pembrolizumab will be given intravenously every 3 weeks.

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Overall Response (OR)
Overall response (OR) represents those participants that collectively achieve either complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) within 18 months, as defined below per the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1. Complete Response (CR) = Disappearance of all target lesions Partial Response (PR) = ≥ 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions Overall Response (OR) = CR + PR Progressive disease (PD) = 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, and/or the appearance of one or more new lesion(s) Stable disease (SD) = Small changes that do not meet any of the above criteria The outcome is reported as the cumulative number of participants receiving at least one dose of study treatment, that achieve either a CR or PR with 6 months, a number without dispersion.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Progression-free Survival (PFS)
Progression-free survival (PFS) means to remain alive without disease progression. Progressive disease is defined as a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, and/or the appearance of one or more new lesion(s). The outcome is reported as the number of participants who received at least one dose of study treatment and remained alive without progression at 2 years after the beginning of treatment, a number without dispersion.
Adverse Events Associated With Pembrolizumab
Safety of the study treatment pembrolizumab is based on the number of adverse effects caused by pembrolizumab, referred to as related adverse events or toxicities. Reported adverse events (related) will be serious as defined by the Code of Federal Regulations at 21CFR§312.32, or non-serious. The outcome is reported as the number of non-serious and serious adverse events that occurred with the nominal study period (35 cycles or 2 years) that were reported as possibly, probably, or definitely related to pembrolizumab, a number without dispersion.
Overall Survival (OS)
Overall survival (OS) means to remain alive without consideration of treatment response status. The outcome is reported as the number of participants who received at least one dose of study treatment and were known to remain alive at 2 years after the beginning of treatment, a number without dispersion. Subjects who become lost-to-follow-up before the 2-year assessment are not included.

Full Information

First Posted
January 20, 2016
Last Updated
February 8, 2022
Sponsor
Saad A Khan
Collaborators
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT02688608
Brief Title
Pembrolizumab in Anaplastic/Undifferentiated Thyroid Cancer
Official Title
Phase II Trial of Pembrolizumab in Metastatic or Locally Advanced Anaplastic/ Undifferentiated Thyroid Cancer
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
February 2022
Overall Recruitment Status
Completed
Study Start Date
October 2016 (undefined)
Primary Completion Date
October 2020 (Actual)
Study Completion Date
October 2021 (Actual)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Sponsor-Investigator
Name of the Sponsor
Saad A Khan
Collaborators
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

4. Oversight

Data Monitoring Committee
Yes

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
This study is being done because there are currently no approved and no commonly working targeted therapies in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). This is an area of urgent need for patients, not just for approved treatments but also rationally-designed clinical trials designed specifically for ATC. Patients diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer have a very high likelihood of dying because of their disease. As such there is a clear need for improving therapy for ATC.
Detailed Description
The goal of this multi-center, open-label trial is to measure the impact of treating metastatic anaplastic thyroid cancer patients with immune checkpoint therapy. This trial will potentially lead to the development of new therapy for anaplastic thyroid cancer. The drug to be administered, pembrolizumab is FDA approved with known side effects and is active in many tumor types. Programmed death 1 or (PD-1) PD-1/PD-L1 expression will be measured and reported for patients undergoing therapy with pembrolizumab. This will help determine if there PD-1 or PD-L1 are predictive biomarkers for anti-PD-1 therapy. It will also add to the data regarding their frequency in aggressive thyroid cancer. Where available, genomic profiling data will be analyzed to determine if there is a correlation between response and mutational status.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Phase 2
Interventional Study Model
Single Group Assignment
Masking
None (Open Label)
Allocation
N/A
Enrollment
6 (Actual)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
Pembrolizumab
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
200 milligrams of Pembrolizumab will be given intravenously every 3 weeks.
Intervention Type
Drug
Intervention Name(s)
Pembrolizumab
Other Intervention Name(s)
Keytruda-Merck
Intervention Description
200 mg IV once every 3 weeks
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Overall Response (OR)
Description
Overall response (OR) represents those participants that collectively achieve either complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) within 18 months, as defined below per the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1. Complete Response (CR) = Disappearance of all target lesions Partial Response (PR) = ≥ 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions Overall Response (OR) = CR + PR Progressive disease (PD) = 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, and/or the appearance of one or more new lesion(s) Stable disease (SD) = Small changes that do not meet any of the above criteria The outcome is reported as the cumulative number of participants receiving at least one dose of study treatment, that achieve either a CR or PR with 6 months, a number without dispersion.
Time Frame
up to 18 months.
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Progression-free Survival (PFS)
Description
Progression-free survival (PFS) means to remain alive without disease progression. Progressive disease is defined as a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, and/or the appearance of one or more new lesion(s). The outcome is reported as the number of participants who received at least one dose of study treatment and remained alive without progression at 2 years after the beginning of treatment, a number without dispersion.
Time Frame
2 years
Title
Adverse Events Associated With Pembrolizumab
Description
Safety of the study treatment pembrolizumab is based on the number of adverse effects caused by pembrolizumab, referred to as related adverse events or toxicities. Reported adverse events (related) will be serious as defined by the Code of Federal Regulations at 21CFR§312.32, or non-serious. The outcome is reported as the number of non-serious and serious adverse events that occurred with the nominal study period (35 cycles or 2 years) that were reported as possibly, probably, or definitely related to pembrolizumab, a number without dispersion.
Time Frame
2 years
Title
Overall Survival (OS)
Description
Overall survival (OS) means to remain alive without consideration of treatment response status. The outcome is reported as the number of participants who received at least one dose of study treatment and were known to remain alive at 2 years after the beginning of treatment, a number without dispersion. Subjects who become lost-to-follow-up before the 2-year assessment are not included.
Time Frame
2 years

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Be willing and able to provide written informed consent for the trial. Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of anaplastic thyroid cancer or undifferentiated thyroid cancer. A diagnosis of possible ATC/UTC will be allowed if the clinical presentation is consistent with anaplastic or undifferentiated thyroid cancer. Be ≥ 18 years of age on day of signing informed consent. Have measurable disease based on RECIST 1.1. Be willing to provide tissue from a newly obtained core or excisional biopsy of a tumor lesion. Newly-obtained is defined as a specimen obtained up to 6 weeks (42 days) prior to initiation of treatment on Day 1. Subjects for whom newly-obtained samples cannot be provided (e.g. inaccessible or subject safety concern) may submit an archived sample. Have a performance status of 0-1 on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Scale. Demonstrate adequate organ function as defined in the protocol. , Female subject of childbearing potential should have a negative urine or serum pregnancy within 72 hours prior to receiving the first dose of study medication. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required. Female subjects of childbearing potential should be willing to use 2 methods of birth control or be surgically sterile, or abstain from heterosexual activity for the course of the study through 120 days after the last dose of study medication (Reference Section 5.7.2). Subjects of childbearing potential are those who have not been surgically sterilized or have not been free from menses for > 1 year. Male subjects should agree to use an adequate method of contraception starting with the first dose of study therapy through 120 days after the last dose of study therapy. Exclusion Criteria: Is currently participating and receiving study therapy or has participated in a study of an investigational agent and received study therapy or used an investigational device within 4 weeks of the first dose of treatment. Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving systemic steroid therapy or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of trial treatment. Has a known history of active TB (Bacillus Tuberculosis). Hypersensitivity to pembrolizumab or any of its excipients. Has had a prior anti-cancer monoclonal antibody (mAb) within 4 weeks prior to study Day 1 or who has not recovered (i.e., ≤ Grade 1 or at baseline) from adverse events due to agents administered more than 4 weeks earlier. Has had prior chemotherapy, targeted small molecule therapy, or radiation therapy within 2 weeks prior to study Day 1 or who has not recovered (i.e., ≤ Grade 1 or at baseline) from adverse events due to a previously administered agent. Note: Subjects with ≤ Grade 2 neuropathy are an exception to this criterion and may qualify for the study. Note: If subject received major surgery, they must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to starting therapy. Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or requires active treatment. Exceptions include basal cell carcinoma of the skin or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that has undergone potentially curative therapy or in situ cervical cancer. Has known active central nervous system (CNS) metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis. Subjects with previously treated brain metastases may participate provided they are stable (without evidence of progression by imaging for at least four weeks prior to the first dose of trial treatment and any neurologic symptoms have returned to baseline), have no evidence of new or enlarging brain metastases, and are not using steroids for at least 7 days prior to trial treatment. This exception does not include carcinomatous meningitis which is excluded regardless of clinical stability. Has 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). Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc.) is not considered a form of systemic treatment. Has known history of, or any evidence of active, non-infectious pneumonitis. Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy. Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial, interfere with the subject's participation for the full duration of the trial, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator. Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial. Is pregnant or breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the trial, starting with the pre-screening or screening visit through 120 days after the last dose of trial treatment. Has received prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, or anti-PD-L2 agent. Has a known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (HIV 1/2 antibodies). Has known active Hepatitis B (e.g., HBsAg reactive) or Hepatitis C (e.g., HCV RNA [qualitative] is detected). Has received a live vaccine within 30 days of planned start of study therapy. Note: Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally inactivated flu vaccines and are allowed; however intranasal influenza vaccines (e.g., Flu-Mist®) are live attenuated vaccines, and are not allowed.
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Saad Khan, MD
Organizational Affiliation
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
UT Southwestern Medical Center
City
Dallas
State/Province
Texas
ZIP/Postal Code
75390
Country
United States

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Plan to Share IPD
No

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Pembrolizumab in Anaplastic/Undifferentiated Thyroid Cancer

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