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BACKGROUND: In a pilot study involving patients with cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma, a high percentage of patients had a pathological complete response with the use of two doses of neoadjuvant cemiplimab before surgery. Data from a phase 2 study are needed to confirm these findings. METHODS: We conducted a phase 2, confirmatory, multicenter, nonrandomized study to evaluate cemiplimab as neoadjuvant therapy in patients with resectable stage II, III, or IV (M0) cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma. Patients received cemiplimab, administered at a dose of 350 mg every 3 weeks for up to four doses, before undergoing surgery with curative intent. The primary end point was a pathological complete response (the absence of viable tumor cells in the surgical specimen) on independent review at a central laboratory, with a null hypothesis that a pathological complete response would be observed in 25% of patients. Key secondary end points included a pathological major response (the presence of viable tumor cells that constitute ≤10% of the surgical specimen) on independent review, a pathological complete response and a pathological major response on investigator assessment at a local laboratory, an objective response on imaging, and adverse events. RESULTS: A total of 79 patients were enrolled and received neoadjuvant cemiplimab. On independent review, a pathological complete response was observed in 40 patients (51%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 39 to 62) and a pathological major response in 10 patients (13%; 95% CI, 6 to 22). These results were consistent with the pathological responses determined on investigator assessment. An objective response on imaging was observed in 54 patients (68%; 95% CI, 57 to 78). Adverse events of any grade that occurred during the study period, regardless of whether they were attributed to the study treatment, were observed in 69 patients (87%). Grade 3 or higher adverse events that occurred during the study period were observed in 14 patients (18%). CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant therapy with cemiplimab was associated with a pathological complete response in a high percentage of patients with resectable cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma. (Funded by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04154943.)

First-line cemiplimab (anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)) monotherapy has previously shown significant improvement in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) versus chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) and PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression ≥50%. EMPOWER-Lung 3 (NCT03409614), a double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study, examined cemiplimab plus platinum-doublet chemotherapy as first-line treatment for aNSCLC, irrespective of PD-L1 expression or histology. In this study, 466 patients with stage III/IV aNSCLC without EGFR, ALK or ROS1 genomic tumor aberrations were randomized (2:1) to receive cemiplimab 350 mg (n = 312) or placebo (n = 154) every 3 weeks for up to 108 weeks in combination with four cycles of platinum-doublet chemotherapy (followed by pemetrexed maintenance as indicated). In total, 57.1% (266/466 patients) had non-squamous NSCLC, and 85.2% (397/466 patients) had stage IV disease. The primary endpoint was OS. The trial was stopped early per recommendation of the independent data monitoring committee, based on meeting preset OS efficacy criteria: median OS was 21.9 months (95% confidence interval (CI), 15.5–not evaluable) with cemiplimab plus chemotherapy versus 13.0 months (95% CI, 11.9–16.1) with placebo plus chemotherapy (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.53–0.93; P = 0.014). Grade ≥3 adverse events occurred with cemiplimab plus chemotherapy (43.6%, 136/312 patients) and placebo plus chemotherapy (31.4%, 48/153 patients). Cemiplimab is only the second anti-PD-1/PD-L1 agent to show efficacy in aNSCLC as both monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy for both squamous and non-squamous histologies.

Background: Patients with recurrent cervical cancer have a poor prognosis. Cemiplimab, the fully human programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody approved to treat lung and skin cancers, has been shown to have preliminary clinical activity in this population. Methods: In this phase 3 trial, we enrolled patients who had disease progression after first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy, regardless of their programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status. Women were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive cemiplimab (350 mg every 3 weeks) or the investigator's choice of single-agent chemotherapy. The primary end point was overall survival. Progression-free survival and safety were also assessed. Results: A total of 608 women were enrolled (304 in each group). In the overall trial population, median overall survival was longer in the cemiplimab group than in the chemotherapy group (12.0 months vs. 8.5 months; hazard ratio for death, 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56 to 0.84; two-sided P

We aimed to examine cemiplimab, a programmed cell death 1 inhibitor, in the first-line treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) of at least 50%.In EMPOWER-Lung 1, a multicentre, open-label, global, phase 3 study, eligible patients recruited in 138 clinics from 24 countries (aged ≥18 years with histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1; never-smokers were ineligible) were randomly assigned (1:1) to cemiplimab 350 mg every 3 weeks or platinum-doublet chemotherapy. Crossover from chemotherapy to cemiplimab was allowed following disease progression. Primary endpoints were overall survival and progression-free survival per masked independent review committee. Primary endpoints were assessed in the intention-to-treat population and in a prespecified PD-L1 of at least 50% population (per US Food and Drug Administration request to the sponsor), which consisted of patients with PD-L1 of at least 50% per 22C3 assay done according to instructions for use. Adverse events were assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of the assigned treatment. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03088540 and is ongoing.Between June 27, 2017 and Feb 27, 2020, 710 patients were randomly assigned (intention-to-treat population). In the PD-L1 of at least 50% population, which consisted of 563 patients, median overall survival was not reached (95% CI 17·9-not evaluable) with cemiplimab (n=283) versus 14·2 months (11·2-17·5) with chemotherapy (n=280; hazard ratio [HR] 0·57 [0·42-0·77]; p=0·0002). Median progression-free survival was 8·2 months (6·1-8·8) with cemiplimab versus 5·7 months (4·5-6·2) with chemotherapy (HR 0·54 [0·43-0·68]; p0·0001). Significant improvements in overall survival and progression-free survival were also observed with cemiplimab in the intention-to-treat population despite a high crossover rate (74%). Grade 3-4 treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 98 (28%) of 355 patients treated with cemiplimab and 135 (39%) of 342 patients treated with chemotherapy.Cemiplimab monotherapy significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival compared with chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with PD-L1 of at least 50%, providing a potential new treatment option for this patient population.Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi.

BackgroundT-cell redirecting bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) are therapeutics that recognize two distinct antigens: a tumor-associated antigen on tumor cells to promote recruitment of T-cells to the tumor, and a receptor on T-cells to potentiate anti-tumor activity. REGN7075 is a human immunoglobulin G4-based costimulatory bsAb designed to bridge epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) positive tumor cells with CD28 positive T-cells and to provide amplified T-cell receptor-CD3 complex-mediated T-cell activation within the tumor, through the activation of CD28 co-stimulation. In genetically humanized immunocompetent mouse models, REGN7075 in combination with anti–PD-1 (antibody directed against programmed cell death-1 receptor) improved anti-tumor activity compared with either single agent alone.1MethodsThis is an open label, Phase I/II, first-in-human study evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of REGN7075 (EGFRxCD28) alone and in combination with cemiplimab in patients with advanced solid tumors (NCT04626635). Patients must have a protocol-defined advanced solid tumor, be ≥18 years of age (≥20 years in Japan), have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1, and be naïve to anti–PD-1/anti–PD-ligand(L)1.This study includes dose escalation (a 4+3 design modified from 3+3; Part 1) and expansion phases (Part 2). In Part 1, patients will receive a lead-in of REGN7075 monotherapy for 3 weeks followed by combination therapy with cemiplimab 350 mg every 3 weeks. Study therapies are administered until disease progression, intolerable adverse events, withdrawal of consent, or other stopping criterion is met. Once a recommended Phase 2 dose is determined in Part 1, four tumor-specific expansion cohorts will be opened: non-small cell lung cancer (PD-L1 ≥50%), triple-negative breast cancer, colorectal cancer (microsatellite stable), and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Primary endpoints are safety and tolerability of REGN7075 alone or in combination with cemiplimab for Part 1, and objective response rate per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 for Part 2. This study is currently open to enrollment.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04626635.ReferencesWaite JC, Wang B, Haber L, et al. Tumor-targeted CD28 bispecific antibodies enhance the antitumor efficacy of PD-1 immunotherapy. Sci Transl Med 2020;12:2325.Ethics ApprovalThis study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and the International Conference on Harmonization Good Clinical Practice guidelines. The study protocol and all amendments were approved by the institutional review board/ethics committee at each participating study site.ConsentAll patients provided written informed consent.

Background: Cemiplimab is the first treatment approved in the US (as cemiplimab-rwlc) for patients with metastatic basal cell carcinoma (mBCC) or locally advanced disease (laBCC) after hedgehog inhibitor (HHI) treatment or for whom an HHI is not appropriate. Cemiplimab provided substantial clinical benefit and an acceptable safety profile in patients with laBCC who discontinued HHI therapy due to progressive disease (PD), intolerance, or no better than stable disease (SD) after 9 months (NCT03132636). Here, we present the primary analysis of the mBCC cohort. Methods: Patients with mBCC (nodal or distant) post-HHI treatment received cemiplimab 350 mg intravenously every 3 weeks for up to 93 weeks or until PD. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) by independent central review (ICR). Key secondary endpoints included safety and tolerability, ORR per investigator (INV) assessment, duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and complete response (CR) rate (data cutoff date: May 20, 2021). Results: Fifty-four patients were enrolled (70.4% male; median age 63.5 years [range, 38−90]; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 [66.7%] and 1 [33.3%]). Median duration of follow-up was 8.4 months (range 1.5-36.2). ORR per ICR was 24.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.5-37.6); with 1 CR and 12 partial responses (PRs). ORR per INV was 25.9% (95% CI, 15.0-39.7), with 2 CRs and 12 PRs. Among responders, median time to response per ICR was 4.0 months (range, 2.0−10.5). Estimated median DOR per ICR was 16.7 months (95% CI, 9.8-not evaluable). Disease control rate was 63.0% (95% CI, 48.7-75.7) per ICR and 70.4% (95% CI, 56.4-82.0) per INV. Median OS was not reached. Median PFS per ICR was 8.3 months (95% CI, 4.2-15.9). The most common treatment-related adverse events were fatigue (37.0%), diarrhea (14.8%), pruritus (13.0%), hyperthyroidism (9.3%), and arthralgia (9.3%) as well as hypothyroidism, asthenia, constipation, and maculo-papular rash (7.4% each). There were no treatment-related deaths. Conclusions: Cemiplimab provided clinically meaningful antitumor activity, including durable responses, and an acceptable safety profile in patients with mBCC who had progressed on or were intolerant to HHI therapy. Citation Format: Karl Lewis, Ketty Peris, Aleksander Sekulic, Alexander J. Stratigos, Lara Dunn, Zeynep Eroglu, Anne Lynn S. Chang, Michael R. Migden, Suk-Young Yoo, Kosalai Mohan, Ebony Coates, Emmanuel Okoye, Timothy Bowler, Jean-François Baurain, Oliver Bechter, Axel Hauschild, Marcus O. Butler, Leonel Hernandez-Aya, Lisa Licitra, Rogerio I. Neves, Emily S. Ruiz, Frank Seebach, David M. Weinreich, George D. Yancopoulos, Israel Lowy, Priscila Goncalves, Matthew G. Fury. Primary analysis of phase 2 results for cemiplimab in patients with metastatic basal cell carcinoma who progressed on or were intolerant to hedgehog inhibitors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr CT165.

Summary Background Before February, 2021, there was no standard treatment regimen for locally advanced basal cell carcinoma after first-line hedgehog inhibitor (HHI) therapy. Cemiplimab, a PD-1 antibody, is approved for treatment of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and has shown clinical activity as monotherapy in first-line non-small-cell lung cancer. Here, we present the primary analysis data of cemiplimab in patients with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma after HHI therapy. Methods We did an open-label, multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial across 38 outpatient clinics, primarily at academic medical centres, in Canada, Europe, and the USA. Eligible patients (aged ≥18 years and with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1) with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of metastatic basal cell carcinoma (group 1) or locally advanced basal cell carcinoma (group 2) who had progressed on or were intolerant to previous HHI therapy were enrolled. Patients were not candidates for further HHI therapy due to progression of disease on or intolerance to previous HHI therapy or having no better than stable disease after 9 months on HHI therapy. Patients received cemiplimab 350 mg intravenously every 3 weeks for up to 93 weeks or until progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was objective response by independent central review. Analyses were done as per the intention-to-treat principle. The safety analysis comprised all patients who received at least one dose of cemiplimab. The primary analysis is reported only for group 2; group 1 data have not reached maturity and will be reported when the timepoint, according to the statistical analysis plan, has been reached. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03132636 , and is no longer recruiting new participants. Findings Between Nov 16, 2017, and Jan 7, 2019, 84 patients were enrolled and treated with cemiplimab. At data cutoff on Feb 17, 2020, median duration of follow-up was 15 months (IQR 8–18). An objective response per independent central review was observed in 26 (31%; 95% CI 21–42) of 84 patients, including two partial responses that emerged at tumour assessments before the data cutoff and were confirmed by tumour assessments done subsequent to the data cutoff. The best overall response was five (6%) patients with a complete response and 21 (25%) with a partial response. Grade 3–4 treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 40 (48%) of 84 patients; the most common were hypertension (four [5%] of 84 patients) and colitis (four [5%]). Serious treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 29 (35%) of 84 patients. There were no treatment-related deaths. Interpretation Cemiplimab exhibited clinically meaningful antitumour activity and an acceptable safety profile in patients with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma after HHI therapy. Funding Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi.

Background HHIs, vismodegib and sonidegib, are approved for treatment of patients with mBCC or locally advanced BCC who are not candidates for surgery or radiation. There is no approved option for patients who progress on or are intolerant to HHIs. Cemiplimab is an anti-programmed cell death-1 monoclonal antibody approved for treatment of patients with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) or locally advanced CSCC who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation. Here we present the prespecified interim analysis of the mBCC cohort from the pivotal Phase 2, non-randomized, multi-center study of cemiplimab in patients with advanced BCC who discontinued HHI therapy due to disease progression, intolerance, or no better than stable disease after 9 months (NCT03132636). Methods Patients with mBCC (nodal and/or distant) received cemiplimab 350 mg intravenously every 3 weeks; interim analysis included patients with the opportunity to be followed for approximately 57 weeks. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) per independent central review (ICR). Secondary objectives included assessment of safety and tolerability, estimation of duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Results In this interim efficacy analysis of 28 patients, 82.1% were males and median age was 65.5 years (range 38−90). Six patients had a partial response, per ICR, for an ORR of 21.4% (95% CI, 8.3, 41.0). ORR per investigator assessment was 28.6% (95% CI, 13.2, 48.7). Among responders, observed DOR was 9−23 months. Median time to response per ICR was 3.2 months (range, 2.1−10.5). Median Kaplan–Meier (KM) estimation of PFS was 8.3 months. Median DOR had not been reached and median KM estimation of OS was 25.7 months. All six responses had observed durations of at least 8 months. The disease control rate was 67.9% (95% CI, 47.6, 84.1).The most common treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) regardless of attribution were fatigue (50.0%), diarrhea (35.7%), pruritus (25.0%), and constipation (25.0%). Hypertension (n=2) was the only Grade ≥3 TEAE regardless of attribution occurring in ≥2 patients. TEAEs leading to death occurred in one (3.6%) patient who died from staphylococcal pneumonia, considered unrelated to study treatment. Conclusions This interim analysis demonstrates that cemiplimab is the first agent to provide clinically meaningful anti-tumor activity, including durable responses, in patients with mBCC after progression or intolerance on HHI therapy. Acknowledgements Editorial acknowledgment: Medical writing support was provided by Cindi Hoover, PhD of Prime, Knutsford, UK, funded by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Sanofi. Ethics Approval The study protocols and all amendments were approved by the institutional review board at each participating study site. The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and with Good Clinical Practice guidelines as defined by the International Conference on Harmonization. All patients provided written informed consent before enrollment.

9085 Background: In the Phase 3, EMPOWER-Lung 1 study, cemiplimab monotherapy provided significant survival benefit and an acceptable safety profile vs chemotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC and PD-L1 ≥50%. EMPOWER-Lung 1 included patients with brain metastases at baseline who are typically underrepresented in clinical trials. Other published exploratory analyses in single-cohort studies suggest benefit from immunotherapy in this patient population. Here, we present subgroup analysis of patients with brain metastasis from EMPOWER-Lung 1. Methods: Patients were randomized 1:1 to cemiplimab 350 mg IV every 3 weeks or investigator’s choice of chemotherapy (NCT03088540). Patients with treated, clinically stable brain metastases (radiological stability not required) were eligible to enroll and are the focus of this subgroup analysis from the PD-L1 ≥50% population (n=563) of the EMPOWER-Lung 1 study. Results: A total of 68 of 563 (12.1%) cases had treated stable brain metastases at time of randomization. Patients were evenly distributed between cemiplimab (n=34) and chemotherapy (n=34), with similar median duration of follow-up (Table). Baseline characteristics were generally similar; median (range) age: 60.0 (45–76 ) vs 62.0 (48–77); male: 97.1% vs 85.3%; and non-squamous histology: 85.3% vs 76.5%; between cemiplimab vs chemotherapy, respectively. Per independent review committee, median overall survival (OS, 18.7 vs 11.7 months), median progression-free survival (PFS, 10.4 vs 5.3 months), and objective response rate (ORR, 41.2% vs 8.8%) were superior with cemiplimab vs chemotherapy (Table). After baseline, central nervous system (CNS) disease progression occurred in 2 (5.9%) patients with cemiplimab vs 4 (11.8%) patients with chemotherapy; extra-CNS disease progression occurred in 9 (26.5%) patients with cemiplimab vs 15 (44.1%) patients with chemotherapy. Conclusions: 1L cemiplimab monotherapy improved OS, PFS, and ORR vs chemotherapy, in patients with advanced NSCLC with PD-L1 ≥50%, and clinically stable brain metastases at baseline. Cemiplimab monotherapy represents a suitable option for this subgroup of patients. Clinical trial information: NCT03088540. [Table: see text]

not available.

not available.

TPS174 Background: Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) are emerging as a protein-based therapeutic strategy for directing T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity in a tumor antigen-specific manner, typically by binding to both tumor antigen and the CD3 receptor on T-cells. REGN5678 is a human IgG4-based, first-in-class costimulatory bsAb designed to target prostate tumors by bridging prostate specific membrane antigen expressing tumor cells with the costimulatory receptor, CD28, on T-cells, and providing amplified T-cell receptor-CD3 complex-mediated T-cell activation within the tumor through the activation of CD28 signaling. At the tumor site, REGN5678 may synergize with PD-1 inhibitors. In mouse models, REGN5678 in combination with a PD-1 antibody has improved anti-tumor activity compared with either therapy alone (Waite JC et al. Sci Transl Med. 2020:12;549). Methods: This is an open label, Phase I/II, first-in-human study evaluating safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and anti-tumor activity of REGN5678 alone and in combination with cemiplimab in patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who progressed after prior therapy (NCT03972657). For inclusion, patients must have received at least two prior lines of systemic therapy (in addition to androgen deprivation therapy) approved for metastatic and/or castration-resistant disease including a second-generation anti-androgen therapy. REGN5678 is administered weekly; cemiplimab (350 mg) is administered once every 3 weeks. During dose escalation, a 3-week safety lead-in of REGN5678 monotherapy will be administered prior to addition of cemiplimab. Study therapies are administered until disease progression, intolerable adverse events, withdrawal of consent, or study withdrawal criterion is met. The primary objectives in dose escalation are to evaluate safety, tolerability, and PK of REGN5678 alone and in combination with cemiplimab. Expansion cohort(s) will be enrolled once a maximum-tolerated REGN5678/cemiplimab dose is reached, or if a recommended Phase 2 dose or doses have been determined. During the expansion phase, the primary objective is to assess clinical activity, as measured by objective response rate of REGN5678 in combination with cemiplimab per modified Prostate Cancer Working Group 3 criteria. At selected sites, prostate-specific membrane antigen PET/CT scans are performed at baseline and select time points on study. This study is currently open to enrollment. Clinical trial information: NCT03972657.

TPS9628 Background: Mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) factor is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor activated by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Aberrant activation of MET via gene amplification or gene mutations, as well as MET protein overexpression, has been reported in NSCLC and other cancer types and can promote tumorigenesis. REGN5093 is a human bispecific antibody that binds to two distinct epitopes of MET, blocking HGF binding and inducing internalization and degradation of MET. REGN5093 prevents MET-mediated signaling and inhibits growth of MET-driven tumor cells without inducing MET-driven biological responses (DaSilva et al, CCR, 2019; PMID: 31848185). Methods: This Phase I/II, first-in-human, multicenter study is investigating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and efficacy of REGN5093 in patients with MET-altered advanced NSCLC who have received all available approved therapies (NCT04077099). Key eligibility criteria include age ≥18 years, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of ≤1, and documented presence of either MET exon 14 gene mutation and/or MET gene amplification and/or elevated MET protein expression. Patients are required to provide a biopsy during screening for assessment of MET biomarkers. Key exclusion criteria include prior MET-targeted biologic therapy (expansion cohorts only). Prior therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors are not exclusionary in any part of the study. For each patient, the study comprises a screening period of up to 28 days, followed by 3-week cycles of REGN5093 monotherapy. Study treatment will continue until confirmed disease progression or other protocol-defined reason for discontinuation. The study has two parts: dose escalation and dose expansion. Dose escalation will proceed via 4+3 design until a maximum-tolerated dose is reached or a recommended Phase II dose selected. The primary objective of the dose escalation part is to assess safety (incidence and severity of adverse events and Grade ≥3 laboratory abnormalities), tolerability (incidence of dose-limiting toxicities), and PK of REGN5093. During the expansion phase, patients will be allocated to cohorts according to the type(s) of documented biomarkers of MET-altered disease. Anti-tumor activity based on objective response rate per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1, determined by CT or MRI, will be the primary endpoint in the expansion cohorts. The study is currently open for enrollment. Clinical trial information: NCT04077099 .

TPS3161 Background: VV1 is an oncolytic vesicular stomatitis virus engineered to express human IFNβ to enhance cellular anti-tumor immune responses and tumor selectivity, and the human sodium iodide symporter (NIS) for virus tracking by SPECT imaging. Cancer cells are often hyporesponsive to IFNβ, enabling the efficient spread of VV1 and resulting in increased oncolysis. Differently from other oncolytic viruses, VV1 is suitable for both intra-tumoral (IT) and/or intra-venous (IV) administration. Despite considerable anti-tumor activity with checkpoint inhibitors (CPI) among some malignancies, long term survival and overall cures remain elusive. Prior Ph 1 studies have shown significant anti-tumor activity among several malignancies when VV1 was administered either as monotherapy or in combination with a CPI, despite progression on prior CPI monotherapy. Furthermore, pre- and post-treatment biopsy evaluations after VV1 treatment have demonstrated T cell infiltration and inflammation in both IT injected and non-injected lesions. Among IV treated patients (pts), IFNβ was detectable in the serum correlating with viral replication, making it an effective biomarker. C is a high-affinity potent human IgG4 anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody. Though approved for use in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, C has shown anti-tumor activity, similar to other CPI, in several other indications. Therefore, VV1 and C could be an attractive combination for the immunotherapy for several solid tumors. This study represents the first clinical evaluation of VV1 in combination with C in pts with advanced solid tumors. Methods: The Ph 2 Simon 2 stage five-arm study of IV administration VV1 in combination with IV C will enroll pts with advanced NSCLC, HCC, melanoma & endometrial cancer. Enrolled pts with NSCLC & melanoma will be recent CPI-progressors, whereas enrolled HCC & endometrial cancer will be CPI-naïve. The study’s objectives include assessment of preliminary anti-tumor activity, safety, & immuno-regulatory activity of the combination. Pts will receive IV VV1 once on D1 and IV C once every 3 weeks until confirmed disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Pts enrolled in one melanoma cohort will also receive IT VV1 administered to palpable lesions. Response will be assessed every 9 weeks per RECIST v1.1. The null hypothesis of each cohort’s ORR will be tested versus a one-sided alternative yielding a Type I error rate of 5% and power of 80%. Cohorts will be expanded based on signal of activity. Clinical trial information: NCT .

Background No systemic therapies have been approved for the treatment of advanced cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma. This cancer may be responsive to immune therapy, because the mutation burden of the tumor is high and the disease risk is strongly associated with immunosuppression. In the dose-escalation portion of the phase 1 study of cemiplimab, a deep and durable response was observed in a patient with metastatic cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma. Methods We report the results of the phase 1 study of cemiplimab for expansion cohorts of patients with locally advanced or metastatic cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma, as well as the results of the pivotal phase 2 study for a cohort of patients with metastatic disease (metastatic-disease cohort). In both studies, the patients received an intravenous dose of cemiplimab (3 mg per kilogram of body weight) every 2 weeks and were assessed for a response every 8 weeks. In the phase 2 study, the primary end point was the response rate, as assessed by independent central review. Results In the expansion cohorts of the phase 1 study, a response to cemiplimab was observed in 13 of 26 patients (50%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 30 to 70). In the metastatic-disease cohort of the phase 2 study, a response was observed in 28 of 59 patients (47%; 95% CI, 34 to 61). The median follow-up was 7.9 months in the metastatic-disease cohort of the phase 2 study. Among the 28 patients who had a response, the duration of response exceeded 6 months in 57%, and 82% continued to have a response and to receive cemiplimab at the time of data cutoff. Adverse events that occurred in at least 15% of the patients in the metastatic-disease cohort of the phase 2 study were diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, constipation, and rash; 7% of the patients discontinued treatment because of an adverse event. Conclusions Among patients with advanced cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma, cemiplimab induced a response in approximately half the patients and was associated with adverse events that usually occur with immune checkpoint inhibitors. (Funded by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi; ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT02383212 and NCT02760498 .).

Pathophysiological stimuli, including hypoxia, lead to K+efflux from the intracellular lumen to the extracellular space, thereby increasing local tissue K+concentrations and depolarizing resident cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of increased extracellular K+concentrations ([K+]e) on heat shock protein (HSP) expression in the porcine proximal tubule epithelial cell line LLC-PK1. We analyzed HSP-25, HSP-72, HSC-73, and HSP-90 protein expression by Western blot analyses and HSP-72 promoter activity by luciferase reporter gene assays using the proximal 1,440 bp of the HSP-72 promoter. Elevating [K+]efrom 20 to 50 mM increased HSP-72 protein expression and promoter activity but did not affect HSP-25, HSC-73, or HSP-90 levels. Addition of identical concentrations of sodium chloride did not increase HSP-72 expression to a similar amount. The Ca2+channel blocker diltiazem and the Ca2+-specific chelator EGTA-AM abolished high [K+]e-induced HSP-72 expression by 69.7 and 75.2%, respectively, indicating that the transcriptional induction of HSP-72 involves Ca2+influx. As measured by confocal microscopy using the Ca2+dye fluo 3-AM, we also observed a rapid increase of intracellular Ca2+concentration as early as 30 s after placing LLC-PK1cells in high [K+]e. We further analyzed whether Ca2+influx was necessary for induction of HSP-72 expression by high [K+]eusing Ca2+-free medium. Here, induction of HSP-72 in response to high [K+]ewas completely abolished. Our data thus demonstrate activation of a protective cellular response to ionic stress, e.g., elevated K+concentrations, by specifically increasing protein levels of HSP-72.

The vasoactive peptide angiotensin II is the principal effector of the renin-angiotensin system. It exerts mitogenic and growth-inhibiting effects in many target tissues, including renal mesangial cells. To investigate mechanisms of angiotensin II signaling in human mesangial cells, we explored the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway as a possible regulator of angiotensin II receptor-specific signaling. We tested whether angiotensin II could induce STAT activation and nuclear translocation of STAT proteins in human mesangial cells by electromobility shift assays and by immunostaining and confocal microscopy. We found that fetal human mesangial cells express STAT1,2,3,5, and 6 and that stimulation of these cells by angiotensin II results in rapid induction of STAT1 and STAT5 DNA-binding activity. This DNA-binding activity was identified as STAT5 for angiotensin receptor type 1 activation and STAT1 for angiotensin receptor type 2-mediated activation, as induction of STAT-DNA binding by angiotensin II could be differentially blocked by the angiotensin receptor type 1 blocker losartan and by angiotensin II receptor type 2 blocker PD 123,319. Angiotensin II also induced STAT1 and STAT5 tyrosine phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of activated STATs in a receptor subtype-specific manner. STAT activation thus appears to provide an important signaling pathway for angiotensin II-induced cellular responses.

Renal ischemia causes a rapid fall in cellular ATP, increased intracellular calcium (Cai), and dissociation of Na+-K+-ATPase from the cytoskeleton along with initiation of a stress response. We examined changes in Cai, Na+-K+-ATPase detergent solubility, and activation of heat-shock transcription factor (HSF) in relation to graded reduction of ATP in LLC-PK1cells to determine whether initiation of the stress response was related to any one of these perturbations alone. Caiincreased first at 75% of control ATP. Triton X-100 solubility of Na+-K+-ATPase increased below 70% control ATP. Reducing cellular ATP below 50% control consistently activated HSF. Stepped decrements in cellular ATP below the respective thresholds caused incremental increases in Cai, Na+-K+-ATPase solubility, and HSF activation. ATP depletion activated both HSF1 and HSF2. Proteasome inhibition caused activation of HSF1 and HSF2 in a pattern similar to ATP depletion. Lactate dehydrogenase release remained at control levels irrespective of the degree of ATP depletion. Progressive accumulation of nonnative proteins may be the critical signal for the adaptive induction of the stress response in renal epithelia.

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is associated with severe bleeding, especially after reperfusion of the grafted liver.Heparin released from the liver graft contributes to postreperfusion coagulopathy. Although patients with liver cirrhosis have increased levels of endogenous heparinoids, the role of these substances during liver transplantation is unclear. Therefore, we performed native and heparinase-modified thrombelastography (TEG) in 72 patients undergoing OLT. TEG was performed at skin incision, 10 min before and 10 min after clamping of the vena cava, 10 min before and 10 min after graft perfusion, and at the end of surgery. Heparinase-modified TEG compared with native TEG demonstrated heparin activity. In contrast to other investigations, we found significant heparin effects before reperfusion, although patients received no exogenous heparin. These heparin effects were greater in patients with cirrhosis compared with patients with cancer as the underlying disease leading to OLT. Administration of coagulation factors is the usual treatment of coagulopathies during OLT. The comparison of native versus heparinase-modified TEG can distinguish between heparin activity or coagulation factor deficiency as a cause of bleeding complications and provides a rational approach to the treatment of bleeding during OLT. Implications: Impaired coagulation function, contributed to by heparin or heparin-like substances, is frequently observed after reperfusion of a transplanted liver. This study demonstrates that a heparinase-modified thrombelastography can identify significant heparin effects in the absence of exogenous heparin administration in patients undergoing liver transplantation. (Anesth Analg 1998;86:691-5)

Renal ischemia is the result of a complex series of events, including decreases in oxygen supply (hypoxia) and the availability of cellular energy (ATP depletion). In this study, the functional activation of two stress-responsive transcription factors, i.e. , heat shock factor-1 (HSF-1) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), in the kidney was assessed. When rats were subjected to 45 min of renal ischemia, electrophoretic mobility shift assays of kidney nuclear extracts revealed rapid activation of both HIF-1 and HSF. Western blot analyses further demonstrated that this activation resulted in increased expression of the HSF and HIF-1 target genes heat shock protein-72 and heme oxygenase-1, respectively. Whether hypoxia or ATP depletion alone could produce similar activation patterns in vitro was then investigated. Renal epithelial LLC-PK 1 cells were subjected to either ATP depletion (0.1 μM antimycin A and glucose deprivation) or hypoxia (1% O 2 ). After ATP depletion, HSF was rapidly activated (within 30 min), whereas HIF-1 was unaffected. In contrast, hypoxia led to the activation of HIF-1 but not HSF. Hypoxic activation of HIF-1 was observed within 30 min and persisted for 4 h, whereas no HSF activation was detected even with prolonged periods of hypoxia. HIF-1 was transcriptionally active in LLC-PK 1 cells, as demonstrated by luciferase reporter gene assays using the vascular endothelial growth factor promoter or a synthetic promoter construct containing three hypoxia-inducible elements. Interestingly, intracellular ATP levels were not affected by hypoxia but were significantly reduced by ATP depletion. These findings suggest that HIF-1 is activated specifically by decreased O 2 concentrations and not by reduced ATP levels alone. In contrast, HSF is activated primarily by metabolic stresses associated with ATP depletion and not by isolated O 2 deprivation. In vivo , the two transcription factors are simultaneously activated during renal ischemia, which might account for observed differences between in vivo and in vitro epithelial cell injury and repair. Selective modulation of either pathway might therefore be of potential interest for modification of the response of the kidney to ischemia, as well as the processes involved in recovery from ischemia.

Stress-Specific Activation of Heat Shock Factor (HSF) and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF) in the Kidney