UV1 telomerase vaccine with ipilimumab and nivolumab as second line treatment for pleural mesothelioma – A phase II randomised trial

Vilde Drageset Haakensen, Åsa Kristina Öjlert, Solfrid Thunold, Saima Farooqi, Anna K. Nowak, Wee L. Chin, Oscar Grundberg, Weronika Maria Szejniuk, Susana Cedres, Jens Benn Sørensen, Tonje Sofie Dalen, Marius Lund-Iversen, Maria Bjaanæs, Åslaug Helland*

*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

Purpose: The NIPU-trial investigates the effect of adding the telomerase vaccine UV1 to treatment with ipilimumab and nivolumab for patients with pleural mesothelioma (PM). Methods: In this phase 2 open-label trial, patients with PM progressing after first-line chemotherapy were randomised to receive ipilimumab and nivolumab alone (arm B) or combined with UV1 (arm A). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) as determined by BICR. It was estimated that 69 PFS events were needed to detect a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.60 with 80% power and a one-sided alpha level of 0.10. Results: 118 patients were randomised. The median PFS determined by blinded independent central review (BICR) was 4.2 months (95%CI 2.9–9.8) in arm A and 4.7 months (95%CI 3.9–7.0) in arm B (HR 1.01, 80%CI 0.75–1.36 P = 0.979), after a median follow-up of 12.5 months (95%CI 9.7–15.6). The investigator-determined median PFS was 4.3 months (95%CI 3.0–6.8) in arm A and 2.9 months (95%CI 2.4–5.5) in arm B (HR 0.60, 80%CI 0.45–0.81 P = 0.025). Confirmed objective response rate (ORR) by BICR was 31% in arm A and 16% in arm B (odds ratio 2.44 80%CI 1.35–4.49 P = 0.056). After a median follow-up time of 17.3 months (95%CI 15.8–22.9), the OS was 15.4 months (95%CI 11.1–22.6) in arm A and 11.1 months (95%CI 8.8–18.1) in arm B, (HR 0.73, 80%CI 0.53–1.0, P = 0.197). Conclusion: The primary endpoint was not met. Predefined analyses of response rates are in favour of adding the vaccine.

Original languageEnglish
Article number113973
JournalEuropean Journal of Cancer
Volume202
Number of pages6
ISSN0959-8049
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

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Keywords

  • Immunotherapy
  • Pleural mesothelioma
  • Telomerase vaccine

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