Phase II Multi-centered Study of Perioperative Ivonescimab Versus Pembrolizumab Combined with Standard of Care (SOC) in Patients with Resectable, Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Launched by FUDAN UNIVERSITY · Feb 3, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a new treatment option for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a type of cancer that affects areas like the throat and mouth. The trial is comparing two treatments: Ivonescimab, a new drug that targets cancer in two ways, and Pembrolizumab, a well-known cancer immunotherapy drug. Both medications will be combined with standard care, which typically includes surgery. The goal is to see which treatment is more effective and safe for patients before and after surgery.

To be eligible for the trial, participants need to be at least 18 years old and have a diagnosis of locally advanced HNSCC that can be surgically removed. They should not have any serious health issues that could complicate treatment or have had other cancers recently. If you or a loved one are considering participation, you can expect regular check-ups and monitoring throughout the study. It’s important to note that the trial is not yet recruiting participants, so there will be some time before it starts.

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Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. ) Patients who signed the informed consent and were willing to complete the study according to the protocol.
• • 2. ) Age ≥18.
• • 3. ) Patients diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by histology, including those with primary lesions in the oropharynx, oral cavity, larynx, or hypopharynx, or those with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary lesion after comprehensive examination and multidisciplinary discussion.
• • 4. ) Locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that can be surgically resected ( AJCC staging 8th edition: stage III-IVB), excluding T4b.
• • 5. ) There was at least one measurable lesion before treatment, which met the requirement of " measurable lesion " in RECIST 1.1 standard.
• • 6. ) Expected survival period: \>3 months.
• • 7. ) ECOG score 0-1.
• 8. ) Good organ function: Meet the following requirements:
• • 1. Absolute neutrophil count ( ANC ) ≥ 1.5 ×10 9 / L ;
• • 2. Platelet count ≥ 100 × 10 9 / L ;
• • 3. Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/ dL ;
• • 4. Serum albumin ≥ 2.8 g/ dL ;
• • 5. Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × ULN , ALT , AST and / or ALP ≤ 2.5 × ULN ;
• • 6. Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 × ULN and creatinine clearance ≥60 mL/min (Cockcroft-Gault );
• • 7. Activated partial thromboplastin time ( APTT ) and international normalized ratio ( INR ) ≤ 1.5 × ULN (screening is allowed for patients who are using stable doses of anticoagulant therapy such as low molecular weight heparin or warfarin and whose INR is within the expected therapeutic range of the anticoagulant ).
• • 9. ) Patients with hepatitis B virus ( HBV ) infection and inactive / asymptomatic HBV carriers, or patients with chronic or active HBV , will be allowed to enroll if HBV DNA \<500 IU/mL (or 2500 copies/mL ) at screening . Patients with positive hepatitis C antibodies will be allowed to enroll if HCV-RNA is negative at screening .
• • 10. ) Women of childbearing age , who must have a negative urine or serum pregnancy test result within 7 days before treatment . They must use a medically approved contraceptive method (such as intrauterine device, contraceptive pills or condoms) during the study treatment, at least 3 months after the last use of immunotherapy and at least 6 months after the last use of chemotherapy.
• • 11. ) Male subjects who are not sterilized must be willing to use a medically approved contraceptive method (such as intrauterine device, birth control pills or condoms) during the study treatment, at least 3 months after the last use of immunotherapy, and at least 6 months after the last use of chemotherapy.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Patients who have had or are suffering from other malignant tumors in the past (except for those who have been cured and have survived cancer-free for more than 5 years, such as basal cell carcinoma of the skin, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, and papillary thyroid carcinoma).
• • 2. Received any of the following treatments:a. Received any investigational drug within 4 weeks before the first use of the investigational drug; b. Enrolled in another clinical study at the same time, unless it is an observational (non-interventional) clinical study; c. Subjects who need to be given corticosteroids (≥ 10 mg prednisone equivalent per day) or other immunosuppressants for systemic treatment within 2 weeks before the first use of the study drug, except for the use of corticosteroids for local inflammation and prevention of allergies, nausea and vomiting. Other special cases need to be communicated with the investigator. In the absence of active autoimmune diseases, inhaled or topical steroids and adrenal cortical hormone replacement with a dose of ≥ 10 mg/ day prednisone efficacy dose are allowed; d. Those who have received anti-tumor vaccines or have received live vaccines within 4 weeks before the first administration of the study drug (if the new coronavirus vaccine is received, the interval between the vaccination and treatment must be more than 2 weeks) .
• • 3. Uncontrolled cardiac clinical symptoms or diseases, such as: a. NYHA grade II or above heart failure; b. Unstable angina; c. Myocardial infarction within 1 year; d. Patients with clinically significant supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias requiring clinical intervention.
• • 4. Severe infection ( CTCAE \> 2 ) occurred within 4 weeks before the first use of the study drug , such as severe pneumonia, bacteremia, infectious complications requiring hospitalization, etc.; baseline chest imaging examination indicated active lung inflammation, symptoms and signs of infection within 4 weeks of the first use of the study drug, or the need for oral or intravenous antibiotic treatment.
• • 5. Patients with active autoimmune diseases or a history of autoimmune diseases (such as interstitial pneumonia, colitis, hepatitis, hypophysitis, vasculitis, nephritis, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, including but not limited to these diseases or syndromes); but excluding autoimmune-mediated hypothyroidism treated with stable doses of thyroid replacement hormone; type 1 diabetes using stable doses of insulin; patients with vitiligo or healed childhood asthma / allergy who do not require any intervention as adults.
• • 6. Have a history of immunodeficiency, including positive HIV test, or other acquired or congenital immunodeficiency diseases, or have a history of organ transplantation and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
• • 7. A history of interstitial lung disease (excluding radiation pneumonitis without hormone treatment) or non-infectious pneumonia.
• • 8. Patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis infection found through medical history or CT examination, or patients with a history of active pulmonary tuberculosis infection within 1 year before enrollment, or patients with a history of active pulmonary tuberculosis infection more than 1 year ago but without formal treatment.
• • 9. Subjects have active hepatitis B ( HBV DNA ≥ 500 IU/mL or 2500 copies/mL ), hepatitis C (positive hepatitis C antibody, and HCV-RNA is higher than the detection limit of the analytical method).
• • 10. Underwent major surgery or severe trauma in the past 30 days.
• • 11. The researcher assesses that the patient has a high risk of bleeding (such as a history of severe bleeding tendency or abnormal coagulation function, such as the tumor enveloping the carotid artery \>180 degrees, the tumor invading the trachea, etc.).
• • 12. Known history of psychotropic substance abuse, alcoholism or drug abuse.
• • 13. Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
• • 14. The researcher judges that the subject has other factors that may force him/her to terminate the study midway, such as other serious diseases (including mental illness) requiring combined treatment, serious abnormal laboratory test values, family or social factors that may affect the safety of the subject or the collection of trial data.