Therapeutic vaccination with TG4010 and first-line chemotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a controlled phase 2B trial

Lancet Oncol. 2011 Nov;12(12):1125-33. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(11)70259-5. Epub 2011 Oct 21.

Abstract

Background: Chemotherapy is the standard of care for advanced stages of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). TG4010 is a targeted immunotherapy based on a poxvirus (modified vaccinia virus Ankara) that codes for MUC1 tumour-associated antigen and interleukin 2. This study assessed TG4010 in combination with first-line chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC.

Methods: 148 patients with advanced (stage IIIB [wet] or IV) NSCLC expressing MUC1 by immunohistochemistry, and with performance status 0 or 1, were enrolled in parallel groups in this open-label, phase 2B study. 74 patients were allocated to the combination therapy group, and received TG4010 (10(8) plaque forming units) plus cisplatin (75 mg/m(2) on day 1) and gemcitabine (1250 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8) repeated every 3 weeks for up to six cycles. 74 patients allocated to the control group received the same chemotherapy alone. Patients were allocated using a dynamic minimisation procedure stratified by centre, performance status, and disease stage. The primary endpoint was 6-month progression-free survival (PFS), with a target rate of 40% or higher in the experimental group. Analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This study is completed and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00415818.

Findings: 6-month PFS was 43·2% (32 of 74; 95% CI 33·4-53·5) in the TG4010 plus chemotherapy group, and 35·1% (26 of 74; 25·9-45·3) in the chemotherapy alone group. Fever, abdominal pain, and injection-site pain of any grade according to National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria were more common in the TG4010 group than in the chemotherapy alone group: 17 of 73 patients (23·3%) versus six of 72 (8·3%), 12 (16·4%) versus two (2·8%), and four (5·5%) versus zero (0%), respectively. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were neutropenia (33 [45·2%] of patients in the TG4010 plus chemotherapy group vs 31 [43·1%] in the chemotherapy alone group) and fatigue (18 [24·7%] vs 13 [18·1%]); the only grade 3-4 events that differed significantly between groups were anorexia (three [4·1%] vs 10 [13·9%]) and pleural effusion (none vs four [5·6%]). 38 of 73 patients (52·1%) in the TG4010 plus chemotherapy group and 34 of 72 (47·2%) in the chemotherapy alone group had at least one serious adverse event.

Interpretation: This phase 2B study suggests that TG4010 enhances the effect of chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC. A confirmatory phase 2B-3 trial has been initiated.

Funding: Transgene SA, Advanced Diagnostics for New Therapeutic Approaches (ADNA)/OSEO.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase II
  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Cancer Vaccines / adverse effects
  • Cancer Vaccines / therapeutic use*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / immunology
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / therapy*
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage
  • Deoxycytidine / administration & dosage
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Europe
  • Female
  • Gemcitabine
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-2 / genetics
  • Interleukin-2 / immunology
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / immunology
  • Lung Neoplasms / mortality
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / adverse effects
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / therapeutic use*
  • Middle Aged
  • Mucin-1 / genetics
  • Mucin-1 / immunology
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vaccines, Synthetic
  • Vaccinia virus / genetics

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Cancer Vaccines
  • IL2 protein, human
  • Interleukin-2
  • MUC1 protein, human
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Mucin-1
  • TG4010
  • Vaccines, Synthetic
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Cisplatin
  • Gemcitabine

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00415818