87 Participants NeededMy employer runs this trial

Toripalimab + Chemotherapy for Throat Cancer

(WOLF Trial)

JR
MJ
Overseen ByMel J Mendez, BS
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)
Prior Safety DataThis treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a combination of drugs—carboplatin or cisplatin, paclitaxel, and toripalimab (an immunotherapy)—to evaluate their safety and effectiveness in treating recurrent or metastatic throat cancer. The goal is to determine how well these treatments extend patients' lives and manage their disease. Suitable participants have throat cancer treatable with surgery and have not received prior treatment for it. As a Phase 2 trial, the research focuses on assessing the treatment's effectiveness in an initial, smaller group of people.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Previous studies have generally shown that toripalimab is well-tolerated, though some patients have experienced side effects. One study found that 11.6% of patients stopped taking toripalimab due to side effects, compared to 4.9% of those on a placebo.

Carboplatin and cisplatin, two chemotherapy drugs used in this trial, have similar safety profiles. Cisplatin has been linked to a higher rate of difficulty swallowing, affecting 75.25% of patients in one study, though only 11.9% stopped treatment early due to side effects.

Paclitaxel, often used with carboplatin or cisplatin, has a good safety record. Common side effects, such as mouth sores and skin reactions, occurred in over half of the patients in one study.

Overall, these treatments are generally considered safe, but side effects can occur. Participants should discuss potential risks with their doctors.12345

Why are researchers excited about this trial's treatments?

Researchers are excited about these treatments for throat cancer because they combine the power of immunotherapy with traditional chemotherapy and radiation. Toripalimab, the star of this treatment approach, is an immunotherapy drug that boosts the body's own immune system to fight cancer cells, offering a potentially more targeted approach compared to standard chemotherapy alone. This combination is also unique because it tailors treatment based on patients' responses, potentially leading to more personalized and effective care. The integration of toripalimab aims to improve outcomes by enhancing the body's natural defenses, which is a promising advancement compared to conventional treatments.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for throat cancer?

Research has shown that combining toripalimab with carboplatin and paclitaxel may help treat similar types of cancer. In some studies, this combination improved survival rates in esophageal cancer, which is closely related to throat cancer. Specifically, after one year, 41.9% of patients did not experience cancer progression, and 69.7% remained alive. In this trial, participants will receive toripalimab with carboplatin and paclitaxel as part of the treatment regimen. Additionally, toripalimab alone has demonstrated significant benefits in other studies. It increased the time patients lived without cancer progression from 8.2 months to 21.4 months in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a cancer similar to throat cancer. These findings suggest that the treatments tested in this trial could be effective for throat cancer.678910

Who Is on the Research Team?

MS

Matthew Spector, MD, FACS

Principal Investigator

UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

Inclusion Criteria

I have a new, biopsy-confirmed squamous cell cancer of my larynx or hypopharynx.
My cancer is at stage III or IV.
My blood and organ tests are within normal limits.
See 5 more

Exclusion Criteria

My cancer has spread to distant parts of my body.
Prior malignancy within 2 years that in the investigator's opinion would be likely to affect the outcomes for the patient
I have severe numbness or tingling in my hands or feet.
See 7 more

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks
1 visit (in-person)

Induction Treatment

Participants receive toripalimab, carboplatin or cisplatin, and paclitaxel every 3 weeks for two cycles

6 weeks
2 visits (in-person)

Continuation Treatment

Participants receive radiation therapy and toripalimab monotherapy for 8 cycles

24 weeks
8 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

Up to 5 years
Regular visits (in-person and virtual)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

  • Carboplatin
  • Cisplatin
  • Paclitaxel
  • Toripalimab

How Is the Trial Designed?

3

Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Group I: toripalimab + carboplatin + paclitaxelExperimental Treatment4 Interventions
Group II: Post-bioselection: Radiation + toripalimab monotherapyExperimental Treatment5 Interventions
Group III: Post-bioselection: Chemoradiation + toripalimab monotherapyExperimental Treatment5 Interventions

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Matthew Spector

Lead Sponsor

Trials
1
Recruited
230+

Coherus Oncology, Inc.

Industry Sponsor

Citations

Toripalimab Plus Chemo Maintains Survival Benefit After 6 ...

This translated to a 31-month OS improvement and a 38% reduction in risk of death (HR 0.62; 95% CI, 0.45-0.85). Taken together with the efficacy ...

Toripalimab Plus Chemotherapy for Recurrent or ...

The demonstrated progression-free survival and overall survival benefits support the use of toripalimab in combination with gemcitabine-cisplatin as the new ...

Toripalimab Combo Delivers Long-Term Efficacy in ...

This trial demonstrated a significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with NPC receiving toripalimab. The median overall ...

Updated results of adjuvant toripalimab for locally ...

The primary end point was 2-year disease-free survival rate. Secondary end points included 2-year overall survival rate, 2-year disease specific ...

Toripalimab Yields 'Striking' PFS Improvement in ...

Here we see with mature follow-up that the progression-free survival went from 8.2 months [with placebo] to 21.4 months [with toripalimab].

Comparative Efficacy and Toxicity of Weekly Carboplatin ...

Both cisplatin and carboplatin demonstrated comparable complete response rates of 17 (37.8%) versus 18 (40.0%) at six weeks, 18 (40.0%) versus ...

Long-Term Outcomes of Weekly Cisplatin Versus ...

Our study suggested that those treated with weekly carboplatin and paclitaxel had no statistically significant survival and tumor control ...

Survival outcomes in patients with oropharyngeal cancer ...

Phase II trials have demonstrated 2-year overall survival of 66.6 % for stage III/IV resectable oro/hypopharyngeal treated with cisplatin, ...

NCT05491512 | A Study of Reduced Radiation Therapy ...

The purpose of this study is to find out if lower doses of radiation may help reduce the side effects of radiation therapy in combination with ...

Cisplatin Versus Carboplatin and Paclitaxel in ...

The results showed planned RCT completion in 59.0% of cases in the cisplatin group compared with 73.0% in the carboplatin group (9). In contrast to these ...