Cabozantinib + Immunotherapy for Cancer

Recruiting at 52 trial locations

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 2

Sponsor: National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Must not be taking: Corticosteroids, Anticoagulants, CYP3A4 inducers

Disqualifiers: Autoimmune disease, Uncontrolled hypertension, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Prior Safety Data This treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

Breakthrough Therapy This drug has been fast-tracked for approval by the FDA given its high promise

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

Duration: 6 months

17 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot take certain medications like strong CYP3A4 inducers or systemic corticosteroids above a certain dose. It's best to discuss your current medications with the trial team to see if any adjustments are needed.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug combination Cabozantinib, Ipilimumab, and Nivolumab for cancer treatment?

Research shows that the combination of Cabozantinib and Nivolumab is effective for treating advanced renal cancer, with better progression-free survival compared to other drug combinations. Additionally, Nivolumab and Ipilimumab together have shown long-term effectiveness in treating advanced lung cancer. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What safety information is available for the combination of Cabozantinib, Nivolumab, and Ipilimumab in cancer treatment?

The combination of Cabozantinib, Nivolumab, and Ipilimumab can lead to immune-related side effects like diarrhea, liver inflammation, lung inflammation, kidney issues, and heart problems. These side effects can be serious, but with early detection and proper management, they can often be controlled. In some cases, treatment may need to be paused or stopped if side effects are severe. ^{4 6 7 8 9}

What makes the drug combination of Cabozantinib, Ipilimumab, and Nivolumab unique for cancer treatment?

This drug combination is unique because it combines Cabozantinib, which targets specific proteins involved in cancer growth, with Ipilimumab and Nivolumab, which are immunotherapies that help the immune system attack cancer cells. This combination may offer a synergistic effect, potentially enhancing the overall antitumor response compared to using these drugs individually. ^{2 5 7 10 11}

What is the purpose of this trial?

This phase II trial studies how well the combination of XL184 (cabozantinib), nivolumab, and ipilimumab work in treating patients with poorly differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (i.e., neuroendocrine tumor that does not look like the normal tissue it arose from). Cabozantinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab and ipilimumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving cabozantinib, nivolumab and ipilimumab may shrink the cancer.

Research Team

Anteneh A Tesfaye

Principal Investigator

Yale University Cancer Center LAO

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults with poorly differentiated neuroendocrine tumors, excluding small cell lung cancer and merkel cell carcinoma. Participants must have only failed one prior treatment, have measurable disease, and be able to perform daily activities (ECOG <=2). They should not be pregnant or breastfeeding and must agree to use contraception. People who've had major surgery recently, those with active autoimmune diseases or a history of severe allergies to similar drugs are excluded.

Inclusion Criteria

I can take care of myself but might not be able to do heavy physical work.

Your hemoglobin level must be at least 9 grams per deciliter.

PT/INR and PTT test < 1.3 x ULN

Exclusion Criteria

I have previously been treated with cabozantinib or other MET-targeting therapies.

I need treatment with strong medications that change how my body processes drugs.

I haven't had chemotherapy or certain drugs within the last 4 weeks.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive cabozantinib s-malate orally once daily, nivolumab intravenously over 30 minutes, and ipilimumab intravenously over 90 minutes. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 cycles, then every 28 days for subsequent cycles.

6 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment completion.

4 weeks

1 visit (in-person) at 4 weeks, then every 3 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Cabozantinib
• Ipilimumab
• Nivolumab

Trial Overview The study tests the effectiveness of combining XL184 (cabozantinib), nivolumab, and ipilimumab in treating certain neuroendocrine tumors. Cabozantinib may block enzymes needed for tumor growth while nivolumab and ipilimumab could help the immune system fight cancer by interfering with tumor growth.

Participant Groups

Group I: Treatment (cabozantinib s-malate, nivolumab, ipilimumab) Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Patients receive cabozantinib s-malate PO QD on days 1-21 of cycles 1-4 and days 1-28 of subsequent cycles, nivolumab IV over 30 minutes on day 1, and ipilimumab IV over 90 minutes on day 1 of cycles 1-4 only. Treatment repeats every 21 for 4 cycles then every 28 days for subsequent cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Cabozantinib is already approved in European Union, United States, Canada, Japan for the following indications:

Approved in European Union as Cabometyx for:

• Renal cell carcinoma
• Hepatocellular carcinoma

Approved in United States as Cabometyx for:

• Renal cell carcinoma
• Hepatocellular carcinoma

Approved in Canada as Cabometyx for:

• Renal cell carcinoma
• Hepatocellular carcinoma

Approved in Japan as Cabometyx for:

• Renal cell carcinoma

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Lead Sponsor

Trials

14,080

Recruited

41,180,000+

Findings from Research

Nivolumab plus ipilimumab showed durable and long-term efficacy in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared to chemotherapy, regardless of tumor PD-L1 expression levels.

These findings are based on updated results from part 1 of the phase 3 CheckMate 227 trial, indicating that this combination therapy could be a more effective frontline treatment option for NSCLC patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nivolumab/Ipilimumab Combo Yields Durable Efficacy in Advanced NSCLC. Kahl, KL.[2021]

Cabozantinib combined with nivolumab (CaboNivo) and with ipilimumab (CaboNivoIpi) showed manageable safety profiles, with 75% and 87% of patients experiencing grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events, respectively, including fatigue and hypertension.

The treatment demonstrated promising efficacy, with an overall response rate of 30.6% and a median overall survival of 12.6 months for all patients, while patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma had even better outcomes, with a median overall survival of 25.4 months.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Phase I Study of Cabozantinib and Nivolumab Alone or With Ipilimumab for Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma and Other Genitourinary Tumors. Apolo, AB., Nadal, R., Girardi, DM., et al.[2023]

Cabozantinib combined with nivolumab is shown to be superior in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) compared to axitinib + pembrolizumab and nivolumab + ipilimumab for the first-line treatment of metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC), based on a systematic review of four randomized controlled trials involving treatment-naïve patients.

While cabozantinib + nivolumab demonstrated effectiveness, the combination of lenvatinib + pembrolizumab showed numerical superiority in overall survival, indicating that while cabozantinib + nivolumab is a strong option, other combinations may also be effective and warrant consideration.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors or immunotherapy for treatment-naïve metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma-A network meta-analysis. Focus on cabozantinib combined with nivolumab. Niewada, M., Macioch, T., Konarska, M., et al.[2023]

In a real-world analysis of adverse events from two combination therapies for advanced renal cell carcinoma, cabozantinib (CAB) plus nivolumab (NIVO) showed higher incidence rates of seven types of toxicities compared to ipilimumab (IPI) plus NIVO.

Conversely, IPI + NIVO was associated with higher rates of three types of toxicities and had a greater incidence of serious adverse events, suggesting that both therapies have distinct safety profiles that can guide treatment decisions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse Events of Cabozantinib Plus Nivolumab Versus Ipilimumab Plus Nivolumab. Blas, L., Shiota, M., Tsukahara, S., et al.[2023]

In a study of 346 patients receiving cabozantinib (CABO) as second-line therapy after various first-line treatments, the median overall survival was 21.4 months for those who previously received ipilimumab-nivolumab (IPI-NIVO), indicating that CABO is effective regardless of the initial treatment.

The median time to treatment failure for CABO was 7.6 months, suggesting that it provides a clinically meaningful benefit as a second-line option after different first-line therapies, including immunotherapy and VEGF inhibitors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

CABOSEQ: The Effectiveness of Cabozantinib in Patients With Treatment Refractory Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma: Results From the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC). Navani, V., Wells, JC., Boyne, DJ., et al.[2023]

In a phase 3 trial involving 855 patients with untreated advanced renal-cell carcinoma, the combination of cabozantinib with nivolumab and ipilimumab significantly improved progression-free survival compared to nivolumab and ipilimumab alone, with a 12-month progression-free survival rate of 57% versus 49%.

However, the experimental group experienced a higher incidence of severe adverse events (grade 3 or 4) at 79%, compared to 56% in the control group, indicating a trade-off between efficacy and safety.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cabozantinib plus Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in Renal-Cell Carcinoma. Choueiri, TK., Powles, T., Albiges, L., et al.[2023]

In a review of 129 oncology patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, 51.9% experienced at least one immune-related adverse event (irAE), highlighting the common occurrence of these side effects.

Nearly half of the irAEs were managed according to established guidelines, but there was significant variability in documentation and management practices, indicating a need for improved adherence as immunotherapy use increases.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Real-World Adherence to Toxicity Management Guidelines for Immune-Related Adverse Events. Teimouri, A., Minard, LV., Scott, SN., et al.[2022]

In a phase 3 trial involving 651 patients with untreated advanced renal-cell carcinoma, the combination of nivolumab and cabozantinib significantly improved progression-free survival (16.6 months) compared to sunitinib (8.3 months), with a hazard ratio of 0.51, indicating a 49% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death.

Patients receiving nivolumab plus cabozantinib also had a higher overall survival rate at 12 months (85.7%) compared to those on sunitinib (75.6%), and a greater objective response rate (55.7% vs. 27.1%), although adverse events were common in both groups.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nivolumab plus Cabozantinib versus Sunitinib for Advanced Renal-Cell Carcinoma. Choueiri, TK., Powles, T., Burotto, M., et al.[2022]

Cabozantinib (CAB) has shown significant improvements in overall survival and progression-free survival in phase-III studies for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma, leading to its approval in Japan for these conditions.

CAB may enhance antitumor immunity and, when combined with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors like nivolumab, has demonstrated increased progression-free survival compared to standard treatments, indicating a potential synergistic effect in cancer therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Pharmacological properties and clinical outcomes of the anti-cancer drug, cabozantinib (CABOMETYX&#174;)]. Osaka, T., Yamaguchi, N., Hara, T.[2022]

In the COSMIC-312 trial involving 837 patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, the combination of cabozantinib and atezolizumab showed a median progression-free survival of 6.8 months, significantly longer than the 4.2 months observed with sorafenib, indicating improved efficacy for the combination treatment.

While the overall survival rates were similar between the combination treatment and sorafenib (15.4 months vs. 15.5 months), the combination was associated with a higher incidence of serious treatment-related adverse events, suggesting a need for careful patient selection and monitoring.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cabozantinib plus atezolizumab versus sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (COSMIC-312): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial. Kelley, RK., Rimassa, L., Cheng, AL., et al.[2022]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nivolumab/Ipilimumab Combo Yields Durable Efficacy in Advanced NSCLC. [2021]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Phase I Study of Cabozantinib and Nivolumab Alone or With Ipilimumab for Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma and Other Genitourinary Tumors. [2023]

3. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors or immunotherapy for treatment-naïve metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma-A network meta-analysis. Focus on cabozantinib combined with nivolumab. [2023]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse Events of Cabozantinib Plus Nivolumab Versus Ipilimumab Plus Nivolumab. [2023]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

CABOSEQ: The Effectiveness of Cabozantinib in Patients With Treatment Refractory Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma: Results From the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC). [2023]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ipilimumab-Based Therapy: Consensus Statement From the Faculty of the Melanoma Nursing Initiative on Managing Adverse Events With Ipilimumab Monotherapy and Combination Therapy With Nivolumab. [2018]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cabozantinib plus Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in Renal-Cell Carcinoma. [2023]

8. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Real-World Adherence to Toxicity Management Guidelines for Immune-Related Adverse Events. [2022]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nivolumab plus Cabozantinib versus Sunitinib for Advanced Renal-Cell Carcinoma. [2022]

10. Japan pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Pharmacological properties and clinical outcomes of the anti-cancer drug, cabozantinib (CABOMETYX&#174;)]. [2022]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cabozantinib plus atezolizumab versus sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (COSMIC-312): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial. [2022]