Pembrolizumab + Chemotherapy ± Canakinumab for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

(CANOPY-1 Trial)

Recruiting at 141 trial locations

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 3

Sponsor: Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Must not be taking: Immunotherapy, IL-1β inhibitors

Disqualifiers: EGFR mutations, ALK rearrangement, CNS metastases, others

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

Pivotal Trial (Near Approval) This treatment is in the last trial phase before FDA approval

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 42

Duration: 18 months

673 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This was a Phase III study of pembrolizumab plus platinum-based doublet chemotherapy with or without canakinumab in previously untreated locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous and squamous NSCLC participants.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug combination Pembrolizumab, Chemotherapy, and Canakinumab for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer?

Research shows that Pembrolizumab, when combined with chemotherapy, significantly improves survival rates in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Studies like KEYNOTE-407 demonstrated that adding Pembrolizumab to chemotherapy improved overall survival and progression-free survival in patients with metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the combination of Pembrolizumab, Chemotherapy, and Canakinumab safe for humans?

Pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy has been studied for safety in non-small cell lung cancer, showing some adverse effects like anemia (low red blood cell count), neutropenia (low white blood cell count), and thrombocytopenia (low platelet count). Immunotherapy with pembrolizumab can also have side effects, but it is generally considered safe with careful monitoring. Cisplatin and paclitaxel, used in chemotherapy, have known side effects, including nausea and low blood cell counts, but are widely used in cancer treatment. ^{2 6 7 8 9}

How is the drug Pembrolizumab + Chemotherapy ± Canakinumab unique for treating non-small cell lung cancer?

This treatment combines pembrolizumab, an immune-boosting drug, with chemotherapy and optionally canakinumab, which may help reduce inflammation, offering a potentially more effective approach for non-small cell lung cancer compared to chemotherapy alone. ^{1 2 5 10 11}

Research Team

Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Principal Investigator

Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults with advanced stage IIIB or IV non-squamous and squamous NSCLC who haven't had treatment before. They should have a performance status of 0 or 1, meaning they're fully active or restricted in physically strenuous activity but can do light work. No prior immunotherapy, drugs like canakinumab, certain genetic mutations (EGFR/ALK), compromised immune systems, recent vaccinations/surgeries/radiotherapy, or untreated brain metastases.

Inclusion Criteria

My PD-L1 status is known from a biopsy tested by a specific lab.

I am fully active or restricted in physically strenuous activity but can do light work.

You have at least one specific type of visible abnormality that can be measured according to certain guidelines.

Exclusion Criteria

I have previously been treated with canakinumab or similar drugs.

My cancer has specific changes in the EGFR gene or ALK rearrangement.

I have brain metastases or lepto-meningeal disease that hasn't been treated.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Safety Run-in

Safety and tolerability of pembrolizumab plus platinum-based doublet chemotherapy with canakinumab are assessed

6 weeks

During the first 42 days of dosing

Treatment

Participants receive pembrolizumab plus platinum-based doublet chemotherapy with or without canakinumab

18 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

Up to 32 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Canakinumab
• Cisplatin
• Paclitaxel
• Pembrolizumab

Trial Overview The study tests the safety and effectiveness of pembrolizumab combined with platinum-based chemotherapy plus canakinumab versus placebo. It's a phase III trial where participants are randomly assigned to receive either the drug combo with canakinumab or without it (placebo) to compare outcomes.

Participant Groups

Group I: Part 2: Placebo+pembro+CTx Experimental Treatment 7 Interventions

Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, canakinumab-matching placebo in combination with pembrolizumab and platinum-based doublet chemotherapy.

Group II: Part 2: Canakinumab+pembro+CTx Experimental Treatment 7 Interventions

Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, canakinumab in combination with pembrolizumab and platinum-based doublet chemotherapy.

Group III: Part 1: Cohort C Experimental Treatment 4 Interventions

Safety run-in, canakinumab in combination with pembrolizumab, carboplatin, and paclitaxel.

Group IV: Part 1: Cohort B Experimental Treatment 4 Interventions

Safety run-in, canakinumab in combination with pembrolizumab, cisplatin, and pemetrexed.

Group V: Part 1: Cohort A Experimental Treatment 4 Interventions

Safety run-in, canakinumab in combination with pembrolizumab, carboplatin, and pemetrexed.

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

Approved in European Union as Platinol for:

• Testicular cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Head and neck cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Lung cancer
• Mesothelioma
• Brain tumors
• Neuroblastoma

Approved in United States as Platinol for:

• Testicular cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Head and neck cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Lung cancer
• Mesothelioma
• Brain tumors
• Neuroblastoma

Approved in Canada as Platinol for:

• Testicular cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Head and neck cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Lung cancer
• Mesothelioma
• Brain tumors
• Neuroblastoma

Approved in Japan as Platinol for:

• Testicular cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Head and neck cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Lung cancer
• Mesothelioma
• Brain tumors
• Neuroblastoma

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,963

Recruited

4,275,000+

Founded

1996

Headquarters

Basel, Switzerland

Known For

Precision medicine

Top Products

Gleevec, Cosentyx, Entresto, Kisqali

Dr. Vas Narasimhan

Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Chief Executive Officer since 2018

MD from Harvard Medical School

Dr. Shreeram Aradhye

Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Chief Medical Officer since 2021

MD

Findings from Research

In a phase II trial involving 15 patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), neoadjuvant treatment with pembrolizumab showed a major pathologic response in 27% of patients, indicating promising antitumor activity before surgery.

The treatment was found to be feasible and safe, with only 33% of patients experiencing moderate adverse events, and no postoperative mortality, suggesting that pembrolizumab does not compromise surgical outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Neoadjuvant anti-programmed death-1 immunotherapy by pembrolizumab in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: First clinical experience. Eichhorn, F., Klotz, LV., Kriegsmann, M., et al.[2022]

In a real-life study of 121 patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer, the combination of pembrolizumab and chemotherapy resulted in a median progression-free survival of 9 months and overall survival of 20.6 months, demonstrating its efficacy as a first-line treatment.

The treatment was generally well-tolerated, with manageable side effects; however, 17.5% of patients experienced grade 3-4 adverse events, and there were two treatment-related deaths, indicating the need for careful monitoring during therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab plus pemetrexed-carboplatin combination in first-line treatment of advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter real-life study (CAP29). Renaud, E., Ricordel, C., Corre, R., et al.[2023]

This study is the first to evaluate the combination of necitumumab with pembrolizumab and platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with untreated squamous cell lung cancer (SqCLC), aiming to enhance tumor immunity and therapeutic effects.

The trial will assess safety and efficacy, with 42 patients enrolled in phase II to determine the overall response rate and other important outcomes like progression-free survival and overall survival.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Phase I/II Study of Necitumumab Plus Pembrolizumab, Nab-Paclitaxel, and Carboplatin for Previously Untreated Advanced Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Study: (NEJ048A/NEXUS). Miyanaga, A., Asahina, H., Watanabe, S., et al.[2023]

In the KEYNOTE-407 study involving 1107 patients with untreated metastatic squamous non-small-cell lung cancer, the addition of pembrolizumab to chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival and quality of life without increasing severe toxicity.

Patients receiving pembrolizumab reported better health-related quality of life scores at weeks 9 and 18 compared to those receiving placebo, indicating that pembrolizumab enhances patient well-being while maintaining effective cancer treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Health-Related Quality of Life With Carboplatin-Paclitaxel or nab-Paclitaxel With or Without Pembrolizumab in Patients With Metastatic Squamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Mazieres, J., Kowalski, D., Luft, A., et al.[2020]

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) was approved by the FDA for treating metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) in patients with tumors expressing PD-L1, showing significant improvements in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in two major clinical trials with thousands of participants.

In the KEYNOTE-024 trial, pembrolizumab demonstrated a 40% reduction in the risk of death compared to chemotherapy, while in the KEYNOTE-010 trial, it also showed a significant survival advantage over chemotherapy in patients who had previously progressed on treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

FDA Approval Summary: Pembrolizumab for Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: First-Line Therapy and Beyond. Pai-Scherf, L., Blumenthal, GM., Li, H., et al.[2022]

In a study of 124 patients with treatment-naïve, metastatic nonsquamous PD-L1-positive non-small cell lung cancer, the combination of atezolizumab with carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel showed significantly improved overall survival (19.9 months) and progression-free survival (8.5 months) compared to carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel alone (14.8 months and 5.1 months, respectively).

While the combination therapy had a higher incidence of manageable adverse events like neutropenia and anemia, it still demonstrated a tolerable safety profile, suggesting it could be an effective first-line treatment option.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy with or without atezolizumab as front-line management for treatment-naïve metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer with PD-L1 staining: a retrospective study. Xu, B., Cheng, H., Li, K., et al.[2023]

Recent advancements in pharmacogenomics have led to the development of novel agents for treating non-small cell lung cancer adenocarcinoma, emphasizing the importance of testing for specific mutations like EGFR and ALK in clinical practice.

Immunotherapy, particularly with agents like nivolumab and pembrolizumab, has emerged as a promising treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer, although monitoring for adverse effects is crucial during patient follow-up.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Possible adverse effects of immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer; treatment and follow-up of three cases. Zarogoulidis, P., Chinelis, P., Athanasiadou, A., et al.[2020]

In a randomized phase 2 trial involving 101 patients with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma, the combination of Pemetrexed and Cisplatin (Pem-Cis) showed a significantly higher one-year survival rate of 72.0% compared to 52.9% for Docetaxel and Cisplatin (Doc-Cis).

Patients receiving Pem-Cis also experienced longer progression-free survival (12.6 months) compared to those on Doc-Cis (7.5 months), indicating that Pem-Cis may be a more effective first-line treatment option for this patient group.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized phase II study of pemetrexed-cisplatin or docetaxel-cisplatin plus thoracic intensity-modulated radiation therapy in patients with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma. Su, SF., Li, M., Geng, YC., et al.[2020]

In a multicenter study involving 130 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the combination of paclitaxel and carboplatin resulted in a moderate response rate of 23.8%, indicating its efficacy as a treatment option.

Both high-dose (200 mg/m2) and low-dose (175 mg/m2) paclitaxel regimens were well tolerated, with myelosuppression being the most significant side effect, but differences in toxicity between the two doses were minimal.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Multi-center study of two dose levels of paclitaxel with carboplatin in locally advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Glorieux, P., Ortmanns, P., Marien, S., et al.[2015]

Pembrolizumab, when combined with carboplatin and pemetrexed, significantly improves overall and progression-free survival rates in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), demonstrating its efficacy as a treatment option.

This case report highlights a unique instance of immune-mediated sarcoidosis developing in a patient with NSCLC after receiving pembrolizumab, indicating potential immune-related side effects of this therapy that require further investigation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pulmonary Sarcoidosis Activation following Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab plus Chemotherapy Combination Therapy in a Patient with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report. Fakhri, G., Akel, R., Salem, Z., et al.[2022]

In the KEYNOTE-189 study, first-line treatment with pembrolizumab combined with pemetrexed-platinum significantly improved overall survival (OS) to a median of 22.0 months compared to 10.7 months for the placebo group, indicating a strong efficacy in treating metastatic nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The combination therapy also resulted in a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 9.0 months versus 4.9 months for placebo, with benefits observed regardless of tumor PD-L1 expression or the presence of liver/brain metastases, while maintaining a similar incidence of serious adverse events between the two groups.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Updated Analysis From KEYNOTE-189: Pembrolizumab or Placebo Plus Pemetrexed and Platinum for Previously Untreated Metastatic Nonsquamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Gadgeel, S., Rodríguez-Abreu, D., Speranza, G., et al.[2021]

References

1. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Neoadjuvant anti-programmed death-1 immunotherapy by pembrolizumab in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: First clinical experience. [2022]

2. China pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab plus pemetrexed-carboplatin combination in first-line treatment of advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter real-life study (CAP29). [2023]

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

A Phase I/II Study of Necitumumab Plus Pembrolizumab, Nab-Paclitaxel, and Carboplatin for Previously Untreated Advanced Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Study: (NEJ048A/NEXUS). [2023]

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

Health-Related Quality of Life With Carboplatin-Paclitaxel or nab-Paclitaxel With or Without Pembrolizumab in Patients With Metastatic Squamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. [2020]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

FDA Approval Summary: Pembrolizumab for Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: First-Line Therapy and Beyond. [2022]

6. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy with or without atezolizumab as front-line management for treatment-naïve metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer with PD-L1 staining: a retrospective study. [2023]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Possible adverse effects of immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer; treatment and follow-up of three cases. [2020]

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

Randomized phase II study of pemetrexed-cisplatin or docetaxel-cisplatin plus thoracic intensity-modulated radiation therapy in patients with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma. [2020]

9. Greece pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Multi-center study of two dose levels of paclitaxel with carboplatin in locally advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). [2015]

10. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pulmonary Sarcoidosis Activation following Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab plus Chemotherapy Combination Therapy in a Patient with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report. [2022]

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

Updated Analysis From KEYNOTE-189: Pembrolizumab or Placebo Plus Pemetrexed and Platinum for Previously Untreated Metastatic Nonsquamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. [2021]