Atezolizumab + Chemotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Recruiting at 8 trial locations

Overseen By Kimberly Cameron

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 2

Sponsor: Nasser Hanna

Must not be taking: Immunosuppressants, Live vaccines

Disqualifiers: EGFR mutations, ALK re-arrangements, Autoimmune disease, others

Stay on Your Current Meds You can continue your current medications while participating

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: Unknown

100 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The vast majority of patients with stage I (tumors ≥ 4cm), IIA, IIB (and select stage III) NSCLC are managed with upfront surgery, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. However, relapse rates remain high and are primarily due to distant, metastatic disease. Previous meta-analysis evaluating the use of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy demonstrate a similar impact on improved disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). The role of checkpoint inhibitors has been proven to be effective in the treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC, regardless of histology and PD-L1 expression. Results from trials evaluating the use of checkpoint inhibitors alone or in combination with chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant setting for early stage disease are promising. However, there are no trials evaluating the role of concomitant chemotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors in the adjuvant setting. In addition, emerging data supports the use of ctDNA as a promising biomarker for early detection of minimal residual disease and have indicated that the presence of detectable ctDNA after surgery for localized lung cancer is correlated with a 90-100% chance for disease recurrence. Therefore, we propose this current study assessing concomitant chemotherapy plus Atezolizumab in the adjuvant setting for patients with stage I (tumors ≥ 4cm), IIA, IIB (and select stage III) NSCLC who have detectable ctDNA after surgery. The clearance of ctDNA will serve as a surrogate for long term DFS and OS in this patient population.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial information does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, prior chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy for this lung cancer is not allowed, and certain conditions like active infections or immunodeficiency might affect eligibility. It's best to discuss your specific medications with the trial team.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug Atezolizumab combined with chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer?

Research shows that combining Atezolizumab, an immunotherapy drug, with chemotherapy can be effective for treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Atezolizumab works by helping the immune system attack cancer cells, and when used with chemotherapy, it may improve patient outcomes. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the combination of Atezolizumab and chemotherapy safe for treating non-small cell lung cancer?

Atezolizumab, when used for non-small cell lung cancer, has shown an acceptable safety profile with common side effects like fatigue, decreased appetite, and nausea. Serious side effects can include breathing difficulties, pneumonia, and liver issues, but these are less common. Overall, the treatment is considered manageable in terms of safety. ^{4 6 7 8 9}

How is the drug Atezolizumab combined with chemotherapy unique for treating non-small cell lung cancer?

Atezolizumab combined with chemotherapy is unique because it uses an immunotherapy approach, where Atezolizumab, an antibody, helps the immune system fight cancer by blocking a protein that stops immune cells from attacking cancer cells. This combination has shown improved survival rates compared to traditional chemotherapy alone, making it a promising first-line treatment for non-small cell lung cancer. ^{1 4 6 10 11}

Research Team

Nasser Hanna, MD

Principal Investigator

Indiana University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults who've had surgery to remove certain stages of non-small cell lung cancer and have detectable ctDNA, indicating a risk of recurrence. They must be in good health with proper organ function, not pregnant or breastfeeding, willing to use contraception, and haven't received prior treatments for this cancer. People with other active cancers, severe allergies to atezolizumab or its components, autoimmune diseases, infections like HIV or hepatitis B/C are excluded.

Inclusion Criteria

My lung cancer is either squamous or non-squamous.

I am 18 years old or older.

I understand and can follow the study's procedures.

Exclusion Criteria

I have not received a live vaccine in the last 30 days.

I have not had chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy for this lung cancer.

I finished treatments for a previous cancer more than 3 months ago.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Adjuvant Chemotherapy + Atezolizumab

Participants receive 4 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with Cisplatin-based regimen and concomitant Atezolizumab

3 months

Atezolizumab Extension

Participants continue with up to 13 additional cycles of Atezolizumab

10 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

1 year

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Atezolizumab
• Cisplatin

Trial Overview The study tests if adding the drug Atezolizumab to standard chemotherapy after surgery can prevent cancer from coming back in patients with specific stages of lung cancer who have signs of residual disease (ctDNA). It will check if clearing ctDNA from blood correlates with longer periods without disease and overall survival.

Participant Groups

Group I: SC: Squamous cell tumors Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Atezolizumab 1200mg, Docetaxel 60-75 mg/m\^2, Cisplatin 60-75 mg/m\^2

Group II: NSC: Non-squamous cell tumors Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Atezolizumab 1200mg, Pemetrexed 500 mg/m\^2, Cisplatin 60-75 mg/m\^2

Atezolizumab is already approved in United States, European Union for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Tecentriq for:

• Melanoma
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Small cell lung cancer
• Non-small cell lung cancer
• Urothelial carcinoma

Approved in European Union as Tecentriq for:

• Melanoma
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Small cell lung cancer
• Non-small cell lung cancer
• Urothelial carcinoma

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Nasser Hanna

Lead Sponsor

Trials

4

Recruited

150+

Genentech, Inc.

Industry Sponsor

Trials

1,578

Recruited

569,000+

Ashley Magargee

Genentech, Inc.

Chief Executive Officer since 2024

MBA from Harvard University, BA from Princeton University

Levi Garraway

Genentech, Inc.

Chief Medical Officer since 2021

MD, PhD

Findings from Research

Atezolizumab combined with chemotherapy showed promising efficacy in treating advanced, treatment-naïve non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with overall response rates of 36% to 68% across different chemotherapy regimens in a study of 76 patients.

The treatment was generally well tolerated, although common severe side effects included neutropenia and anemia, indicating a manageable safety profile for this combination therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Long-term survival follow-up of atezolizumab in combination with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Liu, SV., Camidge, DR., Gettinger, SN., et al.[2022]

Atezolizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets PD-L1, which is being developed for treating various blood cancers and solid tumors, showing promise in cancer immunotherapy.

It has already been approved in the US as a second-line treatment for urothelial carcinoma and is pending approval for non-small cell lung cancer, highlighting its potential efficacy in these conditions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Atezolizumab: First Global Approval. Markham, A.[2019]

In a phase 3 trial with 572 patients, atezolizumab significantly improved overall survival by 7.1 months compared to platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and high PD-L1 expression (20.2 months vs. 13.1 months).

Atezolizumab also demonstrated a favorable safety profile, with fewer grade 3 or 4 adverse events (30.1%) compared to chemotherapy (52.5%), indicating it may be a safer first-line treatment option for these patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Atezolizumab for First-Line Treatment of PD-L1-Selected Patients with NSCLC. Herbst, RS., Giaccone, G., de Marinis, F., et al.[2022]

Atezolizumab significantly improved overall survival in patients with previously treated non-small-cell lung cancer compared to docetaxel, with median survival times of 13.8 months versus 9.6 months, respectively.

The safety profile of atezolizumab was favorable, with only 15% of patients experiencing grade 3 or 4 adverse events, compared to 43% in the docetaxel group, indicating it may be a safer treatment option.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Atezolizumab versus docetaxel in patients with previously treated non-small-cell lung cancer (OAK): a phase 3, open-label, multicentre randomised controlled trial. Rittmeyer, A., Barlesi, F., Waterkamp, D., et al.[2022]

In a phase 2 study involving 199 treatment-naïve patients with advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer, the combination of cisplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab (CisPemBev) showed a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to carboplatin, paclitaxel, and bevacizumab (CarPacBev), with a median PFS of 7.6 months versus 7.0 months.

Both treatment regimens were well tolerated, but CisPemBev had a lower incidence of grade ≥3 adverse events (67%) compared to CarPacBev (82%), suggesting it may be a safer option for patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Bevacizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer: a randomized, open-label phase 2 study (CLEAR). Udagawa, H., Sugiyama, E., Harada, T., et al.[2022]

Atezolizumab significantly improves overall survival in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC), with median survival times of 13.8 months in the atezolizumab group compared to 9.6 months in the docetaxel group in the OAK trial.

The treatment has an acceptable safety profile, with common side effects including fatigue and decreased appetite, and serious immune-related adverse events occurring in a small percentage of patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Approval Summary: Atezolizumab for Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Weinstock, C., Khozin, S., Suzman, D., 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]

Atezolizumab therapy significantly improves overall survival (median OS of 11.2 months) in patients with previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), demonstrating its efficacy in a diverse patient population.

The treatment has a manageable safety profile, with serious adverse events occurring in only 8.0% of patients and no new safety signals identified, indicating it is a viable option for patients often excluded from clinical trials.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Final results from TAIL: updated long-term efficacy of atezolizumab in a diverse population of patients with previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Ardizzoni, A., Azevedo, S., Rubio-Viqueira, B., et al.[2022]

Atezolizumab is an FDA-approved treatment for advanced bladder cancer that works by blocking the PD-L1/PD-1 immune checkpoint, enhancing T-cell immunity against tumors.

In clinical trials, atezolizumab showed a 15% objective response rate in patients whose cancer progressed after chemotherapy, and a 24% response rate in chemotherapy-naïve patients, with a favorable safety profile compared to other second-line treatments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Atezolizumab: A PD-L1-Blocking Antibody for Bladder Cancer. Inman, BA., Longo, TA., Ramalingam, S., et al.[2022]

Immunotherapy, particularly with pembrolizumab or atezolizumab combined with platinum-based chemotherapy, has become an effective first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), regardless of PD-L1 expression levels.

Patients with negative PD-L1 expression and low tumor mutational burden (TMB) may not benefit from immunotherapy combinations and might be better treated with traditional platinum-based chemotherapy, highlighting the need for personalized treatment approaches.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Choosing wisely first line immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): what to add and what to leave out. Proto, C., Ferrara, R., Signorelli, D., et al.[2019]

Atezolizumab, a PD-L1 blocking antibody, shows higher rates of objective response, progression-free survival, and overall survival when used as a first-line therapy in chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), compared to its use in later treatment lines.

The review included 15 ongoing studies, with 5 reporting results, indicating that atezolizumab is being explored in various treatment combinations and settings, suggesting its potential as a versatile first-line treatment option for NSCLC.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Atezolizumab for the First-Line Treatment of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): Current Status and Future Prospects. Ryu, R., Ward, KE.[2023]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Long-term survival follow-up of atezolizumab in combination with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. [2022]

2. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Atezolizumab: First Global Approval. [2019]

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

Atezolizumab for First-Line Treatment of PD-L1-Selected Patients with NSCLC. [2022]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Atezolizumab versus docetaxel in patients with previously treated non-small-cell lung cancer (OAK): a phase 3, open-label, multicentre randomised controlled trial. [2022]

5. China pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Bevacizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer: a randomized, open-label phase 2 study (CLEAR). [2022]

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

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Approval Summary: Atezolizumab for Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. [2022]

7. 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]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Final results from TAIL: updated long-term efficacy of atezolizumab in a diverse population of patients with previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer. [2022]

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

Atezolizumab: A PD-L1-Blocking Antibody for Bladder Cancer. [2022]

10. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Choosing wisely first line immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): what to add and what to leave out. [2019]

11. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Atezolizumab for the First-Line Treatment of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): Current Status and Future Prospects. [2023]