Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Publication Date

4-12-2024

Journal

Medicine

Abstract

Background: Intravenous immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has shown poor response rates in recurrent gynecologic malignancies. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) ICB may result in enhanced T cell activation and anti-tumor immunity.

Methods: In this phase 1b study, registered at Clinical.

Trials: gov (NCT03508570), initial cohorts received i.p. nivolumab monotherapy, and subsequent cohorts received combination i.p. nivolumab every 2 weeks and i.p. ipilimumab every 6 weeks, guided by a Bayesian design. The primary objective was determination of the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of the combination. Secondary outcomes included toxicity, objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).

Findings: The trial enrolled 23 patients: 18 with ovarian cancer, 2 with uterine cancer, and 3 with cervical cancer. Study evaluable patients (n = 16) received a median of 2 prior lines of therapy (range: 1-8). Partial response was observed in 2 patients (12.5%; 1 ovarian, 1 uterine), and complete response was observed in 1 patient (6.3%) with cervical cancer, for an ORR of 18.8% (95% confidence interval: 4.0%-45.6%). The median duration of response was 14.8 months (range: 4.1-20.8), with one complete response ongoing. Median PFS and OS were 2.7 months and not reached, respectively. Grade 3 or higher immune-related adverse events occurred in 2 (8.7%) patients.

Conclusions: i.p. administration of dual ICB is safe and demonstrated durable responses in a subset of patients with advanced gynecologic malignancy. The RP2D is 3 mg/kg i.p. nivolumab every 2 weeks plus 1 mg/kg ipilimumab every 6 weeks.

Funding: This work was funded by Bristol Myers Squibb (CA209-9C7), an MD Anderson Cancer Center Support Grant (CA016672), the Ovarian Cancer Moon Shots Program, the Emerson Collective Fund, and a T32 training grant (CA101642).

Keywords

Humans, Female, Nivolumab, Ipilimumab, Genital Neoplasms, Female, Peritoneal Neoplasms, Uterine Cervical Neoplasms, Bayes Theorem, Neoplasm Recurrence, Local, Ovarian Neoplasms, Translation to patients, cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, immune checkpoint inhibitor, intraperitoneal immunotherapy, ovarian cancer

DOI

10.1016/j.medj.2024.02.003

PMID

38471508

PMCID

PMC11015975

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

4-12-2025

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Author MSS

nihms-1968120-f0001.jpg (176 kB)
Graphical Abstract

Published Open-Access

yes

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