Exposure-response analyses of tremelimumab monotherapy or in combination with durvalumab in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma Journal Article


Authors: Song, X.; Kelley, R. K.; Khan, A. A.; Standifer, N.; Zhou, D.; Lim, K.; Krishna, R.; Liu, L.; Wang, K.; McCoon, P.; Negro, A.; He, P.; Gibbs, M.; Kurland, J. F.; Abou-Alfa, G. K.
Article Title: Exposure-response analyses of tremelimumab monotherapy or in combination with durvalumab in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma
Abstract: PURPOSE: A novel single-dose regimen of 300 mg tremelimumab in combination with durvalumab [Single Tremelimumab Regular Interval Durvalumab (STRIDE)] has demonstrated a favorable benefit-risk profile in the phase I/II Study 22 (NCT02519348) and phase III HIMALAYA study (NCT03298451). This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics, exposure-response, and exposure-pharmacodynamics relationships of tremelimumab in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A previous tremelimumab population pharmacokinetic model was validated using data from parts 2 and 3 of Study 22. Exposure-response analyses explored relationships of tremelimumab exposure with efficacy and safety. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics relationships were evaluated using linear and nonlinear regression models. RESULTS: The observed pharmacokinetics of tremelimumab in uHCC were consistent with predictions; no significant covariates were identified. Tremelimumab exposure was not significantly associated with adverse events, objective response rate, or progression-free survival. Overall survival (OS) was longer for patients with tremelimumab exposure, minimum serum drug concentration (Cmin1) ≥ median versus Cmin1 < median (18.99 months vs. 10.97 months), but this exposure-survival analysis might be confounded with baseline characteristics of albumin level and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, which had a significant impact on OS (P = 0.0004 and 0.0001, respectively). The predicted Cmin1 of tremelimumab in STRIDE regimen (12.9 μg/mL) was greater than the estimated concentration of tremelimumab eliciting half-maximal increases (EC50 = 5.24 μg/mL) in CD8+Ki67+ T-cell counts. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support novel insights into tremelimumab pharmacokinetics and exposure-response relationships in HCC and support the clinical utility of the STRIDE regimen in patients with uHCC. ©2022 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.
Keywords: treatment outcome; clinical trial; liver cell carcinoma; carcinoma, hepatocellular; liver neoplasms; antineoplastic agent; ticilimumab; phase 2 clinical trial; antineoplastic combined chemotherapy protocols; liver tumor; phase 1 clinical trial; humans; human; durvalumab
Journal Title: Clinical Cancer Research
Volume: 29
Issue: 4
ISSN: 1078-0432
Publisher: American Association for Cancer Research  
Date Published: 2023-02-15
Start Page: 754
End Page: 763
Language: English
DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.Ccr-22-1983
PUBMED: 36477555
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC9932581
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 1 March 2023 -- Source: Scopus
Altmetric
Citation Impact
BMJ Impact Analytics
MSK Authors
  1. Ghassan Abou-Alfa
    568 Abou-Alfa