Modeling of proliferating CD4 and CD8 T-cell changes to tremelimumab exposure in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma Journal Article


Authors: Song, X.; Kelley, R. K.; Green, M.; Standifer, N.; Lim, K.; Zhou, D.; Dunyak, J.; Negro, A.; Kurland, J. F.; Ren, S.; Khan, A. A.; Gibbs, M.; Abou-Alfa, G. K.
Article Title: Modeling of proliferating CD4 and CD8 T-cell changes to tremelimumab exposure in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma
Abstract: The STRIDE (Single Tremelimumab Regular Interval Durvalumab) regimen of single-dose tremelimumab 300 mg, plus durvalumab 1,500 mg every 4 weeks demonstrated potential for long-term survival in studies of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC; Study 22 and HIMALAYA). The aim of this analysis was to investigate changes in proliferating CD4+ Ki67+ and CD8+ Ki67+ T cells and their relationship with tremelimumab exposure in patients with uHCC. Median cell count, change from baseline, and percent change from baseline in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells peaked around 14 days after STRIDE. A model of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell response to tremelimumab exposure was developed. Patients with lower baseline T cell counts had a greater percent change from baseline in T cell response to tremelimumab, and baseline T-cell count was included in the final model. With the full covariate model, the half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of tremelimumab was 6.10 μg/mL (standard error = 1.07 μg/mL); > 98.0% of patients were predicted to have a minimum plasma concentration greater than EC50 with tremelimumab 300 or 750 mg. For EC75 (9.82 μg/mL), 69.5% and 98.2% of patients were predicted to exceed the EC75 with tremelimumab 300 and 750 mg, respectively. This analysis supports the clinical hypothesis that combination anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (anti-CTLA-4) and anti-programmed cell death ligand-1 (anti-PD-L1) therapy primes an immune response that may then be sustained by anti-PD-L1 monotherapy and supports the clinical utility of the STRIDE regimen in patients with uHCC. These insights may also help inform dose selection of anti-CTLA-4 plus anti-PD-L1 combination strategies. © 2023 AstraZeneca and The Authors. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
Keywords: controlled study; major clinical study; cancer combination chemotherapy; liver cell carcinoma; monotherapy; carcinoma, hepatocellular; liver neoplasms; cancer patient; antineoplastic agent; ki 67 antigen; cd8+ t lymphocyte; lymphocyte proliferation; cd8-positive t-lymphocytes; ki-67 antigen; ticilimumab; cancer immunotherapy; antineoplastic combined chemotherapy protocols; cohort analysis; cellular immunity; liver tumor; single drug dose; maximum plasma concentration; cd4 lymphocyte count; inoperable cancer; drug blood level; drug exposure; humans; human; article; durvalumab; ec50; cd8 lymphocyte count
Journal Title: Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Volume: 114
Issue: 4
ISSN: 0009-9236
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group  
Date Published: 2023-10-01
Start Page: 874
End Page: 882
Language: English
DOI: 10.1002/cpt.2992
PUBMED: 37422678
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Ghassan Abou-Alfa
    569 Abou-Alfa