Cancer Vaccine Study for Stage III, Unresectable, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) in the Asian Population (INSPIRE)

September 16, 2016 updated by: Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

A Multi-national, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Randomized, Phase III Clinical Trial of the Cancer Vaccine Stimuvax® (L-BLP25 or BLP25 Liposome Vaccine) in Asian Subjects With Stage III, Unresectable, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Who Have Demonstrated Either Stable Disease or Objective Response Following Primary Chemo-radiotherapy

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the cancer vaccine tecemotide (L-BLP25) in addition to best supportive care is effective in prolonging the lives of Asian subjects with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer in comparison to a placebo plus best supportive care (a so-called placebo controlled study).

Study Overview

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

285

Phase

  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

      • Beijing, China
        • Beijing Chest Hospital
      • Beijing, China
        • Beijing Cancer Hospital
      • Beijing, China
        • 307 Hospital of Chinese PLA
      • Beijing, China
        • Cancer Institue & Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
      • ChangChun, China, 130021
        • The First Hospital of Jilin University
      • Changchun, China
        • Jillin Provincial Cancer Hospital
      • Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
        • West China Hospital of Sichuan University
      • Chongqing, China
        • Southwest Hospital of the Third Military Medical University
      • Chongqing, China
        • The Second Affiliate Hospital of the Third Military Medical University
      • Fuzhou, China
        • Fujian Province Tumor Hospital
      • GuangZhou, China
        • Guangdong General Hospital
      • Guangzhou, China
        • The First Affilated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College
      • Haerbin, China
        • Heilongjiang Cancer Hospital
      • Haidian Districk, Beijing, China
        • China PLA General Hospital
      • Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
        • Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital
      • Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
        • Zhejiang Cancer Hospital
      • Hefei, China
        • The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University
      • Kunming, China
        • Yunan Tumor Hospital
      • Nanchang, China
        • The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University
      • Nanjing, China
        • PLA 81 Hospital
      • Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
        • Jiangsu Cancer Hospital
      • Shanghai, China
        • Shanghai Chest Hospital
      • Shanghai, China
        • Fundan University Cancer Hospital
      • Shanghai, China
        • Shangahi Pulmonary Hosptial
      • Shanghai, China
        • Shanghai Chest Hosptial
      • Shantou, China
        • Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College
      • Wuhan, China
        • Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical Colleague of Huazhong University of Science and Technology
      • XiCheng District, Beijing, China
        • Peking Union Medical College Hospital
      • Yangzhou, China
        • Subei People's Hospital
      • Kowloon, Hong Kong
        • Queen Elizabeth Hospital
      • New Territories, Hong Kong
        • Tuen Mun Hospital
      • Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
        • Queen Mary Hospital
      • Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
        • Prince of Wales Hospital
      • Seoul, Korea, Republic of
        • Seoul National University Hospital
      • Seoul, Korea, Republic of
        • Samsung Medical Center
      • Seoul, Korea, Republic of
        • Severance Hospital, Yonsi University College of Medicine
      • Seoul, Korea, Republic of
        • St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea
      • Singapore, Singapore
        • National University Hospital
      • Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
        • Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital
      • Kaohsiung County, Taiwan
        • Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Kaohsiung
      • Taichung, Taiwan
        • Taichung Veterans General Hospital
      • Taichung City, Taiwan
        • China Medical University Hospital
      • Tainan, Taiwan
        • National Cheng Kung University Hospital
      • Tainan County, Taiwan
        • Chi Mei Hospital, Liouying
      • Taipei, Taiwan
        • National Taiwan University Hospital
      • Taipei, Taiwan
        • Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Dept of Chest
      • Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
        • Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Branch

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Histologically or cytologically documented unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
  • Documented stable disease or objective response, according to Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Version 1.0 (RECIST v1.0) after primary concomitant chemo-radiotherapy for unresectable stage III disease, within four weeks (28 days) prior to randomization
  • Receipt of concomitant chemo-radiotherapy. The chemotherapy-part must have been platinum-based, must have been administered with a minimum of two cycles overlap with radiotherapy (one cycle lasts either 3 or 4 weeks depending on the chemotherapy regimen), and a minimum of two platinum-based chemotherapy administrations must have been given during radiotherapy. Purely radio sensitizing doses of chemotherapy are not acceptable. Radiotherapy must have delivered a radiation dose of >= (greater than or equal to) 50 Gray (Gy). Induction or consolidation chemotherapy is allowed and if given, should be accounted as part of primary thoracic chemoradiotherapy. Subjects must have completed the primary thoracic chemo-radiotherapy at least four weeks (28 days) and no later than 12 weeks (84 days) prior to randomization. Subjects who received prophylactic brain irradiation as part of primary chemo-radiotherapy are eligible
  • Geographically accessible for ongoing follow-up, and committed to comply with the designated visits
  • An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1
  • A platelet count >= the lower limit of normal for the site or >= 100 x 10^9 per liter (/Liter) (whichever is greater); white blood cell (WBC) >= 2.5 x 10^9/Liter and haemoglobin >= 90 gram per liter (g/L)
  • >=18 years of age (or minimum age of legal consent consistent with local regulations, if minimum is greater than [>] 18 years of age)
  • Other protocol defined inclusion criteria could apply

Exclusion Criteria:

Pre-Therapies*:

  • Prior sequential chemo-radiotherapy
  • Lung-cancer-specific therapy (including surgery) other than primary chemoradiotherapy
  • Immunotherapy (e.g., interferons, tumor necrosis factor [TNF], interleukins, or biological response modifiers [granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor {GMCSF}, granulocyte colony stimulating factor {G-CSF}, macrophage-colony stimulating factor {M-CSF}], monoclonal antibodies) within four weeks (28 days) prior to randomization
  • Investigational systemic drugs (including off-label use of approved products) within four weeks (28 days) prior to randomization

Disease Status:

  • Metastatic disease
  • Malignant pleural effusion at initial diagnosis and/or at trial entry
  • Past or current history of neoplasm other than lung carcinoma, except for curatively treated non-melanoma skin cancer, in situ carcinoma of the cervix, or other cancer curatively treated and with no evidence of disease for at least 5 years
  • Autoimmune disease
  • A recognized immunodeficiency disease including cellular immunodeficiencies, hypogammaglobulinemia or dysgammaglobulinemia; subjects who have hereditary or congenital immunodeficiencies
  • Any preexisting medical condition requiring chronic steroid or immunosuppressive therapy (steroids for the treatment of radiation pneumonitis are allowed)
  • Known active Hepatitis B infection and/or Hepatitis C infection
  • Signs and symptoms suggestive of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, or of family members who suffer(ed) from such

Physiological Functions:

  • Clinically significant hepatic dysfunction
  • Clinically significant renal dysfunction
  • Clinically significant cardiac disease
  • Splenectomy
  • Infectious process that in the opinion of the investigator could compromise the subject's ability to mount an immune response

Standard Safety:

  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women, women of childbearing potential, unless using effective contraception as determined by the investigator
  • Known drug abuse or alcohol abuse
  • Participation in another clinical trial (excluding purely observational studies) within the past 28 days
  • Requires concurrent treatment with a non-permitted drug
  • Known hypersensitivity to any of the trial treatment ingredients
  • Legal incapacity or limited legal capacity
  • Any other reason that, in the opinion of the investigator precludes the subject from participating in the trial

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Investigational Arm
Tecemotide (L-BLP25) + Single low dose cyclophosphamide + Best supportive care (BSC)
Subjects will receive 8 consecutive weekly subcutaneous vaccinations with 918 microgram (mcg) of tecemotide (L-BLP25) at Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (primary treatment phase) and then at 6-Week intervals, beginning at Week 14 (maintenance phase) until disease progression (PD) is documented or the subject discontinues for any other reason.
Other Names:
  • L-BLP25
  • Stimuvax
A single intravenous (IV) infusion of 300 milligram per square meter (mg/m^2) (to a maximum 600 mg) of cyclophosphamide will be given 3 days before the first administration of tecemotide.
The BSC will be provided as per the investigator's discretion, and is not limited to palliative radiation, psychosocial support, analgesics and nutritional support.
Placebo Comparator: Control Arm
Saline + Placebo + Best supportive care (BSC)
The BSC will be provided as per the investigator's discretion, and is not limited to palliative radiation, psychosocial support, analgesics and nutritional support.
Subjects will receive 8 consecutive weekly subcutaneous vaccinations of tecemotide (L-BLP25) matching placebo at Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 followed by maintenance treatment at 6-Week intervals, beginning at Week 14, until PD is documented or the subject discontinues for any other reason.
A single IV infusion of 0.9 percent (%) sodium chloride (saline) will be given 3 days before first placebo vaccination.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Overall Survival (OS) Time
Time Frame: From the date of randomization until death, assessed up to 5.6 years
OS time was measured as the time (in months) between the date of randomization and the date of death. For subjects alive or lost to follow-up at time of analysis, the time between the date of randomization and the date on which the subject was last known alive was calculated and used as a censored observation in the analysis.
From the date of randomization until death, assessed up to 5.6 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time to Symptom Progression (TTSP)
Time Frame: From the date of randomization to the date of symptomatic progression, assessed up to 5.6 years
TTSP was measured from randomization to symptomatic progression by lung cancer symptom scale (LCSS) used to measure symptom changes relevant to quality of life (QoL).It consisted of 9 items focused on cancer symptoms (loss of appetite, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, blood in sputum, pain, symptoms of cancer, illness affecting normal activity, QoL).For each symptom score distance from left boundary to point where subject has marked line was measured in millimeters (mm).Total scale length was 100 mm. Symptomatic progression was defined as increase/worsening of average symptomatic burden index (ASBI) (mean of 6 major lung cancer specific symptom scores);Worsening defined as 10% increase of scale breadth from baseline. Score 0 indicate no/minimum symptoms;100 indicates maximum level of symptoms. Subjects without symptomatic progression/lost to follow-up at time of analysis: time from date of randomization to date of last LCSS assessment was calculated & used as censored observation.
From the date of randomization to the date of symptomatic progression, assessed up to 5.6 years
Time to Progression (TTP)
Time Frame: From the date of randomization to the date of radiological confirmation of PD, assessed up to 5.6 years
Time from randomization to radiological confirmation of disease progression (PD) as determined by the investigator. PD was defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions from nadir, or the appearance of one or more new lesions as per RECIST version 1.0. For subjects without radiological confirmed PD who discontinued or died due to PD, the date of trial treatment discontinuation was used as event date. Subjects who missed 2 consecutive scheduled doses without evaluable assessment for the related visits and who were lost to follow-up thereafter were considered as having PD, TTP was calculated from the date of randomization to the date of their first missed treatment. Subjects without PD at time of analysis are censored at either date of last vaccination or death or discontinuation of treatment or lost to follow-up.
From the date of randomization to the date of radiological confirmation of PD, assessed up to 5.6 years
Progression Free Survival (PFS)
Time Frame: From the date of randomization to PD, assessed up to 5.6 years
Time from randomization to objective disease progression (PD) as determined by the investigator or death. PD was defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions from nadir, or the appearance of one or more new lesions as per RECIST version 1.0. Subjects who missed 2 consecutive scheduled doses without evaluable assessment for the related visits and who were lost to follow-up thereafter were considered as having PD, and the PFS was calculated from the date of randomization to the date of their first missed treatment. PFS time for subjects without an event was censored as of the date of last performed imaging.
From the date of randomization to PD, assessed up to 5.6 years
Time to Treatment Failure (TTF)
Time Frame: From the date of randomization to the date of first missed treatment, assessed up to 5.6 years
TTF was time from randomization to discontinuation of trial treatment for any reason as reported by the investigator. For subjects still receiving treatment at the time of analysis, the time between the date of randomization and the last date of treatment will be used as a censored observation in the analysis. Subjects who missed 2 consecutive scheduled doses without evaluable assessment for the related visits and who were lost to follow-up thereafter were considered treatment failure and the TTF was calculated from the date of randomization to the date of their first missed treatment.
From the date of randomization to the date of first missed treatment, assessed up to 5.6 years
Number of Subjects With Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs), Serious TEAEs, TEAEs Leading to Discontinuation and TEAEs Leading to Death
Time Frame: From the first dose of study drug administration until 42 days after the last dose of study drug administration, assessed up to 5.6 years
An Adverse Event (AE) was defined as any new untoward medical occurrences/worsening of pre-existing medical condition without regard to possibility of causal relationship. A Serious Adverse Event (SAE) was an AE that resulted in any of the following outcomes: death; life threatening; persistent/significant disability/incapacity; initial or prolonged inpatient hospitalization; congenital anomaly/birth defect. TEAEs were defined as the AEs that occur between first dose of study drug administration and 42 days after the last dose of study drug administration that were absent before treatment or that worsened relative to pretreatment state. Number of subjects with TEAE leading to death and permanent discontinuation of any trial treatment were presented.
From the first dose of study drug administration until 42 days after the last dose of study drug administration, assessed up to 5.6 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Study Director: Medical responsible, Merck Serono (Beijing), Pharmaceutical R&D Co., Ltd., an Affiliate of Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

December 1, 2009

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2015

Study Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 1, 2009

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 17, 2009

First Posted (Estimate)

November 18, 2009

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

October 26, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 16, 2016

Last Verified

September 1, 2016

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Clinical Trials on Tecemotide

Subscribe