Adjuvant Therapy of Completely Resected Merkel Cell Carcinoma With Immune Checkpoint Blocking Antibodies vs Observation (ADMEC-O)

Prospective Randomized Trial of an Adjuvant Therapy of Completely Resected Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) With Immune Checkpoint Blocking Antibodies (Nivolumab, Opdivo®; Ipilimumab (Yervoy®) Every 3 Weeks for 12 Weeks Versus Observation

Primary objective: To estimate the efficacy of adjuvant nivolumab monotherapy in completely resected MCC patients

Primary endpoint: Disease-free survival (DFS) rate evaluated at 12, 24 and 48 months after date of randomization

Secondary Objectives: To describe the safety profile and additional efficacy parameters of the nivolumab treatment in MCC

Secondary endpoints:

• Adverse events according to CTCAE, Version 4.0 criteria, that are related to the administration of nivolumab
• Disease-free survival (DFS)
• Overall survival (OS) and OS rates at 12, 24 and 48 months after randomization

Explorative Endpoints:

• Distant-metastases-free survival (DMFS) and DMFS rate at 12, 24 and 48 months after randomization
• Identification and validation of prognostic/predictive biomarkers
• Quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30) until 24 months after randomization

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Merkel Cell Carcinoma
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Nivolumab

Detailed Description

This is an international, open-label, randomized, multicenter phase II study to assess the efficacy of adjuvant nivolumab therapy in completely resected MCC patients. In the initial trial design, the immune modulating treatment was based on CTLA-4 blockade by ipilimumab; however, the advent of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in the palliative treatment of MCC (presented at AACR, ASCO and ESMO) dramatically changed the treatment environment to an extent that applying treatments other than by PD-1/PD-L1 blockade had become very difficult. Moreover, the side effects of PD-1/PD-L1 blocking are far less frequent than side effects of ipilimumab. Consequently, randomization into the previous Ipilimumab treatment arm A was stopped. New patients will be randomized to nivolumab treatment instead. Patients randomized already into the Ipilimumab-arm will be evaluated descriptively for efficacy and safety. Patients already randomized into the observation arm (arm B) will be evaluated together with the newly randomized arm B-patients. A total of 177 patients with completely resected MCC will be enrolled over a recruitment period of 36 months into this trial, and randomized 2:1 as mentioned above. Patients will be stratified by sex, age, and stage of disease.

Examinations and Follow-up Phase:

The disease will be assessed at baseline, and thereafter every 12 weeks according to the current German guidelines for the management of MCC patients for 24 months after randomization, or until withdrawal of informed consent, lost to follow-up, or death, whichever occurs first. In addition, the patient's quality of life will be evaluated at baseline (pretreatment visit) and every 3 months until 24 months after randomization using a standard questionnaire (EORTC QLQC30).

After 24 months, additional FU visits (or phone calls) will be conducted 6-monthly recording survival and tumor status including subsequent therapies until withdrawal of informed consent, lost to follow-up, death or end of study, whichever occurs first.

End of study is defined as 48 months post LPFV (last patient first visit = date of randomization).

Same methods of assessment (e.g. ultrasonography, CT or MRI scans) used at baseline will be used during follow-up.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 180
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Berlin, Germany, 10117
    • Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin
  • Buxtehude, Germany, 21614
    • Elbeklinikum Buxtehude
  • Dresden, Germany, 01307
    • University Hospital Dresden, Dermatology
  • Erfurt, Germany, 99089
    • Helios Klinikum Erfurt
  • Freiburg, Germany, 79104
    • Universitätsklinikum Freiburg
  • Gera, Germany, 07548
    • SRH Wald-Klinikum Gera
  • Hannover, Germany, 30625
    • Hannover Medical School
  • Heidelberg, Germany, 69120
    • National Centre for Tumour Diseases (NCT)
  • Kiel, Germany, 24105
    • University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel
  • Leipzig, Germany, 04103
    • Universitätsklinikum Leipzig Klinik u. Poliklinik f. Dermatologie, Venerologie u. Allergologie
  • Mainz, Germany, 55131
    • Universitätsklinikum Mainz Hautklinik und Poliklinik
  • Mannheim, Germany, 68167
    • Universitätsklinikum Mannheim Klinik f. Dermatologie, Venerologie u. Allergologie
  • Munich, Germany, 80337
    • University Hospital Munchen (LMU)
  • Münster, Germany, 48149
    • Universitätsklinikum Münster Zentrale Studienkoordination für innovative Dermatologie (ZID)
  • Münster, Germany, 48157
    • Specialist clinic in Hornheide
  • Regensburg, Germany, 93053
    • Universitätsklinikum Regensburg
  • Tübingen, Germany, 72076
    • University Hospital Tübingen
  • Würzburg, Germany, 97080
    • Universitätsklinikum Würzburg Klinik u. Poliklinik f. Dermatologie, Venerologie u. Allergologie
  • NRW
    • Essen, NRW, Germany, 45122
      • University Hospital Essen, Dermatology
• Netherlands
  • Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1066 CX
    • The Netherlands Cancer Institute / Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital (NKI/AVL)

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. The patient is willing and able to give written informed consent.
2. Central histological confirmation of diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC).
3. All MCC manifestations have been completely resected by surgery within 12 weeks before enrolment.
4. No currently present metastases (as confirmed by standard imaging studies (e.g. suggested by S2k guidelines)).
5. No previous systemic therapy for MCC.

6. Required values for initial laboratory tests:

   • WBC ≥ 2000/uL
   • ANC ≥ 1000/uL
   • Platelets ≥ 75 x 103/uL
   • Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL (≥ 80 g/L)
   • Creatinine ≤ 2.0 x ULN
   • AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 x ULN
   • Total Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 x ULN, (except patients with Gilbert's Syndrome, who must have a total bilirubin less than 3.0 mg/dL)
7. ECOG performance status 0 or 1.
8. No active or chronic infection with HIV, Hepatitis B (HBV) or C (HCV).
9. Men and women, ≥ 18 years of age.
10. Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) must be using an adequate method of contraception (Pearl-Index < 1) to avoid pregnancy during treatment phase and for additional 5 months after the last dose of nivolumab, in such a manner that the risk of pregnancy is minimized. WOCBP include any female who has experienced menarche and who has not undergone successful surgical sterilization (hysterectomy, bilateral tubal ligation, or bilateral oophorectomy) or is not post-menopausal. WOCBP must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test (minimum sensitivity 25 IU/L or equivalent units of HCG) within 72 hours before the start of nivolumab.
11. Men of fathering potential must be using an adequate method of contraception to avoid conception and for 7 months after the last dose of nivolumab in such a manner that the risk of pregnancy is minimized.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Autoimmune disease: Patients with a history of inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease, are excluded from this study, as are patients with a history of symptomatic disease requiring systemic steroids (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, systemic progressive sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune vasculitis); autoimmune motor neuropathy.
2. Other serious illnesses, e.g., serious infections requiring i.v. antibiotics.
3. The patient is known to be positive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or other chronic infections (HBV, HCV) or has another confirmed or suspected immunosuppressive or immune deficient condition.
4. Any underlying medical or psychiatric condition, which in the opinion of the investigator will make the administration of nivolumab hazardous or obscure the interpretation of adverse events (AEs), such as a condition associated with frequent diarrhea.
5. Any non-oncology vaccine therapy for up to 1 month before or after any dose of nivolumab.
6. A history of prior or current treatment with a T cell potentiating agent (e.g. IL-2, interferon, anti-CTLA-4, anti-CD137, anti-PD1, anti-PD-L1, or anti-OX40 antibody).
7. Chronic use of immunosuppressive agents or systemic corticosteroids.

8. Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP), defined above in Section 5.1, who:

   • are unwilling or unable to use an acceptable method of contraception to avoid pregnancy for additional 5 months after the last dose of investigational product
   • have a positive pregnancy test at baseline
   • are pregnant or breastfeeding.
9. The patient has psychiatric or addictive disorders that may compromise his/her ability to give informed consent or to comply with the trial procedures.
10. Prisoners or subjects who are compulsorily detained (involuntarily incarcerated) for treatment of either a psychiatric or physical (e.g., infectious) illness.
11. Men of reproductive potential unwilling to use an adequate method to avoid pregnancy for additional 7 months after the last dose of investigational product.
12. Use of any investigational or non-registered product (drug or vaccine) other than the study treatment.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Observation; After complete resection of Merkel cell carcinoma, patients randomized to the observational arm will be observed only
Experimental: Nivolumab; After complete resection of Merkel cell carcinoma, patients randomized to the treatment arm will receive nivolumab at a fixed dose of 480 mg by IV infusion every 4 weeks for up to one year (i.e.13 doses).	Drug: Nivolumab; adjuvant treatment of completely resected Merkel cell carcinoma; Other Names: Opdivo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Disease-free survival (DFS) rate at 12 months	The number of patients alive and free of disease at 12 months after randomization in arm A compared to DFS in arm B.	1 years post last patient first treatment/randomization
Disease-free survival (DFS) rate at 24 months	The number of patients alive and free of disease at 24 months after randomization	2 years post last patient first treatment/randomization
Disease-free survival (DFS) rate at 48 months	The number of patients alive and free of disease at 48 months after randomization	4 years post last patient first treatment/randomization

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of adverse events	Adverse events according to CTCAE, Version 4.0 criteria, that are related to the administration of Ipilimumab	1, 2 and 4 years post last patient first treatment/randomization
Overall survival rate at 12 months	Overall survival rate at 12 months, defined as the number of patients alive at 12 months after randomization divided by the total number of patients randomized.	1 year post last patient first treatment/randomization
Overall survival rate at 24 months	Overall survival rate at 24 months, defined as the number of patients alive at 24 months after randomization divided by the total number of patients randomized.	2 years post last patient first treatment/randomization
Overall survival rate at 48 months	Overall survival rate at 48 months, defined as the number of patients alive at 48 months after randomization divided by the total number of patients randomized.	4 years post last patient first treatment/randomization
Disease-free survival (DFS)	Time from randomization to recurrence of tumor	1, 2 and 4 years post last patient first treatment/randomization
Overall survival (OS)	Time from randomization to death of patient	1, 2 and 4 years post last patient first treatment/randomization

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Distant-metastases-free survival (DMFS) at 12 months after randomization	Number of patients free of distant metastases at 12 months after randomization	1 year post last patient first treatment/randomization
Distant-metastases-free survival (DMFS) at 24 months after randomization	Number of patients free of distant metastases at 24 months after randomization	2 years post last patient first treatment/randomization
Distant-metastases-free survival (DMFS) at 48 months after randomization	Number of patients free of distant metastases at 48 months after randomization	4 years post last patient first treatment/randomization
Identification of prognostic/predictive biomarkers	Identify and validate prognostic/predictive biomarkers such as immune status, kinetics of the absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), or tumor microenvironment characteristics	2 and 4 years post last patient first treatment/randomization
Quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30) until 24 months after randomization	The patient's quality of life will be evaluated at baseline (pretreatment visit) and every 3 months until 24 months after randomization using a standard questionnaire	2 years post last patient first treatment/randomization

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Prof. Dr. med. Dirk Schadendorf
• Collaborators: Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Dirk Schadendorf, Prof. Dr., University Hospital, Essen

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 31, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 20, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 19, 2014
• First Posted (Estimated): July 22, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 28, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 26, 2023
• Last Verified: November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Nivolumab; Adjuvant; Merkel cell carcinoma
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Virus Diseases; Infections; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Neoplasms; Adenocarcinoma; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial; Neuroectodermal Tumors; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal; Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue; DNA Virus Infections; Tumor Virus Infections; Neuroendocrine Tumors; Polyomavirus Infections; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine; Carcinoma; Carcinoma, Merkel Cell; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Nivolumab
• Other Study ID Numbers: CA184-205

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO