A Study of Avelumab in Penile Cancer Who Are Unfit for or Have Progressed After Platinum-Based Chemotherapy

A Phase 2, Multi-centre, Open-label Study of Avelumab (MSB0010718C) in Locally Advanced or Metastatic Penile Cancer Patients Unfit for Platinum-based Chemotherapy or Progressed On or After Platinum-based Chemotherapy

This is a phase 2 study whose purpose is see how useful investigational drug, avelumab, is in patients with locally advanced or metastatic penile cancer who are unfit for or progressed on platinum-based chemotherapy.

The usefulness of avelumab in this study population will be determined by anti-tumor activity assessed by objective response rate.

Avelumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds to a protein called programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and blocks its communication with another protein called programmed death protein 1 (PD-1). The communication of these proteins are thought to be important in the growth of tumors. Blocking these proteins from communicating may stop or shrink tumors.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Metastatic Cancer; Advanced Cancer; Penile Cancer
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Avelumab; Other: Best Supportive Care

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 25
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Ontario
    • Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5G 2M9
      • Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the penis
• Measurable disease per Immune-related Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (iRECIST)
• Unresectable/metastatic disease that is unfit for platinum-based chemotherapy OR disease that has progressed on or after treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy
• ≥18 years of age
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status 0-2

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prior immunotherapy with IL-2, IFN-α, or an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, anti-PD-L2, anti-CD137, or CTLA-4 antibody (including ipilimumab), or any other antibody or drug specifically targeting T-cell co-stimulation or immune checkpoint pathways
• Major surgery ≤4 weeks or major radiation therapy ≤2 weeks prior to enrollment
• Known symptomatic central nervous system (CNS) metastases requiring steroids
• Active autoimmune disease that might deteriorate when receiving an immunostimulatory agent
• Diagnosis of prior immunodeficiency or organ transplant requiring immunosuppressive therapy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Avelumab and Best Supportive Care; Avelumab will be given intravenously (by vein) at a dose of 10 mg/kg, once every 2 weeks Best supportive care will be provided as required.	Drug: Avelumab; Avelumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody (mAb) of the immunoglobulin (Ig) G1 isotype. Avelumab selectively binds to programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and competitively blocks its interaction with programmed death protein 1 (PD-1).; Other: Best Supportive Care; As required.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Objective Response Rate	To demonstrate the anti-tumor activity of avelumab by objective response rate (ORR) according to Immune-related Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (iRECIST) in patients with locally advanced or metastatic penile carcinoma unfit for platinum-based chemotherapy or progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.	4 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Progression-free Survival Rate	Assess the progression free survival (PFS) of avelumab in patients determined to have PD-L1-positive tumors (including infiltrating immune cells) by the GMP verified Dako PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx test with thresholds of <1%, 1-49%, and ≥ 50% to define PD-L1 positivity, and in all enrolled patients	3 years
Overall Survival Rate	Assess the overall survival (OS) of avelumab in patients determined to have PD-L1-positive tumors (including infiltrating immune cells) by the GMP verified Dako PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx test with thresholds of <1%, 1-49%, and ≥ 50% to define PD-L1 positivity, and in all enrolled patients	3 years

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Health Network, Toronto
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Srikala Sridhar, M.D., Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 15, 2018
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 29, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 29, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): January 5, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): December 18, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 11, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urogenital Diseases; Genital Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Genital Neoplasms, Male; Urogenital Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Genital Diseases, Male; Male Urogenital Diseases; Neoplastic Processes; Penile Diseases; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Neoplasm Metastasis; Penile Neoplasms; Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; avelumab
• Other Study ID Numbers: ALPACA; 17-6013 (Other Identifier: UHN)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No