Neoplasms

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Carcinoma

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell

Head and Neck Neoplasms

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck

Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial

Neoplasms by Histologic Type

Antineoplastic Agents

All Drugs and Chemicals

Pembrolizumab

Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

In this clinical trial, the exosome-depleting device, the Hemopurifier, will be combined with standard of care therapy, Pembrolizumab. The purpose of the combination is to more effectively reduce immune suppression and provide a combined benefit of immune restoration for patients with recurrent/metastatic HNSCC. Therapy with the Hemopurifier will be initiated on the same day as and prior to Pembrolizumab infusion. The Hemopurifier treatment will be 4h. The subject treated with the Hemopurifier will remain in the Hemopurifier treatment area for the duration of the treatment. Pembrolizumab infusion will take place shortly after Hemopurifier treatment and may take place through the next day if needed.

Two Hemopurifier treatments on Day 1 and Day 21

Hemopurifier

Pembrolizumab 200mg IV will be administered every 21 days. One cycle is 21 days. All patients will be treated with Pembrolizumab for up to 34 cycles

Pembrolizumab 200mg IV

Dan Zandberg, MD

Steven P. LaRosa, M.D.

This is an Early Feasibility Study (EFS) investigating the use of the Hemopurifier to clear immunosuppressive exosomes in combination with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in the front line setting, in patients with advanced and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

All 12 patients enrolled into this Early Feasibility Phase I clinical trial will receive the same treatment of Hemopurifier plus Pembrolizumab (i.e., 2 rounds of Hemopurifier plus Pembrolizumab followed by Pembrolizumab only up to 2 years). Prior to initiation of the Hemopurifier treatment on Day 1, each subject will undergo phlebotomy to provide a baseline EDTA anti-coagulated blood sample, 30ml (\< 3 tablespoons of blood) for the assessments of total exosome protein (TEP) levels and exosome profiles. The kinetics of exosome depletion will be evaluated in the study participants using serial blood samples (5ml) collected hourly during the 4h-depletion period by the Hemopurifier on Day 1. In addition, to evaluate kinetics of exosome recovery, 30ml of blood will be collected just prior to Pembrolizumab infusion (day 1) and on days 7 and 14 after Hemopurifier plus Pembrolizumab treatment during cycle 1 and 2. Exosome recovery after Hemopurifier + Pembrolizumab therapy will be evaluated and used to determine the rate of TEP recovery for each patient. Serial monitoring of TEP during Hemopurifier treatment (hourly during the 4h-depletion period), before Pembrolizumab infusion and after the second round of Pembrolizumab (days 7, and 14) will be done as for the first treatment. Only 2 Hemopurifier treatments will be given. For third and later rounds of Pembrolizumab, the investigators will continue to draw 30mL blood prior to Pembrolizumab infusion for the assessments of TEP levels and exosome profiles.

This trial will evaluate the use of the Hemopurifier in combination with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in patients with advanced and/or metastatic head and neck cancer. The Hemopurifier is a blood filtration device similar to a kidney dialysis cartridge which is designed to remove small particles called exosomes from the blood. Exosomes are believed to be involved in suppression of the immune system in cancer patients. The study will evaluate whether pretreatment with the Hemopurifier before administration of pembrolizumab is safe and well tolerated and results in lower numbers of exosomes in the blood.

Hemopurifier Plus Pembrolizumab in Head and Neck Cancer

Depleting Exosomes to Improve Response to Immune Therapy in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer: An Early Feasibility Phase I Clinical Trial

Safety will be determined in an Early Feasibility Phase I clinical trial for patients with recurrent/metastatic HNSCC who will undergo therapy with first line Pembrolizumab per standard of care combined with Hemopurifier treatments . All patients will be treated with Pembrolizumab every 21 days and, during active treatment, imaging will be done after every 3rd cycle as per standard of care. As part of the first two cycles of Pembrolizumab patients will receive Hemopurifier therapy immediately prior to Pembrolizumab infusion. The Hemopurifier therapy will last 4h and patients will receive their Pembrolizumab dose as soon as logistically possible, after Hemopurifier therapy on the same day.

Adverse events will be graded using CTCAE v5. The proportion of patients experiencing serious adverse events at least possibly related to treatment with Hemopurifier plus Pembrolizumab will be estimated with an exact 95% binomial confidence interval. Toxicity will be assessed continuously, and the trial will be paused if any patient experiences a treatment-related Grade 3 or worse adverse event. The rule is based on a beta-binomial model with an uninformative prior (α=1, β=1), where the trial is paused if P(P(Toxicity\|Data and Prior)\>0.3)\>0.75.

Kinetics of exosome depletion will be studied by drawing venous blood hourly starting immediately before, hourly during and immediately after each Hemopurifier treatment until Pembrolizumab treatment begins, for measuring total exosome protein level (TEP) and immunoinhibitory protein and miRNA profiles in the systemic circulation. Kinetics of exosome recovery will be studied by measuring TEP levels immediately prior to Pembrolizumab administration, and on days 7 and 14 after the first 2 cycles where patients are treated with Hemopurifier plus Pembrolizumab. Blood will be collected prior to each Hemopurifier treatment and each Pembrolizumab infusion for serial monitoring of TEP levels and immunoinhibitory protein and miRNA profiles.

CT imaging will be done after every 3rd cycle as per standard of car. If the patient 2 years of treatment and remains with CR/PR or SD, patient will undergo imaging every 3 months or sooner at the discretion of the treating physician. If a patient is taken off the study for progression, adverse events, or any other reason they will be seen 30 days afterwards for follow up followed by survival follow up every 3 months in the first year and every 6 months in the second year after withdrawal from study.

Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for pembrolizumab 200mg iv