Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for ASTX727 and Nivolumab in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Study Description

Brief Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to see if the combination of experimental drug ASTX727 and Nivolumab enhances the antitumor immune response in participants will recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Participants will take a pill called ASTX727 for 4 or 5 days every month followed by an injection of Nivolumab one week after the first dose of study medication.

Detailed Description: Anti PD1 inhibitor (Pembrolizumab, Nivolumab) is approved for recurrent/metastatic HNCC. However, response rates to Pembrolizumab or Nivolumab monotherapy are as low as 16-19%, underscoring the presence of immune evasion mechanisms. One of the main immune escape mechanisms described in HNSCC is poor tumor microenvironment characterized by defective HLA class I processing and antigen presentation, which allows tumor cells to evade their detection and destruction by cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells. Mutations or downregulation of the expression of HLA class I component including beta-2- microglobulin (β2M) and antigen processing machinery (APM) genes have been correlated with poor prognosis of HNSCC. Recent studies showed that de novo DNA methylation programs renders terminal T cell exhaustion and subsequent exhausted T cells are refractory to PD-1 blockade mediated rejuvenation. Pretreatment with DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) inhibitor prior to PD-L1 blockade showed enhancement of T cell responses and tumor control during PD-1 inhibitors in mice. A pilot study of novel combination of antiPD-1 and decitabine was conducted in patients with refractory or recurrent AML. The showed a best response of stable disease or better in 6 of 10 patients in patients with R-AML. A phase II clinical trial of anti-PD-1 camrelizumab plus decitabine, in relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma showed CR rate of 79% with decitabine plus camrelizumab compared to 32% with camrelizumab alone. Based on the promising results of decitabine enhances immune response and antitumor activity shown in both preclinical and preliminary clinical data from the phase II trial of hematological malignancies, I hypothesize that ASTX727 (oral decitabine and cedazuridine) changes DNA methylation status which may enhance the antitumor immune response by modulating tumor immune microenvironment and promoting increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, which may enhance response to anti-PD1 inhibitor in R/M HNSCC patients

Keywords

Eligibility

Minimum Age: 19 Years

Eligible Ages: ADULT, OLDER_ADULT

Sex: ALL

Healthy Volunteers: No

Locations

Contact Details

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