A Trial to Learn How the Cancer Vaccine BNT116 in Combination With Cemiplimab Works and How Safe the Combination is in Adults With Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (EMPOWERVAX Lung 1)
Cemiplimab: Cemiplimab is administered Q3W by IV infusion
Study summary
This study is researching an investigational drug, called BNT116, in combination with cemiplimab. BNT116 and cemiplimab will each be called a "study drug", and together be called "study drugs". The study is focused on patients who have advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The aims of this study are to see how safe and tolerable BNT116 is in combination with cemiplimab and to see how effective BNT116 in combination with cemiplimab is compared to cemiplimab by itself at treating cancer.
The study is looking at several other research questions, including:
* What side effects may happen from receiving the study drugs
* How much study drug is in the blood at different times
* Whether the body makes antibodies against the study drug(s) (which could make the drug less effective or could lead to side effects)
Eligibility
Sex
ALL
Min age
18 Years
Max age
—
Healthy volunteers
No
Key Inclusion Criteria
1. Participants with non-squamous or squamous histology NSCLC with stage IIIB or stage IIIC disease who are not candidates for surgical resection or definitive chemoradiation per investigator assessment or stage IV (metastatic) disease who received no prior systemic treatment for recurrent or metastatic NSCLC
2. Availability of an archival or on-study obtained formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissue sample as defined in the protocol.
3. Expression of Programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) ≥50%, as described in the protocol.
4. Participants must have at least 1 radiographically measurable lesion by computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1) criteria
5. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ≤1
Key Exclusion Criteria
1. Participants who have never smoked, defined as smoking ≤100 cigarettes in a lifetime
2. Active or untreated brain metastases or spinal cord compression. Participants are eligible if central nervous system (CNS) metastases are adequately treated and patients have neurologically returned to baseline (except for residual signs or symptoms related to the CNS treatment) for at least 2 weeks prior to enrollment
3. Participants with tumors tested positive for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene translocations, or C-ros oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase 1 (ROS1) fusions
4. Encephalitis, meningitis, or uncontrolled seizures in the year prior to enrollment
5. Participants with history of interstitial lung disease (eg, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or organizing pneumonia), of active, noninfectious pneumonitis that required immune-suppressive doses of glucocorticoids to assist with management, or of pneumonitis within the last 5 years
6. Prior splenectomy
7. Uncontrolled infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), HBV or hepatitis C infection (HCV); or diagnosis of immunodeficiency as defined in the protocol
8. Ongoing or recent (within 2 years) evidence of significant autoimmune disease that required treatment with systemic immunosuppressive treatments, which may suggest risk of immune-related treatment-emergent adverse events (imTEAEs)
9. Participants requiring corticosteroid therapy (\>5 mg prednisone/day or equivalent) within 14 days of randomization
10. Another malignancy that is progressing or requires treatment, except for non melanomatous skin cancer that has undergone potentially curative therapy, in situ cervical carcinoma, or any other localized tumor that has been treated, and the participant is deemed to be in complete remission for at least 2 years prior to enrollment, and no additional therapy is required during the study period
11. Documented or suspected ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection as defined in the protocol
12. Patients who have received prior systemic therapies for NSCLC are excluded except for of the following:
1. Adjuvant or neoadjuvant platinum-based doublet chemotherapy (after surgery and/or radiation therapy) if recurrent or metastatic disease develops more than 6 months after completing therapy if toxicities have resolved to CTCAE grade ≤1 or baseline except for alopecia and peripheral neuropathy.
2. Anti-PD-(L)1 with or without LAG-3 as an adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy as long as the last dose is \>12 months prior to enrollment.
3. Prior exposure to other immunomodulatory or vaccine therapies as an adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy such as anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen (anti-CTLA-4) antibodies if the last dose is \>6 months prior to enrollment
13. History or current evidence of significant cardiovascular disease including, myocarditis, congestive heart failure (as defined by New York Heart Association Functional Classification III and IV), unstable angina, serious uncontrolled arrhythmia, and myocardial infarction 6 months prior to study enrollment.
14. Hypersensitivity to cemiplimab or BNT116 or any of their excipients, or contraindicated to cemiplimab per approved local labeling.
15. Patients treated with immunostimulatory agents that may influence the efficacy of the investigational medicinal products (IMPs) are not allowed if they received such agents within 6 weeks or five halve lives of the drug.
Note: Other protocol-defined Inclusion/Exclusion criteria apply
Primary outcome measure(s)
Objective response rate (ORR) as assessed by blinded independent review committee (BIRC) using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1) — Up to 136 weeks from randomization Proportion of patients with a best overall response of confirmed complete response (CR) or partial response (PR)
Trial sites (52)
Facility
City
Region
Status
The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation
Los Angeles
California
UCLA Medical Center
Santa Monica
California
Norton Cancer Institute, Downtown
Louisville
Kentucky
San Juan Oncology Associates
Farmington
New Mexico
Weill Cornell Medicine
New York
New York
FirstHealth of the Carolinas Outpatient Cancer Center
Pinehurst
North Carolina
Millenium Research & Clinical Development
Houston
Texas
Virginia Cancer Specialists
Fairfax
Virginia
Northwest Medical Specialties, PLLC
Tacoma
Washington
LTD High Technology Hospital Medcenter
Batumi
Georgia
LLC Todua Clinic
Tbilisi
Georgia
LTD New Hospitals
Tbilisi
Georgia
LTD Tbilisi State Medical University and Ingorokva High Medical Technology University Clinic
Tbilisi
Georgia
LTD Cancer Research Centre
Tbilisi
Georgia
Caucasus Medical Centre
Tbilisi
Georgia
Staedtisches Klinikum Muenchen Bogenhausen
München
Bavaria
Klinikum der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Germany
Universitaetsklinikum Giessen Und Marburg Gmbh Standort Giessen
Giessen
Germany
Krankenhaus Martha-Maria Halle-Doelau gGmbH
Halle
Germany
Klinikverbund Kempten-Oberallgäu
Kempten
Germany
Korea University Anam Hospital
Seoul
Gyeonggi-do
Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital
Hwasun
Jeollanam-do
National Cancer Center Korea
Goyang
South Korea
Asan Medical Center
Seoul
South Korea
Yonsei Severance
Seoul
South Korea
Samsung Medical Center
Seoul
South Korea
Seoul National University Hospital
Seoul
South Korea
Catalan Institute of Oncology Badalona
Badalona
Barcelona
Althaia Xarxa Assistencial Universitaria Manresa
Manresa
Barcelona
Consorcio Hospitalario Provincial de Castellon
Castellon
Castellon
Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon (HGUGM)
Madrid
Spain
Clinica Universidad de Navarra - Madrid
Madrid
Spain
Hospital Universitario Fundacion Jimenez Diaz
Madrid
Spain
Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga
Málaga
Spain
Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio
Málaga
Spain
Clinica Universidad de Navarra
Pamplona
Spain
Instituto Valenciano de Oncologia
Valencia
Spain
Hospital Universitari i Politecnic La Fe de Valencia
Valencia
Spain
Kaohsiung Medical University - Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital
Kaohsiung City
Taiwan
Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital
New Taipei City
Taiwan
+ 12 more sites — see the full list on the official registry below.
This page summarises publicly available registry data for informational purposes — not medical advice. Eligibility is determined by each study team; patients should discuss participation with their clinician.
We use cookies to analyse site traffic and improve your experience. With your consent, we may also use cookies for advertising. You can change your choice at any time.