Repurposing Ibrutinib for Chemo-Immunotherapy in a Phase 1b Study of Ibrutinib With Indoximod Plus Metronomic Cyclophosphamide and Etoposide for Pediatric Patients With Brain Cancer
Summary
Recent lab-based discoveries suggest that IDO (indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase) and BTK (Bruton's tyrosine Kinase) form a closely linked metabolic checkpoint in tumor-associated antigen-presenting cells. The central clinical hypothesis for the GCC2020 study is that combining ibrutinib (BTK-inhibitor) with indoximod (IDO-inhibitor) during chemotherapy will synergistically enhance anti-tumor immune responses, leading to improvement in clinical response with manageable overlapping toxicity. The GCC2020 trial is a prospective open-label phase 1 trial to determine the best safe dose of the BTK-inhibitor ibrutinib to use in combination with previously studied chemo-immunotherapy regimens comprised of the investigational IDO-inhibitor indoximod plus oral palliative chemotherapy for participants, age 6 to 25 years, with relapsed or refractory primary brain cancer. Those previously treated with indoximod-based therapy may be eligible, including prior treatment via the phase 2 indoximod study (GCC1949, NCT04049669), the now closed phase 1 study (NLG2105, NCT02502708), or any expanded access (compassionate use) protocols. Ibrutinib will be combined with either indoximod plus oral cyclophosphamide and etoposide (Regimen A) or indoximod plus oral temozolomide (Regimen B). No cross-over between these two regimens will be allowed. Dose-escalation cohorts will determine the best safe dose of ibrutinib for each of these regimens. This will be followed by expansion cohorts, using ibrutinib at the best safe dose for each regimen, to allow assessment of preliminary evidence of efficacy.
Arms & interventions
- DrugIndoximod
Indoximod will be taken by mouth twice daily, throughout each treatment cycle.
- DrugIbrutinib
For Regimen A, Ibrutinib will be taken by mouth once daily, on days 1-21 of each treatment cycle.
- DrugCyclophosphamide
Cyclophosphamide will be taken by mouth once daily, on days 1-21 of each treatment cycle.
- DrugEtoposide
Etoposide will be taken by mouth once daily, on days 1-21 of each treatment cycle.
- DrugIbrutinib
For Regimen B, Ibrutinib will be taken by mouth once daily, on days 1-14 of each treatment cycle.
- DrugTemozolomide
Temozolomide will be taken by mouth once daily, on days 1-5 of each treatment cycle.
Outcome measures
Primary
Incidence of regimen-limiting toxicity (RLT) for Regimen A
To determine the pediatric recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of ibrutinib, when combined with indoximod-based chemo-immunotherapy (Regimen A)
Time frame: First 90 days of treatment
Objective Response Rate (ORR) for Regimen A
Defined as the proportion of patients with a best objective response of either complete response (CR) or partial response (PR), using "immunotherapy Response Assessment for Neuro-Oncology" (iRANO) criteria
Time frame: Up to 5 years
Incidence of regimen-limiting toxicity (RLT) for Regimen B
To determine the pediatric recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of ibrutinib, when combined with indoximod-based chemo-immunotherapy (Regimen B)
Time frame: First 90 days of treatment
Objective Response Rate (ORR) for Regimen B
Defined as the proportion of patients with a best objective response of either complete response (CR) or partial response (PR), using "immunotherapy Response Assessment for Neuro-Oncology" (iRANO) criteria
Time frame: Up to 5 years
Secondary
Adverse events (AEs)
Time frame: Up to 19 months
Frequency of cycle delays for toxicity
Time frame: Up to 18 months
Frequency of dose-reductions of the chemotherapy regimen
Time frame: Up to 18 months
Complete Response Rate (CRR)
Time frame: Up to 5 years
Partial Response Rate (PRR)
Time frame: Up to 5 years
Modified Objective Response Rate (mORR)
Time frame: Up to 5 years
iRANO-PFS
Time frame: Up to 5 years
Overall Survival (OS)
Time frame: Up to 5 years
Eligibility criteria
Study locations (1)
Augusta University, Georgia Cancer Center
Augusta, Georgia, 30912
References
- Johnson TS, MacDonald TJ, Pacholczyk R, Aguilera D, Al-Basheer A, Bajaj M, Bandopadhayay P, Berrong Z, Bouffet E, Castellino RC, Dorris K, Eaton BR, Esiashvili N, Fangusaro JR, Foreman N, Fridlyand D, Giller C, Heger IM, Huang C, Kadom N, Kennedy EP, Manoharan N, Martin W, McDonough C, Parker RS, Ramaswamy V, Ring E, Rojiani A, Sadek RF, Satpathy S, Schniederjan M, Smith A, Smith C, Thomas BE, Vaizer R, Yeo KK, Bhasin MK, Munn DH. Indoximod-based chemo-immunotherapy for pediatric brain tumors: A first-in-children phase I trial. Neuro Oncol. 2024 Feb 2;26(2):348-361. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noad174.(PubMed)
- Sharma MD, Pacholczyk R, Shi H, Berrong ZJ, Zakharia Y, Greco A, Chang CS, Eathiraj S, Kennedy E, Cash T, Bollag RJ, Kolhe R, Sadek R, McGaha TL, Rodriguez P, Mandula J, Blazar BR, Johnson TS, Munn DH. Inhibition of the BTK-IDO-mTOR axis promotes differentiation of monocyte-lineage dendritic cells and enhances anti-tumor T cell immunity. Immunity. 2021 Oct 12;54(10):2354-2371.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.09.005. Epub 2021 Oct 5.(PubMed)