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RecruitingInterventionalPhase 1

Phase 1 Study of Intratumoral Administration of VAX014 With Expansion in Combination With a Checkpoint Inhibitor in Subjects With Advanced Solid Tumors

NCT ID: NCT05901285Sponsor: Vaxiion TherapeuticsLast updated: 2026-05-14

Summary

The purpose of this research study is to evaluate the safety, tolerability and activity of VAX014 for intratumoral injections (VAX014) as a single agent as well as in combination with Investigator's choice of nivolumab or pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. VAX014 is a targeted oncolytic agent designed to kill tumor cells following intratumoral injection into advanced solid tumors.

Detailed description

This study will evaluate the safety and tolerability of VAX014 using a 3+3 dose escalation design to determine a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) or maximum practical dose (MPD) of single agent VAX014. The DLT assessment period will be the initial 21-days of injections. Subjects will receive weekly injections for the initial 8 weeks. Up to six dose levels will be evaluated (i.e., \[starting dose\], \[starting dose\] x 3, \[starting dose\] x 10, \[starting dose\] x 30, \[starting dose\] x 100, \[starting dose\] x 300). Subjects may continue on treatment following discussion between the Principal Investigator and Sponsor/Medical Monitor. After the determination of a single agent RP2D by the SRC for single agent intratumoral VAX014, an Expansion Phase will be conducted combining intratumoral VAX014 with Investigator's choice of nivolumab or pembrolizumab. The SRC may adjust the RP2D of VAX014 used during the Expansion Phase based on accumulating safety data. The Expansion Phase will consist of up to 25 subjects. For the first 3 subjects treated with the combination of VAX014 and either nivolumab or pembrolizumab, the initial 2 doses of intratumoral VAX014 will be reduced by one dose level from the VAX014 RP2D. If the initial 3 subjects are able to escalate to the RP2D for VAX014, all subsequent subjects will then receive VAX014 at the RP2D starting with the first dose of VAX014.

Arms & interventions

  • DrugVAX014

    Intratumorally administered oncolytic agent comprised of recombinant bacterial minicells. VAX014 is not infectious and is not capable of replication

  • Combination ProductNivolumab or pembrolizumab

    VAX014 will be given in combination with Investigator's choice of nivolumab or pembrolizumab.

Outcome measures

Primary

  • Maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of VAX014

    The MTD will be defined as the dose level at which at most one of six patients experiences a dose limiting toxicity (DLT) after 21 days of treatment have occurred, with the next higher dose having at least 2/3 or 2/6 patients experiencing a DLT

    Time frame: up to 21 days

  • Incidence of Treatment-Emergency Adverse Events (Safety and Tolerability)

    Toxicities will be assessed in each subject by tracking the occurrence of graded Adverse Events (AEs). AEs will be graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE) v5.0

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 20 weeks

  • Recommended Phase 2 Dose (RP2D) for single agent intratumoral VAX014

    The RP2D will be determined following the determination of the MTD and with agreement by the Safety Review Committee

    Time frame: up to 5 weeks

  • Acceptable dose of VAX014 in combination with PD-1 Inhibitor

    Determine the acceptable dose of VAX014 when used in combination with Investigator's choice of nivolumab or pembrolizumab

    Time frame: 3 months

  • Evaluation of efficacy of VAX014 in combination with either nivolumab or pembrolizumab

    Evaluate efficacy including overall response rate (ORR), response of injected tumor(s) of VAX014 in combination with Investigator's choice of nivolumab or pembrolizumab

    Time frame: 18 months

Secondary

  • Characterize systemic exposure by evaluating pharmacokinetics of intratumoral VAX014 as monotherapy and (if appropriate) in combination with nivolumab or pembrolizumab [systemic PK]

    Time frame: up to 1 week

  • Anti-Drug Antibodies (Immunogenicity) [systemic ADA]

    Time frame: Up to 20 weeks

  • Overall Response Rate as VAX014 alone and in combination with either nivolumab or pembrolizumab

    Time frame: Up to 20 weeks

Eligibility criteria

Sex: AllAge: 18 Years and olderHealthy volunteers: No
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age 18+ 2. Informed consent 3. Histological or cytopathological confirmed diagnosis of a locally advanced or metastatic solid tumor 4. Progression following at least one prior standard treatment or intolerant of standard treatments. 5. \[Dose Escalation\] Availability of archival or fresh tumor tissue 6. \[Expansion\] Willing to undergo biopsy of the tumor to be injected prior to the initial VAX014 injection (may provide archival tissue instead if approved by Medical Monitor) 7. No available SOC therapy that would confer clinical benefit 8. \[Dose escalation\] At least one cutaneous, subcutaneous, or nodal injectable tumor (between 1 and 10 cm in largest diameter) that can be injected by direct palpation or with the assistance of ultrasound without the need for interventional radiology 9. \[Expansion\] At least one injectable tumor (\>=0.5cm in largest diameter) that can be injected either with or without the need for interventional radiology 10. \[Expansion\] Appropriate for treatment with either nivolumab or pembrolizumab 11. \[Expansion\] Progression following at least one prior regimen containing PD-1 directed immune checkpoint blockade 12. Measurable disease by RECIST v1.1 13. ECOG Performance Status of 0, 1, or 2 14. Resolution of any toxicity associated with prior therapy to ≤ Grade 1 (Residual toxicity of Grade 2 may be allowed following discussion with Medical Monitor) 15. Adequate hematologic function defined as: 1. Absolute neutrophil count \>=1,500/uL 2. Platelet count \>=100,000/uL 3. \[Expansion\] Hemoglobin \>=9 gm/dL 16. Adequate hepatic function defined as: 1. Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x ULN 2. Aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) ≤ 2.5 x ULN 17. Adequate coagulation defined as: 1. International normalized ratio (INR) ≤ 1.5 x ULN or prothrombin time (PT) ≤ 1.5 x ULN 2. Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) or activated PTT (aPTT) ≤ 1.5 x ULN 18. Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 x ULN or estimated GFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (per MDRD GFR formula) 19. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test 20. All subjects of childbearing potential must be willing to consent to using effective contraception (as determined by the Investigator) while on treatment and for 3 months after their participation in the study ends Exclusion Criteria: 1. Injectable tumor not sufficiently distanced from critical structures (e.g., major airway, neurovascular structure) where post injection swelling may place the subject at unacceptable risk 2. ≤ 21 days or ≤ five half-lives (whichever is shorter) between any prior anticancer therapy (e.g., chemotherapy, immunotherapy, intralesional therapy, irradiation) and the first injection of VAX014 3. Known CNS metastases or leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, unless adequately treated and clinically stable off steroids for ≥ 14 days from the first injection of VAX014 4. Severe infection requiring systemic antibiotic therapy or hospitalization for treatment of injection 5. Need for systemic immunosuppressive therapy (≤10 mg of prednisone equivalent, or one time pulse steroids excepted) 6. Active autoimmune disease requiring systemic immunosuppressive therapy 7. Active lung disease or pneumonitis 8. History of Grade 4 toxicity in response to prior PD-1 blockade 9. Any other malignancy likely to require treatment in the next 2 years (exceptions include cancer such as basal or squamous cell skin cancers, noninvasive cancer of the cervix, and local prostate cancer) 10. Known active infection with tuberculosis or HIV 11. Active Hepatitis B or C 12. \[Females\] pregnant or breastfeeding 13. Clinically significant cardiovascular abnormalities including: 1. ≤ 12 months from prior MI 2. Unstable angina pectoris 3. ≤ 6 months from NYHA classification \>=3 CHF 14. Electrocardiogram (ECG) with QTcF \> 450 msec (males) and QTcF \> 470 msec (females) based on an average of triplicate ECGs (triplicate ECGs performed only if initial QTcF exceeds male/female limits) 15. Medical or psychological condition that places the subject at undue risk with study participation

Study locations (7)

University of Arizona Cancer Center

Tucson, Arizona, 85719

Recruiting
Spencer Williams · Contact

Sarah Cannon Research Institute at HealthONE

Denver, Colorado, 80218

Recruiting

George Washington University

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20052

Recruiting

Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215

Recruiting

Dartmouth Cancer Center

Lebanon, New Hampshire, 03756

Recruiting

Atlantic Health System

Morristown, New Jersey, 07960

Recruiting

Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland, Ohio, 44195

Recruiting
Cancer Answer Line · Contact