Log-Rank Test vs MaxCombo and Difference in Restricted Mean Survival Time Tests for Comparing Survival Under Nonproportional Hazards in Immuno-oncology Trials: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: The log-rank test is considered the criterion standard for comparing 2 survival curves in pivotal registrational trials. However, with novel immunotherapies that often violate the proportional hazards assumptions over time, log-rank can lose power and may fail to detect treatment benefit. The MaxCombo test, a combination of weighted log-rank tests, retains power under different types of nonproportional hazards.

Assessing the Influence of Subsequent Immunotherapy on Overall Survival in Patients with Unresectable Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer from the PACIFIC Study.

Background: Historically, the standard of care for patients with unresectable, Stage III non-small cell lung cancer had been concurrent chemoradiotherapy. However, outcomes had been poor, with approximately 15% to 32% of patients alive at 5 years. In the placebo-controlled Phase III A PACIFIC trial, consolidation treatment with durvalumab after concurrent chemoradiotherapy significantly improved overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival in patients with unresectable, Stage III non-small cell lung cancer, establishing this regimen as a new standard of care in this setting.

SAEgnal: A Predictive Assessment Framework for Optimizing Safety Profiles in Immuno-Oncology Combination Trials.

Combination therapies are an emerging drug development strategy in cancer, particularly in the immunooncology (IO) space. Many combination studies do not meet their safety objectives due to serious adverse events (SAEs). Prediction of SAEs based on evidence from single and combination studies would be highly beneficial.

Correlation Between Early Endpoints and Overall Survival in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Trial-Level Meta-Analysis.

Early endpoints, such as progression-free survival (PFS), are increasingly used as surrogates for overall survival (OS) to accelerate approval of novel oncology agents. Compiling trial-level data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) could help to develop a predictive framework to ascertain correlation trends between treatment effects for early and late endpoints. Through trial-level correlation and random-effects meta-regression analysis, we assessed the relationship between hazard ratio (HR) OS and (1) HR PFS and (2) odds ratio (OR) PFS at 4 and 6 months, stratified according to the mechanism of action of the investigational product.

Statistical and practical considerations in designing of immuno-oncology trials.

The novel mechanism of action of immunotherapy agents, in treatment of various types of cancer, poses unique challenges during the designing of clinical trials. It is important to account for possibility of a delayed treatment effect and adjust sample size accordingly. This paper provides an analytical approach for computing sample size in the presence of a delayed effect using a piece-wise proportional hazards model.

Relationship Between Progression-Free Survival, Objective Response Rate, and Overall Survival in Clinical Trials of PD-1/PD-L1 Immune Checkpoint Blockade: A Meta-Analysis.

PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has improved overall survival (OS) in solid tumor trials; however, parallel improvements in Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST)-based surrogate end points, progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR), are not always observed. Here, we assess the surrogacy of PFS/ORR for OS with ICB therapy across advanced/metastatic tumors. In a trial-level analysis (N = 40 randomized trials), PFS, ORR, and OS treatment effects were correlated (Spearman's rho).

Optimal PD-L1-high cutoff for association with overall survival in patients with urothelial cancer treated with durvalumab monotherapy.

Background: Studies have indicated that programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression may have utility as a predictive biomarker in patients with advanced/metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). Different immunohistochemical (IHC) assays are in development to assess PD-L1 expression on tumor cells (TCs) and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (ICs).

Methods: In this post hoc analysis of the single-arm, phase 1/2 Study 1108 (NCT01693562), PD-L1 expression was evaluated from tumor samples obtained prior to second-line treatment with durvalumab in patients with advanced/metastatic UC using the VENTANA (SP263) IHC Assay.

Patient-reported outcomes and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with locally advanced/metastatic urothelial carcinoma treated with durvalumab in phase 1/2 dose-escalation study 1108.

Background: Durvalumab has shown meaningful clinical activity in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) in Study 1108 (NCT01693562). An important focus in treatment is health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Here, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) from Study 1108 and their relationship with inflammatory biomarkers are explored.

Prognostic Significance of Liver Metastasis in Durvalumab-Treated Lung Cancer Patients.

Introduction: Two clinical studies (Study 1108 and ATLANTIC) were analyzed to evaluate the prognostic value of baseline liver metastases (LMs) in advanced/metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with durvalumab 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks.

Patients And Methods: A multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis was conducted; covariates included performance status, tumor stage, histology, sex, age, smoking status, and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status.

Results: In all, 569 patients were included.

Estimating Lifetime Benefits Associated with Immuno-Oncology Therapies: Challenges and Approaches for Overall Survival Extrapolations.

Background: Standard parametric survival models are commonly used to estimate long-term survival in oncology health technology assessments; however, they can inadequately represent the complex pattern of hazard functions or underlying mechanism of action (MoA) of immuno-oncology (IO) treatments.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore methods for extrapolating overall survival (OS) and provide insights on model selection in the context of the underlying MoA of IO treatments.

Methods: Standard parametric, flexible parametric, cure, parametric mixture and landmark models were applied to data from ATLANTIC (NCT02087423; data cut-off [DCO] 3 June 2016).

Population Pharmacokinetics of Durvalumab in Cancer Patients and Association With Longitudinal Biomarkers of Disease Status.

The objectives of this analysis were to develop a population pharmacokinetics (PK) model of durvalumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody, and quantify the impact of baseline and time-varying patient/disease characteristics on PK. Pooled data from two studies (1,409 patients providing 7,407 PK samples) were analyzed with nonlinear mixed effects modeling. Durvalumab PK was best described by a two-compartment model with both linear and nonlinear clearances.

Population Modeling of Tumor Kinetics and Overall Survival to Identify Prognostic and Predictive Biomarkers of Efficacy for Durvalumab in Patients With Urothelial Carcinoma.

Durvalumab is an anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody approved for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) that has progressed after platinum-containing chemotherapy. A population tumor kinetic model, coupled with dropout and survival models, was developed to describe longitudinal tumor size data and predict overall survival in UC patients treated with durvalumab (NCT01693562) and to identify prognostic and predictive biomarkers of clinical outcomes. Model-based covariate analysis identified liver metastasis as the most influential factor for tumor growth and immune-cell PD-L1 expression and baseline tumor burden as predictive factors for tumor killing.

Phase III randomized trial of second-line ixabepilone versus paclitaxel or doxorubicin in women with advanced endometrial cancer.

Objective: The purpose of this multicenter, open label, randomized phase III study was to determine whether ixabepilone resulted in improved overall survival (OS) compared with commonly used single-agent chemotherapy (doxorubicin or paclitaxel) in women with locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic endometrial cancer with at least one failed prior platinum-based chemotherapeutic regimen.

Methods: Patients were randomized 1:1 to ixabepilone (40mg/m(2)), or either paclitaxel (175mg/m(2)) or doxorubicin (60mg/m(2)), every 21days. Patients that had previously received an anthracycline were randomized to ixabepilone or paclitaxel; all other patients were randomized to ixabepilone or doxorubicin.

Relationship between treatment effects on progression-free survival and overall survival in multiple myeloma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of published clinical trial data.

Background: Demonstrating improved overall survival (OS) with new multiple myeloma (MM) treatments is becoming difficult because of extended survival, so progression-free survival (PFS) is commonly used as a surrogate endpoint for OS. We evaluated PFS as a potential surrogate for OS by examining whether observed treatment effects on PFS are positively associated with treatment effects on OS in MM.

Methods: A systematic literature review identified 21 randomized control trials reporting hazard ratios (HRs) for treatment effects on PFS and OS.

A retrospective analysis of cross-reacting cetuximab IgE antibody and its association with severe infusion reactions.

Severe infusion reactions (SIRs) at rates of 5% or less are known side effects of biological agents, including mAbs such as cetuximab. There are currently no prospectively validated risk factors to aid physicians in identifying patients who may be at risk of experiencing an SIR following administration of any of these drugs. A retrospective analysis of 545 banked serum or plasma samples from cancer patients participating in clinical trials of cetuximab was designed to evaluate whether the presence of pretreatment IgE antibodies against cetuximab, as determined by a commercially available assay system, is associated with SIRs during the initial cetuximab infusion.

Ixabepilone alone or with cetuximab as first-line treatment for advanced/metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.

Background: Despite high initial sensitivity to chemotherapy, TNBC is associated with a poor prognosis, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies. The aim of this multicenter, randomized, open-label phase II trial was to assess the efficacy of ixabepilone as monotherapy, and the combination of ixabepilone with cetuximab, as first-line treatment in patients with triple-negative locally advanced nonresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: Women were randomly assigned to receive either ixabepilone (40 mg/m(2)) every 21 days (n = 40), or ixabepilone (40 mg/m(2)) every 21 days with cetuximab (400 mg/m(2) loading dose, followed by 250 mg/m(2)) once weekly (n = 39).

Efficacy and safety of ixabepilone plus capecitabine in elderly patients with anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated metastatic breast cancer.

Objectives: Data on chemotherapy regimens in elderly patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) are limited. The aim of this retrospective pooled analysis was to determine efficacy and safety of ixabepilone plus capecitabine versus capecitabine alone in patients with MBC aged ≥ 65 years.

Materials And Methods: A total of 1973 patients with MBC previously treated with or resistant to anthracyclines and taxanes were randomized in two open-label, multinational, phase 3 studies (study 046 and study 048).

Phase II randomized trial of weekly and every-3-week ixabepilone in metastatic breast cancer patients.

This multicenter, open-label, randomized phase II trial compared the efficacy and tolerability of weekly ixabepilone versus the standard 3 weekly dosing regimen. Patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative, metastatic breast cancer (MBC) were randomly assigned to receive either ixabepilone 16 mg/m(2) as a 1-h intravenous (IV) infusion weekly on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle (1 week off therapy; n = 85), or 40 mg/m(2) as a 3-h IV infusion on day 1 of a 21-day cycle (n = 91), until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Randomization was stratified by (i) measurable versus nonmeasurable (evaluable) disease, (ii) ≤two versus >two prior chemotherapy regimens for MBC, and (iii) hormone receptor (HR)-positive versus HR-negative breast cancer.

Neoadjuvant doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide followed by ixabepilone or paclitaxel in early stage breast cancer and evaluation of βIII-tubulin expression as a predictive marker.

Background: This randomized phase II trial was designed to compare the rate of pathologic complete response (pCR) induced by neoadjuvant cyclophosphamide plus doxorubicin (AC) followed by ixabepilone or paclitaxel in women with early stage breast cancer (BC). Expression of βIII-tubulin as a predictive marker was also evaluated.

Patients And Methods: Women with untreated, histologically confirmed primary invasive breast adenocarcinoma received four cycles of AC followed by 1:1 randomization to either ixabepilone 40 mg/m2 (3-hour infusion) every 3 weeks for four cycles (n = 148) or weekly paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 (1-hour infusion) for 12 weeks (n = 147).

Randomized phase II study of ixabepilone or paclitaxel plus carboplatin in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer prospectively stratified by beta-3 tubulin status.

Purpose: Retrospective studies have reported that tumor expression of the beta-3 tubulin (β3T) isoform is an unfavorable prognostic factor in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with tubulin-inhibiting chemotherapy. Ixabepilone is a tubulin-inhibiting agent with low susceptibility to multiple resistance mechanisms including β3T isoform expression in several tumor models. This randomized phase II study evaluated ixabepilone-based chemotherapy in stage IIIb/IV NSCLC, compared with paclitaxel-based chemotherapy.

Validation of companion diagnostic for detection of mutations in codons 12 and 13 of the KRAS gene in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: analysis of the NCIC CTG CO.17 trial.

Context: The therascreen KRAS RGQ polymerase chain reaction kit is being developed as a companion diagnostic to aid clinicians, through detection of KRAS mutations, in the identification of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who are more likely to benefit from cetuximab.

Objectives: To assess whether KRAS mutation status, determined by using the therascreen KRAS kit, is a predictive marker of cetuximab efficacy.

Design: Tissue samples were obtained from patients with mCRC treated on the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group (NCIC CTG) CO.