Open AccessPhase II clinical trial of peptide cocktail therapy for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: VENUS ‐ PC study
Author(s) -
Suzuki Nobuaki,
Hazama Shoichi,
Iguchi Haruo,
Uesugi Kazuhiro,
Tanaka Hiroaki,
Hirakawa Kosei,
Aruga Atsushi,
Hatori Takashi,
Ishizaki Hidenobu,
Umeda Yuzo,
Fujiwara Toshiyoshi,
Ikemoto Tetsuya,
Shimada Mitsuo,
Yoshimatsu Kazuhiko,
Shimizu Ryoichi,
Hayashi Hiroto,
Sakata Koichiro,
Takenouchi Hiroko,
Matsui Hiroto,
Shindo Yoshitaro,
Iida Michihisa,
Koki Yasunobu,
Arima Hideki,
Furukawa Hiroyuki,
Ueno Tomio,
Yoshino Shigefumi,
Nakamura Yusuke,
Oka Masaaki,
Nagano Hiroaki
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
cancer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1349-7006
pISSN - 1347-9032
DOI - 10.1111/cas.13113
Subject(s) - medicine , gemcitabine , pancreatic cancer , peptide vaccine , adverse effect , clinical trial , oncology , cancer , immunogenicity , phases of clinical research , gastroenterology , cancer vaccine , survival rate , immune system , immunology , immunotherapy , antigen , epitope
We previously conducted a phase I clinical trial combining the HLA ‐A*2402‐restricted KIF 20A‐derived peptide vaccine with gemcitabine for advanced pancreatic cancer ( PC ) and confirmed its safety and immunogenicity in cancer patients. In this study, we conducted a multicenter, single‐armed, phase II trial using two antiangiogenic cancer vaccines targeting VEGFR 1 and VEGFR 2 in addition to the KIF 20A peptide. We attempted to evaluate the clinical benefit of the cancer vaccination in combination with gemcitabine. Chemotherapy naïve PC patients were enrolled to evaluate primarily the 1‐year survival rate, and secondarily overall survival ( OS ), progression free survival ( PFS ), response rate ( RR ), disease control rate ( DCR ) and the peptide‐specific immune responses. All enrolled patients received therapy without the HLA ‐A information, and the HLA genotypes were used for classification of the patients. Between June 2012 and May 2013, a total of 68 patients were enrolled. No severe systemic adverse effects of Grade 3 or higher related to these three peptides were observed. The 1‐year survival rates between the HLA ‐A*2402‐matched and ‐unmatched groups were not significantly different. In the HLA ‐A*2402 matched group, patients showing peptide‐specific CTL induction for KIF 20A or VEGFR 1 showed a better prognosis compared to those without such induction ( P = 0.023, P = 0.009, respectively). In the HLA ‐A*2402‐matched group, the patients who showed a strong injection site reaction had a better survival rate ( P = 0.017) compared to those with a weak or no injection site reaction. This phase II study demonstrated that this therapeutic peptide cocktail might be effective in patients who demonstrate peptide‐specific immune reactions although predictive biomarkers are needed for patient selection in its further clinical application.