Phase II LEAP-004 study of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab for melanoma with confirmed progression on a programmed cell death protein-1 or programmed death ligand 1 inhibitor given as monotherapy or in combination
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Journal of Clinical Oncology
Volume
41
Issue
1
First Page
75
Last Page
85
PubMed ID
35867951
Publisher
American Society of Clinical Oncology
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
Funders
Eisai Inc / Nutley, NJ / Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co, Inc / Rahway, NJ
Abstract
Purpose: Effective treatments are needed for melanoma that progresses on inhibitors of programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) or its ligand (PD-L1). We conducted the phase II LEAP-004 study to evaluate the combination of the multikinase inhibitor lenvatinib and the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab in this population (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03776136). Methods: Eligible patients with unresectable stage III-IV melanoma with confirmed progressive disease (PD) within 12 weeks of the last dose of a PD-1/L1 inhibitor given alone or with other therapies, including cytotoxic T-cell lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors, received lenvatinib 20 mg orally once daily plus ≤ 35 doses of pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously once every 3 weeks until PD or unacceptable toxicity. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST, version 1.1, by independent central review. Results: A total of 103 patients were enrolled and treated. The median study follow-up was 15.3 months. ORR in the total population was 21.4 % (95 % CI, 13.9 to 30.5), with three (2.9 %) complete responses and 19 (18.4 %) partial responses. The median duration of response was 8.3 months (range, 3.2-15.9 +). ORR was 33.3 % in the 30 patients with PD on prior anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4 therapy. The median progression-free survival and overall survival in the total population were 4.2 months (95 % CI, 3.8 to 7.1) and 14.0 months (95 % CI, 10.8 to not reached), respectively. Grade 3-5 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 47 (45.6 %) patients, most commonly hypertension (21.4 %); one patient died from a treatment-related event (decreased platelet count). Conclusion: Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab provides clinically meaningful, durable responses in patients with advanced melanoma with confirmed PD on prior PD-1/L1 inhibitor-based therapy, including those with PD on anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4 therapy. The safety profile was as expected. These data support lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab as a potential regimen for this population of high unmet need.
DOI
10.1200/JCO.22.00221
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Comments
Arance, A., de la Cruz-Merino, L., Petrella, T. M., Jamal, R., Ny, L., Carneiro, A., ... & Long, G. V. (2023). Phase II LEAP-004 study of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab for melanoma with confirmed progression on a programmed cell death protein-1 or programmed death ligand 1 inhibitor given as monotherapy or in combination. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 41(1), 75-85. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.22.00221