[The prediction value of combined serum levels of TMAO and TML for poor prognosis in patients with heart failure]

Objective: To evaluate the predictive value of combined serum levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and trimethyllysine (TML) for poor prognosis in patients with heart failure. Methods: This single-center prospective cohort study included hospitalized patients with heart failure and complete baseline data from the Department of Cardiology at Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from June 2017 to December 2020. Patients were categorized into four groups based on median serum levels of TMAO and TML after admission: TMAO low level TML low level group (TMAO<9.7 μmol/L, TML<0.73 μmol/L), TMAO low level TML high level group (TMAO<9.7 μmol/L, TML≥0.73 μmol/L), TMAO high level TML low level group (TMAO≥9.7 μmol/L, TML<0.73 μmol/L) and TMAO high level TML high level group (TMAO≥9.7 μmol/L, TML≥0.73 μmol/L). The primary endpoint was a composite endpoint of cardiovascular death and readmission for heart failure. Multiple factor Cox regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the correlation between serum TMAO and TML levels and poor prognosis in patients with heart failure. Results: A total of 471 patients with heart failure were included, with an mean age of (62.5±12.0) years and a median follow-up time of 1.61 (1.06, 2.90) years. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age, gender, and traditional risk factors, the TMAO high level TML high level group had a higher incidence of primary endpoint events compared to the TMAO low level TML low level group (HR=1.71, 95%CI 1.05-2.77, P=0.03). Conclusion: Elevated serum levels of both TMAO and TML can effectively predict the occurrence of long-term adverse events in patients with heart failure.

Pucotenlimab in patients with advanced mismatch repair-deficient or microsatellite instability-high solid tumors: A multicenter phase 2 study

We report a multicenter, phase 2 study evaluating the efficacy of pucotenlimab, an anti-PD-1 antibody, in patients with mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) or microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) tumors, and potential biomarkers for response. Overall, 100 patients with previously treated, advanced solid tumors centrally confirmed as dMMR or MSI-H received pucotenlimab at 200 mg every 3 weeks. The most common cancer type is colorectal cancer (n = 71). With a median follow-up of 22.5 months, the objective response rate is 49.0% (95% confidence interval 38.86%-59.20%) as assessed by the independent review committee, while the median progression-free survival and overall survival have not been reached. Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events were observed in 18 patients. For the biomarker analysis, responders are enriched in patients with mutations in the KMT2D gene. Pucotenlimab is an effective treatment option for previously treated advanced dMMR/MSI-H solid tumors, and the predictive value of KMT2D mutation warrants further research. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03704246.

[Efficacy of different regimens and prognostic factors in patients with first relapsed multiple myeloma treated after front-line bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone]

Objective: To analyze the efficacy of second-line regimens and prognostic factors in patients with first-relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) treated with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (BCD). Methods: A retrospective cohort study. Clinical data were collected in first-relapsed MM patients after BCD treatment from three tertiary hospitals in north China from July 2009 to October 2022. Patients were classified according to the second-line regimen into the immunotherapy group, single novel agent group [either proteasome inhibitor (PI) or immunomodulatory drug (IMiD)], combination treatment group (both PI+IMiD), and traditional treatment group. Responses to second-line regimens and survival data were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis and the Cox proportional risk model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: A total of 217 patients were enrolled including 8.8% (19/217) in the immunotherapy group, 48.4% (105/217) in the PI/IMiD group, 29.9% (65/217) in the PI+IMiD group, and 12.9% (28/217) in the traditional treatment group. The median age was 62 years (range 31-83 years) and 56.2% (122/217) were males. The overall response rates (ORRs) in the four groups were 94.7% (18/19) vs. 56.2% (59/105) vs. 73.8% (48/65) vs. 32.1% (9/28) (χ2=24.55; P<0.001), respectively. The progression-free survival (PFS) of the second-line regimens (2ndPFS) was 17.7 vs. 9.0 vs. 9.2 vs. 4.6 months (χ2=22.74; P<0.001), respectively, among which patients in the PI/IMiD and PI+IMiD groups had comparable 2ndPFS (χ2=1.76; P=0.923). Patients with high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (HRCAs) achieved the longest 2ndPFS of 22.0 months in the immunotherapy group (χ2=15.03; P=0.002). Multivariate analysis suggested that immunotherapy (HR=0.11, 95%CI 0.05-0.27), achievement of efficacy of partial response or better (HR=0.47, 95%CI 0.34-0.66), and non-aggressive relapse (HR=0.25, 95%CI 0.17-0.37) were independent prognostic factors of 2ndPFS. Conclusion: In this real-world study, immunotherapy was associated with a more favorable efficacy and PFS for first-relapsed MM patients after BCD treatment, with similar outcomes in patients with HRCAs.

A Novel Planning and Delivery Technology: Dose, Dose Rate and Linear Energy Transfer (LET) Optimization Based on Spot-Scanning Proton Arc Therapy FLASH (SPLASHLET)

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To achieve a high conformal dose with Linear Energy Transfer (LET) optimized FLASH proton therapy, we introduced a new planning and delivery technique concept, the voxel-wised optimization of LET distribution and dose rate based on scanning arc therapy (SPLASHLET) MATERIALS/METHODS: The algorithm optimizes (1) the clinical dose-volume constraint based on dose distribution and (2) the clinical LET-volume constraint based on LET distribution using Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) with Limited-memory BFGS solver by minimizing the monitor unit (MU) constraint on spot weight and (3) the effective dose-average dose rate by minimizing the accelerator's beam current sequentially. Such optimization framework enables the high dose conformal dynamic arc therapy with the capability of LET painting with voxel-based FLASH dose rate in an open-source proton planning platform (MatRad, Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center-DKFZ). It aiming to minimize the overall cost function value combined with plan quality and voxel-based LET and dose rate constraints. Three representative cases (brain, liver and prostate cancer) were used for testing purposes. Dose-volume histogram (DVH), LET volume histogram (LVH) dose rate volume histogram (DRVH) and dose rate map were assessed compared to the original SPArc plan (SPArcoriginal).

RESULTS

SPLASHLET plan could offer comparable plan quality compared to SPArcoriginal plan. The DRVH results indicated that SPArcoriginal could not achieve FLASH using the clinic beam current configuration, while SPLASHLET could significantly not only improve V40Gy/s in target and region of interest (ROI) but also improve the mean LET in the target and reduce the high LET in organ at risk (OAR) in comparison with SPArcoriginal (Table 1).

CONCLUSION

SPLASHLET offers the first LET painting with voxel-based ultra-dose-rate and high-dose conformity treatment using proton beam therapy. Such technique has the potential to take full vantage of LET painting, FLASH and SPArc.

Safety and antitumour activity of cadonilimab, an anti-PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody, for patients with advanced solid tumours (COMPASSION-03): a multicentre, open-label, phase 1b/2 trial

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1 or CTLA-4 individually have shown substantial clinical benefits in the treatment of malignancies. We aimed to assess the safety and antitumour activity of cadonilimab monotherapy, a bispecific PD-1/CTLA-4 antibody, in patients with advanced solid tumours.

METHODS

This multicentre, open-label, phase 1b/2 trial was conducted across 30 hospitals in China. Patients aged 18 years or older with histologically or cytologically confirmed, unresectable advanced solid tumours, unsuccessful completion of at least one previous systemic therapy, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1 were eligible for inclusion. Patients who had previously received anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, or anti-CTLA-4 treatment were not eligible for inclusion. In the dose escalation phase of phase 1b, patients received intravenous cadonilimab at 6 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks. In the dose expansion phase of phase 1b, cadonilimab at 6 mg/kg and a fixed dose of 450 mg were given intravenously every 2 weeks. In phase 2, cadonilimab at 6 mg/kg was administered intravenously every 2 weeks in three cohorts: patients with cervical cancer, oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The primary endpoints were the safety of cadonilimab in phase 1b and objective response rate in phase 2, based on the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), version 1.1. The safety analysis was done in all patients who received at least one dose of cadonilimab. Antitumour activity was assessed in the full analysis set for the cervical cancer cohort, and in all patients with measurable disease at baseline and who received at least one dose of cadonilimab in the oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma cohorts. The study is registered on ClinicalTrial.gov, NCT03852251, and closed to new participants; follow-up has been completed.

FINDINGS

Between Jan 18, 2019, and Jan 8, 2021, 240 patients (83 [43 male and 40 female] in phase 1b and 157 in phase 2) were enrolled. Phase 2 enrolled 111 female patients with cervical cancer, 22 patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (15 male and seven female), and 24 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (17 male and seven female). During dose escalation, no dose-limiting toxicities occurred. Grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 67 (28%) of 240 patients; the most frequent grade 3 or worse treatment-related adverse events were anaemia (seven [3%]), increased lipase (four [2%]), decreased bodyweight (three [1%]), decreased appetite (four [2%]), decreased neutrophil count (three [1%]), and infusion-related reaction (two [1%]). 17 (7%) patients discontinued treatment due to treatment-related adverse events. 54 (23%) of 240 patients reported serious treatment-related adverse events, including five patients who died (one due to myocardial infarction; cause unknown for four). In phase 2, in the cervical cancer cohort, with a median follow-up of 14·6 months (IQR 13·1-17·5), the objective response rate was 32·3% (32 of 99; 95% CI 23·3-42·5). In the oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma cohort, with a median follow-up of 17·9 months (IQR 4·0-15·1), the objective response rate was 18·2% (four of 22; 95% CI 5·2-40·3). In the hepatocellular carcinoma cohort, with a median follow-up of 19·6 months (IQR 8·7-19·8), the objective response rate was 16·7% (four of 24; 95% CI 4·7-37·4).

INTERPRETATION

Cadonilimab showed an encouraging tumour response rate, with a manageable safety profile, suggesting the potential of cadonilimab for the treatment of advanced solid tumours.

FUNDING

Akeso Biopharma.

TRANSLATION

For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

[A clustered epidemic investigation of non-marital non-commercial heterosexual contact of HIV in Zhejiang Province]

Objective: To identify the transmission relationship between HIV infection cases the non-marital non-commercial heterosexual contact in Zhejiang Province. Methods: When HIV positive was informed during January 2020 to January 2022, the staff conducted an epidemiological investigation to collect cases information on sociodemographic characteristics, mobility information, past HIV testing history, high-risk sexual behaviors, sexual partners, and etcetera. At the same time, 6-8 ml of blood from the new diagnosis of people infected with HIV before antiviral treatment was collected to separate the bleeding plasma. pol gene was amplified by nucleic acid extraction and PCR, sequenced by Sequencer 5.0 software, and Cytoscape 3.6.0 software was used to draw HIV molecular transmission network. Results: From January 2020 to January 2022, 88 HIV infected individuals were found in Pujiang County, of which 74 were transmitted through heterosexual transmission, of which 31 were infected through non-marital non-commercial heterosexual contact. Preliminary case studies have found that three female cases have engaged in unprotected non-marital non-commercial heterosexual contact with one male case. Among the 4 infected individuals, 2 of their spouses tested positive for HIV antibodies. Molecular transmission network monitoring was carried out on 65 newly diagnosed cases of heterosexual transmission with acquired sequences, forming 9 transmission clusters. The largest cluster contained 10 cases. A total of 11 HIV-infected individuals were involved in this HIV cluster epidemic. They were 3 males and 8 females, all over 50 years old and were farmers or rural housewives. They were traced to 7 sexual partners (6 negatives of HIV, 1 undetected). Among the 18 respondents' sexual social network relationships, there were 6 couples, 8 permanent partners, and 3 temporary partners. Among 11 HIV infected individuals, there were 9 cases of non-marital non-commercial heterosexual transmission and 2 cases of intramarital transmission. The epidemiological association between 7 non-married non-commercial heterosexual partners and case 2 (56-year-old male farmer), 3 cases confirmed by epidemiological investigation and molecular transmission cluster results, 3 cases confirmed by molecular transmission cluster and epidemiological investigation results, and 1 case confirmed by epidemiological investigation results. Conclusions: The transmission mode of this cluster epidemic was to spread HIV through heterosexual sex with a male case as the core, then cause the transmission within marriage and between fixed sexual partners. The combination of epidemiological investigation and molecular transmission network traceability survey supports the conclusion of this study.

Phase 1b/2 trial of fruquintinib plus sintilimab in treating advanced solid tumours: The dose-escalation and metastatic colorectal cancer cohort in the dose-expansion phases

BACKGROUND

Fruquintinib (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor 1/2/3) plus sintilimab (anti-programmed death-1) demonstrated enhanced anti-tumour effects versus monotherapy in a preclinical study. We investigated the combination in patients with advanced solid tumours, including metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

METHODS

In this phase 1b/2, open-label, multi-centre, multi-cohort dose-escalation and dose-expansion study, patients with advanced solid tumours (dose-escalation) or mCRC (one cohort in dose-expansion) received different doses of fruquintinib plus a fixed dose of sintilimab once every 4 weeks (Q4W) or 3 weeks (Q3W). Primary objectives were safety, tolerability, and the preliminary efficacy. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03903705.

FINDINGS

By the data cut-off date (30th December 2021), 23 patients were enrolled in the dose-escalation and 37 patients in the mCRC cohort of the dose-expansion; 44 patients with mCRC who received sintilimab Q3W were pooled for analysis. One dose-limiting toxicity event (grade 3 troponin T increased) occurred during the dose escalation. Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 43.5% and 47.7% of patients in the dose-escalation phase and pooled mCRC analysis, respectively. Among patients treated with the recommended phase 2 dose (fruquintinib 5 mg once daily, 2 weeks on/1 week off, plus sintilimab 200 mg Q3W) in pooled mCRC analysis, the objective response rate was 23.8% (95% CI 8.2-47.2), median progression-free survival was 6.9 months (95% CI 5.4-8.3), and overall survival was 14.8 months (95% CI 8.8-not reached); in patients with mismatch repair-proficient mCRC, these were 20.0% (95% CI 4.3-48.1), 6.9 months (95% CI 4.8-10.1), and 20.0 months (95% CI 8.1-not reached), respectively.

INTERPRETATION

Fruquintinib plus sintilimab was well tolerated in patients with advanced solid tumours and showed promising efficacy in mCRC.

Safety and efficacy of Pucotenlimab (HX008) - a humanized immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody in patients with locally advanced or metastatic melanoma: a single-arm, multicenter, phase II study

BACKGROUND

Pucotenlimab is a novel recombinant humanized anti-PD-1 (Programmed death-1) monoclonal antibody, which belongs to the human IgG4/kappa subtype, and can selectively block the binding of PD-1 with its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2.

METHODS

In this phase 2 trial, patients with locally advanced or metastatic melanoma who had failed conventional treatment (chemotherapy, targeted therapy, interferon, IL-2, et al.) were recruited. The patients were administrated with Pucotenlimab of 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks until disease progression, intolerable toxicity, or treatment discontinuation for any other reasons. The primary endpoint was the overall response rate (ORR). The secondary endpoints were disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity.

RESULTS

One-hundred and nineteen patients were enrolled and followed up for 19.32 (ranging from 15.901 to 24.608) months by the cutoff date of July 30^th, 2021. The ORR was 20.17% (24/119, 95% CI, 13.370%-28.506%) based on both independent review committee (IRC) and the investigator's assessment per RECIST v1.1. The median PFS were 2.89 (95% CI, 2.037-4.074) months and 2.46 (95% CI, 2.004-4.008) months based on IRC and investigator's assessment, respectively, per RECIST v1.1. The median OS was 16.59 (95% CI, 13.963-26.973) months. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 77.3% (92/119) of the patients. The incidence of Grade ≥ 3 TRAEs was 15.1% (18/119). In addition, none of the patients died because of TRAEs. As for biomarker analysis, Eotaxin (CCL11) and MCP-1 (CCL2) were related to treatment response, while TNF-α and VEGF were related to treatment failure.

CONCLUSIONS

Pucotenlimab as a ≥ 2^nd line therapy showed promising efficacy and tolerable toxicity for patients with locally advanced or metastatic melanoma.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT04749485 (registered retrospectively on 11/02/2021).

Anlotinib combined with TQB2450 (PD-L1 blockade) as first-line treatment for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC): A single-arm, multicenter, open-label phase II clinical trial

377

Background: PD-1 blockades combined with chemotherapy in first-line setting exhibited encouraging efficacy for patients with ESCC recently. However, the safety profile of conventional chemotherapy was still disappointing. Therefore, the chemotherapy-free regimen might be a promising strategy. And it had been proved that PD-1 blockades combined with anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in second-line treatment for advanced ESCC showed potential efficacy and manageable toxicity. As a novel multitarget TKI mainly targeting VEGFR1-3, anlotinib was a potential first-line combination therapy and second-line monotherapy for patients with ESCC in China. TQB2450 was a novel PD-L1 blockade developed by Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (Nanjing, China), which is currently undergoing several clinical studies in China, involving ESCC and other solid tumors. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the efficacy and safety of anlotinib combined with TQB2450 as first-line therapy in advanced ESCC. Methods: Patients with previously untreated metastatic or locally advanced ESCC, whose age was between 18 and 75 years, with ECOG PS of 0 or 1 and life expectancy of more than 3 months were eligible as the inclusion criteria. Eligible patients were administered with anlotinib (12mg, po, d1~14, q3w) plus TQB2450 (1200mg, iv, d1, q3w) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The tumor response was assessed according to RECIST 1.1 and iRECIST using CT scans every 2 cycles for the first 6 cycles, and every 3 cycles thereafter. Adverse events were recorded by severity in accordance with the NCI CTC AE Version 5.0. The predefined sample size was 46. The primary endpoint was ORR. Secondary endpoints included safety, PFS, DCR, DoR and OS. Results: From Mar 2022 to Aug 2022, a total of 36 patients were enrolled, 23 patients included in per-protocol set. In best overall response assessment, there were 14 PR (60.9%), 8 SD (34.8%) and 1 NE (4.4%). In consequence, the preliminary ORR was 60.9% (95%CI: 38.5%~80.3%), DCR was 95.7% (95%CI: 78.1%~99.9%). No patients had disease progression at the date of data cutoff. Additionally, safety profile exhibited that the regimen was tolerable. The most common treatment-related adverse events in 36 patients with the incidence >10% were hypertension (33%), fatigue (17%), decreased white blood cell count (14%), hyperthyroidism (11%) and decreased neutrophil count (11%). The common grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events were decreased platelet count (3%) and decreased lymphocyte count (3%). Conclusions: Preliminary results suggested that anlotinib combined with TQB2450 as first-line therapy in advanced ESCC exhibited encouraging efficacy and manageable adverse events. And the conclusions needed to be confirmed in trials continued subsequently. Clinical trial information: NCT05038813 .

Clinical efficacy and biomarker analysis of pucotenlimab (HX008) in patients with previously treated advanced mismatch repair-deficient or microsatellite instability-high solid tumors: A single-arm, multicenter, phase 2 study

799

Background: Pucotenlimab is a humanized IgG4 anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody with an engineered Fc domain. We aim to assess the efficacy and safety of pucotenlimab, and potential predictive biomarkers of response in patients with previously treated advanced microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) solid tumors. Methods: In this single-arm, multi-center, phase 2 study, eligible patients had locally advanced or metastatic, centrally confirmed MSI-H or dMMR solid tumors treated with at least one prior systemic therapy. Patients received pucotenlimab 200mg every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR) assessed by the independent review committee (IRC) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1. Besides, patients’ PD-L1 expression, blood neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), germline HLA-I genotyping, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of HLA-I genes, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and genetic alterations in the tumor revealed by next-generation sequencing were investigated to identify potential predictors of efficacy. Results: 100 patients with MSI-H or dMMR solid tumors were enrolled. Colorectal cancer (n=71) and gastric cancer (n=10) were the most common cancer types. The median follow-up duration was 22.5 months (range: 0.3-37.4) at data cutoff (December 4, 2021). The ORR was 49.0% (95% CI 38.86%-59.20%), and the 12-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 56.1% (95% CI 45.63%-65.24%) based on IRC’s assessment. Both the median PFS and median duration of response were not reached. Pucotenlimab was well tolerated. Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were reported in 18 patients, most commonly anemia, leukocytopenia, and hypertension. For the biomarker analysis, patients with NLR <4 at the second treatment cycle, TMB≥32.5 muts/Mb (the lower 35th TMB-percentile), or mutations in the KMT2D gene showed significantly higher ORR. Conclusions: Pucotenlimab demonstrated durable antitumor activity and manageable safety for previously treated patients with advanced MSI-H/dMMR solid tumors. KMT2D gene mutation, along with NLR and TMB, warrants further investigation as predictive biomarkers. Clinical trial information: NCT03704246 .

Camrelizumab plus apatinib for immunochemotherapy-treated advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Preliminary results of cohort 2 in CAP 02 study

384

Background: CAP 02 study (NCT03736863) is a single-arm phase 2 study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab plus apatinib (a VEGFR2 inhibitor) as second-line treatment in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Cohort 1 has been published recently, which enrolled patients who progressed after or were intolerant to first-line chemotherapy. The results showed an encouraging median overall survival (OS) of 15.8 months. Here, we reported the preliminary results of cohort 2. Methods: Cohort 2 enrolled unresectable locally advanced, locally recurrent, or metastatic ESCC patients aged 18-75 years with ECOG performance status of 0-1 who had progression on or were intolerant to first-line immunochemotherapy. The disease should be controlled without progression for at least three months during the first-line treatment. Patients received camrelizumab (200 mg Q2W) and apatinib (250 mg QD) until disease progression, intolerable toxicity, or withdrawal for other reasons. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints included disease control rate, progression-free survival (PFS), duration of response, time to response, OS, 3/6-month PFS rates, 6/9/12-month OS rates, and safety. Results: At the data cutoff (Sep 21, 2022), 33 of the planned 40 patients with an average of 68 years old had been enrolled, including 24 (73%) males and 24 (73%) patients with an ECOG PS score of 1. Twenty-one patients (64%) were previously treated with camrelizumab combined chemotherapy and 12 with other immunochemotherapy. Among the 17 evaluable patients, seven had the best overall response of partial response and nine with stable disease; the ORR was 41%. A total of 22 patients (67%) had treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), with 12 patients (36%) with grade≥3. The most common TRAEs included white blood cell count decreased (11 patients, 33%), hypokalaemia (9, 27%), and alanine aminotransferase increased (8, 24%). Conclusions: Current results suggested the preliminary efficacy of second-line camrelizumab plus apatinib in patients with immunochemotherapy-treated advanced ESCC, with an acceptable safety profile. The study enrollment is ongoing, and further survival and safety data will be reported in the future. Clinical trial information: NCT03736863 .

Serplulimab, a novel anti-PD-1 antibody, in patients with microsatellite instability-high solid tumours: an open-label, single-arm, multicentre, phase II trial

BACKGROUND

Microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficient (MSI-H/dMMR) tumours have a high response rate to immunotherapy. Antitumour activity and safety of serplulimab, a novel humanised anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, were evaluated in this phase II study.

METHODS

In this ongoing, single-arm, open-label, phase II trial, patients with previously treated unresectable or metastatic MSI-H/dMMR solid tumours received intravenous serplulimab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks for up to 52 cycles. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) assessed by an independent radiological review committee per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors v1.1. Secondary endpoints included additional efficacy measures, safety, and tolerability.

RESULTS

As of 9 January 2021, 108 patients were enrolled, and 68 patients with confirmed MSI-H solid tumours were included in the main efficacy analysis population (MEAP). The median follow-up duration in the MEAP was 7.7 months, with an ORR of 38.2% (95% confidence interval, 26.7-50.8). Of the 108 patients, grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 53 (49.1%) patients; immune-related adverse events occurred in 52 (48.1%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Serplulimab demonstrates a durable antitumour effect and a manageable safety profile in previously treated patients with MSI-H solid tumours. Serplulimab is a promising tissue-agnostic treatment for previously treated MSI-H solid tumours.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT03941574.

Derivation and validation of a prediction model for patients with lung nodules malignancy regardless of mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy

BACKGROUND

Clinical prediction models to classify lung nodules often exclude patients with mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy, although the presence of mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy does not always indicate malignancy. Herein, we developed and validated a multimodal prediction model for lung nodules in which patients with mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy were included.

METHODS

A single-center retrospective study was conducted. We developed and validated a logistic regression model including patients with mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy. Discrimination of the model was assessed by area under the operating curve. Goodness of fit test was performed via the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and a nomogram of the logistic regression model was drawn.

RESULTS

There were 311 cases included in the final analysis. A logistic regression model was developed and validated. There were nine independent variables included in the model. The aera under the curve (AUC) of the validation set was 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.85-0.98). In the validation set with mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy, the AUC was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.90-0.99). The goodness-of-fit test was 0.22.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed and validated a multimodal risk prediction model for lung nodules with excellent discrimination and calibration, regardless of mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy. This broadens the application of lung nodule prediction models. Furthermore, mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy added value for predicting lung nodule malignancy in clinical practice.

Updated efficacy and safety results from the phase 2 study of serplulimab, a novel anti-PD-1 antibody, in patients with previously treated unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability-high or mismatch repair-deficient solid tumors

2592

Background: Serplulimab is a novel humanized monoclonal antibody against PD-1. At ASCO 2021, we have presented the results from the phase 2 serplulimab study (NCT03941574) in patients with unresectable/metastatic microsatellite instability-high or mismatch repair-deficient (MSI-H/dMMR) solid tumors who have progressed on or been intolerant to standard therapies with a median follow-up of 7.7 months. Here, we report the updated efficacy and safety results together with the results from sensitivity analysis after another 6-month follow-up. Methods: In this single-arm, open-label, multicenter, phase 2 study, patients aged 18–75 years with histologically or cytologically confirmed unresectable or metastatic MSI-H/dMMR solid tumors were enrolled to receive 3 mg/kg of intravenous serplulimab every two weeks for up to two years. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) assessed by an independent radiological review committee (IRRC) per RECIST v1.1. Secondary endpoints included ORR assessed by the investigators, duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Results: As of July 10, 2021, 108 patients had received at least one dose of study treatment and were included in the safety set (SS). Among them, 68 patients with confirmed MSI-H (by local sites or central lab) were included in the main efficacy analysis population (MEAP); 58 patients with confirmed MSI-H (by central lab) and had no major protocol deviations were included in the sensitivity analysis population (SAP). The median follow-up duration was 13.5 months in the MEAP and 14.0 months in the SAP. IRRC-assessed ORR per RECIST v1.1 was 39.7% (95% CI 28.0–52.3; 3 complete response [CR]) in the MEAP and 43.1% (95% CI 30.2–56.8; 2 CR) in the SAP. Investigator-assessed ORRs were 38.2% (95% CI 26.7–50.8; 1 CR) and 41.4% (95% CI 28.6–55.1; 1 CR) in the MEAP and the SAP, respectively. Median DoR, PFS, and OS were not reached; 12-month OS rate was 74.5% (95% CI 62.2–83.3) in the MEAP and 82.4% (95% CI 69.7–90.1) in the SAP. In the SS, 57 (52.8%) patients had grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events, most commonly anemia (9.3%). Thirteen (12.0%) patients had grade ≥3 immune-related adverse events. Three (2.8%) deaths (2 progressive disease and 1 intestinal obstruction) that might be related to serplulimab were reported. Conclusions: The encouraging antitumor activity and the manageable safety profile sustained after a longer duration of follow-up, supporting the further development of serplulimab as a potential tissue-agnostic antitumor treatment. Clinical trial information: NCT03941574.

Apatinib inhibits tumour progression and promotes antitumour efficacy of cytotoxic drugs in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Apatinib, a highly selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), inhibits the angiogenesis of tumours. The function and mechanism of apatinib in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain unknown. In present study, we found that the development of ESCC in patients was controlled by treatment of combination of apatinib and a chemotherapeutic drug. Moreover, apatinib efficiently promotes cell apoptosis, inhibits cell proliferation, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and activity of the Akt/mTOR pathway in ESCC cells. Western blot analysis showed that apatinib significantly increased vimentin protein levels, decreased Bcl2, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), E-cadherin, p-Akt and p-mTOR protein levels in ESCC cells. Furthermore, apatinib enhanced chemosensitivity of cytotoxic drugs paclitaxel (TAX), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (DDP) by upregulating expression of vimentin protein, and downregulating expression of Bcl2, MMP9 and E-cadherin protein in vitro. Compared with single-agent groups, the combination of apatinib with each chemotherapeutic drug significantly repressed tumour growth and angiogenesis through blocking the expression of Ki67 and VEGFR-2 in vivo. Taken together, apatinib efficiently inhibits cell growth through blocking Bcl2 and Akt/mTOR pathway, and suppresses metastasis via inhibiting MMP9 and EMT in ESCC cells. Apatinib promoted antitumour effect of chemotherapeutic agents through promoting cell apoptosis and inhibiting EMT and angiogenesis in ESCC.

A phase Ib/II, multicenter, open-label study of AK104, a PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody, combined with chemotherapy (chemo) as first-line therapy for advanced gastric (G) or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer

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Background: Anti-PD-1 agent plus chemo as first-line therapy for advanced G/GEJ cancer (Checkmate-649) yields OS and PFS benefits compared to chemo alone, indicating synergistic activity between immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemo. The combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 has consistently demonstrated higher response rate compared to PD-1 monotherapy but higher toxicity. Here, we performed this phase Ib/II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of AK104, a PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody, combined with XELOX (capecitabine combined with oxaliplatin) or modified XELOX (mXELOX) in the first-setting of G/GEJ cancer cohorts. This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03852251). Methods: Pts with unresectable advanced G/GEJ adenocarcinoma and no prior systemic therapy, regardless of PD-L1 status were enrolled, excluding known HER2-positive pts. Enrolled patients received AK104 (4 mg/kg, 6 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, Q2W or 10 mg/kg, 15mg/kg Q3W) + chemo (mXELOX Q2W or XELOX Q3W). The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1). Results: As of 13 Aug 2021, 96 pts were enrolled with median age 62.7 years (range: 29–75), 70.8% male, 62.5% ECOG PS 1, 44.8% liver metastasis. The median follow-up was 9.95 months (range, 0.4-26.8). 88 patients (92%) had at least one post-baseline tumor evaluation. The ORR was 65.9% (58/88) with 2 (2.3%) complete responses and 56 (63.6%) partial responses. The disease control rate (DCR) was 92.0% (81/88). The median duration of response (DoR) was 6.93 months (95%CI, 4.60 to 11.20). The median PFS was 7.10 months (95%CI, 5.55 to 10.48). The median OS was 17.41 months (95%CI, 12.35 to NE). In pts with PD-L1 CPS≥1 vs CPS＜1, median OS was 17.41 months and 14.65 months, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 97.9% of pts, and the most frequent were platelet count decreased (60.4%), white blood cell count decreased (58.3%), neutrophil count decreased (56.3%), anaemia (47.9%), nausea (30.2%), vomiting (30.2%), aspartate aminotransferase increased (30.2%). Grade ≥3 TRAEs occurred in 62.5% pts. No new safety signals were identified. Conclusions: AK104 in combination with mXELOX/XELOX showed promising activity and manageable safety in previously untreated pts with advanced G/GEJ adenocarcinoma. AK104 + chemo represents a potential new first-line treatment option for these pts. A phase III study of AK104 combined with chemo as first-line therapy for G/GEJ cancer is underway. Clinical trial information: NCT03852251.

UPDATED UNDERSTANDING OF THE MOLECULAR TARGETS OF RADIOIODINE IN DIFFERENTIATED THYROID CANCER

Radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy is a mainstay adjuvant treatment for thyroid cancer. Administration of RAI therapy after total or near-total thyroidectomy has shown a survival advantage in numerous properly selected patients. However, the role of RAI therapy after reoperation for persistent or recurrent differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTCs) is unclear. One reason may be the possible downregulation of the I- transport system after primary surgery. RAI is transported by the sodium iodide symporter (NIS), PENDRIN, anoctamin 1 (ANO1) and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and emits β particles that destroy follicular cells. The identification of pathways of iodide (I-) transport has allowed use of the transport system to render tumours susceptible to RAI treatment via gene therapy. This review focuses on the effect of RAI therapy in follicular cell-derived thyroid cancers and offers potential novel targets that enable improved radioiodine uptake and thus an improved prognosis of thyroid cancer.

An application research for near-surface repository of strontium-90 sorption kinetic model on mudrocks

In this study,90Sr was used as the test radionuclide to characterize the sorption kinetics and effects of initial 90Sr activity and remaining 90Sr in solid concentration were simulated for a near-surface repository. The study focused on the sorption characteristics of radionuclides in unsaturated groundwater environment (or vadose zone) is the important information for investigating the near-surface disposal of intermediate and low-level radioactive waste (ILLW). Moreover, the 90Sr sorption experiments reached equilibrium within 56 h, which fit to the first order sorption kinetic model, and the remaining 90Sr in mudrock samples showed obvious sorption equilibrium hysteresis, which fit to the second order sorption kinetic model. Before reaching the maximum sorption capacity, the sorption rate constant increases with 90Sr increasing; the distribution coefficient (Kd) of 56 h decreases with the remaining 90Sr decreasing. In addition, it showed that the slow sorption process dominated before the sorption reaches equilibrium. In fact, a reliable safety assessment methodology for on-going near-surface repository required a lot of the radionuclides parameters with local environment including the radionuclides sorption/desorption rate constant and maximum sorption capacity.

[Analysis on the relationship of molecular transmission between HIV infected men who have sex with men and their sexual partners]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between HIV-infected men who have sex with men and their sexual partners in Zhejiang province. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to recruit newly confirmed HIV/AIDS among MSM from 2015 to 2017, including sexual partner identification and molecular epidemiological study. Plasma was collected to extract RNA, and the pol gene of HIV-1 was amplified by RT-PCR/nested PCR. Phylogenetic tree and molecular transmission cluster were analyzed to identify the transmission relationship between sexual partners. Results: A total of 937 HIV/AIDS among MSM were recruited to promote HIV testing for their sexual partners, and 173 positive sexual partners were identified. 50.8% (61/120) of the gene sequences were clustered among the positive sex partners. Seven pairs of clustered sex partners combined with the results of recent infection preliminarily determined the transmission direction. In the clusters, there were statistical differences between the partners who were diagnosed in the same year (OR=12.190, 95%CI: 1.563-95.054) or with current residence in the different districts (OR=17.054, 95%CI: 1.742-166.982). Conclusions: Combined with a molecular transmission network, HIV test for the sexual partners of HIV/AIDS among MSM can improve the accurate tracking of cases and preliminarily determine the direction of transmission, according to the results of recent infection. It is suggested that after HIV is confirmed for HIV/AIDS among MSM, HIV tests should be carried out as soon as possible for their sexual partners, including a cross-regional sexual partner tracking test, which is helpful to improve the tracing procedure.

[Analysis on the HIV-1 molecular transmission characteristics of newly confirmed HIV/AIDS in Jiaxing city, 2017-2018]

Objective: To analyze the relationship between infection and transmission of HIV/AIDS, explore the characteristics of the HIV-1 transmission network, and provide evidence for formulating targeted prevention and control measures. Methods: The newly confirmed HIV/AIDS in Jiaxing from 2017 to 2018 were selected for the study. The sociodemographic and infection transmission-related information was gathered. The blood samples were collected and RNA was extracted, RT-PCR and nested PCR amplified the pol gene of HIV-1. The phylogenetic tree was constructed by Mega 6.0 software for subtype analysis. The genetic distance between strains was calculated, and the molecular transmission network was drawn by using Cytoscape 3.6.0 software. The results of the epidemiological study based on the molecular transmission network were analyzed. Results: There were fifteen HIV-1 gene subtypes in 517 cases of HIV/AIDS. The main subtypes were CRF01_AE (37.1%)、CRF07_BC (36.2%) and CRF08_BC (11.8%). Under the 1.0% gene distance threshold, 87 molecular clusters were established, and the total clustering rate was 45.8% (237/517). The cluster risk factors were 60-81 age group (compared with 14-24 age group, OR=2.690, 95%CI:1.058-6.844), married (compared with unmarried, OR=1.698, 95%CI:1.003-2.875), CRF07_BC subtype (compared with CRF01_AE, OR=2.203, 95%CI:1.426-3.404). The largest molecular cluster, CRF07_BC-1, consisted of 50 cases (including 21 cases confirmed in 2017 cases and 29 confirmed in 2018). Multivariate analysis showed that characteristics of unmarried (compared with married, OR=2.482, 95%CI:1.140-5.402), gays (compared with heterosexual, OR=3.163, 95%CI:1.543-6.483), cases with high-risk transmission (compared with other cases, OR=7.631, 95%CI:1.783-32.654), confirmed in Nanhu and Pinghu districts of Jiaxing (compared with other districts, OR=2.225, 95%CI:1.074-4.608) were risks for entering the largest molecular cluster. There were seven suspected high-risk transmission MSM in the largest molecular cluster. The first debut of homosexual behavior was from 2010 to 2018, and the median number of gay partners was 20 (P₂₅, P₇₅：10, 100) within two years before being diagnosed. Six reported a recent history of looking for gay partners in an MSM dating place in Nanhu district. Conclusions: The HIV-1 subtypes of newly confirmed HIV/AIDS were diverse, mainly sporadic in Jiaxing from 2017 to 2018. There were geographical aggregation characteristics and suspected some high-risk transmission cases, suggesting that rapid transmission and targeted intensive intervention are needed.

Larotinib in patients with advanced and previously treated esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression or amplification: an open-label, multicenter phase 1b study

Background

Larotinib is a new first-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor. This open-label, phase 1b study is aimed to evaluate the efficacy, safety of larotinib in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with EGFR overexpression or amplification pretreated with one or more system regimens, and to recommend an appropriate dose for its further study.

Methods

Patients received larotinib orally at 3 doses (250, 300, 350 mg), once daily. Clinical response was evaluated every 8 weeks according to RECIST v1.1 criteria by both investigators and independent radiology review (IRC).

Results

81 patients were enrolled. The investigator-assessed overall response rate (ORR) was 13.7% (10/73), all responses were observed in the 350 mg group of which ORR up to 20.0% (10/50), with 10 of them having EGFR overexpression and 4 having EGFR amplification. Per IRC assessment, ORR for all patients and 350 mg group were 13.9% (10/72) and 16.3% (8/50). In the 350 mg group, median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 8.0 (95% CI 4.9–10.2) months and 3.4 (95% CI 2.4–3.7) months, respectively. The most common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were diarrhea, rash, and palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, elevated AST/ALT, vomiting, similarly with other EGFR TKIs.

Conclusions

Larotinib demonstrated promising antitumor activity and manageable safety profiles in patients with pre-treated advanced ESCC with EGFR overexpression or amplification, especially at the dose of 350 mg, which showed better efficacy and acceptable safety. A phase 3 study is underway on 350 mg larotinib in ESCC patients with EGFR overexpression.

Trial registration

This trial was retrospectively registered on 25/03/2019, NCT03888092. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03888092.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12876-021-01982-4.

Efficacy and safety of a novel anti-HER2 therapeutic antibody RC48 in patients with HER2-overexpressing, locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer: a single-arm phase II study

Background

Current treatment options for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)‐overexpressing gastric cancer at third‐line have shown limited clinical benefit. Further, there is no specific treatment for HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) 2+ and fluorescence in‐situ hybridization‐negative patients. Here, we report the efficacy and safety of a novel anti‐HER2 antibody RC48 for patients with HER2‐overexpressing, advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer.

Methods

Patients with HER2‐overexpressing (IHC 2+ or 3+), locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer who were under at least second‐line therapy were eligible and received RC48 2.5 mg/kg alone every 2 weeks. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR) assessed by an independent review committee. Secondary endpoints included progression‐free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), duration of response, time to progression, disease control rate, and safety.

Results

Of 179 patients screened, 125 were eligible and received RC48 treatment. The ORR was 24.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 17.5%‐33.3%). The median PFS and OS were 4.1 months (95% CI: 3.7‐4.9 months) and 7.9 months (95% CI: 6.7‐9.9 months), respectively. The most frequently reported adverse events were decreased white blood cell count (53.6%), asthenia (53.6%), hair loss (53.6%), decreased neutrophil count (52.0%), anemia (49.6%), and increased aspartate aminotransferase level (43.2%). Serious adverse events (SAEs) occurred in 45 (36.0%) patients, and RC48‐related SAEs were mainly decreased neutrophil count (3.2%). Seven patients had adverse events that led to death were not RC48‐related.

Conclusions

RC48 showed promising activity with manageable safety, suggesting potential application in patients with HER2‐overexpressing, advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer who have previously received at least two lines of chemotherapy.

Effect of Camrelizumab vs Placebo Added to Chemotherapy on Survival and Progression-Free Survival in Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The ESCORT-1st Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Standard first-line therapy for advanced or metastatic esophageal carcinoma is chemotherapy, but the prognosis remains poor. Camrelizumab (an anti-programmed death receptor 1 [PD-1] antibody) showed antitumor activity in previously treated advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and adverse events of camrelizumab plus chemotherapy vs placebo plus chemotherapy as a first-line treatment in advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, phase 3 trial (ESCORT-1st study) enrolled patients from 60 hospitals in China between December 3, 2018, and May 12, 2020 (final follow-up, October 30, 2020). A total of 751 patients were screened and 596 eligible patients with untreated advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were randomized.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either camrelizumab 200 mg (n = 298) or placebo (n = 298), combined with up to 6 cycles of paclitaxel (175 mg/m2) and cisplatin (75 mg/m2). All treatments were given intravenously every 3 weeks.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Coprimary end points were overall survival (significance threshold, 1-sided P < .02) and progression-free survival (significance threshold, 1-sided P < .005).

RESULTS

Of the 596 patients randomized (median age, 62 years [interquartile range, 56-67 years]; 523 men [87.8%]), 1 patient in the placebo-chemotherapy group did not receive planned treatment. A total of 490 patients (82.2%) had discontinued the study treatment. The median follow-up was 10.8 months. The overall survival for the camrelizumab-chemotherapy group was a median of 15.3 months (95% CI, 12.8-17.3; 135 deaths) vs a median of 12.0 months (95% CI, 11.0-13.3; 174 deaths) for the placebo-chemotherapy group (hazard ratio [HR] for death, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.56-0.88]; 1-sided P = .001). Progression-free survival for camrelizumab plus chemotherapy was a median of 6.9 months (95% CI, 5.8-7.4; 199 progression or deaths) vs 5.6 months (95% CI, 5.5-5.7; 229 progression or deaths) for the placebo-chemotherapy group (HR for progression or death, 0.56 [95% CI, 0.46-0.68]; 1-sided P < .001). Treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or higher occurred in 189 patients (63.4%) in the camrelizumab-chemotherapy group and 201 (67.7%) in the placebo-chemotherapy group, including treatment-related deaths among 9 patients (3.0%) and 11 patients (3.7%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Among patients with advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, the addition of camrelizumab to chemotherapy, compared with placebo and chemotherapy, significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03691090.

Treatment Patterns and Outcomes in Chinese Patients with Gastric Cancer by HER2 Status: A Noninterventional Registry Study (EVIDENCE)

BACKGROUND

Real-world safety and effectiveness data for trastuzumab plus chemotherapy treatment of patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer (mGC) in China are lacking.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

EVIDENCE was a prospective, multicenter, noninterventional registry study evaluating the safety and effectiveness of trastuzumab in five cohorts of Chinese patients with gastric cancer, stratified by HER2 status and trastuzumab treatment. Effectiveness was analyzed for cohorts I (HER2-positive, trastuzumab treated), II (HER2-positive, trastuzumab untreated), and IV (HER2-negative, trastuzumab untreated); trastuzumab-related adverse events (AEs) were analyzed for cohort I.

RESULTS

Cohorts I, II, and IV included 174, 113, and 422 patients, respectively. Most patients received first-line chemotherapy (87.6%). Median overall survival (OS1) for first-line treatment was 22.3, 17.2, and 17.4 months in cohorts I, II, and IV, respectively. After excluding patients who had surgery, respective median OS1 was 19.9, 15.3, and 12.9 months. Respective first-line progression-free survival (PFS1) was 8.2, 6.9, and 6.2 months; and respective first-line response rates (RR) were 51.7%, 18.4%, and 32.8%. Cohort I was significantly favored over cohort II for propensity score-matched first-line median OS1 (hazard ratio [HR], 0.61), PFS1 (HR, 0.64), and RR (odds ratio, 4.93). Trastuzumab-related AEs, grade 3-5 AEs, serious AEs, and AEs with a fatal outcome occurred in 23.6%, 3.4%, 2.3%, and 0.6% of cohort I patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Safety profiles were consistent with those known for trastuzumab and chemotherapy; trastuzumab treatment improved outcomes. Our study provides real-world data supporting first-line trastuzumab plus chemotherapy in Chinese patients with HER2-positive mGC.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

This prospective, noninterventional registry study aimed to provide safety and effectiveness data for the use of trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy in Chinese patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer (mGC) from the real-world clinical setting. Trastuzumab plus first-line chemotherapy was shown to be safe and to improve outcomes when compared with patients treated with chemotherapy alone. Trastuzumab was effective within a range of treatment regimens; subgroup analysis showed that trastuzumab paired most effectively with the XELOX regimen. This study provides real-world clinical safety and effectiveness data supporting the use of trastuzumab in the treatment of Chinese patients with HER2-positive mGC.

Evaluation of Ultrafast Wave-Controlled Aliasing in Parallel Imaging 3D-FLAIR in the Visualization and Volumetric Estimation of Cerebral White Matter Lesions

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Our aim was to evaluate an ultrafast 3D-FLAIR sequence using Wave-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging encoding (Wave-FLAIR) compared with standard 3D-FLAIR in the visualization and volumetric estimation of cerebral white matter lesions in a clinical setting.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-two consecutive patients underwent 3T brain MR imaging, including standard 3D-FLAIR (acceleration factor = 2, scan time = 7 minutes 50 seconds) and resolution-matched ultrafast Wave-FLAIR sequences (acceleration factor  = 6, scan time = 2 minutes 45 seconds for the 20-channel coil; acceleration factor = 9, scan time  = 1 minute 50 seconds for the 32-channel coil) as part of clinical evaluation for demyelinating disease. Automated segmentation of cerebral white matter lesions was performed using the Lesion Segmentation Tool in SPM. Student t tests, intraclass correlation coefficients, relative lesion volume difference, and Dice similarity coefficients were used to compare volumetric measurements among sequences. Two blinded neuroradiologists evaluated the visualization of white matter lesions, artifacts, and overall diagnostic quality using a predefined 5-point scale.

RESULTS

Standard and Wave-FLAIR sequences showed excellent agreement of lesion volumes with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.99 and mean Dice similarity coefficient of 0.97 (SD, 0.05) (range, 0.84-0.99). Wave-FLAIR was noninferior to standard FLAIR for visualization of lesions and motion. The diagnostic quality for Wave-FLAIR was slightly greater than for standard FLAIR for infratentorial lesions (P < .001), and there were fewer pulsation artifacts on Wave-FLAIR compared with standard FLAIR (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrafast Wave-FLAIR provides superior visualization of infratentorial lesions while preserving overall diagnostic quality and yields white matter lesion volumes comparable with those estimated using standard FLAIR. The availability of ultrafast Wave-FLAIR may facilitate the greater use of 3D-FLAIR sequences in the evaluation of patients with suspected demyelinating disease.

Combination of preoperative red cell distribution width and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic marker for gastric cancer patients

Background

The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) play an important role in the prognosis of several cancers, but their prognostic value in patients with stage II-III gastric cancer (GC) is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the RDW-NLR (R-NLR) score based on RDW and NLR in stage II-III GC patients after radical surgery.

Methods

Preoperative RDW and NLR clinicopathological data were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed from stage II-III GC patients who underwent radical gastrectomy. The optimal cut-off values for pre-RDW-variation coefficient (pre-RDW-cv) and pre-NLR were defined as 14.10% and 2.015, respectively. The R-NLR score was defined as 2 (both elevated RDW and NLR), 1 (one of these was elevated), or 0 (neither were elevated). Prognostic factors were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

A total of 151 patients were included in this study, and 65 (43.05%), 54 (35.76%), and 32 (21.19%) patients had an R-NLR score of 0, 1 and 2, respectively. The preoperative R-NLR score was significantly correlated with tumor size and gender (all P<0.05). The 5-year overall survival (OS) in the R-NLR 0, 1, and 2 groups was 52.30%, 44.40%, and 31.20%, respectively (P=0.031), while the 5-year DFS was 47.70%, 13.30%, and 18.80%, respectively (P<0.001). Further, while the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was significantly improved in low RDW-cv and NLR patients compared with those with high RDW-cv and NLR (all P<0.05), but not OS (all P>0.05). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the R-NLR score was independently correlated with OS [hazard ratio (HR), 1.527; P=0.007] and DFS (HR, 1.939; P=0.001).

Conclusions

We validated the preoperative R-NLR score to be a promising predictor for stage II-III GC patients who have undergone radical gastrectomy.

ESCORT-1st: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial of camrelizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in patients with untreated advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)

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Background: The current standard first-line therapy for advanced or metastatic ESCC is doublet chemotherapy, and prognosis remains poor. Camrelizumab, a humanized anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, has shown promising antitumor activity in previously treated advanced or metastatic ESCC (Huang et al. Lancet Oncol 2019). Immunotherapy may work synergistically with chemotherapy, but lacking clinical evidences in ESCC. Here, we report the findings of the phase 3 ESCORT-1st study which evaluated the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy in patients with untreated advanced or metastatic ESCC. Methods: Eligible patients were randomized 1:1 to receive camrelizumab 200 mg or placebo, both combined with up to 6 cycles of paclitaxel (175 mg/m2) and cisplatin (75 mg/m2). All were given intravenously Q3W. Tumor response was assessed every 6 weeks according to RECIST v1.1. Co-primary endpoints were OS and independent review committee (IRC)-assessed PFS. Efficacy was assessed in all randomized patients and safety was assessed in all treated patients. Data cutoff date for the prespecified interim OS and final PFS analysis was Oct 30, 2020. Results: From Dec 3, 2018 to May 12, 2020, 596 patients were randomized. 298 patients were treated with camrelizumb-chemotherapy and 297 patients with placebo-chemotherapy. With a median follow-up of 10.8 months, camrelizumab plus chemotherapy significantly improved OS compared with placebo plus chemotherapy (median, 15.3 month [95% CI 12.8-17.3] vs 12.0 months [11.0-13.3]; HR, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.56-0.88]; one-sided P = 0.0010). Camrelizumab plus chemotherapy was also superior for PFS (per IRC) vs placebo plus chemotherapy (median, 6.9 months [95% CI, 5.8-7.4] vs 5.6 months [95% CI, 5.5-5.7]; HR, 0.56 [95% CI, 0.46-0.68]; one-sided P < 0.0001). ORR per investigator was 72.1% in camrelizumab-chemotherapy group vs 62.1% in placebo-chemotherapy group, and median DoR was 7.0 vs 4.6 months. Incidences of grade ≥3 treatment-related AEs were comparable between the two groups (63.4% vs 67.7%), with decreased neutrophil count (39.9% vs 43.4%) as the most common one. Serious treatment-related AEs occurred in 30.2% vs 23.2% of patients, and treatment-related deaths occurred in 3.0% vs 3.7% of patients, respectively. Conclusions: Addition of camrelizumab to chemotherapy provided superior OS and PFS vs placebo plus chemotherapy, with a manageable safety profile. Camrelizumab in combination with paclitaxel and cisplatin has the potential to become a new standard first-line therapy in patients with advanced or metastatic ESCC. Based on this trial, we are submitting NDA to seek the approval from China National Medical Products Administration for camrelizumab plus chemotherapy in the treatment of untreated advanced or metastatic ESCC. Clinical trial information: NCT03691090.

Safety and efficacy of HX008: A humanized immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody in patients with locally advanced or metastatic melanoma—A single-arm, multicenter, phase II study

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Background: HX008 is a new recombinant humanized anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, belonging to human IgG4 / kappa subtype, which can selectively block the binding of PD-1 with its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2. Methods: In this single arm phase 2 trial, eligible patients (pts) were aged from18 to 75, who previously failed with conventional treatment for locally advanced or metastatic melanoma, with an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 and had measurable lesions according to the RECIST criteria (V1.1). Ocular melanoma, brain metastasis or previous use of anti PD-1 ab were excluded. Pts received HX008 3mg/kg every 3 weeks, until disease progression, intolerable toxicity or treatment discontinuation for any other reasons. The primary endpoint was ORR according to RECIST criteria, and the secondary endpoints were OS, PFS, DCR and the toxicity. The iRECIST criteria would also be used in the evaluation of response and treatment discontinuation. Clinical trial information: NCT04749485. Results: From Oct 2018 to Jan 2021, 119 pts have been eligible and enrolled. Basic characteristics: median age 59 years; 57 males (42.9%) ; stage 22%, stage 78%; primary: acral 52.1%, mucosal 19.3%, cutaneous 18.5% and unknown 10.1%; Gene mutation status: Braf 10.9%, Nras 9.2%, cKit 4.2%; condition of previous treatments: 67.26%, 25.21%,7.56% pts had received 1st, 2nd and 3rd line or above treatments respectively (chemotherapy 69.7%, targeted therapy 15.1%, immunotherapy 43.7%). The ORR according to RECIST V1.1 and iRECIST was 18.49% (1CR, 21 PR, 95% CI 11.96-26.64) and 20.17% (1 iCR, 23 iPR,95% CI 13.37-28.50), respectively. For PD-L1 positive pts the ORR was 15.09% (95%CI 6.75-27.60) and 12% for negative (95%CI 10.98-32.83). For different subtypes, the ORR was 36.36% for cutaneous melanoma, 14.52% for acral primary, 8.7% for mucosal primary, and 25% for unknown primary. The DCR and iDCR was 44.54% and 47.06%, respectively. With a median follow up time of 13.2 months, the median PFS was 3.25 months (95% CI 2.0, 4.1) and the PFS rate at 1 year was 25.8% (95%CI 17.19,35.33). The median OS was 17.91 months (95% CI 13.08,NR) and the OS rates at 1 year was 63.9% (95% CI 53.02, 73.00). Median DOR has not reached and the DOR and iDOR rates at 1 year were 80.64% and 87.39%, respectively. TRAEs occurred in 89.9% of the pts, with grade 3/4 AEs 31.9%, the followings were those incidences ≥1%, hyperglycemia (2.5%), elevated aspartate aminotransferase (1.7%), elevated serum bilirubin (1.7%), elevated serum creatine phosphokinase (1.7%), elevated lipase (1.7%), hypoalbuminemia (1.7%), hypokalemia (1.7%) and diabetic ketoacidosis (1.7%). Conclusions: HX008 shows its efficacy and safety in locally advanced or metastatic melanoma pts in the treatments of 2nd line or above. Randomized controlled studies are now on pending. Clinical trial information: NCT04749485.

Efficacy of HX008 in high microsatellite instability/mismatch repair–defificient (MSI-H/dMMR) solid tumors: Results from a multicenter phase II open-label study

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Background: The subsequent treatment choices are limited for the patients with advanced solid tumors who had failed the standard therapies. PD-1 blockade monotherapy demonstrated robust antitumor activity in patients with MSI-H/dMMR. The aim of this study is to identify the efficacy and safety of HX008, an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, in patients with advanced MSI-H/dMMR solid tumors. Methods: Eligible patients were age ≥18 years with histologically/cytologically confirmed advanced MSI-H/dMMR solid tumors, who have failed at least one line of standard systemic therapy. MSI-H/dMMR status was assessed centrally. Patients received HX008 200 mg once every 3 weeks until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or patient withdrawal. Radiologic imaging was performed 9 weeks after the first treatment, then every 6 weeks for the first year of therapy, and every 12 weeks thereafter. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST1.1. Results: One hundred patients were enrolled from October 2018 to December 2020, with a median age of 53 (range 20-74) years. All of the patients were ≥ second-line patients. The most common cancer types were colorectal cancer (N=74) and gastric cancer (N=10). Median follow-up is 8.97 (range 0.03-25.53) months at the time of data cutoff. Among 86 patients who had reached the initial response evaluation, there were 8 CR, 33 PR, 24 SD, 17 PD and 4 NE. ORR was 47.67% (95%CI 36.79%-58.73%), and DCR was 75.58% (95%CI 65.13%-84.20%). ORR and DCR for the 66 colorectal cancer patients were 50% (95%CI 37.43-62.57%) and 75.76% (95%CI 63.64-85.46%). Median PFS was not reached (95%CI 6.18-NR) for all enrolled patients, while the 6-month and 12-month PFS rates were 62.66% (95%CI 50.98%-72.31%) and 52.70% (95%CI 39.96%-63.94%), respectively. Median OS was not reached. Treatment-related adverse events occurred in 77 patients (77%). Twelve patients (12%) had grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events and there were no grade 5 treatment-related adverse events. The grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events with incidence >1% included anemia (2%) and leukopenia (2%). Immune-related adverse events were observed in 15 patients (15%), including hypothyroidism in 9 patients (all were grade 1-2), and hepatitis, hyperglycemia, myocarditis, creatin kinase/creatin kinase MB increased, hypopigmentation of the vulva, rash, each in 1 patient. Conclusions: HX008 as a ≥second-line therapy showed promising efficacy and a manageable safety profile in patients with MSI-H/dMMR advanced solid tumors. Clinical trial information: NCT03704246.

Camrelizumab in combination with preoperative chemotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A single-arm, open-label, phase II study

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Background: At present, ESCC has a dismal prognosis with huge unmet clinical needs. With the potential benefit of combining PD-1 inhibitor with nCT, we conducted a phase II trial to assess the efficacy and safety of Camrelizumab plus nCT for locally advanced ESCC. Methods: 43 patients (pts) with histologically confirmed stage II/III/IVa(cT2-4aN0-3M0) ESCC were enrolled from February 2020 to February 2021.The study was divided into two stages, stage 1: we administered 1 cycle of camrelizumab for induction therapy (200 mg q2 weeks); stage2: pts received 2 cycle of camrelizumab (200 mg every 3 weeks) plus docetaxel and nedaplatin, followed by surgery within 4̃6 weeks after neoadjuvant therapy completion. Primary endpoint was major pathologic response (MPR). Secondary endpoints included pathologic complete response (pCR), R0 resection rate, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: At the cutoff date of Feb 5, 2021, 43 eligible pts were enrolled (63% males, median age 66), neoadjuvant treatment was completed in 33 pts and is ongoing in 3 pts. Thus far 27 out of 33 pts were resected, 6 pts are planned to undergo surgery, 3 pts were not suitable for operation after evaluation,1 pt had interval metastases preoperatively, 1 pt declined surgery, 1 pt was allergic to camrelizumab, 1 pt died due to unknown reasons. All patients underwent an R0 resection. Postoperative pathology showed that TNM stage decreased in 23 pts with 85.19% reduction rate. 17 pts (62.96%) reached major pathologic response, 8 pts (29.63%) reached pathologic complete response (no surgery related mortality). The most common AEs (all grade, grade≥3) were reduced hemoglobin (53%, 0%), hypoproteinemia (26%, 0%), neutrophil (21%, 12%), TSH reduction (21%, 0%), increased blood lactate dehydrogenase (16%, 0%), hyperthyroidism (16%, 0%), elevated alanine aminotransferase (9%, 0%), fatigue (7%, 0%), rash (5%, 2%). Date for median DFS and OS were not matured. Conclusions: Camrelizumab in combination with preoperative chemotherapy followed by surgery for locally advanced ESCC showed promising downstaging effect and MPR with good tolerance, and its efficacy and safety could be further studied in later trials. Clinical trial information: NCT03917966. Clinical trial information: NCT03917966.

Efficacy and safety of KN046 plus paclitaxel/cisplatin as first-line treatment for unresectable locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)

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Background: The prognosis of pts with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains dismal clinically. Paclitaxel and cisplatin were used as the standard first-line regimen in ESCC for almost two decades. Recently, the combination of PD-1/PD-L1 pathway blockades with chemotherapy has shown synergistic efficacy in a few clinical trials. KN046 is the world's first dual immune checkpoint inhibitor, which can block PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 pathways at the same time. The purpose of this ongoing phase II trial (NCT03925870) in China was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KN046 monotherapy or combined with chemotherapy for unresectable locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic ESCC. Methods: This trial included 3 cohorts, one of which enrolled systemic treatment naïve pts with histologically or cytologically confirmed unresectable locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic ESCC who have ECOG PS of 0-1. Eligible subjects were given paclitaxel (135-175mg/m2, iv, d1, q3w) and cisplatin (75mg/m2, iv, d2-4, q3w) plus KN046 (5mpk, iv, d1, q3w) for 4̃6 cycles during initial therapy. For those without progressive disease, maintenance treatment was administrated with KN046 monotherapy (5mpk, iv, q2w) until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Tumour response was assessed according to RECIST 1.1 every 6 weeks. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed ORR. Secondary endpoints included DCR, safety, PK profile, and immunogenicity. Results: As of December 14, 2020, 15 pts were enrolled, all of them were male, 52.3% ≥60 years, 64% ECOG 1, 80% with distant metastasis. Median exposure time to KN046 was 11.4 wks and average KN046 treatment was 2.4 cycles. 12 pts were included in the efficacy analysis and 15 pts in the safety analysis. The overall response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were 58.3% and 91.6%, respectively. 7 pts (58.3%) had partial response (PR) including one complete response of target lesion. 4 pts (33.3%) had stable disease (SD) with 3 pts showing more than 20% of tumor burden reduction. The overall incidence of KN046 related adverse events was 80.0%, with 13.3% Gr 3 or above TRAE. Infusion-related adverse events occurred during 7.8% and most were mild. Immune related adverse events（irAE）were seen in 53.3% and the most common Gr 3 irAE were nausea (n＝1, 6.7%) and rash (n＝1, 6.7%). Conclusions: KN046 plus paclitaxel/cisplatin demonstrated clinical efficacy and acceptable safety as first-line treatment, and might be a favorable option for pts with advanced ESCC. Clinical trial information: NCT03925870. Research Sponsor: Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. Clinical trial information: NCT03925870.

Efficacy and safety of HLX10, a novel anti-PD-1 antibody, in patients with previously treated unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability-high or mismatch repair-deficient solid tumors: A single-arm, multicenter, phase 2 study

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Background: Microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficient (MSI-H/dMMR) in cells render them susceptible to immune checkpoint blockages. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HLX10, a fully humanized monoclonal antibody against PD-1, in patients with unresectable or metastatic MSI-H/dMMR solid tumors who have progressed on or been intolerant to standard therapies. Methods: In this single-arm, open-label, multicenter, phase 2 study (NCT03941574), patients (18≤ age ≤75 years) with histologically/cytologically confirmed unresectable or metastatic MSI-H/dMMR solid tumors were recruited to receive 3 mg/kg HLX10 every two weeks intravenously for up to 2 years until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or patient withdrawal. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) assessed by IRRC (evaluated every 6 weeks for the first 48 weeks and every 12 weeks thereafter) per RECIST v1.1. Secondary endpoints included ORR assessed by investigators, duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. All eligible patients who received at least one dose of HLX10 were included in the safety analyses. Results: As of Jan 9, 2021, 108 patients were enrolled and 68 with locally or centrally confirmed MSI-H were included in the main efficacy analysis population. Among the 68 patients, the median follow-up duration was 7.7 (range: 1.1–16.4) months and the median age was 53.0 (range: 23.0–72.0) years. MSI-H tumor types included colorectal cancer (n = 54), endometrial cancer (n = 5), gastric cancer (n = 4), breast cancer (n = 2), small intestine cancer (n = 2) and fallopian tube cancer (n = 1). IRRC and investigator assessed ORR were 38.2% (95% CI: 26.7–50.8%; 2 complete response) and 35.3% (95% CI: 24.1–47.8%) respectively in the main efficacy analysis population. Median DoR, PFS and OS have not been reached. 105 (97.2%) patients experienced treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), most commonly anemia (34.3%), hypoproteinemia (27.8%) and increased aspartate aminotransferase (25.0%). 53 (49.1%) patients had grade 3 or worse TEAEs, most commonly anemia (8.3%), progressive disease (6.5%), increased γ- glutamyltransferase (5.6%) and intestinal obstruction (5.6%). 52 (48.1%) patients had immune-related adverse events (irAEs) while 10 (9.3%) had grade 3 or worse irAEs. 3 (2.8%) deaths (2 PD and 1 intestinal obstruction) that might be related to the study drug were reported. Conclusions: HLX10 provides encouraging antitumor activity with a manageable safety profile in patients with MSI-H/dMMR solid tumors who have progressed on or been intolerant to standard therapies. As an effective tissue-agnostic treatment, HLX10 possesses the potential to improve patients’ clinical outcomes. Clinical trial information: NCT03941574.

SHR-1316, an anti-PD-L1 antibody, plus chemotherapy as the first-line treatment for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A multicentre, phase 2 study

Background

This multicentre, open‐label study evaluated the efficacy and safety of antiprogrammed death ligand 1 antibody SHR‐1316 plus liposomal irinotecan and 5‐fluorouracil as the first‐line treatment for patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods

Eligible patients received SHR‐1316 (10 mg/kg), liposomal irinotecan (60 mg/m² for the first cycle, 80 mg/m² thereafter), and 5‐fluorouracil (2400 mg/m²) every 14 days until disease progression, intolerable toxicity or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was progression‐free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), and safety.

Results

We enrolled 23 patients between 11 March 2019 and 31 May 2019. The median follow‐up duration was 15.2 months (95% CI 14.2–16.2). The median PFS was 8.5 months (95% CI 1.2–15.8), and ORR and DCR were 52.2% (95% CI 30.1–74.3) and 73.9% (95% CI 54.5–93.3), respectively. The median OS was 11.6 months (95% CI 6.7–16.6). The most common treatment‐related grade 3–4 adverse events (AEs) were neutropenia (17.4%), nausea (13.0%), and anorexia (13.0%). Treatment‐related serious AEs occurred in two patients. No treatment‐related deaths occurred.

Conclusions

SHR‐1316 plus liposomal irinotecan and 5‐fluorouracil has a promising efficacy and manageable safety profile, and could be a new first‐line treatment approach for patients with unresectable locally advanced or distant metastatic ESCC.

The relationship between treatment-induced hypertension and efficacy of anlotinib in recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

In this post-hoc analysis, we evaluated anlotinib treatment-induced hypertension as a potential predictive factor of efficacy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients.

METHODS

A total of 109 patients enrolled in the anlotinib group in a phase 2 trial were included. The tumor response was assessed by computed tomography at week 3, week 6, and then every 6 weeks until progressive disease was observed. The primary endpoint of the study was progression free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR).

RESULTS

In all patients, the median PFS was 3.02 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.63-3.65 months] and the OS was 6.11 months (95% CI: 4.40-7.79 months). The ORR was 7.34% (95% CI: 3.22%-13.95%). A total of 59 (54%) patients were diagnosed with treatment-induced hypertension (Group A), and the remaining patients (n = 50, 46%) were in Group B. Baseline prognostic factors were similar between the 2 groups. Patients in Group A had a longer PFS and OS and higher ORR. When stratifying patients using a previously known history of hypertension, treatment-induced hypertension was a predictor only for patients without previous hypertension, who had longer PFS [hazard ratio (HR): 0.40, 95% CI: 0.24-0.68] and OS (HR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.21-0.67).

CONCLUSIONS

We showed, for the first time, a correlation between treatment-induced hypertension and better prognoses in recurrent or metastatic ESCC patients treated with anlotinib, without a previously known history of hypertension. Treatment-induced hypertension may be a simple and low cost predictor for anlotinib antitumor efficacy in these patients, which may also reflect the intended target inhibition.

Anlotinib for previously treated advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A double-blind randomized phase 2 trial

BACKGROUND

Currently, there are no randomized trials on the effect of antiangiogenic therapy in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The following study investigated the efficacy and safety of anlotinib in patients with advanced ESCC who were previously treated with chemotherapy.

METHODS

This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase 2 trial (NCT02649361) was conducted in 13 Chinese hospitals. Eligible patients were adults with histologically confirmed recurrent or metastatic ESCC who were previously treated with chemotherapy, and were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive oral anlotinib 12 mg or placebo on days 1-14 (repeated every 21 days). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-five patients were randomly assigned to the anlotinib (n = 110) or the placebo (n = 55) arm. Median PFS was 3.02 months (95% CI 2.63-3.65) in the anlotinib group and 1.41 months (95% CI 1.38-1.41) in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0.46 [95% CI 0.32-0.66]; p < 0.001). The most common treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or 4 were hypertension (17 [16%] patients), decreased appetite (6 [6%] patients), and hyponatremia (4 [4%] patients) in the anlotinib group and decreased appetite (2 [4%] patients) in the placebo group. Three (3%) deaths in the anlotinib group were considered as drug related, while there were no treatment-related deaths in the placebo group.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of anlotinib in previously treated, recurrent, or metastatic ESCC patients significantly improved PFS compared with placebo. Our findings suggest that antiangiogenesis might be an important therapeutic target in advanced ESCC.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

Study of Anlotinib in Patients With Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ALTER1102), NCT02649361.

Camrelizumab in combination with apatinib as second-line treatment for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A single-arm, open-label, phase II study

215

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a lethal cancer with a high unmet medical need. Camrelizumab, an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, significantly improved overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR) in Chinese patients (pts) with advanced ESCC compared with chemotherapy, with a manageable safety profile in phase III randomized trial (ESCORT). However, the absolute long-term survival benefiting from PD-1 inhibitors is limited, and new effective treatments are needed. Here, our study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of combination with camrelizumab and apatinib (VEGFR2 inhibitor) as second-line treatment for advanced ESCC. Methods: This ongoing phase II trial (NCT03736863) in six sites in China enrolled pts aged 18-75 with unresectable locally advanced, locally recurrent, or metastatic ESCC that progressed or were intolerant after first-line chemotherapy, and an ECOG performance status of 0-1. Pts received 200 mg intravenous camrelizumab every two weeks plus 250 mg oral apatinib daily in 4-week cycles until disease progression, unacceptable adverse events (AEs) or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed ORR. Secondary endpoints included disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS) and OS. Results: At data cutoff (Sept 11, 2020), 36 pts were enrolled, 7 females and 29 males, and 25 pts had lymph node metastases. Twelve pts received radiotherapy and 25 underwent surgery. Twenty-five pts were included in the efficacy analysis with median follow-up time of 5.0 months and 36 pts in the safety analysis with median follow-up time of 4.6 months. The primary endpoint ORR without confirmation was 40 % with complete response in two pts (8%) and partial response in eight pts (32%). Thirteen pts (52%) had stable disease, and the DCR was 92%. The median PFS and OS were not reached. A total of 72.2% of pts had AEs, and 30.6% of pts experienced grade 3 AEs. The most common AEs (all grade, grade≥3) were elevated aspartate aminotransferase (30.6%, 19.4%), elevated alanine aminotransferase (30.6%, 13.9%), hypertension (25%, 2.8%),neutrophil (25%, 5.6%), thrombocytopenia (25%, 0%), leukopenia (22.2%, 2.8%), anemia (11.1%, 0%), proteinuria (11.1%, 0%), hematochezia (8.3%, 0%), reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (5.6%, 2.8%), pruritus (5.6%, 0%), esophageal fistula (5.6%, 0%), fatigue (2.8%, 0%) and hypothyroidism (2.8%, 0%). Conclusions: This is the first study to explore the combination of PD-1 inhibitor and anti-angiogenesis inhibitor as a second-line treatment for advanced ESCC. Camrelizumab plus apatinib demonstrated encouraging clinical efficacy and acceptable safety as second-line treatment, and might be a favorable option for pts with advanced ESCC. Further phase III randomized trials are warranted. Clinical trial information: NCT03736863.

Camrelizumab in combination with preoperative chemotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A single-arm, open-label, phase II study

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Background:At present, esophageal cell carcinoma (ESCC) has a dismal prognosis with huge unmet clinical needs. With the potential benefit of combining PD-1 inhibitor with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nCT), we conducted a phase II trial to assess the efficacy and safety of Camrelizumab (anti-PD-1 antibody) plus nCT for locally advanced ESCC. Methods:26 patients (pts) with histologically confirmed stage Ⅱ/Ⅲ/Ⅳa (cT2-4aN0-3M0) ESCC were enrolled from February 2020 to September 2020.The study was divided into two stages, stage1: we administered 1 cycle of Camrelizumab for induction therapy (200 mg q2 weeks); stage2: pts received 2 cycles of Camrelizumab (200 mg every 3 weeks) plus docetaxel and nedaplatin, followed by surgery within 4~6 weeks after neoadjuvant therapy completion. Primary endpoint was major pathologic response (MPR). Secondary endpoints included pathologic complete response (pCR), R0 resection rate, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). In total 40 pts will be enrolled. Results:At the cutoff date of Sep 22, 2020, 26 eligible pts were enrolled (65% males, median age 63), neoadjuvant treatment was completed in 17 pts and is ongoing in 7 pts. Thus far 12 out of 17 pts were resected, 5 pts are planned to undergo surgery, 1 pt had interval metastases preoperatively, 1 pt declined surgery. All patients underwent an R0 resection. Postoperative pathology showed that T stage decreased in 10 pts with 83% reduction rate. 5 pts (42%) reached major pathologic response, 3 pts (25%) reached pathologic complete response, the others maintained stable disease (33%). No grade 3 immunotherapy related AEs were observed, no surgery related mortality. The most common AEs (all grade, grade≥3) were anemia (31%, 3%), leukopenia (7%, 0%), neutrophil (3%,0%), hypoalbuminemia (21%, 0%), hematochezia (14%, 0%), fatigue (10%, 0%) and thyroid dysfunction (24%, 0% ). Date for median PFS and OS were not matured. Conclusions:Camrelizumab in combination with preoperative chemotherapy followed by surgery for locally advanced ESCC showed promising downstaging effect and MPR with good tolerance, and its efficacy and safety could be further studied in later trials. Clinical trial information: NCT03917966.

Physiological effects of transport duration on stress biomarkers and meat quality of medium-growing Yellow broiler chickens

Pre-slaughter transport exerts negative effects on broilers' welfare, meat yield, and meat quality, but little is known about the effect of transport on medium-growing broiler chickens. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of different durations of transport (0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 3h) on stress biomarkers and meat quality of medium-growing Yellow-feathered broiler chickens. One hundred and eighty Chinese Yellow-feathered broilers aged 75days (marketing age), of 2.02kg average BW, were allotted into five groups; each group contained six replicates (six birds/replicate (crate)). Each crate with dimensions 74×55×27cm (length × width × height) was loaded with six birds, that is, 30kg live BW/m² crate. The tested transport durations increased BW loss (linear, P<0.01), plasma concentrations of ACTH (linear, P<0.10), cortisol and corticosterone (quadratic, P<0.05), and activity of glutathione peroxidase (linear, P<0.05), whereas plasma glucose was not affected. In breast muscle, contents of glycogen, lactic acid, malondialdehyde, and reduced glutathione were not affected (P>0.05), but total antioxidant capacity decreased (linear, P<0.01). The drip loss of breast muscle increased (linear, P<0.01), whereas shear force, pH at 24h postmortem, and breast meat color lightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*) scores were not affected. In conclusion, the tested transport durations (from 0.5 to 3h) increased BW loss and some plasma stress biomarkers in 75-day-old Yellow-feathered broiler chickens, but the effect on meat quality attributes was minor.

Intense Pulse Light for Treating Post-LASIK Refractory Dry Eye

Objective: Optimal pulse technology-intense pulse light (OPT-IPL) treatment on patients with post-LASIK refractory dry eye (DE). Background: The prevalence of dry eye disease is common and can lead to ocular discomfort, reduced visual acuity, lowered quality of vision and life. Materials and methods: A prospective study was conducted on 72 eyes of 36 patients (treatment group, n = 42 eyes; control group, n = 30 eyes) who had previously undergone myopic LASIK correction with subsequent refractory DE. All eyes fulfilled the Japanese DE criteria and had not responded to conventional DE treatment. The treatment group underwent two OPT-IPL treatment sessions at 2-week intervals, while the control group received no treatment. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), ocular surface disease index (OSDI), noninvasive breakup time (NITBUT), tear film lipid layer (TFLL) quality, corneal fluorescein staining, meibum gland (MG), endothelial cell count (ECC), and intraocular pressure (IOP) were assessed at baseline (D0), day-14 (D14) and day-28 (D28) after OPT-IPL treatment. Results: The mean age of treatment group and control group was 30.48 ± 5.16 years (12 females, 57%) and 31.00 ± 4.33 years (8 females, 53%), respectively. Treatment group had clinically and statistically significant improvement in NITBUT and was observed at D14 (p < 0.001) and D28 (p < 0.001). OSDI, TFLL score, and MG quality and expressibility improved significantly (p < 0.05) at D28, whereas BCVA, ECC, and IOP showed no significant changes at D14 and D28 between the groups. Conclusions: Our results suggest that post-LASIK refractory DE is safely treated with OPT-IPL treatment. OPT-IPL treatment reduced the severity of symptoms and improved the overall tear film stability in patients with severe refractory DE post-LASIK surgery. In addition, the frequency of artificial tears usage was significantly less and can be attributed to the reduction in OSDI scores due to improved TFLL and tear film stability.

HX008, an anti-PD1 antibody, plus irinotecan as second-line treatment for advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer: a multicenter, single-arm phase II trial

BACKGROUND

Irinotecan is used as second-line treatment in advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancer. The role of anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody plus irinotecan, in this setting and population is unclear.

METHODS

This multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II trial was conducted in 11 Chinese hospitals. Eligible patients had histologically confirmed advanced G/GEJ cancer that refractory to, or intolerant of, first-line chemotherapy with a platinum and/or fluoropyrimidine. Subjects received HX008 200 mg intravenously every 3 weeks plus irinotecan 160 mg/m² intravenously every 2 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) as assessed according to Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors V.1.1.

RESULTS

Between October 2018 and September 2019, a total of 58 patients with advanced G/GEJ cancer were enrolled in this study. Median follow-up was 10.5 months (range 7.4-18.9) months. Confirmed ORR was observed in 16 patients, for an ORR of 27.6% (95% CI 16.1% to 39.1%); 19 patients experienced stable disease, leading to a disease control rate of 60.3% (95% CI 46.4% to 73.0%). ORR in patients with PD-ligand 1 (L1) positive (Combined Positive Score (CPS) ≥1) and negative (CPS＜1) tumors was 38.5% (5/13) and 37.5% (3/8), respectively. Median duration of response was 8.0 months (range 1.5-12.5), 6 of 16 (37.5%) responses were ongoing. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4.2 months (95% CI 2.2 to 5.5). Median overall survival (OS) was not reached (NR) (95% CI 8.7 to NR). Patients with PD-L1 positive tumors tended to have longer OS than those with PD-L1 negative tumors, but the difference was not statistically significant (NR vs 8.7 months, p=0.1858).The most common treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or 4 included neutropenia (32.8%), leukopenia (31.0%), anemia (17.2%), decreased appetite (8.6%), vomit (6.9%), nausea (6.9%) and fatigue (5.2%). There were no treatment-related deaths.

CONCLUSION

The combination of HX008 and irinotecan demonstrated promising activity and manageable safety as second-line treatment in patients with advanced G/GEJ cancer, which warrants further study.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03704246.

Transparent and Freestanding Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Films Synthesized Directly and Continuously via a Blown Aerosol Technique

Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) films are promising materials as flexible transparent conductive films (TCFs). Here, inspired by the extrusion blown plastic film technique and the SWCNT synthesis approach by floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD), a novel blown aerosol chemical vapor deposition (BACVD) method is reported to directly and continuously produce freestanding SWCNT TCFs at several hundred meters per hour. The synthesis mechanism, involving blowing a stable aerosol bubble and transforming the bubble into an aerogel, is investigated, and a general phase diagram is established for this method. For the SWCNT TCFs via BACVD, both carbon conversion efficiency and SWCNT TCF yield can reach three orders of magnitude higher than those with the conventional FCCVD. The film displays a sheet resistance of 40 ohm sq^-1 at 90% transmittance after being doped, representing the record performance based on large-scale SWCNT films. Transparent, flexible, and stretchable electrodes based on BACVD films are demonstrated. Moreover, this high-throughput method of producing SWCNT TCFs can be compatible with the roll-to-roll process for mass production of flexible displays, touch screens, solar cells, and solid-state lighting, and is expected to have a broad and long-term impact on many fields from consumer electronics to energy conversion and generation.

A study of the mechanism of lncRNA-CR594175 in regulating proliferation and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vivo and in vitro

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the cancers of highest incidence and mortality worldwide. The proliferation and invasion of tumor cells are the main reason for poor prognosis after HCC surgery. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has been shown to play a key role in the progression of HCC. LncRNA-CR594175 is one of the highly expressed lncRNAs in HCC tumors and their metastatic tumors that we have obtained by the High-throughput screening method.

Methods

To elucidate the role of lncRNA-CR594175 in regulating the proliferation and invasion of human hepatoma cell line, HepG2, we operated through lncRNA-CR594175 silencing to inhibit the progression of HCC, either through in vitro or in vivo experiments.

Results

We found that lncRNA-CR594175 was lower in adjacent non-cancerous tissues than in primary HCC, and was lower in primary HCC than in its metastasis. Silencing of lncRNA-CR594175 inhibited the proliferation and invasion of HepG2 cells and growth of subcutaneous tumors. The results revealed that lncRNA-CR594175, as a RNA sponge, broke the negative regulation of hsa-miR-142-3p on Catenin, beta-1 (CTNNB1), and once lncRNA-CR594175 was silenced, the hsa-miR142-3p regained its negative regulation on CTNNB1 which can promote HCC progression by activating the wnt pathway.

Conclusions

Our present study demonstrated for the first time that lncRNA-CR594175 silencing suppressed proliferation and invasion of HCC cells in vivo and in vitro by restoring the negative regulation of hsa-miR-142-3p on CTNNB1, laying a solid theoretical base for using lncRNA-CR594175 as genetic target therapy for HCC and offering a reasonable explanation for inactivation of miRNA in different tumors or in the tumor at different stages.

Recombinant lactobacillin PlnK adjusts the gut microbiome distribution in broilers

1. The heterologous expression and biological function of the Lactobacillus bacteriocin plantaricin K (PlnK) remain largely unknown. 2. In this study, PlnK was efficiently expressed in competent E. coli BL21 (used in transformation and protein expression) after 12 h, at 37°C and in 0.4 mmol/l isopropyl β- d-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). 3. The inhibitory bacterial spectrum of recombinant PlnK was investigated and indicated that levels of PlnK above 0.10 mg/ml produced an obvious inhibitory effect on gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria in vitro. 4. The effects of PlnK on intestinal immune function and the gut microbiome distribution in broilers were studied. The results revealed that, after consuming 2.50 × 10^-3 mg/ml of PlnK in water for one week, at the phylum level, the abundance of Firmicutes was increased and the abundance of Bacleroidetes was decreased. At the family level, the abundance of Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae and Streptococcaceae were significantly improved, but the abundance of Bacteroidaceae was reduced. At the genus level, the abundances of Lachnoclostridium, Streptococcus and Ruminococcaceae-UCG-013, were significantly up-regulated, and the abundance of Bacteroides was down-regulated. 5. After oral liquid intake of PlnK for one week, levels of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in the duodenal mucus were not significantly increased, but the mRNA levels of TLR3, MDA5, IFN-α, IFN-β, IFITM3 and IFITM10 in the duodenum were significantly reduced. 6. This study demonstrated that the recombinant PlnK could adjust the intestinal microbiome distribution and downregulate the IFN pathway.