Tiragolumab + Atezolizumab for Oral Cancer

Overseen by Maura Gillison, MD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Phase 2

Recruiting

Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Must not be taking: Antibiotics, Immunosuppressants, Immunostimulants, others

Disqualifiers: Autoimmune disease, Cardiovascular disease, others

No Placebo Group

Prior Safety Data

Breakthrough Therapy

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial is testing two drugs, tiragolumab and atezolizumab, in patients with advanced oral cancer. These drugs are given before and after standard treatments to help the immune system fight the cancer more effectively.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial protocol does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, it does mention that patients on certain treatments, like systemic immunosuppressive medications, may need to stop or adjust their use before starting the trial. It's best to discuss your specific medications with the trial team.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug combination Tiragolumab and Atezolizumab for oral cancer?

Atezolizumab, a drug that helps the immune system fight cancer, has shown effectiveness in treating other types of cancers like bladder and lung cancer, with some patients experiencing significant tumor shrinkage and improved survival rates. Tiragolumab, when combined with Atezolizumab, has also shown promising results in trials for other solid cancers, suggesting potential benefits for oral cancer as well. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the combination of Tiragolumab and Atezolizumab generally safe for humans?

Atezolizumab, used in treating bladder cancer, has a favorable safety profile, meaning it is generally well-tolerated by patients. No treatment-related deaths were reported in a study involving cisplatin, a drug often used with Atezolizumab, indicating it is also generally safe. ^{5 6 7 8 9}

How is the drug combination of Tiragolumab and Atezolizumab unique for treating oral cancer?

The combination of Tiragolumab and Atezolizumab is unique because it targets two immune checkpoints, PD-L1 and TIGIT, which may enhance the immune system's ability to fight cancer cells. This dual approach has shown promise in other solid tumors, like non-small cell lung cancer, and could offer a novel treatment option for oral cancer. ^{1 4 5 10 11}

Research Team

Maura Gillison, MD

Principal Investigator

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Eligibility Criteria

Adults with newly diagnosed, PD-L1 CPS positive, resectable Stage 3-4 Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OCSCC) who are in good physical condition (ECOG 0-1), have measurable disease per RECIST v1.1, and can comply with the study protocol. Excluded are those with prior significant treatments or conditions that could interfere with the trial, such as autoimmune diseases, recent infections including COVID-19, or allergies to trial medications.

Inclusion Criteria

Negative HIV test at screening

My blood and organs are functioning well.

Negative hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody test at screening

Exclusion Criteria

History of severe allergic anaphylactic reactions to chimeric or humanized antibodies or fusion proteins

I have had cancer within the last 5 years.

Treatment with investigational therapy within 42 days prior to initiation of study treatment

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Neoadjuvant Treatment

Participants receive two cycles of neoadjuvant atezolizumab and tiragolumab

6-8 weeks

Surgery and Chemoradiation

Participants undergo standard of care surgery followed by chemoradiation

8-12 weeks

Adjuvant Treatment

Participants receive adjuvant atezolizumab and tiragolumab

6-8 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

12-24 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Atezolizumab (Monoclonal Antibodies)
• Carboplatin (Chemotherapy)
• Cisplatin (Radiation)
• Standard of Care (Behavioral Intervention)
• Tiragolumab (Monoclonal Antibodies)

Trial Overview The effectiveness of Tiragolumab plus Atezolizumab before and after surgery and chemoradiation is being tested against OCSCC. The goal is to see if these drugs can better control cancer when added to standard treatment which may include radiation therapy alongside chemotherapy agents like Cisplatin or Carboplatin.

Participant Groups

Group I: Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Experimental Treatment 6 Interventions

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,107

Recruited

1,813,000+

Genentech, Inc.

Industry Sponsor

Trials

1,578

Recruited

569,000+

Ashley Magargee

Genentech, Inc.

Chief Executive Officer since 2024

MBA from Harvard University, BA from Princeton University

Levi Garraway

Genentech, Inc.

Chief Medical Officer since 2021

MD, PhD

Findings from Research

Tiragolumab, a TIGIT inhibitor, shows promise in treating solid cancers, particularly non-small cell lung cancer, based on results from phase I and II trials.

The combination of tiragolumab with the PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab has demonstrated statistically significant efficacy in multiple solid tumors, suggesting a potential new treatment strategy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Tiragolumab Impresses in Multiple Trials. [2021]

Atezolizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting PD-L1, showed a 23% response rate and a median overall survival of 15.9 months in 119 patients with metastatic urothelial cancer who were unfit for cisplatin, indicating its efficacy as a front-line treatment.

In patients whose tumors progressed after first-line chemotherapy, atezolizumab had a 15% response rate and a median overall survival of 7.9 months, with better outcomes (26% response rate) in those with high PD-L1 expression, demonstrating its potential effectiveness based on biomarker status.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Atezolizumab (Tecentriq®): Activity, indication and modality of use in advanced or metastatic urinary bladder carcinoma]. Bernard-Tessier, A., Bonnet, C., Lavaud, P., et al.[2019]

Atezolizumab combined with chemotherapy showed promising efficacy in treating advanced, treatment-naïve non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with overall response rates of 36% to 68% across different chemotherapy regimens in a study of 76 patients.

The treatment was generally well tolerated, although common severe side effects included neutropenia and anemia, indicating a manageable safety profile for this combination therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Long-term survival follow-up of atezolizumab in combination with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Liu, SV., Camidge, DR., Gettinger, SN., et al.[2022]

Atezolizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets PD-L1, which is being developed for treating various blood cancers and solid tumors, showing promise in cancer immunotherapy.

It has already been approved in the US as a second-line treatment for urothelial carcinoma and is pending approval for non-small cell lung cancer, highlighting its potential efficacy in these conditions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Atezolizumab: First Global Approval. Markham, A.[2019]

Atezolizumab is an FDA-approved treatment for advanced bladder cancer that works by blocking the PD-L1/PD-1 immune checkpoint, enhancing T-cell immunity against tumors.

In clinical trials, atezolizumab showed a 15% objective response rate in patients whose cancer progressed after chemotherapy, and a 24% response rate in chemotherapy-naïve patients, with a favorable safety profile compared to other second-line treatments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Atezolizumab: A PD-L1-Blocking Antibody for Bladder Cancer. Inman, BA., Longo, TA., Ramalingam, S., et al.[2022]

Pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 antibody used for treating various cancers, can cause immune-related adverse events (IRAEs) affecting multiple body systems, including rare oral mucosal issues like glossitis.

In a case study of a 71-year-old male with lung cancer, treatment with oral prednisone effectively improved tongue ulcerations caused by pembrolizumab, highlighting the need for awareness of such rare side effects and their management.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab-Induced Immune-Mediated Glossitis. Alias, A., Hall, JA., Kulkarni, P., et al.[2022]

In a trial involving 20 patients with recurrent/metastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma, the combination of camrelizumab with docetaxel and cisplatin showed a median overall survival of 14.4 months and an overall response rate of 40%, indicating promising efficacy.

The treatment was generally well tolerated, with 45% of patients experiencing grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events, the most common being anemia and stomatitis, but no treatment-related deaths occurred.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A pilot study of camrelizumab with docetaxel and cisplatin for the first line treatment in recurrent/metastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma. Ju, H., Wei, D., Wu, Y., et al.[2023]

This report describes the first known case of oral mucous membrane pemphigoid and lichenoid reaction triggered by the anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies toripalimab and pembrolizumab, highlighting potential mucocutaneous adverse effects associated with these treatments.

While discontinuing these medications led to clinical resolution of the adverse events, existing studies suggest that such dermatologic reactions may correlate with better cancer treatment outcomes, indicating a need for further research to balance efficacy and safety.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coexistence of oral mucous membrane pemphigoid and lichenoid drug reaction: a case of toripalimab-triggered and pembrolizumab-aggravated oral adverse events. Duan, S., Zhang, X., Wang, F., et al.[2021]

In the CITYSCAPE trial involving 275 patients with chemotherapy-naive, PD-L1-positive non-small-cell lung cancer, the combination of tiragolumab and atezolizumab resulted in a significantly higher objective response rate (31.3% vs. 16.2%) and improved median progression-free survival (5.4 months vs. 3.6 months) compared to placebo plus atezolizumab.

The safety profile of tiragolumab plus atezolizumab was generally similar to that of atezolizumab alone, with serious treatment-related adverse events occurring in 21% of patients in the combination group, indicating that this combination therapy is well tolerated.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Tiragolumab plus atezolizumab versus placebo plus atezolizumab as a first-line treatment for PD-L1-selected non-small-cell lung cancer (CITYSCAPE): primary and follow-up analyses of a randomised, double-blind, phase 2 study. Cho, BC., Abreu, DR., Hussein, M., et al.[2022]

This phase I clinical trial is investigating the safety and efficacy of combining the anti-TIGIT monoclonal antibody tiragolumab with the PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and other cancers previously treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

The primary goal of the trial is to assess the safety of this combination treatment and to evaluate its effectiveness in improving 6-month progression-free survival (PFS), with the study including multiple cancer types and a focus on immune biomarker assessments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A phase I study of the combination of atezolizumab, tiragolumab, and stereotactic body radiation therapy in patients with metastatic multiorgan cancer. Roussot, N., Fumet, JD., Limagne, E., et al.[2023]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Tiragolumab Impresses in Multiple Trials. [2021]

2. France pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Atezolizumab (Tecentriq®): Activity, indication and modality of use in advanced or metastatic urinary bladder carcinoma]. [2019]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Long-term survival follow-up of atezolizumab in combination with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. [2022]

4. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Atezolizumab: First Global Approval. [2019]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Atezolizumab: A PD-L1-Blocking Antibody for Bladder Cancer. [2022]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab-Induced Immune-Mediated Glossitis. [2022]

7. China pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A pilot study of camrelizumab with docetaxel and cisplatin for the first line treatment in recurrent/metastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma. [2023]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Severe Oral Mucositis: A Rare Adverse Event of Pembrolizumab. [2018]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coexistence of oral mucous membrane pemphigoid and lichenoid drug reaction: a case of toripalimab-triggered and pembrolizumab-aggravated oral adverse events. [2021]

10. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Tiragolumab plus atezolizumab versus placebo plus atezolizumab as a first-line treatment for PD-L1-selected non-small-cell lung cancer (CITYSCAPE): primary and follow-up analyses of a randomised, double-blind, phase 2 study. [2022]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A phase I study of the combination of atezolizumab, tiragolumab, and stereotactic body radiation therapy in patients with metastatic multiorgan cancer. [2023]