Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network 12: Pembrolizumab in HIV-Associated Kaposi Sarcoma

K Kathryn Lurain (9HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD) R Ramya Ramaswami (1National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, United States) I Irene Ekwede (1National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, United States) V Vanessa Eulo (University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL) G Gaurav Goyal (1Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL) M Manoj Menon (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA) T Thomas A. Odeny (Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO) E Elad Sharon M Michael J. Wagner C Chia-Ching (Jackie) Wang (University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA) N Nina Bhardwaj (Marc and Jennifer Lipschultz Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.) P Philip A. Friedlander (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY) M Maher Abdul-Hay (1Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York City, United States) E Elena M. Cornejo Castro (National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD) N Nazzarena Labo (NCI/FNLCR, Frederick, MD) V Vickie Ann Marshall (Viral Oncology Section, AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD) W Wendell Miley (Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD) K Kyle Moore R Romin Roshan (2Leidos-Biomedical, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Viral Oncology Section, AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick, United States) D Denise Whitby (2Leidos-Biomedical, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Viral Oncology Section, AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick, United States) A Angela Shaulov Kask (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and University of Washington, Seattle, WA) J Judith Kaiser (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and University of Washington, Seattle, WA) E Emma Han (Cytel (Shanghai) Co Ltd, Shanghai, China) A Anna Wright (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and University of Washington, Seattle, WA) R Robert Yarchoan (National Cancer Institute) S Steven P. Fling (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and University of Washington, Seattle, WA) T Thomas S. Uldrick (Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Tarrytown, NY)

Abstract

PURPOSE Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network 12 demonstrated safety of pembrolizumab in treating advanced cancer in people with HIV. Here, we report results of the Kaposi sarcoma (KS) cohort. METHODS In this multicenter phase I trial, we enrolled participants with HIV-associated KS on antiretroviral therapy with CD4 + ≥50 cells/μL and HIV plasma RNA <200 copies/mL. Pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously was administered once every 3 weeks for up to 35 cycles. The primary end point was safety, and the secondary end point was KS response by modified AIDS Clinical Trials Group Criteria. RESULTS Thirty-two cisgender men enrolled with baseline median CD4 + T-cell count of 274 cells/µL. All but nine participants had received previous systemic KS therapy. Participants received a median of 11 cycles of pembrolizumab (range, 1-35). Sixty-six percent had grade ≥1 treatment-emergent adverse events, including one death from polyclonal KS herpesvirus–related B-cell lymphoproliferation. Thirty-one percent had ≥one immune-mediated AEs (imAEs) with 25% requiring systemic steroids. In 29 participants with evaluable KS, the overall response rate (ORR) was 62.1% (95% CI, 42.3 to 79.3) and did not differ by CD4 + T-cell count. ORR in the eight participants with evaluable disease without previous KS therapy was 87.5% (95% CI, 47.3 to 99.7). Median duration of response (DOR) was not reached, and the Kaplan-Meier estimate of DOR of ≥12 months was 92.3% (95% CI, 56.6 to 98.8). Median progression-free survival was 28.2 months (95% CI, 4.2 to noncalculable). CONCLUSION Pembrolizumab yielded a high rate of durable responses in HIV-associated KS. imAEs were successfully managed with standard guidelines.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 43, Issue 4
Published February 01, 2025
Pages 432-442
ISSN 0732-183X
Publisher Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Journal Info

Journal of Clinical Oncology

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

ISSN: 0732-183X Health Sciences

Authors (27)

K

Kathryn Lurain

9HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

R

Ramya Ramaswami

1National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, United States

I

Irene Ekwede

1National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, United States

V

Vanessa Eulo

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

G

Gaurav Goyal

1Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

M

Manoj Menon

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA

T

Thomas A. Odeny

Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

E

Elad Sharon

M

Michael J. Wagner

C

Chia-Ching (Jackie) Wang

University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

N

Nina Bhardwaj

Marc and Jennifer Lipschultz Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.

P

Philip A. Friedlander

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY

M

Maher Abdul-Hay

1Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York City, United States

E

Elena M. Cornejo Castro

National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD

N

Nazzarena Labo

NCI/FNLCR, Frederick, MD

V

Vickie Ann Marshall

Viral Oncology Section, AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD

W

Wendell Miley

Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD

K

Kyle Moore

R

Romin Roshan

2Leidos-Biomedical, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Viral Oncology Section, AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick, United States

D

Denise Whitby

2Leidos-Biomedical, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Viral Oncology Section, AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick, United States

A

Angela Shaulov Kask

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and University of Washington, Seattle, WA

J

Judith Kaiser

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and University of Washington, Seattle, WA

E

Emma Han

Cytel (Shanghai) Co Ltd, Shanghai, China

A

Anna Wright

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and University of Washington, Seattle, WA

R

Robert Yarchoan

National Cancer Institute

S

Steven P. Fling

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and University of Washington, Seattle, WA

T

Thomas S. Uldrick

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Tarrytown, NY