About this trial
This phase Ib trial studies the side effects and best dose of pembrolizumab and how well it works in combination with decitabine with or without venetoclax in treating patients with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome that is newly-diagnosed, has come back (recurrent), or does not respond to treatment (refractory). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Decitabine is in a class of medications called hypomethylation agents. It works by helping the bone marrow produce normal blood cells and by killing abnormal cells in the bone marrow. Venetoclax is in a class of medications called B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) inhibitors. It may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking Bcl-2, a protein needed for cancer cell survival. This trial may help doctors find the best dose of pembrolizumab that can be safely given in combination with decitabine with or without venetoclax, and to determine what side effects are seen with this treatment.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Documented informed consent of the participant and/or legally authorized representative
Agreement to allow the use of archival blood samples and marrow from diagnostic tumor biopsies. If unavailable, exceptions may be granted with study principal investigator (PI) approval
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) status =< 1
Histologically confirmed AML (not including acute promyelocytic leukemia) or MDS
Disqualifiers
Previous allogeneic cell transplantation
Previous treatment with pembrolizumab
Previously refractory to treatment with decitabine + venetoclax (i.e. progressed through therapy without first attaining at least a partial response)
Systemic steroid therapy or any other form of immunosuppressive medication
Trial design
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Decitabine
DrugGiven IV
Pembrolizumab
Biological/VaccineGiven IV
Venetoclax
DrugGiven PO
Treatment groups
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
Incidence of adverse events
Will be graded according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. Observed toxicities will be summarized in terms of type (organ affected or laboratory determination), severity, time of onset, duration, probable association with the study treatment and reversibility or outcome.
Maximum-tolerated dose (MTD)
Will be based on the assessment of dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) during cycle 1 and NCI CTCAE version 5.0. Standard 3+3 design rules will govern enrollment and dose de-escalation. In each arm, the dose level that produces =\< 1/6 DLTs will be declared the MTD.
Response to treatment
Will obtain preliminary estimates of complete remission (CR)+CR with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi). Patients will have their response classified according to modified Cheson, 2006 criteria (myelodysplastic syndrome cohort) and Dohner et al., 2017 criteria (acute myeloid leukemia cohort). Rates and 95% Clopper-Pearson binomial confidence interval will be calculated for the complete remission rate (patients that have confirmed CR/CRi). Response rates will also be explored based on number/type of prior therapy(ies).
Secondary outcomes
Response duration
Will be estimated using the product-limit method of Kaplan and Meier.
Overall survival
Will be estimated using the product-limit method of Kaplan and Meier.
Progression-free survival
Will be estimated using the product-limit method of Kaplan and Meier.
Other outcomes
Change in PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 levels
Change in T cell subset distribution
Change in T cell receptor repertoire
Sponsors and contacts
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City of Hope Medical Center
Lead sponsor
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Collaborator