Immunotherapy, TriMixDC Combo Yielded Durable Melanoma Responses

Source: Cancer Network, February 2016

The combination of TriMixDC-MEL and the CTLA-4 inhibitor ipilimumab produced durable tumor responses in patients with pretreated advanced melanoma, according to a phase II study of the combination.

TriMixDC-MEL, or autologous monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) electroporated with synthetic mRNA, has been shown to have antitumor activity when given alone in patients with pretreated advanced melanoma.

This study of the combination treatment showed a disease control rate of 51% at 6 months.

“On the basis of our observations, combinations of autologous TriMix-DC therapy and checkpoint inhibitors deserve further evaluation in prospective clinical trials,” researchers led by Sofie Wilgenhof, of Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussels, Belgium, wrote in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The study included 39 patients with pretreated advanced melanoma who were assigned to treatment with TriMixDC-MEL plus ipilimumab (10 mg/kg every 3 weeks for four administrations followed by maintenance therapy every 12 weeks in patients who did not progress). The primary endpoint was 6-month disease control rate.

The overall tumor response rate (ORR) was 38%. Eight patients (20%) achieved complete response and seven patients (18%) achieved a partial response. With a median follow-up of 36 months, seven patients have maintained complete response and one patient maintained partial response.