Penpulimab Combined With GP ± Anlotinib as Neoadjuvant Therapy in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy is the standard treatment method for locally advanced NPC. In the 2020 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, GP regimen induction chemotherapy combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy has been established as evidence-based grade 2A.

Based on the results of phase 3 clinical trials, the addition of PD-1 monoclonal antibody to GP chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic nonkeratinizing NPC provided superior PFS, ORR and DoR than GP alone while maintaining a manageable safety profile. Therefore, the combination of PD-1 monoclonal antibody in GP induction chemotherapy may further improve the prognosis of patients with locally advanced NPC.

There is a complex interaction between tumor immune microenvironment and tumor vascular remodeling. Anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody combined with anti-VEGF have synergistic effect and inhibit tumor growth.

Penpulimab is a new type of PD-1 monoclonal antibody. It has the characteristics of strong antigen binding and slow dissociation rate, which can maintain the antitumor activity of T cells.

Anlotinib is a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). It can effectively inhibit a variety of receptors, including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), and block tumor angiogenesis more comprehensively.

Based on the above research background, this study adopts a two-stage design:

Stage I (Pick the Winner Study): For patients with locally advanced NPC, the complete response rate (CR) of tumor after induction chemotherapy was compared between the two groups of patients receiving GP + Penpulimab and GP + Penpulimab + arotinib before radiotherapy. The regimen with higher CR rate was the winner at this stage.

Stage II ( Cohort Expansion Study): The 3-year failure free survival (FFS) of patients in the winning regimen of expansion cohort was calculated through long-term follow-up and compared with the data in previous trials.

Inclusion criteria

• Voluntary participation with Written informed consent.
• Age ≥ 18 years and ≤ 65 years, male or non-pregnant female.
• Histologically confirmed with Nonkeratinizing carcinoma of the nasopharynx (differentiated or undifferentiated type, WHO II or III).
• Original clinical staged as III-IVa (according to the 8th AJCC edition),exclude T3-4N0, T3N1(Only retropharyngeal lymph nodes metastasized), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0 or 1.
• White blood cell count (WBC)≥4.0×109 /L, Hemoglobin ≥ 90g/L, Platelet count ≥100×109/L.
• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤2.5×upper limit of normal (ULN),serum total bilirubin (TBIL) ≤2.0 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) .
• Adequate renal function: creatinine clearance rate≥60 ml/min or Creatinine ≤1.5× upper limit of normal value.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed with keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx.
• Prior therapy with Systemic chemotherapy.
• Women in the period of pregnancy, lactation, or reproductive without effective contraceptive measures.
• Seropositivity for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
• Known history of other malignancies (except cured basal cell carcinoma or carcinoma in situ of the cervix).
• Prior exposure to immune checkpoint inhibitors,including anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, anti-CTLA-4 antibodies.
• Patients with immunodeficiency disease or a history of organ transplantation.
• Received large doses of glucocorticoids, anticancer monoclonal antibodies, or other immunosuppressants within 4 weeks.
• Patients with severe dysfunction of heart, liver, lung, kidney or marrow.
• Patients with severe, uncontrolled disease or infections.
• Received other research drugs or in other clinical trials at the same time.
• Refuse or fail to sign the informed consent .
• Patients with other treatment contraindications.
• Patients with personality or mental disorders, incapacity or limited capacity for civil conduct.
• Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive and peripheral blood HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV DNA) ≥1000cps/ml.
• Patients with positive HCV antibody test will only be enrolled in this study if the PCR test for HCV RNA is negative.