Direct Injection of Poly-ICLC (Hiltonol®) Vaccine In Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Trial end date: 2022-05-01
• Target enrollment: 18
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The purpose of this study is to offer a novel cancer vaccine called poly-ICLC (Hiltonol®) for subjects with malignant pleural mesothelioma by directly injecting the vaccine into the tumor.

This trial will enroll a maximum of 18 patients with biopsy proven malignant pleural mesothelioma who are surgically resectable. Subjects will undergo core biopsies of their mesothelioma followed by direct injection of Poly ICLC, a TLR3 agonist which has been shown to have biological and immunological effects. Within two to three weeks following the injection, the patients will undergo a pleurectomy/decortication or EPP, as is standard of care. Tissue resected at that time will be compared to tissue obtained at biopsy prior to the injection of the immunological agent.

• Phase: Phase 1
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Raja M Flores
• Collaborator: Oncovir, Inc.
• Treatments: Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium; Poly I-C; Poly ICLC

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Biopsy proven malignant pleural mesothelioma

a. If biopsied at an outside institution, must have a tissue block sample available

• Deemed to be surgically resectable by a dedicated thoracic surgeon.

• Acceptable hematologic, renal and liver function as follows:

1. Absolute neutrophil count > 1000/mm3

2. Platelets > 50,000/mm3,

3. Creatinine ≤ 2.5 mg/dl,

4. Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dl,

5. Transaminases ≤ 2 times above the upper limits of the institutional normal.

6. INR<1.6 if off of anticoagulation. Patients on anticoagulation therapy with an INR>1.6 may be enrolled at the discretion of the investigator if they have not had any episodes of severe hemorrhage and if the site to be injected is fully surrounded by pleura where achieving homeostasis would be complicated.

• Patient must be able to provide informed consent

• Subject is willing to adhere to the study visit schedule and other protocol requirements.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Serious concurrent infection or medical illness, which would jeopardize the ability of the patient to receive Poly-ICLC with reasonable safety.

• History of any pulmonary process that precludes a biopsy to be done safely.

• Severe pulmonary hypertension; having a history of pulmonary hypertension or an estimated PA systolic pressure of >60mmHg as measured by tricuspid regurgitation on preoperative echocardiogram.

• Subject unable to cooperate in terms of maintaining position during the procedure.

• AIDS defined as a CD4 count less than 200 in the context of HIV seropositivity or chronically is taking immunosuppressive medication such as steroids or transplant related medications.

• Persistent toxicity from recent therapy that has not sufficiently resolved in the judgment of the study physician.

• Subject has an active infection requiring therapy.

• Subject has had an allogenetic tissue/solid organ transplant.

• Subject has active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment within the past 2 years (eg, with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs). Replacement therapy (eg, thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc.) is not considered a form of systemic treatment.

• Subject has known active Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or tuberculosis. Active Hepatitis B is defined as a known positive HBsAg result. Active Hepatitis C is defined by a known positive Hep C Ab result and known quantitative HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) results greater than the lower limits of detection of the assay.

• Concomitant comorbidities that are uncontrolled that would preclude the patient from being a surgical candidate including uncontrolled CHF, diabetes or heart disease

• Women with a positive serum or urine pregnancy test at baseline, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.