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Low-dose Immunotherapy in Metastatic and Locally Advanced Colorectal and Gastric MSI/dMMR Cancers

Phase II Open-lable Single-center Clinical Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Low-dose Immunotherapy in the Treatment of Patients With Metastatic and Locally Advanced Colorectal and Gastric Cancers With Microsatellite Unstable Phenotype (MSI)/Deficiency of Mismatch Repair System (dMMR)

Status
Enrolling by invitation
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07542262
Acronym
NIVO402025
Enrollment
128
Registered
2026-04-21
Start date
2025-06-03
Completion date
2028-03-31
Last updated
2026-04-24

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Colorectal Cancer, Gastric Cancer

Keywords

colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, low-dose immunotherapy, MSI, dMMR

Brief summary

It is planned to study the effectiveness of low-dose immunotherapy (IT) nivolumab 40 mg for either 2 courses of therapy or 6 courses as preoperative therapy in patients with dMMR/MSI locally advanced CRC. Parallel recruitment into subgroups of patients by randomization is assumed. For dMMR/MSI locally advanced gastric cancer, it is planned to study the effectiveness of low-dose immunotherapy nivolumab 40 mg with or without the addition of chemotherapy (CT) in the FOLFOX regimen as preoperative therapy. Subgroup A includes 6 cycles of IV CT FOLFOX + IV administration of nivolumab 40 mg once every 14 days, subgroup B - 2 cycles of intravenous administration of nivolumab at a dose of 40 mg once every 14 days, and subgroup C - 6 cycles of intravenous administration of nivolumab at a dose of 40 mg once a day 14 days. Thus, it is planned to gradually include patients in the treatment subgroups. The frequency of complete therapeutic tumor pathomorphoses (pCR, TRG1) will be evaluated as the primary endpoint. Secondary goals are to study the safety of drug doses, to assess the frequency of pronounced therapeutic tumor pathomorphoses (MPR, TRG 1-2), to assess disease-free survival (PFS), the frequency of R0 resections, overall survival(S), and the frequency of objective response. To study the use of low-dose immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy in patients with metastatic dMMR/MSI CRC and gastric cancer in the first line of therapy, it is planned to use a combination of nivolumab 40 mg with FOLFOX regimen once every 14 days for 8 treatment cycles, followed by a switch to supportive intravenous monotherapy with nivolumab 40 mg.

Detailed description

It is planned to study the effectiveness of low-dose immunotherapy (IT) nivolumab 40 mg for either 2 courses of therapy or 6 courses as preoperative therapy in patients with dMMR/MSI locally advanced CRC. Parallel recruitment into subgroups of patients by randomization is assumed. For dMMR/MSI locally advanced gastric cancer, it is planned to study the effectiveness of low-dose immunotherapy nivolumab 40 mg with or without the addition of chemotherapy (CT) in the FOLFOX regimen as preoperative therapy. Subgroup A includes 6 cycles of IV CT FOLFOX + IV administration of nivolumab 40 mg once every 14 days, subgroup B - 2 cycles of intravenous administration of nivolumab at a dose of 40 mg once every 14 days, and subgroup C - 6 cycles of intravenous administration of nivolumab at a dose of 40 mg once a day 14 days. Thus, it is planned to gradually include patients in the treatment subgroups. The frequency of complete therapeutic tumor pathomorphoses (pCR, TRG1) will be evaluated as the primary endpoint. Secondary goals are to study the safety of drug doses, to assess the frequency of pronounced therapeutic tumor pathomorphoses (MPR, TRG 1-2), to assess disease-free survival (PFS), the frequency of R0 resections, overall survival(S), and the frequency of objective response. To study the use of low-dose immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy in patients with metastatic dMMR/MSI CRC and gastric cancer in the first line of therapy, it is planned to use a combination of nivolumab 40 mg with FOLFOX regimen once every 14 days for 8 treatment cycles, followed by a switch to supportive intravenous monotherapy with nivolumab 40 mg. One-year AFD will be evaluated as the primary endpoint in the group with metastatic disease. Secondary goals are to study the safety of drug doses, and to evaluate one-year DFS, OS, and CSR. To develop methods for personalizing low-dose IT, it is planned to compare the number of PD-1-positive cells before treatment and during immunotherapy. It is expected to detect PD-1 blockade on the lymphocyte surface during therapy and assess its duration. The results of the study will be presented in the form of an indicator of the number of PD-1-positive cells (%) and an indicator of the protein density on the surface of positive cells (MFI - average fluorescence intensity). Peripheral venous blood samples in an anticoagulant tube (3 ml) are planned before the start of therapy, before the second injection of anti-PDL antibodies and, if long-term immunotherapy is received, after 8 weeks. Monoclonal antibodies to CD45, CD4, CD8, CD279 (PD-1), and IgG4 will be used as reagents. The equipment is a BD FACS Canto II flow cytometer. To analyze the features of radiological evaluation of the effectiveness of checkpoint inhibitor therapy (pseudoprogression), radiological monitoring will be performed before the start of therapy, before surgical treatment, and every 8 weeks of treatment with prolonged immunotherapy. The response to treatment will be evaluated according to the RECIST criteria in revision 1.1.

Interventions

DRUGLow-dose nivolumab

nivolumab 40 mg

DRUGLow-dose nivolumab with/without chemotherapy

Subgroup A - 6 cycles of IV CT FOLFOX + nivolumab 40 mg once every 14 days; Subgroup B - 2 cycles of IV of nivolumab 40 mg once every 14 days; Subgroup C - 6 cycles of of nivolumab 40 mg once a day 14 days.

DRUGLow-dose nivolumab combined with chemotherapy

Metastatic dMMR/MSI CRC and gastric cancer in the first line - the use of low-dose immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy (nivolumab 40 mg + FOLFOX regimen once every 14 days for 8 cycles + maintenance monotherapy nivolumab 40 mg)

Sponsors

Blokhin's Russian Cancer Research Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Cohort 1. dMMR/MSI for locally advanced CRC - efficacy of low-dose immunotherapy (IT) nivolumab 40 mg for either 2 courses of therapy or 6 courses as preoperative therapy. Parallel recruitment of patients into patient subgroups by randomization. Cohort 2. dMMR/MSI locally advanced gastric cancer - efficacy of low-dose immunotherapy nivolumab 40 mg with or without addition of chemotherapy (CT) in FOLFOX regimen as preoperative therapy. Subgroup A includes 6 cycles of IV CT FOLFOX + nivolumab 40 mg once every 14 days; subgroup B - 2 cycles of intravenous administration of nivolumab 40 mg once every 14 days;subgroup C - 6 cycles of of nivolumab 40 mg once a day 14 days. It is planned to gradually include patients in the subgroups. Cohort 3. Metastatic dMMR/MSI CRC and gastric cancer in the first line - the use of low-dose immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy (nivolumab 40 mg + FOLFOX regimen once every 14 days for 8 cycles + maintenance monotherapy nivolumab 40 mg)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Availability of voluntarily signed informed consent from the patient; * Men and women, 18 years old \</=; * Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the colon/rectum/stomach; * Presence of MSI/dMMR in the tumor; * For M0-cohort: locally advanced tumor - cT3-4N0-2M0 according to CT for tumors of the colon and sigmoid colon; cT3 with a depth of tissue invasion ≥5mm (cT2N0 and higher for lower ampullary cancer) or T4 or involvement of the lateral resection margins according to MRI for rectal cancer; for gastric cancer: cT2\</=, N0-3, no presence of tumour cells in peritoneum (cyt-); * For M1-cohort: non-resectable locally-advanced, metastatic disease * ECOG 0-2; * No contraindications to surgical treatment of malignancy

Exclusion criteria

* Previous therapy with the inclusion of monoclonal antibodies - anti-PD1, anti-PD-L1, anti PD-L2, anti-CTLA4 antibodies and other immunotherapy drugs * The presence of any other malignant tumor, with the exception of radically treated basal cell carcinoma, cervical cancer in situ, currently or within 5 years before inclusion in the study * Pregnant and lactating women, as well as planning pregnancy during the period of therapy in a clinical trial and 6 months after the end of therapy * Patients with preserved reproductive potential who refuse to use adequate methods of contraception throughout the study and 6 months after the end of therapy or who agree to abstain from heterosexual contact. * Previous systemic therapy with immunosuppressive drugs (including, but not limited to: prednisone, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, methotrexate, thalidomide and TNF \[tumor necrosis factor\] antagonists) within 4 weeks before signing the informed consent form, or the need to use immunosuppressive therapy in during the first year of the study. * The use of systemic glucocorticosteroids (GCS) in replacement doses (for example, in a dose equivalent to 10 mg of prednisolone per day or less), short-term use of systemic GCS (≤7 days), inhaled and topical GCS are allowed. * Active, known or suspected autoimmune diseases (patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism requiring only hormone replacement therapy, as well as autoimmune diseases with only skin manifestations \[for example, vitiligo, alopecia or psoriasis without symptoms of psoriatic arthritis\] are allowed to participate), that do not require systemic therapy); * Patients with HIV infection, active hepatitis B, active hepatitis C. * Life expectancy less than 6 months. * The presence of a disease or condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, prevents the patient from participating in the study. * Complicated course of the primary tumor, requiring urgent surgical intervention. * Previously performed radiation or chemotherapy for colorectal cancer or gastric cancer, with the exception of cases of metachronous tumors over 5 years ago; * Persistence, progression or recurrence of the underlying disease or the presence of distant metastases * Conditions limiting the patient's ability to comply with the requirements of the protocol (in the opinion of the investigator); * Vaccination with live vaccines within 28 days before randomization; * Participation in other interventional clinical trials less than 30 days before randomization (except in cases of dropout before the introduction of study therapy) and while participating in an ongoing clinical trial; * Significant adverse events from previous therapy, with the exception of chronic and/or irreversible events that cannot influence the assessment of the safety of the study therapy (for example, alopecia); * Hypersensitivity or allergic reactions to the administration of drugs manufactured using Chinese hamster ovary cells, severe allergic reactions, anaphylaxis or other hypersensitivity reactions to chimeric or humanized antibodies, or any of the components of the study drug.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Pathological complete response (pCR) - for M0up to 8 monthspCR: absence of malignant cells on the specimen of colon/rectal resection in patients who were previously treated with neoadjuvant immunotherapy, TRG1 by Mandard
One-year progression-free survival (PFS) - for M112 monthsTime from initiation of treatment to the occurrence of disease progression or death.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Major pathologic response (MPR) - for M0up to 8 monthsRate of pathologic response TRG 1-2
Progression-free survival (PFS) - for M012 monthsTime from initiation of treatment to the occurrence of disease progression or death.
R0 resection rate - for M0up to 8 monthsRate of R0 resection indicates a microscopically margin-negative resection, in which no gross or microscopic tumor remains in the primary tumor bed
Overall survival (OS) - for M0 and M112 monthsTime from initiation of treatment to death.
Objective response rate (ORR) - for M0 and M1up to 8 monthspercentage of patients who achieve a response, which can either be complete response (complete disappearance of lesions) or partial response (reduction in the sum of maximal tumor diameters by at least 30% or more)

Countries

Russia

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Apr 25, 2026