Overview
Objectives: To characterize safety, tolerability, MTD and OBD of intratumoral injection of SGN1 in patients with advanced solid tumors, and to preliminarily investigate the efficacy and safety of SGN1 in specific tumor subtypes at OBD doses.
Study Rationale: The mechanism of action for SGN1 is based on the fact that most tumors are methionine dependent. SGN1 is designed to be used as a tumor therapeutic bacterium that can preferentially replicate and accumulate in tumors and starve them of essential amino acids by delivering the oncolytic enzyme L-Methioninase.
Patient Population: Patients presenting with histologically confirmed advanced and/or metastatic solid tumors that are refractory to standard therapy and for which no other conventional therapy exists.
Description
Methionine starvation can powerfully modulate DNA methylation, cell cycle transition, polyamines and antioxidant synthesis of tumor cells, in contrast to normal ones. L-Methioninase is a pyridoxal phosphate dependent enzyme that catalyzes the γ-elimination reaction of L-methionine to methanethiol, α-ketobutyrate and ammonia . Absolute-dependency on exogenous supply of L-methionine, not homocysteine, for growth and proliferation of tumors is the pivotal biochemical criterion for various human cancers.
SGN1 is a genetically modified strain of Salmonella enterica, serotype typhimurium that expresses L-Methioninase. The attenuated live bacterium has been investigated in China for utility in treating advanced solid tumors. The mechanism of action for SGN1 is based on the fact that most tumors are methionine dependent. SGN1 is designed to be used as a tumor therapeutic bacterium that can preferentially replicate and accumulate in tumors and starve them of essential amino acids by delivering the oncolytic enzyme L-Methioninase.
This study is a multi-center phase I clinical trial with 2 parts:
Part 1 is a phase I open-label, dose escalation study phase. The purpose of Part 1 is to characterize safety, tolerability, MTD and OBD of intratumoral injection of SGN1 in patients with advanced solid tumors. Part 2 is as a part of a phase Ib/IIa study, which is a specific Tumor-type expansion study, the purpose of Part 2 is to preliminarily investigate the efficacy and safety of SGN1 in specific tumor subtypes at OBD doses.
SGN1 will be administrated in 28-days cycles (once weekly for 3 weeks followed by 1-week rest). Intratumoral injection of SGN1 could be performed under color doppler ultrasound guidance and by an interventional radiologist or specialist with adequate qualifications and trainings.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Male or female aged 18~75 years at the time of informed consent.
- Part 1: Patients with advanced stage (unresectable or metastatic) cancer including but not limited to small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (adeno- and squamous), Hodgkin's lymphoma or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, sarcoma, cervical carcinoma, Melanoma, head and neck cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, pseudomyxoma peritoneum (Pseudomyxoma peritonei, PMP) and hepatocellular carcinoma characterized by failure of standard treatment (disease progression or intolerance, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and other immunotherapies) or patients who have no standard treatment or patients who are unable to receive standard treatment.
- Part 2: the specific tumor-type expansion study may enroll the following patients: Patients with HNSCC, Sarcoma, or other tumor type with potential efficacy signal observed in Part 1, who have failed to standard therapy or who are intolerant to the standard treatment.
- Patients must have the main lesion suitable for local injection of SGN1. The tumors must be in situ or metastatic solid tumors that are subcutaneous, palpable, or could be injected directly under color doppler ultrasound guidance and by an interventional radiologist or specialist with adequate qualifications and trainings, provided that these tumors do not invade the walls of blood vessels or hollow organs confirmed by previous imaging studies.
- Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status score of 0-1.
- Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks.
- Patients have recovered from any toxic reaction to previous medications (≤Grade 1
based on NCI-CTCAE v 5.0, except
- Hair loss;
- Pigmentation;
- The long-term toxicity caused by radiotherapy and cannot be recovered by the investigator's judgment;
- Platinum induced neurotoxicity of grade 2 and below;
- Hemoglobin at 90 ~ 100 g / L (including boundary value) or stable status assessed by the investigator.
- At least one measurable lesion as determined by RECIST 1.1(for solid tumors).
- Laboratory tests must meet the following requirements and have not received any blood
cell growth factor 14 days before the test and no blood transfusions within 14 days
prior to screening (patients with laboratory values (hemoglobin, ALT, AST and
coagulation function) outside of the specified ranges will be permitted to be retested
once during the screening period in order to meet the criteria),
- Absolute count of neutrophils (ANC) ≥1.5×109 /L, platelet ≥75×109 /L; Hemoglobin ≥90 g/L;
- Serum albumin ≥ 25g /L; Bilirubin ≤1.5 × ULN, ALT and AST ≤2.5 × ULN;
- In patients with liver metastasis, ALT and AST≤5 × ULN;
- Creatinine clearance ≥50 mL/min (standard Cockcroft -Gault formula) or Cr ≤1.5 ×ULN: urinary protein ≤2+ or urinary protein quantitative <1.0 g/L;
- International standardized ratio of coagulation function (INR) ≤ 1.5 × ULN, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) ≤ 1.5 × ULN.
- If female, be either postmenopausal for at least 1 year with documented follicle
stimulating hormone (FSH) >30 IU/L, or surgically sterile for at least 3 months, or if a woman of childbearing potential, must be non-pregnant confirmed by blood and urine pregnancy tests, and non-lactating.
- Female patients of childbearing potential must agree to use acceptable method(s) of contraception from consent through at least 6 months after drug intratumoral injection.
- Male patients of reproductive capacity must agree to use effective contraception from start of mobilization through at least 6 months after drug intratumoral injection.
- Patients must be able to follow up after the treatment.
- Patients must understand and voluntarily sign the informed consent form.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Prior treatment with oncolytic bacteria.
- Patients with extremely large tumor (the longest diameter of a single tumor exceeds 8 cm).
- Currently using antibiotic.
- Tumors in hollow organs (stomach, esophagus, intestine, urinary tract etc.).
- Patients who are known to be allergic to the investigational drug or any of its excipients; or rescue medications; or have a severe allergic reaction to other monoclonal antibodies.
- Patients who have received the following treatments or drugs before the first
treatment with the investigational drug:
- Major surgery performed within 28 days before the first treatment with the investigational drug (biopsy is allowed for diagnostic purposes);
- Immunosuppressive drugs have been administered within 14 days before the first treatment with the investigational drug (Prednisone >10 mg/day, Dexamethasone >1.5 mg/day), excluding corticosteroid nasal sprays and inhaled corticosteroids or physiological doses of systemic steroid hormones (i.e., prednisone not exceeding 10 mg/d or equivalent physiological doses of other corticosteroids);
- Inoculation of (attenuated) live virus vaccine: within 28 days before the first dosing of study drug, or during the study period or 60 days after the last dose of study drug;
- Any anti-tumor therapies (including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, endocrine therapy, targeted therapy, biological therapy or tumor embolization) within 28 days before the first dosing of the investigational drug (if nitrosourea or mitomycin chemotherapy the interval between end of chemotherapy and first dose of study treatment must be no less than 6 weeks).
- Patients with known uncontrollable or symptomatic active CNS metastases, manifested by
clinical symptoms, brain edema, spinal cord compression, cancerous meningitis, leptomeningeal disease, and/or progressive growth. patients with a history of metastases to the central nervous system or spinal cord compression can be included in the study if they have clearly received treatment and have shown stable clinical manifestations after the discontinuation of anticonvulsants and steroids for 4 weeks before the first dose of the investigational drug.
- Present with diverticulitis or conditions at screening that might promote the unintentional growth of anaerobic bacteria in nontarget lesions.
- Symptomatic, advanced patients whose tumors have spread to the internal organs and are at risk of life-threatening complications in the short term (including patients with uncontrollable large amounts of effusion (thoracic cavity, pericardial cavity, or abdominal cavity);
- Patients with any active autoimmune diseases or a history of any autoimmune disease with predictable recurrence (including but not limited to: autoimmune hepatitis, interstitial pneumonia, uveitis, enteritis, hepatitis, hypophysitis, vasculitis, nephritis, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism [only patients whose condition can be controlled by hormone replacement therapy can be included]; Patients with skin diseases that do not require systemic treatment such as vitiligo, psoriasis, hair loss, Type I diabetes mellitus, or those with childhood asthma which has been completely relieved and requires no interventions in adulthood, can be included. Those with asthma who need bronchodilators for medical intervention cannot be included);
- Patients with other active malignant tumor(s) within 2 years before entering the study. Patients with history of cervical carcinoma in situ, superficial or non-invasive bladder cancer or basal cell or squamous cell cancer in situ previously treated with curative intent may be included at the judgment of the Investigator.
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or known acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), untreated active hepatitis (hepatitis B, defined as: hepatitis B virus surface antigen [HBsAg] testing positive, HBV-DNA ≥ 500 IU/ml and abnormal liver function; hepatitis C, defined as: hepatitis C antibody [HCV-Ab] testing positive, higher HCV-RNA than the lower limit of detection of the analysis method and abnormal liver function) or hepatitis B and hepatitis C co-infection;
- Existing cardiac clinical symptoms or diseases that cannot be wellcontrolled, such as:
- NYHA grade 2 or above heart failure;
- Unstable angina pectoris;
- Myocardial infarction occurred within 1 year;
- Patients with supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias that have clinical significance and need treatment or intervention;
- Uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure) ≥160 mmHg and (diastolic blood pressure) ≥100 mmHg after drug treatment;
- Patients with valvular heart disease or mitral valve prolapse, aortic valve disease or other source of turbulent cardiac blood flow.
- Patients with active or uncontrolled infection or fever > 38.5°C of unknown cause or
before the first administration of the study drug (according to the judgment of the researcher, fever caused by tumor can be included);
- Diverticulitis that may cause anaerobic bacteria to multiply.
- Documented salmonella infection within 6 months.
- Known history of allogeneic organ transplant or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
- Patients participating in other clinical studies or participating in other clinical studies within 4 weeks (or 5 half-lives of other study drugs) prior to enrollment and receiving experimental drug administration.
- Known history of psychotropic drug abuse or recreational drug abuse;
- In the judgment of the investigator, there are other factors that may lead to termination: for example, other serious diseases (including mental diseases) need to be treated together, there are serious abnormalities in laboratory examination, family or social factors, which may affect the safety of the patients or test data and sample collection.
- Vaccination within 28 days of the first trial treatment, except for administration of inactivated vaccines and RNA vaccines (e.g., inactivated influenza vaccines and COVID-19 RNA vaccines);
- Patients with implants such as pacemakers, prosthetic cardiac valves, or metal orthopedic prostheses.
- In the investigator 's judgment, patients who are not suitable for other reasons.