Clinical Trial: Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Recurrent Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma That Cannot Be Removed by Surgery

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Safety and Immunogenicity of Vaccination With Multi-Epitope Peptide Vaccine Containing MART-1, gp100, and Tyrosinase Peptides Given With the Combination of GMCSF and CpG Oligonucleotide (CpG 7909) in

Brief Summary:

RATIONALE: Vaccines made from peptides may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. Giving vaccine therapy together with GM-CSF, CpG 7909, and incomplete Freund's adjuvant may make a stronger immune response and kill more tumor cells.

PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying the side effects and how well vaccine therapy works in treating patients with recurrent stage III or stage IV melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery.


Detailed Summary:

OBJECTIVES:

  • Determine the safety of a peptide vaccine comprising MART-1:27-35 peptide, gp100:209-217 (210M) peptide, and tyrosinase peptide with sargramostim (GM-CSF) and CpG 7909 emulsified in incomplete Freund's adjuvant in patients with unresectable recurrent stage III or IV melanoma.
  • Determine the efficacy of immunoadjuvants CpG 7909 and GM-CSF, in terms of a strong antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell response, in these patients.
  • Determine the anti-pigmentary response to this regimen in these patients.
  • Determine the anti-tumor response, in terms of objective tumor regression, progression-free survival, and overall survival, in patients treated with this regimen.

OUTLINE: This is a pilot study.

Patients receive peptide vaccine comprising MART-1:27-35 peptide, gp100:209-217 (210M) peptide, and tyrosinase peptide with sargramostim (GM-CSF) and CpG 7909 emulsified in incomplete Freund's adjuvant subcutaneously on days 1 and 15. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 13 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Blood samples are collected at baseline, day 50-53, and day 91-94. Samples are examined by ELISPOT assay to measure lymphocyte immune response and by flow cytometry for biomarker quantification and T-cell response.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up periodically for at least 2 years.


Sponsor: Ahmad Tarhini

Current Primary Outcome: Safety [ Time Frame: up to 1 year ]

Number of grade 2 or greater allergic reactions (including generalized urticaria) or any grade 3 or greater adverse event


Original Primary Outcome: Safety

Current Secondary Outcome:

  • Immunologic response [ Time Frame: up to 94 days ]
    Change in the circulating effector T-cells.
  • Objective tumor regression [ Time Frame: 2 months ]
    Change in tumor size will be performed at the end of cycle 2.
  • Depigmentation evaluation [ Time Frame: up to 2 years ]
    Change in cutaneous depigmentation using careful inspection of the skin of the torso by a Wood's lamp.


Original Secondary Outcome:

  • Immunologic response as measured by ELISPOT assays
  • Breadth of the immune response as measured by the number of peptides to which the response is observed
  • Depth of the immune response
  • Objective tumor response (complete response + partial response) by RECIST criteria
  • Anti-pigmentary response
  • Time to disease progression
  • Overall survival


Information By: University of Pittsburgh

Dates:
Date Received: May 8, 2007
Date Started: October 2008
Date Completion:
Last Updated: May 29, 2015
Last Verified: May 2015