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Background We sought to determine whether the substantial benefits of topical nitroglycerin with first-line, platinum-based, doublet chemotherapy in advanced nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) seen in a phase II trial could be corroborated in a rigorous, multicenter, phase III trial. Patients and methods Patients starting one of five, prespecified, platinum-based doublets as first-line chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC were randomly allocated treatment with or without nitroglycerin 25 mg patches for 2 days before, the day of, and 2 days after, each chemotherapy infusion. Progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary end point. Results Accrual was stopped after the first interim analysis of 270 events. Chemotherapy was predominantly with carboplatin and gemcitabine (79%) or carboplatin and paclitaxel (18%). The final analysis included 345 events in 372 participants with a median follow-up of 33 months. Topical nitroglycerin had no demonstrable effect on PFS [median 5.0 versus 4.8 months, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86–1.32, P = 0.55], overall survival (median 11.0 versus 10.3 months, HR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.79–1.24, P = 0.94), or objective tumor response (31% versus 30%, relative risk = 1.03, 95% CI 0.82–1.29, P = 0.81). Headache, hypotension, syncope, diarrhea, dizziness, and anorexia were more frequent in those allocated nitroglycerin. Conclusion The addition of topical nitroglycerin to carboplatin-based, doublet chemotherapy in NSCLC had no demonstrable benefit and should not be used or pursued further. Clinical Trials Number Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Number ACTRN12608000588392.

Background The global, single-arm, phase II KEYNOTE-629 trial (NCT03284424) studied the safety and efficacy of pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent/metastatic (R/M) cSCC. Methods Patients with R/M cSCC received pembrolizumab 200 mg Q3W for up to 35 infusions (Grob JJ et al. J Clin Oncol. 2019;37(suppl; abstr TPS9598)). The primary end point was ORR by blinded independent central review per RECIST v1.1. Secondary end points were DOR, DCR, PFS, OS, and safety. DOR, PFS, and OS were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results of an interim analysis are presented. Results Of 105 patients, 76.2% were male, median age was 72 years, 86.7% had previously received ≥1 line of systemic therapy, and 74.3% had previously undergone radiation. At data cutoff (April 8, 2019), median duration of follow-up was 9.5 months (range, 0.4-16.3 months). ORR was 34.3% (95% CI, 25.3%-44.2%); 4 patients (3.8%) achieved CR (95% CI, 1.0%-9.5%), and 32 patients (30.5%) achieved PR (95% CI, 21.9%-40.2%). Median DOR was not reached (range, 2.7-13.1+ months). Of the 36 responders, 31 patients and 7 patients had a minimum follow-up of 6 months and 12 months, respectively, after achieving response; 25 (79.5%) and 1 (65.6%) were estimated to have ongoing responses at > 6 months and >12 months, respectively. DCR (CR + PR + stable disease ≥12 weeks) was 52.4% (95% CI, 42.4%-62.2%). Median PFS was 6.9 months (95% CI, 3.1-8.5 months); 12-month PFS rate was 32.4%. Median OS was not reached (95% CI, 10.7 months-not reached); 12-month OS rate of 60.3%. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 70 patients (66.7%), and 6 patients (5.7%) had grade 3-5 TRAEs; 1 patient died of treatment-related cranial nerve neuropathy. The most common TRAEs were pruritus (14.3%), asthenia (13.3%), and fatigue (12.4%). Conclusions Pembrolizumab demonstrated a clinically meaningful ORR (34.3%), durable responses, and remarkable PFS and OS in patients with R/M cSCC, most of whom were heavily pretreated. Treatment was well tolerated, and the safety profile was generally consistent with that of other pembrolizumab monotherapy studies; no new safety signals were identified. These data support pembrolizumab for the treatment of R/M cSCC. Clinical trial identification NCT03284424, October 26, 2017. Editorial acknowledgement Medical writing and/or editorial assistance was provided by Holly Cappelli, PhD, and Dana Francis, PhD, of the ApotheCom pembrolizumab team (Yardley, PA, USA). Legal entity responsible for the study Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. Funding Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. Disclosure J.J. Grob: Honoraria (self): Roche, Novartis, BMS, MSD, Pierre Fabre, Amgen, Sunpharma, Sanofi, Merck, Pfizer; Advisory / Consultancy: Roche, Novartis, BMS, MSD, Pierre Fabre, Amgen, Sunpharma, Sanofi, Merck, Pfizer; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Novartis, BMS, MSD, Pierre Fabre. N. Basset-Seguin: Research grant / Funding (institution), Financial contract with St Louis Hospital for the clinical trial: MSD. O. Vornicova: Honoraria (self), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: BMS; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy, Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: MSD; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy, Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Novartis; Honoraria (self), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Roche. J. Schachter: Honoraria (self): BMS; Honoraria (self): Novartis; Advisory / Consultancy, Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: MSD. N. Meyer: Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution), Personal fees: MSD; Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution), Personal fees: BMS; Advisory / Consultancy, Personal fees: Roche; Advisory / Consultancy, Personal fees: Novartis; Advisory / Consultancy: Incyte; Non-remunerated activity/ies, Personal fees: Sun pharma; Advisory / Consultancy, Personal fees: Pierre Fabre. F. Grange: Advisory / Consultancy: MSD. J.M. Piulats: Research grant / Funding (institution), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: BMS; Research grant / Funding (institution): MSD; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck Serono; Research grant / Funding (institution): Incyte; Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Roche; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Janssen. J. Bauman: Advisory / Consultancy: Pfizer; Advisory / Consultancy: Bayer. P.(. Zhang: Full / Part-time employment: Merck & Co., Inc.. B. Gumuscu: Full / Part-time employment: MSD. R.F. Swaby: Full / Part-time employment: Merck & Co., Inc.. B.G.M. Hughes: Advisory / Consultancy: MSD; Advisory / Consultancy: BMS; Advisory / Consultancy: AstraZeneca; Advisory / Consultancy: Roche; Advisory / Consultancy: Pfizer; Advisory / Consultancy: Boehringer. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Aim: Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4) activates the Notch pathway and is important for cancer stem cell (CSC) survival. DEM is a humanized IgG2 anti-DLL4 antibody that has been shown to inhibit tumor growth, decrease CSC frequency & cause dysfunctional sprouting of new vessels resulting in an antiangiogenic effect in human tumor xenograft models. Methods: Pts received DEM (2.5 or 5 mg/kg), PEM 500 mg/m2 & CARBO (AUC = 6) every 3 wks X 6 cycles followed by maintenance DEM (cohorts 1-4) or truncated DEM (5 or 7.5 mg/kg), PEM 500 mg/m2 & CARBO (AUC = 6) every 3 wks X 4 cycles followed by maintenance PEM (cohorts 5 & 6). The objectives were to determine the MTD, safety, efficacy, immunogenicity, pharmacokinetics & biomarkers of Notch signaling. Results: Thirty-nine pts were enrolled; 6 received 2.5 mg/kg, 20 received 5 mg/kg, 6 received 7.5 mg/kg of truncated DEM & 7 received 5 mg/kg of truncated DEM. Related AEs in > 20% of pts were: nausea (49%), fatigue (44%), hypertension (41%), vomiting (31%), edema (26%), neutropenia (26%), & increased B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) (23%). Increased BNP values are an early indicator of the cardiac effects of DEM & mildly elevated values are being used to initiate cardioprotective therapy with an ACE inhibitor or carvedilol. Two pts receiving 5 mg/kg developed reversible pulmonary hypertension & heart failure on days 167 & 183, respectively. As a result, DEM treatment was limited to 63 days in cohorts 5 & 6. One of 32 (3%) evaluable pts had a RECIST CR, 13 (41%) had a PR and 14 had SD. The Kaplan Meier estimated median progression free survivals for the 2.5, 5, truncated 5 & truncated 7.5 mg/kg pts were 4.3, 5.3, not yet reached & 4.4 months, respectively. Five pts who discontinued the study for a reason other than progression (3 continued to receive CARBO & PEM off-study) were progression-free through Days 223 + , 243 + , 457 + , 497 + , 680+ and a sixth pt (who continued to receive CARBO & PEM off-study) progressed at Day 850. Conclusions: This therapy was generally well tolerated with nausea, fatigue & hypertension being the most common drug related toxicities. Encouraging early clinical activity has been observed. Additional data with truncated DEM will be presented. Disclosure: R. Stagg: I am an employee of OncoMed and I own stock in the company; J. Dupont: I work for OncoMed and own stock in the company. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.