Biomarker Analyses Investigating Disease Biology and Associations with Outcomes in the JAVELIN Merkel 200 Trial of Avelumab in Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Avelumab (anti-PD-L1) became the first approved treatment for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (mMCC) based on results from the phase II JAVELIN Merkel 200 trial. In this study, we report exploratory biomarker analyses from the trial.

Patients and methods

Patients with mMCC (n = 88) with or without prior first-line chemotherapy received avelumab 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks. We conducted analyses on somatic mutations, mutational signatures, and tumor mutational burden using paired whole-exome sequencing. Additionally, we examined gene and gene set expression, immune content from RNA sequencing profiles, as well as tumor PD-L1 and CD8 statuses from IHC and CD8 status from digital pathology.

Results

Tumors positive for Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) were characteriz

SUBMITTER: D'Angelo SP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11443199 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature