Safety and Efficacy of Pembrolizumab in Combination with Acalabrutinib in Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Phase 2 Proof-of-Concept Study.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) receptor inhibitors have shown efficacy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), but treatment failure or secondary resistance occurs in most patients. In preclinical murine carcinoma models, inhibition of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) induces myeloid cell reprogramming that subsequently bolsters CD8+ T cell responses, resulting in enhanced antitumor activity. This phase 2, multicenter, open-label, randomized study evaluated pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody) plus acalabrutinib (BTK inhibitor) in recurrent or metastatic HNSCC.

Patients and methods

Patients received pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously every 3 weeks, alone or in combination with acalabrutinib 100 mg orally twice daily. Safety and overall response rate

SUBMITTER: Taylor MH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9311322 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature