Neoadjuvant BMS-813160, nivolumab, gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel for pancreatic cancer

Background: Targeting tumor-associated macrophages through C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCRs) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) improves the efficacy of chemotherapy and restores T cell immunity. Methods: We conducted a phase I/II single institution study (NCT03496662) combining chemotherapy gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (GnP), an oral CCR2/5 inhibitor BMS-813160 and nivolumab for four 28-day cycles as a neoadjuvant therapy for patients with borderline resectable (BR) or locally advanced (LA) PDAC. The recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of BMS-813160 was established in the standard 3+3 design. Primary end points were safety and objective response rate (ORR). Secondary end points included resection rate, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: 8 patients were treated with GnP alone (control arm) and 31 patients (29 response evaluable) were treated at RP2D. No grade 3 or 4 toxicities attributed to nivolumab or BMS-813160 were identified. After all 4 cycles of study treatment (N=26), ORR was 35.7%, 16.7% among BR- and LA-PDAC patients, compared to 0% of control arm patients. 78.6% BR- and 16.7% of LA-PDAC patients who completed study treatment underwent surgical resection. For intent-to-treat analyses, BR-PDAC patients had a mPFS and mOS of 14.6 and 20.4 months respectively; and LA-PDAC patients had a mPFS and mOS of 14.7 and 17 months respectively. Single cell RNAseq analysis showed enhanced proliferating CD4 and CD8 T cells and gene signatures indicative of effector function. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant BMS-813160/nivolumab/GnP was well tolerated and appears to achieve higher ORR and resectability than historical data, warranting a larger randomized phase II study. Overall design: Single-cell RNA sequencing of pancreas tissue biopsy samples before all treatment, and after one or two cycles of treatment.