Celecoxib, Recombinant Interferon Alfa-2b, and Rintatolimod in Treating Patients With Colorectal Cancer Metastatic to the Liver
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03403634 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : January 18, 2018
Results First Posted : March 2, 2022
Last Update Posted : March 2, 2022
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Metastatic Carcinoma in the Liver Recurrent Colorectal Carcinoma Stage IV Colorectal Cancer AJCC v7 Stage IVA Colorectal Cancer AJCC v7 Stage IVB Colorectal Cancer AJCC v7 | Drug: Celecoxib Other: Laboratory Biomarker Analysis Biological: Recombinant Interferon Alfa-2b Drug: Rintatolimod | Phase 2 |
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To determine the impact of a chemokine-modulatory regimen on the immune microenvironment of colorectal liver metastases, specifically the changes in the ratio between cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) marker (CD8a gene expression) to regulatory T cell (Treg) markers (FoxP3 gene expression).
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. Estimate the objective response rate of a chemokine-modulatory regimen in metastatic colorectal cancer (per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors [RECIST] 1.1).
II. Examine the safety and tolerability profile of the combination of recombinant interferon alfa-2b (interferon alpha-2b), rintatolimod, and celecoxib when given as chemokine modulation to colorectal cancer patients prior to surgical resection using the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE version 4.0).
TERTIARY OBJECTIVES:
- Estimate the median progression free survival of a chemokine-modulatory regimen in metastatic colorectal cancer
- Estimate overall survival in participants with recurrent and/or metastatic unresectable colorectal cancer who received the chemokine-modulatory regimen
- Comparison (using RT-PCR, immunofluorescence [IF] and immunohistochemistry [IHC] on serial sections) of the metastatic tissue specimen with regard to total numbers of infiltrating T cells, their CD4/CD8 ratios, frequencies of FoxP3 cells, and the expression of chemokine receptors on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (CXCR3, CCR5, CCR4, CCR6, and CXCR4)
- Evaluate the local expression of effector T cells (Teff)-attracting chemokines (CCR5, CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11) and Treg-favoring chemokines (CCL22 and CXCL12) using IF and RT-PCR.
OUTLINE:
Patients receive celecoxib orally (PO) twice daily (BID), recombinant interferon alfa-2b intravenously (IV) over 20 minutes, and rintatolimod IV QD on days 1, 2,3,8,9,10,15,16 and 17 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for up to 12 months.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 19 participants |
Allocation: | N/A |
Intervention Model: | Single Group Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Phase 2a Study Evaluating a Chemokine-Modulatory Regimen in Patients With Colorectal Cancer Metastatic to the Liver |
Actual Study Start Date : | April 19, 2018 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | December 23, 2020 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | August 29, 2021 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: Treatment (celecoxib, interferon alfa-2b, rintatolimod)
Patients receive celecoxib orally PO BID, recombinant interferon alfa-2b IV QD over 20 minutes, and rintatolimod IV QD on days 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16 and 17 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
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Drug: Celecoxib
Given PO
Other Names:
Other: Laboratory Biomarker Analysis Correlative studies Biological: Recombinant Interferon Alfa-2b Given IV
Other Names:
Drug: Rintatolimod Given IV
Other Names:
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- Change in Tumor-infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) in the Colorectal Cancer Lesions [ Time Frame: Baseline up to 12 months ]
The TILs will be summarized by time-point (pre-/post-treatment) using the mean, median, standard deviation; and graphically using dot-plots.
The TIL of interest is CD8a expression, which is reported as the mean fold change from pre-treatment (i.e. post treatment / pre treatment).
- Number of Participants With Indicated Grade Adverse Event [ Time Frame: Up to 12 months ]Safety profile will be characterized by type, frequency, severity, timing, seriousness and relationship to study treatment. The highest grade treatment related AE is provided (per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0).
- Objective Response Rate (ORR) Assessed by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors Version (RECIST) 1.1 [ Time Frame: Up to 12 months ]Will be treated as binary data and summarized using frequencies and relative frequencies; with the ORR estimated using a 90% confidence interval obtained using Jeffrey's prior method.
- Progression Free Survival [ Time Frame: From the start of treatment until disease progression (defined by RECIST 1.1) or last-follow-up, assessed up to 12 months ]Will be treated as bivariate time-to-event data and will be summarized using standard Kaplan-Meier methods.
- Overall Survival [ Time Frame: From the start of treatment until death due to any cause or last follow-up, assessed up to 12 months ]Will be treated as bivariate time-to-event data and will be summarized using standard Kaplan-Meier methods.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Recurrent and/or metastatic unresectable colorectal cancer with hepatic metastases
- Hepatic metastases present which are amenable to biopsy
- Prior treatment with, contra-indication to or refusal of a fluoropyrimidine, irinotecan, oxaliplatin and an anti-EGFR targeted therapy (if RAS wild-type [wt]) as well as a PD-1 or PD-L1 targeted drug if MSI-H/dMMR
- No chemotherapy, radiotherapy, major surgery, or biologic therapy within 3 weeks of protocol treatment
- An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0, 1, or 2
- Have measurable disease per RECIST 1.1 criteria present
- Ability to swallow and retain oral medication
- Participants of child-bearing potential must agree to use adequate contraceptive methods (e.g., hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry; should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while she or her partner is participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately
- Platelet >= 75,000/uL
- Hemoglobin >= 9 g/dL
- Hematocrit >= 27%
- Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1500/uL
- Creatinine < = institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) OR
- Creatinine clearance >= 50 mL/min for patients with creatinine levels greater than ULN
- Total bilirubin =< 1.5 X institutional ULN or for patients with known Gilbert's Syndrome total bilirubin <= 3 x ULN
- Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT]) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT]) =< 2.5 X institutional ULN
- Plasma amylase =< 1.5 X institutional ULN
- Lipase =< 1.5 X institutional ULN
- Participant or legal representative must understand the investigational nature of this study and sign an Independent Ethics Committee/Institutional Review Board approved written informed consent form prior to receiving any study related procedure
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients currently treated with systemic immunosuppressive agents, including steroids, are ineligible until 3 weeks after removal from immunosuppressive treatment
- Patients with active autoimmune disease, requiring ongoing immunosuppressive therapy or history of transplantation
- Patients who are pregnant or nursing; women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) will have to undergo a urine pregnancy test as part of screening
- Untreated central nervous system (CNS) metastases
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Cardiac risk factors including:
- Patients experiencing cardiac event(s) (acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction, or ischemia) within 3 months of signing consent
- Patients with a New York Heart Association classification of III or IV
- History of upper gastrointestinal ulceration, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, or upper gastrointestinal perforation within the past 3 years; patients with ulceration, bleeding or perforation in the lower bowel are not excluded
- Prior allergic reaction or hypersensitivity to celecoxib, or non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or any study agents which would prevent completion of protocol therapy
- Patients are ineligible if they plan on regular use of NSAIDs at any dose more than 2 times per week (on average) or aspirin at more than 325 mg at least three times per week, on average; low-dose aspirin not exceeding 100 mg/day is permitted; patients who agree to stop regular NSAIDs or higher dose aspirin are eligible and no wash out period is required
- Received an investigational agent within 30 days prior to enrollment
- Unwilling or unable to follow protocol requirements
- Patients with known serious mood disorders
- Any additional condition which in the investigator?s opinion deems the participant an unsuitable candidate to receive the study drugs

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT03403634
United States, New York | |
Roswell Park Cancer Institute | |
Buffalo, New York, United States, 14263 |
Principal Investigator: | Sarbajit Mukherjee, MD | Roswell Park Cancer Institute |
Documents provided by Roswell Park Cancer Institute:
Responsible Party: | Roswell Park Cancer Institute |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT03403634 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
I 52917 NCI-2017-02471 ( Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program) ) I 52917 ( Other Identifier: Roswell Park Cancer Institute ) P01CA234212 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract ) |
First Posted: | January 18, 2018 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | March 2, 2022 |
Last Update Posted: | March 2, 2022 |
Last Verified: | February 2022 |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | Yes |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
Product Manufactured in and Exported from the U.S.: | Yes |
Carcinoma Colorectal Neoplasms Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial Neoplasms by Histologic Type Neoplasms Intestinal Neoplasms Gastrointestinal Neoplasms Digestive System Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Digestive System Diseases Gastrointestinal Diseases Colonic Diseases Intestinal Diseases Rectal Diseases Interferons |
Interferon-alpha Interferon alpha-2 poly(I).poly(c12,U) Celecoxib Benzenesulfonamide Antineoplastic Agents Antiviral Agents Anti-Infective Agents Immunologic Factors Physiological Effects of Drugs Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal Analgesics, Non-Narcotic Analgesics Sensory System Agents Peripheral Nervous System Agents |