Solving Kids' Cancer US/EU

Neuroblastoma, the most common extra-cranial solid tumour in children, remains one of the major challenges in paediatric oncology. A promising way to further improve outcome in this disease appears to be the development of adjuvant therapeutic strategies. In this research the anti-GD2 antibody, which is a standard treatment, is to be combined with 131-l Metaiodobenzylguanidine (mlBG) and anti-Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 (anti-PD1) antibody Nivolumab - the investigated drugs - with the aim of generating sustained anti-neuroblastoma immunity. In particular it will be determined the safety and tolerability of the novel combination as well as documented any evidence of efficacy in paediatric patients with relapsed and refractory high risk neuroblastoma.
This study is sponsored by the University Hospital Southampton and will take place in 4 hospitals in the United Kingdom, Germany and USA. The estimated duration of the study is 2 years, starting in December 2016.
This is an "adaptive study". Such design uses accumulating of data from the ongoing trial to modify aspects of the study (e.g. duration, number of treatments) without undermining its validity or integrity. There will be 3 cohorts of patients. As safety of Nivolumab is well established, Cohort 1 will assess its safety and tolerability in combination with 131-l mlBG. Cohort 2 will then add anti-GD2 to the drug combination, assessing safety and tolerability. Cohort 3 will escalate all 3 agents to the full 100% dose level to assure safety for expanded analyses of clinical and laboratory data at that dose level.
Patients will initially be recruited into Cohort 1. Patients must have completed at least 12 weeks of trial treatment without reaching a Dose Limiting Toxicity before a patient can be recruited to the next cohort.
A minimum of 3 evaluable patients will be treated in cohorts 1-3. Assuming the full dose combination therapy (cohort) is tolerable, 15 evaluable patients will be treated.

Lorlatinib is a novel inhibitor across ALK variants, including those resistant to crizotinib. In this first pediatric phase 1 trial of lorlatinib, the drug will be utilized as a single agent and in combination with chemotherapy in patients with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma. The dose escalation phase of this study (Cohort A1) uses a traditional Phase I 3+3 design. Once a recommended phase 2 pediatric dose is identified, an expansion cohort of 6 patients (Cohort B1), within which ALKi naïve patients will be prioritized, will be initiated. Parallel cohorts will be initiated in adults or patients with large BSA (Cohort A2) and in combination with chemotherapy upon establishing RP2D (Cohort B2).