Study of Neoadjuvant Enfortumab Vedotin and Pembrolizumab in Cisplatin-eligible Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer
NEPTUNE
A Phase II, Open-label, Single-arm, Multi-center Study of Neoadjuvant Enfortumab Vedotin and Pembrolizumab in Cisplatin-eligible Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (NEPTUNE)
1 other identifier
interventional
32
1 country
1
Brief Summary
This trial is a multi-site, single-arm, phase 2 trial of neoadjuvant combination of enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab in cisplatin-eligible patients with high-grade localized/locally advanced cT1-4 N0-1 M0 upper tract urothelial cancer who are deemed eligible for curative-intent surgery (radical nephroureterectomy or distal ureterectomy) followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P25-P50 for phase_2
Started Jul 2025
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
April 3, 2024
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
April 10, 2024
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
July 22, 2025
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
March 1, 2028
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
March 1, 2028
July 29, 2025
July 1, 2025
2.6 years
April 3, 2024
July 28, 2025
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Efficacy of the combination of enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab as neoadjuvant therapy in cisplatin-eligible patients based off pathological response
This trial will estimate the efficacy of combination enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab given as neoadjuvant therapy in cisplatin-eligible patients with localized/locally advanced upper tract urothelial cancer (cT2-4 N0-1 M0) followed by definitive surgery. The historic pT0/Ta/Tis/T1 (termed 'response' herein) rate with definitive surgery alone for a comparable patient population (H0) is approximately 20%. This study targets an improvement of 20% in the response proportion to a target 40% response rate (H1) with the combination of enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab. Patients who are unable to undergo definitive surgery within 16 weeks from the last dose of neoadjuvant chemotherapy will be considered non-responders for the primary endpoint.
up to 16 weeks post last neoadjuvant study drug (at time of surgery)
Secondary Outcomes (6)
Assess the safety and toxicity of the combination of enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab as neoadjuvant therapy in UTUC
up to 30 days after the last dose of study treatment
Assess whether patients who receive the combination of enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab as neoadjuvant therapy have increased surgical complications.
up to 12 weeks after surgery
Estimate secondary measures of efficacy of neoadjuvant combination enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab and pembrolizumab adjuvant therapy (if tolerated) in response evaluable patients with UTUC by measuring RECIST v1.1 measurable disease.
up to 2 years post surgery
Estimate secondary measures of efficacy of neoadjuvant combination enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab and pembrolizumab adjuvant therapy (if tolerated) in response evaluable patients with UTUC by measuring 2-year recurrence-free survival (RFS).
up to 2 years post surgery
Estimate secondary measures of efficacy of neoadjuvant combination enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab and pembrolizumab adjuvant therapy (if tolerated) in response evaluable patients with UTUC by measuring 2-year overall survival (OS).
up to 2 years post surgery
- +1 more secondary outcomes
Other Outcomes (2)
Assess comprehensive profiling of tumor and host characteristics (including genomics and assessment of tumor mutational burden) as predictors of response to treatment.
up to 2 years post surgery
Explore circulating biomarkers as early detectors of cancer recurrence
up to 2 years post surgery
Study Arms (1)
Combination Therapy
EXPERIMENTALEnfortumab vedotin 1.25 mg/kg IV on Days 1 and 8 and Pembrolizumab 200 mg IV on Day 1 (every 21 days for 4 cycles) Definitive surgery (radical nephroureterectomy RNU or distal ureterectomy per treating urologist) Pembrolizumab 200 mg IV on day 1 (every 21 days for up to 13 cycles) after surgery
Interventions
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Patients must have a diagnosis of high-grade upper tract (renal pelvis and/or ureter) urothelial carcinoma proven by biopsy or cytology within 60 days prior to registration with the following (cT1-4 N0-1 M0): a. Upper urinary tract mass on cross-sectional imaging or Tumor directly visualized during upper urinary tract endoscopy before referral to medical oncology. b. No regional lymph node metastasis or a single regional lymph node metastasis.
- Patients must not have any component of small cell carcinoma. Other variant histologic types are permitted provided the predominant (≥50%) subtype is urothelial carcinoma.
- Patients must be considered to be a candidate for definitive surgery (nephroureterectomy or distal ureterectomy) with curative intent by the treating urologist. Lymph node dissection is strongly encouraged but its scope and determination will be at the discretion of the treating urologist. Details of the surgery such as bladder cuff removal are left to the discretion of the treating urologist. Robotic or open approaches are allowed.
- Patients must be eligible for cisplatin. Cisplatin eligibility is defined as meeting all of the following criteria: a. Creatinine clearance ≥ 45 mL/min calculated by Cockcroft-Gault equation (using actual body weight) or measured by 24-hour urine collection. b. Absence of Grade ≥ 2 peripheral neuropathy. c. Absence of New York Heart Association Class III or higher heart failure.
- Prior local endoscopic therapy for upper tract urothelial cancer is permitted if completed at least 6 months prior to the initiation of study treatment and if all toxicities from such therapy have improved to grade 1 or resolved.
- Prior uro-oncologic history: a. History of or active non-invasive carcinoma or carcinoma in situ of the bladder/urethra or upper tract is allowed. b. Patients may have received prior intravesical chemotherapy or immunotherapy such as BCG. c. Prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy or antibody-drug conjugate for bladder cancer or invasive contralateral upper tract cancer is allowed but must have been completed ≥ 1 year prior to study registration.
- Patients must be age ≥ 18 on the date of registration.
- ECOG Performance Status 0-1.
- Criteria for patients with hepatitis B or C are listed below. Hepatitis B and C screening tests are not required unless there is a known history of HBV or HCV infection or as mandated by local healthy authority. Hepatitis B positive subjects • Participants who are HBsAg positive are eligible if they have received HBV antiviral therapy for at least 4 weeks and have undetectable HBV viral load prior to enrollment. • Participants should remain on anti-viral therapy throughout study intervention and follow local guidelines for HBV anti-viral therapy post completion of study intervention. Participants with history of HCV infection are eligible if HCV viral load is undetectable at screening. • Participants must have completed curative anti-viral therapy at least 4 weeks prior to enrollment.
- Patients must have adequate organ and bone marrow function as defined in Table 1. Specimens must be collected within 14 business days prior to start of study enrollment.
- Women and men of reproductive potential must agree to use an effective contraceptive method during treatment and for 4 months after the last dose of study drug. See Section 16.3, Appendix 3. Men must also refrain from donating sperm during this period.
- Women of reproductive potential must have a negative pregnancy test within 14 days prior to registration and are not breastfeeding.
- Patients must not have any other medical condition(s) that make(s) their participation in the study unadvisable in the opinion of the treating oncologist.
- All patients must be informed of the investigational nature of this study. The patient must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document. Patients with impaired decision-making capacity who have a legally authorized representative or caregiver and/or family member available will also be considered eligible.
You may not qualify if:
- Prior exposure to immune-mediated therapy, including but not limited to, other anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), anti-PD1, anti-PD-L1, anti-PD-L2 antibodies, and therapeutic anticancer vaccines.
- Prior exposure to monomethyl auristatin E antibody-drug conjugates (MMAE ADC).
- Patient is currently on or used immunosuppressive medication within 14 days prior to the first dose of pembrolizumab. The following are exceptions to this criterion: o Intranasal, inhaled, intra-auricular, topical steroids, or local steroid injections (e.g., intra-articular injection). o Use of chronic immunosuppressive agents at baseline at doses not to exceed more than prednisone 10 mg/day or equivalent. o Steroids as premedications for hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., CT scan premedication).
- Active or prior documented autoimmune or inflammatory disorders requiring immunosuppressive therapy within 2 years prior to registration. Exceptions are well-controlled hyper/hypothyroidism, celiac disease controlled by diet alone, diabetes mellitus type 1, alopecia, psoriasis, eczema, lichen planus, vitiligo, or similar skin/mucosa conditions.
- Evidence of metastasis (N2-3 or M1) on axial imaging at baseline.
- History of invasive, node positive, or metastatic bladder cancer OR invasive contralateral upper tract cancer within 2 years prior to registration.
- Enrolled in another interventional clinical trial at the time of registration.
- Patient has one kidney.
- Patient is pregnant or lactating.
- Has severe hypersensitivity (≥ Grade 3) to enfortumab vedotin, pembrolizumab, and/or any of its excipients.
- Has received a live vaccine within 30 days prior to the first dose of study drug. Examples of live vaccines include, but are not limited to, the following: measles, mumps, rubella, varicella/zoster (chicken pox), yellow fever, rabies, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), and typhoid vaccine. Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally killed virus vaccines and are allowed; however, intranasal influenza vaccines are live attenuated vaccines and are not allowed.
- Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy.
- Has a history or current evidence of any condition or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the study, interfere with the subject's participation for the full duration of the study, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator.
- Has a known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection.
- Has a known history of active TB (Bacillus Tuberculosis).
- +5 more criteria
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Irene Tsung
University of Michigan
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- phase 2
- Allocation
- NA
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- SINGLE GROUP
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
April 3, 2024
First Posted
April 10, 2024
Study Start
July 22, 2025
Primary Completion (Estimated)
March 1, 2028
Study Completion (Estimated)
March 1, 2028
Last Updated
July 29, 2025
Record last verified: 2025-07
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share