Dr. Gupta on Phase Ib/II Trial of Pembrolizumab With Bevacizumab in RCC

Shilpa Gupta, MD, assistant professor of medicine, Hematology/Oncology and Transplantation Division, University of Minnesota, discusses the phase Ib/II studies of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) with bevacizumab (Avastin) for the treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Researchers at the University of Minnesota participated in the phase Ib/II trial of pembrolizumab in combination with bevacizumab for patients with metastatic RCC. The trial included patients with refractory, metastatic RCC who had progressed on at least 1 line of therapy. The study aimed to determine the maximum-tolerated dose of the combination. Thirteen patients were enrolled in the study. The combination was very safe and well tolerated, says Gupta.

The phase II portion enrolled 38 patients with treatment-naïve metastatic RCC. These patients received pembrolizumab and bevacizumab at standard doses. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). The ORR was very impressive at over 60%, surpassing the hypothesized ORR. The combination makes a lot of sense, both scientifically and from a tolerability standpoint, states Gupta.