Multicenter phase 2 study of intrapleural nivolumab in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and pleural effusion

About 40% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) developed pleural effusions at some time during the course of their disease. Preliminary results from our Phase 2 multicentre clinical trial (Cohort 1) demonstrated the safety of intrapleural nivolumab in cancer patients. In Cohort 2 we assessed the preliminary efficacy and toxicity of intrapleural instillation of the nivolumab in patients with metastatic NSCLC and large pleural effusion requiring evacuation. Thoracentesis followed by nivolumab (40 mg, single intrapleural instillation) was performed. The primary endpoint was 3-month recurrence-free survival. Simon's two-stage design was used, with 13 patients planned for stage 1. If 11 or more patients did not have a pleural effusion after 3 months, an additional 35 patients were planned to be accrued for a total of 48. A total of 13 patients were enrolled. This study did not meet its primary endpoint and was terminated. Eight patients (61.5%) had a recurrence of pleural effusion at 3 months. The median time to recurrence was 1.84 months (95% CI 1.19-2.49). No adverse events were identified. We concluded that a single intrapleural instillation of the nivolumab at 40 mg was ineffective and well-tolerated in patients with metastatic NSCLC and pleural effusion.