NCT04282109

Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Nivolumab in Combination With Paclitaxel in Subjects With Head and Neck Cancer Unable for Cisplatin-based Chemotherapy (NIVOTAX)

Phase II Multicenter Randomized Trial to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of First Line Nivolumab in Combination With Paclitaxel in Subjects With R/M HNSCC Unable for Cisplatin-based Chemotherapy (NIVOTAX)

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 141 (actual)
• Sponsor: Grupo Español de Tratamiento de Tumores de Cabeza y Cuello · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is palliative and usually platinum based, and the patients often present with poor physical condition. Consequently, many of them are not able to withstand a platinum-based chemotherapy. The addition of taxanes to the armamentarium of drugs improve the outcome in this group of patients. An alternative and better tolerated regimen for these patients is paclitaxel in combination with cetuximab, included the in guidelines of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology. Recently, new treatments such as immune-checkpoint inhibitors have shown promising activity and good tolerability in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and has been included in the recently published guidelines from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer. Nivolumab (anti-PD1) has been approved for patients progressing on or after platinum-based therapy, as it clearly impacts on overall survival. This randomized phase II study will evaluate the efficacy of nivolumab plus paclitaxel for first-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic HNSCC in the platinum ineligible and platinum refractory settings. Control arm will be paclitaxel in combination with cetuximab, treatment included in the guidelines of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology.

Conditions

• Recurrent/Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Nivolumab + Paclitaxel	Combination treatment: Nivolumab 240 mg will be administered via IV infusion every 2 weeks. Paclitaxel 80mg/m2 will be administered via IV infusion weekly. After 12 weeks from the start of the combined treatment paclitaxel will be stopped. Maintenance treatment with nivolumab 480 mg every 4 weeks will start two weeks after the last administration of nivolumab 240 mg. Once nivolumab is administered at 480 mg, paclitaxel can no longer be administered. Nivolumab will be continued alone until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or withdrawal of consent up to a maximum of 24 months.
DRUG	Cetuximab + Paclitaxel	Combination treatment: Cetuximab 250 mg/m2 (first dose of 400 mg/m2) administered via IV infusion weekly plus weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) administered via IV infusion. After 12 weeks from the start of the combined treatment paclitaxel will be stopped and weekly cetuximab will be continued alone until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or withdrawal of consent up to a maximum of 24 months.

Timeline

• Start date: 2020-06-03
• Primary completion: 2023-09-01
• Completion: 2024-03-21
• First posted: 2020-02-24
• Last updated: 2025-06-26
• Results posted: 2025-06-26

Locations

21 sites across 1 country: Spain