A Phase II trial of sEphB4-HSA in combination with Anti PD1 Antibody Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) for metastatic urothelial cancer refractory to platinum

Patients with the most common type of bladder cancer are initially treated with chemotherapy with regimens that include a platinum agent such as cisplatin or carboplatin. Once the cancer develops resistance the treatment is changed to an anti PD1/PDL1 immunotherapy with drugs such as pembrolizumab or nivolumab. This study proposes to give pembrolizumab to patients who have had further growth of their cancer after chemotherapy with a platinum agent, according to standard of care, and combine it with an experimental agent, sEphB4-HSA, which may have synergistic effect with pembrolizumab. It is hypothesized that the two drugs, in combination, will be more effective than either drug alone. The sEphB4-HSA was studied in various cancers and was found to be safe with its primary side effect being elevated blood pressure which may require blood pressure medication while receiving the drug. If you, or a loved one, has advanced (metastatic, stage IV, or unresectable) bladder cancer (or urothelial carcinoma) and have been treated with platinum-based chemotherapy in the past, this trial may be a treatment option

Keywords: Metastatic bladder cancer, metastatic urothelial carcinoma, immunotherapy