A Pilot Study of Galunisertib plus Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

TGF beta is a pleiotropic cytokine with immunosuppressive activity. In preclinical models, blockade of TGF beta enhances the activity of radiation and invokes T-cell antitumor immunity. Here, we combined galunisertib, an oral TGF beta inhibitor, with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and assessed safety, efficacy, and immunologic correlatives. Patients (n = 15) with advanced HCC who progressed on, were intolerant of, or refused sorafenib were treated with galunisertib (150 mg orally twice a day) on days 1 to 14 of each 28-day cycle. A single dose of SBRT (18-Gy) was delivered between days 15 to 28 of cycle 1. Site of index lesions treated with SBRT included liver (9 patients), lymph node (4 patients), and lung (2 patients). Blood for high-dimensional single cell profiling was collected. The most common treatment-related adverse events were fatigue (53%), abdominal pain (46.6%), nausea (40%), and increased alkaline phosphatase (40%). There were two instances of grade 2 alkaline phosphatase increase and two instances of grade 2 bilirubin increase. One patient developed grade 3 achalasia, possibly related to treatment Two patients achieved a partial response. Treatment with galunisertib was associated with a decrease in the frequency of activated T regulatory cells in the blood. Distinct peripheral blood leukocyte populations detected at baseline distinguished progressors from nonprogressors. Non progressors also had increased CD8(+) PD-1 (+)TIGIT(+) T cells in the blood after treatment. We found galunisertib combined with SBRT to be well tolerated and associated with antitumor activity in patients with HCC. Preand posttreatment immune profiling of the blood was able to distinguish patients with progression versus nonprogression.

Automated summary

The combination therapy of oral TGF beta inhibitor galunisertib with SBRT showed tolerability and antitumor activity in patients with advanced HCC. Changes in immune cell activity associated with the treatment could help distinguish between progressors and nonprogressors.