STRIDE + Lenvatinib for Liver Cancer

(SLIDE-HCC Trial)

This trial tests a new liver cancer treatment by adding the drug lenvatinib to a combination of durvalumab and tremelimumab to determine if it is more effective than the combination alone. The trial aims to discover if this three-drug mix can improve health outcomes for individuals with liver cancer that cannot be treated surgically. It seeks participants with liver cancer who have not received systemic therapy and are ineligible for surgery. This study may suit those whose liver cancer affects daily life and who cannot receive other local treatments. As a Phase 2 trial, the research focuses on measuring the treatment's effectiveness in an initial, smaller group of people.

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, you cannot take any other cancer treatments while participating. If you have hepatitis B or C, you must follow specific antiviral treatment guidelines during the study.

Previous studies have shown that the combination of durvalumab and tremelimumab, known as STRIDE, holds promise in extending the lives of liver cancer patients. This suggests it is generally well-tolerated. Specifically, the five-year survival rate was 19.6% for patients using STRIDE, compared to 9.4% for those using sorafenib.

Another drug under investigation, lenvatinib, has also been used successfully to treat liver cancer. Past research indicated that patients taking lenvatinib lived for an average of 13.6 months, slightly longer than those taking sorafenib. These findings suggest lenvatinib is relatively safe in this context.

Researchers are excited about STRIDE with Lenvatinib for liver cancer because it combines two powerful immunotherapies, durvalumab and tremelimumab, with lenvatinib, a targeted therapy. While most treatments for liver cancer, like sorafenib or lenvatinib alone, focus on inhibiting cancer cell growth, STRIDE + Lenvatinib uniquely harnesses the immune system to attack cancer cells more effectively. This combination aims to enhance the body’s immune response and improve treatment outcomes by not only stopping tumor growth but also helping the immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells.

Studies have shown that the combination of tremelimumab and durvalumab, known as STRIDE, can extend the lives of liver cancer patients. In one study, 19.6% of patients using STRIDE were alive after five years, compared to 9.4% of those using sorafenib, a common treatment. Tremelimumab and durvalumab together have demonstrated better survival rates than other treatments. In this trial, one group of participants will receive STRIDE alone, while another group will receive STRIDE combined with lenvatinib. Researchers aim to determine whether adding lenvatinib to STRIDE can further improve results. Early evidence suggests that combining these drugs might help control the disease and potentially shrink tumors.¹²⁴⁶⁷