Immunotherapy Combinations for Advanced Liver Cancer

(MORPHEUS-LIVER Trial)

This trial tests new combinations of immunotherapy drugs for individuals with advanced liver cancer, specifically hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), who have not received previous treatments. The goal is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of these drug combinations. Participants will be randomly assigned to different treatment groups. If one combination proves ineffective or causes excessive side effects, participants may switch to another combination. The trial seeks participants with locally advanced or metastatic HCC who have not undergone systemic therapy. As a Phase 1 trial, the research focuses on understanding how the treatment works in people, offering participants the chance to receive potentially groundbreaking therapy.

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, it does exclude participants who are on certain medications like high-dose aspirin, full-dose anticoagulants, or chronic NSAIDs. It's best to discuss your specific medications with the trial team.

Research shows that the treatments in this trial have varying safety levels. For the combination of atezolizumab, bevacizumab, and tiragolumab, studies suggest that adding tiragolumab did not significantly increase side effects. In fact, it led to better results without new safety concerns, indicating it is a well-tolerated option for patients.

In another study, the combination of IO-108 with atezolizumab and bevacizumab demonstrated a strong safety record. Researchers found that IO-108 was safe to use with different drugs, including these, which is encouraging for those considering this treatment mix.

The combination of atezolizumab, bevacizumab, and TPST-1120 also showed promising results. It was safe and improved patient responses compared to other treatments, suggesting that patients may tolerate this treatment well.

For the combination of atezolizumab, bevacizumab, and tocilizumab, available data supports the safety of using atezolizumab and bevacizumab together. While specific data on tocilizumab isn't detailed, the overall treatment is expected to be safe.

Lastly, the combination of atezolizumab, bevacizumab, and NKT2152 is still under study for safety. Since it remains in the research phase, complete safety data is not yet available.

Researchers are excited about these treatments for advanced liver cancer because they explore innovative combinations of immunotherapy drugs. Unlike standard treatments that typically focus on surgery or chemotherapy, these combinations use atezolizumab and bevacizumab together with various experimental drugs like tiragolumab and Tobemstomig. Atezolizumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor that helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells, while bevacizumab inhibits blood vessel growth in tumors. The addition of new agents, such as tiragolumab, which targets a novel immune pathway, and Tobemstomig, which may offer different dosages and delivery methods, provide promising new avenues for enhancing treatment effectiveness and potentially improving patient outcomes. This approach aims to offer more comprehensive cancer control by both stimulating the immune response and disrupting the tumor's blood supply.

Research has shown that combining the drugs atezolizumab and bevacizumab can extend the lives of patients with advanced liver cancer. One study found that patients using this combination lived for a median of 23.1 months. In this trial, participants may receive atezolizumab and bevacizumab alone or with other investigational drugs. Adding IO-108 to this mix has shown a promising response in 23% of patients. Similarly, including TPST-1120 has led to better results compared to using just atezolizumab and bevacizumab. Another drug, tiragolumab, is also being tested for its potential to improve outcomes. This trial researches these treatments to determine if they can help patients with liver cancer live longer and manage their disease more effectively.²³⁶⁷⁸