Testing the Combination of Anti-cancer Drugs Atezolizumab and Tiragolumab in People With Advanced Stage Rare Cancers, RARE3 Trial

Last updated: November 22, 2025
Sponsor: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Overall Status: Active - Not Recruiting

Phase

2

Condition

Neoplasms

Treatment

Tiragolumab

Echocardiography Test

Biopsy

Clinical Study ID

NCT05715281
NCI-2023-00705
10561
NCI-2023-00705
IRB001590
  • Ages > 18
  • All Genders

Study Summary

This phase II trial tests how well atezolizumab works in combination with tiragolumab in treating patients with rare solid tumors that may have spread from where they first started to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body (advanced stage). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as atezolizumab and tiragolumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. The study biopsy takes small pieces of cancer tissue from a tumor. The purpose of these biopsies is to compare the body's immune response against the tumor before and after treatment with the study drugs. Blood samples will also be collected for the study. The researchers will use the samples to learn more about how atezolizumab and tiragolumab work and which patients in the future might be most likely to respond to atezolizumab and tiragolumab. Using atezolizumab in combination with tiragolumab may help to shrink tumors in patients diagnosed with advanced stage rare solid-tumor cancers.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients must have histologically confirmed rare solid tumors that have progressedon standard therapy or for whom there is no standard of care therapy

  • Patients must not be eligible for a higher priority study that would befeasible for them to enroll in, such as a disease specific study of phase 2 orhigher or a randomized study. Specifically, patients who are eligible for thePEP-CTN pediatric trial of atezolizumab and tiragolumab in children,adolescents, and young adults with SMARCB1- or SMARCA4-deficient tumors shouldbe excluded

  • Patients must have measurable disease as defined by RECIST v1.1, with at least onelesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameterto be recorded for non-nodal lesions and short axis for nodal lesions) as >= 20 mm (>= 2 cm) by chest x-ray or as >= 10 mm (>= 1 cm) with CT scan, MRI, or calipers byclinical exam)

  • Patients must have a tumor site amenable to biopsy

  • Age >= 18 years. Because biopsies are mandatory on this trial, patients < 18 yearsof age are excluded

  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status =< 2 (Karnofsky >= 60%)

  • Absolute neutrophil count >= 1,500/mcL

  • Platelets >= 100,000/mcL

  • International normalized ratio (INR) or activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) =< 1.5 institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)

  • Patients who receive therapeutic anticoagulation therapy should be on a stabledose

  • Total bilirubin =< 1.5 x institutional ULN (however, patients with known Gilbertdisease who have serum bilirubin level of up to 3 mg/dl may be enrolled)

  • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase [SGPT]) =< 2.5 x institutional ULN (AST and/or ALT =< 5 x ULN for patients with liverinvolvement)

  • Creatinine =< 1.5 x institutional ULN OR creatinine clearance levels >= 30mL/min/1.73 m^2 are permitted as the study agents are not secreted by the kidney

  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients on effective anti-retroviraltherapy with undetectable viral load within 6 months are eligible for this trial

  • For patients with evidence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the HBVviral load must be undetectable on suppressive therapy, if indicated

  • Patients with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection must have been treatedand cured. For patients with HCV infection who are currently on treatment, they areeligible if they have an undetectable HCV viral load

  • Patients with treated brain metastases are eligible if follow-up brain imaging aftercentral nervous system (CNS)-directed therapy shows no evidence of progression formore than >= 1 month after treatment of the brain metastases

  • Patients with new or progressive brain metastases (active brain metastases) orleptomeningeal disease are eligible if the treating physician determines thatimmediate CNS specific treatment is not required and is unlikely to be requiredduring the first cycle of therapy

  • Patients with a prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatmentdoes not have the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment ofthe investigational regimen are eligible for this trial

  • Patients with known history or current symptoms of cardiac disease, or history oftreatment with cardiotoxic agents, should have a clinical risk assessment of cardiacfunction using the New York Heart Association Functional Classification. To beeligible for this trial, patients should be class 2B or better

  • Willingness to provide biopsy samples for research purposes

  • Administration of atezolizumab and tiragolumab may have an adverse effect onpregnancy and poses a risk to the human fetus, including embryo-lethality. Femalepatients of child-bearing potential and male patients must agree to use adequatecontraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior tostudy entry, for the duration of study participation, and for 5 months (150 days)after the last dose of study agent. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she ispregnant while she or her partner is participating in this study, she should informher treating physician immediately

  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consentdocument

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who have had prior monoclonal antibody therapy must have completed thattherapy >= 5 weeks (or 3 half-lives of the antibody, whichever is shorter) prior tostart of treatment (minimum of 1 week between prior therapy and study enrollment)

  • Patients must have recovered from clinically-significant adverse events of theirmost recent cancer immunotherapy to grade 1 or less, (with the exception of alopeciaand lymphopenia)

  • Patients who are receiving any other investigational agents

  • Prior anti-TIGIT therapy is not allowed. However, other prior immune checkpointinhibitor therapy is permitted

  • History of severe allergic, anaphylactic, or other hypersensitivity reactions tochimeric or humanized antibodies (i.e., antibodies with generic names ending in "ximab" or "zumab", respectively) or fusion proteins, not resolved by pre-medicationor steroids, leading to subsequent treatment cessation. Patients with a history ofallergic reaction to chimeric or humanized antibodies for which symptoms neverrecurred after subsequent re-challenge may be considered after careful medicalhistory review

  • Treatment with systemic immunosuppressive medications (including, but not limitedto, prednisone [> 10 mg/day], cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, methotrexate,thalidomide, and anti-tumor necrosis factor [anti-TNF] agents) within 2 weeks priorto Cycle 1, Day 1

  • Patients who have received acute, low dose, systemic immunosuppressantmedications (e.g., a one-time dose of dexamethasone for nausea) may be enrolled

  • The use of inhaled corticosteroids and systemic mineralocorticoids (e.g.,fludrocortisone) for patients with orthostatic hypotension or adrenocorticalinsufficiency is allowed

  • Patients with uncontrolled intercurrent illness, that would limit compliance withstudy requirements

  • Pregnant women are excluded from this study because atezolizumab and tiragolumab areinvestigational agents with unknown potential for teratogenic or abortifacienteffects. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events innursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with atezolizumab, and becauseit is not known if tiragolumab can be excreted in human milk, breastfeeding shouldbe discontinued if the mother is treated with atezolizumab

  • History or risk of autoimmune disease, including, but not limited to, systemic lupuserythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, vascular thrombosisassociated with antiphospholipid syndrome, Wegener's granulomatosis, Sjogren'ssyndrome, Bell's palsy, Guillain-Barre syndrome, multiple sclerosis, autoimmunethyroid disease, vasculitis, or glomerulonephritis

  • Patients with a history of autoimmune hypothyroidism on a stable dose ofthyroid replacement hormone may be eligible

  • Patients with autoimmune hyperthyroid disease not requiring immunosuppressivetreatment may be eligible

  • Patients with controlled Type 1 diabetes mellitus on a stable insulin regimenmay be eligible

  • Patients with eczema, psoriasis, lichen simplex chronicus, or vitiligo withdermatologic manifestations only (e.g., patients with psoriatic arthritis wouldbe excluded) are permitted provided that they meet the following conditions

  • Patients with psoriasis must have a baseline ophthalmologic exam to ruleout ocular manifestations

  • Rash must cover less than 10% of body surface area (BSA)

  • Disease is well controlled at baseline and only requiring low potencytopical steroids (e.g., hydrocortisone 2.5%, hydrocortisone butyrate 0.1%,fluocinolone 0.01%, desonide 0.05%, alclometasone dipropionate 0.05%)

  • No acute exacerbations of underlying condition within the last 12 months (not requiring psoralen plus ultraviolet A radiation [PUVA], methotrexate,retinoids, biologic agents, oral calcineurin inhibitors; high potency ororal steroids)

  • Patients with active tuberculosis (TB) are excluded

  • Severe infections within 4 weeks prior to cycle 1, day 1, including, but not limitedto, hospitalization for complications of infection, bacteremia, or severe pneumonia

  • Signs or symptoms of infection within 2 weeks prior to Cycle 1, Day 1

  • Received oral or intravenous (IV) antibiotics within 2 weeks prior to Cycle 1, Day

  1. Patients receiving prophylactic antibiotics (e.g., for prevention of a urinarytract infection or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) are eligible
  • Patients who have undergone major surgical procedures prior to Cycle 1, Day 1 whohave not recovered to ECOG performance status =< 2 (Karnofsky >= 60%)

  • Administration of a live, attenuated vaccine within 4 weeks before Cycle 1, Day 1 oranticipation that such a live, attenuated vaccine will be required during the studyand up to 5 months after the last dose of atezolizumab

  • Influenza vaccination should be given during influenza season only (approximately October to March). Patients must not receive live, attenuatedinfluenza vaccine within 4 weeks prior to Cycle 1, Day 1 or at any time duringthe study

Study Design

Total Participants: 12
Treatment Group(s): 8
Primary Treatment: Tiragolumab
Phase: 2
Study Start date:
September 26, 2023
Estimated Completion Date:
November 21, 2026

Study Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. Determine the proportion of activated CD8+ T cells at baseline and after treatment with atezolizumab and tiragolumab.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Determine the objective response rate (ORR) of patients with advanced rare cancers to the combination of atezolizumab and tiragolumab using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version (v) 1.1 and Immune-Modified (i)RECIST guidelines.

II. Measure progression-free survival (PFS) time (time frame: baseline until disease progression, death, loss to follow-up, initiation of another anti-cancer treatment, withdrawal of consent, or study termination).

III. Measure the proportion of patients with a clinically promising increase in CD8+ T cell infiltration following treatment with atezolizumab and tiragolumab.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:

I. Investigate immune activation markers and the immune composition (regulatory T [Treg], natural killer [NK], B-cells, macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells [MDSC], tumor mutation burden [TMB], microsatellite instability [MSI]) in tumor microenvironment (TME) before and after study treatment.

II. Measure T cell receptor (TCR) signaling in tumor-infiltrating T cells in the TME as well as in circulating T cells in blood before and after study treatment using multiplex immunofluorescence assays (IFAs)-developed by the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Frederick Pharmacodynamic Assay Development & Implementation Section (PADIS)-and use these measurements to evaluate the relationship between TCR signaling in circulating T cells and TME.

III. Evaluate potential associations between atezolizumab and tiragolumab activity and tumor genomic alterations, genomic expression, or TMB as determined from genomic analysis of biopsy samples.

IV. Evaluate genomic alterations in cell free deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) (cfDNA) and their potential association with therapy response or resistance.

V. Evaluate the pharmacodynamic effects of the treatment on biomarkers of cell death and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tumor tissue and circulating tumor cells (CTCs).

VI. Evaluate markers of immune response and the presence of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in TME at baseline and following atezolizumab plus tiragolumab therapy.

OUTLINE:

Patients receive atezolizumab intravenously (IV) over 60 minutes and tiragolumab IV over 30-90 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo echocardiography (ECHO) at baseline, undergo biopsy at baseline and on study, and undergo computed tomography (CT) and collection of blood samples throughout the study.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up for 30 days.

Connect with a study center

  • National Cancer Institute Developmental Therapeutics Clinic

    Bethesda, Maryland 20892
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • National Cancer Institute LAO

    Bethesda, Maryland 20892
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

    Bethesda, Maryland 20892
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • National Cancer Institute Developmental Therapeutics Clinic

    Bethesda 4348599, Maryland 4361885 20892
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

    Bethesda 4348599, Maryland 4361885 20892
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Columbus, Ohio 43210
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Columbus 4509177, Ohio 5165418 43210
    United States

    Site Not Available

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