Envafolimab (KN035) plus gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GEMOX) compared with GEMOX as first-line treatment for Chinese patients with advanced biliary tract cancer: A randomized, open-label, multi-center, phase III pivotal trial.

Abstract

4118 Background: China bears a high biliary tract cancer (BTC) burden, with cholangiocarcinoma rising incidence ( > 6/100,000 vs 0.3–6/100,000 globally) and high mortality ( > 4/100,000). Over 60% of BTC patients are diagnosed at advanced stage (stage III/IV), and nearly two-thirds are unresectable. GEMOX regimen is a widely recognized standard of care in China, favored for its reduced renal toxicity and better tolerability compared with GemCis. Envafolimab is the world's first subcutaneously (SC) injectable anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody approved by China's NMPA. We report the final analysis of this pivotal trial, the first global phase III study initiated to evaluate immunotherapy plus chemotherapy in this setting. Methods: In this multicenter, open-label, phase III study in China, eligible patients (pts) with previously untreated, unresectable locally advanced/metastatic BTC were randomized 1:1 to envafolimab (2.5 mg/kg SC weekly) + GEMOX (gemcitabine 1000 mg/m² d1, 8; oxaliplatin 85 mg/m² d1, Q3W) or GEMOX chemotherapy alone. Chemotherapy was limited to 6 cycles in both arms. Stratification factors: primary site, disease stage, prior therapy, and ECOG PS. Primary endpoint: OS. Secondary endpoints: PFS, ORR (RECIST v1.1 by BICR), and safety. Results: 472 pts were randomized; 462 treated (envafolimab+GEMOX n = 232; GEMOX n = 230). At the final analysis, the primary endpoint was met well. Envafolimab+GEMOX significantly improved OS vs GEMOX (HR 0.723; 95% CI 0.585–0.880; P = 0.0016). Median OS was 10.9 months vs 8.6 months; 36-mo OS rates were 12.5% vs 7.7%. OS benefit was observed across subgroups, notably in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (HR 0.705) and metastatic disease (HR 0.704). Median PFS (BICR) was 4.8 vs 4.6 months (HR 0.899; 95% CI 0.713–1.132); notably, the gallbladder cancer subgroup showed more favorable PFS benefit (HR 0.628). ORR was 27.6% vs 20.9%. Grade 3–4 TEAEs occurred in 69.4% (combination) vs 56.1% (chemo). irAEs occurred in 20.7%. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that adding subcutaneously administered envafolimab to GEMOX significantly improves OS with a manageable safety profile in advanced BTC. Compared with other regimens, the combination showed robust efficacy with a low rate of irAEs. Those findings establish envafolimab, the world's first SC PD-L1 inhibitor, combined with GEMOX as a new, effective, and convenient standard of care for this population. Clinical trial information: NCT03478488 .