Regorafenib plus sintilimab as a salvage treatment for microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer: a single-arm, open-label, phase II clinical trial

Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have limited efficacy in microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), and combination therapy needs to be further explored. In this single-arm, open-label, phase II trial (NCT04745130), we evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combin...

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Main Authors: Rui Liu, Zhi Ji, Xia Wang, Lila Zhu, Jiaqi Xin, Lijun Ma, Jiayu Zhang, Shaohua Ge, Le Zhang, Yuchong Yang, Tao Ning, Ming Bai, Jingjing Duan, Feixue Wang, Yansha Sun, Hongli Li, Ting Deng, Yi Ba, Jihui Hao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56748-3
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author Rui Liu
Zhi Ji
Xia Wang
Lila Zhu
Jiaqi Xin
Lijun Ma
Jiayu Zhang
Shaohua Ge
Le Zhang
Yuchong Yang
Tao Ning
Ming Bai
Jingjing Duan
Feixue Wang
Yansha Sun
Hongli Li
Ting Deng
Yi Ba
Jihui Hao
author_facet Rui Liu
Zhi Ji
Xia Wang
Lila Zhu
Jiaqi Xin
Lijun Ma
Jiayu Zhang
Shaohua Ge
Le Zhang
Yuchong Yang
Tao Ning
Ming Bai
Jingjing Duan
Feixue Wang
Yansha Sun
Hongli Li
Ting Deng
Yi Ba
Jihui Hao
author_sort Rui Liu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have limited efficacy in microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), and combination therapy needs to be further explored. In this single-arm, open-label, phase II trial (NCT04745130), we evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy of antiangiogenesis (regorafenib) and ICI (sintilimab) in patients with MSS mCRC. The primary endpoint is overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints include progression free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DoR) and safety. The median OS and PFS are 14.1 months (95% CI: 10.5–17.7) and 4.1 months (95% CI: 3.4–4.8), respectively. The ORR is 21.4%, DCR is 63.1%, and DoR is 13.0 months (95% CI: 2.5–23.5). Patients with RAS/RAF wild-type exhibit significantly longer median OS (23.3 months, 95% CI: 10.0–36.6) compared to those with mutations (12.1 months, 95% CI: 8.4–15.8). The combination therapy is well tolerated and has limited toxicity. Biomarker analysis, including transcriptome sequencing and multiplex immunohistochemistry staining are performed. The efficacy of this combination treatment is tied to specific gene expressions governing tumor metabolism. Moreover, the effectiveness of immunotherapy depends on the abundance of immune cells, as well as the distance between immune cells and tumor cells.
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spelling doaj-art-e63d542dc5144bcb97d8bac0b15bf0892025-08-20T03:00:59ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-02-0116111410.1038/s41467-025-56748-3Regorafenib plus sintilimab as a salvage treatment for microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer: a single-arm, open-label, phase II clinical trialRui Liu0Zhi Ji1Xia Wang2Lila Zhu3Jiaqi Xin4Lijun Ma5Jiayu Zhang6Shaohua Ge7Le Zhang8Yuchong Yang9Tao Ning10Ming Bai11Jingjing Duan12Feixue Wang13Yansha Sun14Hongli Li15Ting Deng16Yi Ba17Jihui Hao18Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive CancerAbstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have limited efficacy in microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), and combination therapy needs to be further explored. In this single-arm, open-label, phase II trial (NCT04745130), we evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy of antiangiogenesis (regorafenib) and ICI (sintilimab) in patients with MSS mCRC. The primary endpoint is overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints include progression free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DoR) and safety. The median OS and PFS are 14.1 months (95% CI: 10.5–17.7) and 4.1 months (95% CI: 3.4–4.8), respectively. The ORR is 21.4%, DCR is 63.1%, and DoR is 13.0 months (95% CI: 2.5–23.5). Patients with RAS/RAF wild-type exhibit significantly longer median OS (23.3 months, 95% CI: 10.0–36.6) compared to those with mutations (12.1 months, 95% CI: 8.4–15.8). The combination therapy is well tolerated and has limited toxicity. Biomarker analysis, including transcriptome sequencing and multiplex immunohistochemistry staining are performed. The efficacy of this combination treatment is tied to specific gene expressions governing tumor metabolism. Moreover, the effectiveness of immunotherapy depends on the abundance of immune cells, as well as the distance between immune cells and tumor cells.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56748-3
spellingShingle Rui Liu
Zhi Ji
Xia Wang
Lila Zhu
Jiaqi Xin
Lijun Ma
Jiayu Zhang
Shaohua Ge
Le Zhang
Yuchong Yang
Tao Ning
Ming Bai
Jingjing Duan
Feixue Wang
Yansha Sun
Hongli Li
Ting Deng
Yi Ba
Jihui Hao
Regorafenib plus sintilimab as a salvage treatment for microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer: a single-arm, open-label, phase II clinical trial
Nature Communications
title Regorafenib plus sintilimab as a salvage treatment for microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer: a single-arm, open-label, phase II clinical trial
title_full Regorafenib plus sintilimab as a salvage treatment for microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer: a single-arm, open-label, phase II clinical trial
title_fullStr Regorafenib plus sintilimab as a salvage treatment for microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer: a single-arm, open-label, phase II clinical trial
title_full_unstemmed Regorafenib plus sintilimab as a salvage treatment for microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer: a single-arm, open-label, phase II clinical trial
title_short Regorafenib plus sintilimab as a salvage treatment for microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer: a single-arm, open-label, phase II clinical trial
title_sort regorafenib plus sintilimab as a salvage treatment for microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer a single arm open label phase ii clinical trial
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56748-3
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