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Advanced MelanomaPhase 1NCT04495257

A Study of APX005M in Combination With Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in Treatment Naïve Patients With Advanced Melanoma or Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC)

A Phase 1 study testing Nivolumab, Ipilimumab and APX005M in people with Advanced Melanoma and Renal Cell Carcinoma, run by Yale University at 2 sites in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study is a Phase 1, open-label, single institution, dose escalation and dose expansion study to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of APX005M in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab in patients with advanced melanoma and RCC. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Advanced Melanoma, Renal Cell Carcinoma
What is being tested?
Nivolumab, Ipilimumab and APX005M
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
26 participants
Where
2 sitesUnited States
Study dates
14 Sep 2020to 4 Mar 2026
Phase
Phase 1
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • 1. At least 1 site of disease must be accessible to provide repeat biopsies for tumor tissue. The biopsy may be waived if not feasible upon discussion with the study PIs. This site may be a target lesion as long as it will not be rendered unmeasurable by the biopsy procedure.
  • 2. Age ≥18, able to understand and sign the informed consent form 3. ECOG performance status < 2 4. No prior systemic immune therapy for advanced (unresectable) disease. Prior targeted therapy is allowed. Adjuvant therapy is allowed provided that at least 6 months have lapsed from the last dose of an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Prior small molecule inhibitors must be discontinued within 2 weeks before starting study.
  • 5. Life expectancy of at least 6 months 6. A history of previously treated brain metastases is allowed, provided that they are stable for at least 4 weeks.
  • 7. Willingness to undergo tumor biopsy (if amenable) prior to initiation of therapy and on trial.
  • 8. Willingness to provide an archival specimen block, if available, for research 9. Normal organ function . 10. Female subjects of childbearing potential should have a negative urine or serum pregnancy within 24 hours prior to receiving the first dose of study medication. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required.
  • 11. Female subjects of childbearing potential should be willing to use a highly effective contraception (hormonal or IUD) or be surgically sterile, or abstain from heterosexual activity for a period of at least 5 months after the last dose of study drug. Subjects of childbearing potential are those who have not been surgically sterilized or have not been free from menses for > 1 year.
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  • 12. Male subjects should agree to use an adequate method of contraception starting with the first dose of study therapy through at least 7 months after the last dose of study drug.
  • 13. Patients must have at least one measurable lesion at baseline by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as per RECIST v1.1 criteria. Tumor sites situated in a previously irradiated area, or in an area subjected to other loco-reginal therapy, are not considered measurable unless there has been demonstrated progression in the lesion.
  • 14. Prior focal radiotherapy is allowed. Radiation to pulmonary or intestinal sites must be completed at least 1 week prior to study Day 1. Radiation to the brain must be completed within 4 weeks prior to initiation of treatment. There is no time restriction prior to study Day 1 for patients who have received radiation to bone, soft tissue or other sites. No radiopharmaceuticals (strontium, samarium) within 8 weeks before first dose of study drug administration.
  • 15. Major surgery must be completed at least 2 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug administration and patients should have recovered. Wounds must be healed.

Who cannot join

  • 1. Untreated brain metastases. 2. A patient who has had prior treatment with immune therapy for advanced disease. Prior immune checkpoint inhibitors as adjuvant therapy is allowed provided at least 6 months have lapsed from the last dose. Prior targeted therapy is allowed as long as 2 weeks have passed.
  • 3. Use of corticosteroids to control immune related adverse events at enrollment will not be allowed, and patients who previously required corticosteroids for symptom control must be off steroids for at least 2 weeks. Low-dose steroid use (≤10 mg of prednisone or equivalent) as corticosteroid replacement therapy for primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency is allowed.
  • 4. Has not recovered (i.e., ≤ Grade 1 or at baseline) from adverse events due to prior treatments with the exceptions such as alopecia listed in Table 2.
  • 5. History of grade 3-4 neurologic or cardiac toxicity or life-threatening liver toxicity poorly responsive to steroids with prior anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 therapy in the adjuvant setting.
  • 6. Presence of leptomeningeal disease. 7. Has active autoimmune disease unrelated to use of immune checkpoint inhibitors that has required systemic treatment in the past year (i.e. with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs). Replacement therapy (eg., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc.) is not considered a form of systemic treatment.
  • 8. Pregnancy or breast feeding. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with nivolumab, ipilimumab or APX005M, breastfeeding must be discontinued if the mother is enrolled on this trial.
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  • 9. Patients may not be receiving any other investigational agents and may not have participated in a study of an investigational agent or using an investigational device within 4 weeks of the first dose of treatment.
  • 10. Either a concurrent condition (including medical illness, such as active infection requiring treatment with intravenous antibiotics or the presence of laboratory abnormalities) or history of a prior condition that places the patient at unacceptable risk if he/she were treated with the study drug or a medical condition that confounds the ability to interpret data from the study.
  • 11. Concurrent, active malignancies in addition to those being studied (other than cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma or basal cell carcinoma).
  • 12. Active (non-infectious) pneumonitis. 13. Has a known Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B (HBV), or Hepatitis C (HCV) acute or chronic infection.
  • 14. Has received a live vaccine within 30 days prior to the first dose of trial treatment.
  • 15. History of myocardial infarction or unstable angina within 3 months prior to Cycle 1, Day 1.
  • 16. Prisoners, or subjects who are under compulsory detention 17. Open wounds and active skin infections

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

United States2 sites
  • Yale Cancer Center

    New Haven, Connecticut, 06519

  • Yale New Haven Hospital

    New Haven, Connecticut, 06520

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: A Phase I Study of APX005M in Combination With Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in Treatment Naïve Patients With Advanced Melanoma or Renal Cell Carcinoma

This study is a Phase 1, open-label, single institution, dose escalation and dose expansion study to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of APX005M in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab in patients with advanced melanoma and RCC.

Read the detailed description

This trial is a phase 1 study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of APX005M in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab. The study will enroll patients with advanced solid tumors (melanoma, RCC) to determine the recommended phase II dosing (RP2D) of APX005M in combination with ipilimumab 1mg/kg and nivolumab 3 mg/kg (IPI1 NIVO3) every 3 weeks for four cycles followed by APX005M in combination with nivolumab 360mg every 3 weeks. APX005M will be administered at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg every 3 weeks in Dose Level 1 (DL1) and escalated to 0.3 mg/kg every 3 weeks in Dose Level 2 (DL2) (Table 1). The IPI1 NIVO3 regimen is approved for patients with metastatic RCC.

APX005M is a humanized IgG1 agonistic monoclonal antibody that binds CD40. Nivolumab is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody directed against PD-1. Ipilimumab is a humanized IgG1κ monoclonal antibody directed against CTLA-4.

Primary Objective

  • To assess the safety and tolerability of APX005M in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab
  • To determine the recommended RP2D of APX005M in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab in patients with unresectable metastatic melanoma or renal cell carcinoma.

Secondary Objective

  • Determine rate and pattern of AEs in patients treated with APX005M in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab
Being tested
Nivolumab, Ipilimumab, APX005M
Medical subject headings
Carcinoma, Renal Cell

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • NivolumabDrug

    Nivolumab 3mg/kg intravenously (IV) every 3 weeks for the first 4 treatments and then will be given at 360mg every 3 weeks thereafter

  • IpilimumabDrug

    Ipilimumab 1mg/kg intravenously (IV) every 3 weeks for a total of 4 treatments

  • APX005MDrug

    APX005M 0.3mg/kg intravenously (IV) every 3 weeks

Study groups in NCT04495257
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Dose Level 1 (DL1)ExperimentalDL1 will include ipilimumab at 1mg/kg and nivolumab at 3 mg/kg with APX005M of 0.1mg/kg for the induction phase. After 4 cycles, participants will be treated with 360mg of nivolumab and APX005M every 3 weeks.
Receives: Drug: Nivolumab; Drug: Ipilimumab; Drug: APX005M
Dose Level 2 (DL2)ExperimentalDL2 will include ipilimumab at 1mg/kg and nivolumab at 3 mg/kg with APX005M of 0.3mg/kg for the induction phase. After 4 cycles we will treat with 360mg of nivolumab and APX005M every 3 weeks.
Receives: Drug: Nivolumab; Drug: Ipilimumab; Drug: APX005M

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Dose-limiting toxicities

    The safety and tolerability of APX005M in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab will be assessed by monitoring the of dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) . This will be defined by both DLTs and any of the following AEs (graded by the National Cancer Institute [NCI] Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [CTCAE] v5.0) which occur during the first 9 weeks of ipilimumab + nivolumab + APX005M administration that is not clearly due to a cause other than study medication. DLTs in this study do not include reversible grade 3-4 irAEs, that are acceptable and expected with treatment regimens containing ipilimumab and nivolumab, but do include severe, irreversible, non-endocrine adverse events

    Measured: Up to 2 years

  2. Recommended dose of APX005M

    This outcome will determine the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of APX005M in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma or renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The RP2D will be defined as a triplet regimen that does not exceed a grade 3-4 irAE rate of approximately 55% or lead to a significant increase in dose limiting toxicities (DLTs) specific to an ipilimumab + nivolumab containing regimen, particularly those which are severe, irreversible, and non-endocrine related events.

    Measured: Up to 2 years

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Adverse Events Rate

    The rate of AEs in patients treated with APX005M in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab will be assessed.

    Measured: Up to 2 years

  2. Adverse Events Frequency

    The frequency of AE type in patients treated with APX005M in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab will be assessed.

    Measured: Up to 2 years

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted31 Jul 2020
  2. Study start14 Sep 2020
  3. Primary completion4 Mar 2026
  4. Study completion4 Mar 2026

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Non-randomised
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
26 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04495257
Sponsor's protocol ID
2000026830
Status last verified
Jun 2025
First submitted
28 Jul 2020
Last updated
11 Jun 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1 study testing Nivolumab, Ipilimumab and APX005M in people with Advanced Melanoma and Renal Cell Carcinoma, run by Yale University at 2 sites in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 10 inclusion and 13 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Dose-limiting toxicities (time frame: Up to 2 years). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Jun 2026.

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