Ziv-Aflibercept in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Kidney Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. To determine the effect of two different doses of AVE0005 (vascular endothelial growth factor \[VEGF\] Trap \[ziv-aflibercept\]) treatment on the progression-free proportion at 8 weeks in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who had previous treatment with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine the effect of AVE0005 (VEGF Trap) treatment on objective response rate in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who have had previous TKI treatment. II. To describe progression-free survival among patients who undergo dose escalation following progression on low-dose AVE0005 (VEGF Trap). III. To evaluate the safety and tolerability of AVE0005 (VEGF Trap) in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who have had previous treatment with a TKI. OTHER PRE-SPECIFIED OBJECTIVES: I. To determine the circulating levels of VEGF AVE0005 (VEGF-Trap) complex and correlate it with clinical activity. II. To evaluate the modulation of specific angiogenesis-related protein expression by AVE0005 (VEGF Trap). OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. ARM A (Higher dose of VEGF Trap): Patients receive a higher dose of ziv-aflibercept intervenously (IV) over 1 hour on day 1. ARM B (Lower dose of VEGF Trap): Patients receive a lower dose of ziv-aflibercept IV over 1 hour on day 1. In both arms, courses repeat every 14 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients receiving treatment on Arm B may crossover and receive treatment on Arm A at the time of disease progression. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years and then every 6 months for 1 year.