Targeted Stem Cells Expressing TRAIL as a Therapy for Lung Cancer

Phase 1: A first-in-human, single-centre, accelerated, dose de-escalation design with a modified Bayesian continual reassessment method (mCRM) to estimate the recommended Phase II dose (RP2D) of MSCTRAIL in combination with pemetrexed/cisplatin chemotherapy. The first cohort of three patients will receive cisplatin 75mg/m2 and pemetrexed 500mg/m2 on day 1 followed by the highest dose of MSCTRAIL, 4x10\^8 cells, on day 2. This schedule will be repeated every 21 days until 3 cycles of treatment have been delivered. It is expected that patients will receive 4-6 cycles of cisplatin/pemetrexed in total and may continue with maintenance pemetrexed thereafter. If there are no DLTs within the first cohort then a subsequent expansion cohort will receive the same regimen of cisplatin/pemetrexed and MSCTRAIL and data from this expansion cohort will be used to determine the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). Between 6 and 12 patients will be enrolled into phase I of the trial depending on the number of cohorts assessed. Phase 2: A multicentre, randomised, placebo controlled trial comparing MSCTRAIL at the RP2D and pemetrexed/cisplatin chemotherapy versus pemetrexed/cisplatin chemotherapy alone. Patients will be randomised 1:1 between the intervention and control arm. Patients entering the intervention arm will receive cisplatin 75mg/m2 and pemetrexed 500mg/m2 on day 1 followed by MSCTRAIL at the RP2D on day 2. This schedule will be repeated after 21 days for 3 cycles. Patients in the control arm with receive cisplatin 75mg/m2 and pemetrexed 500mg/m2 on day 1 and placebo on day 2. This will be repeated after 21 days for up to 3 cycles. At this point patients will receive a further 1-3 cycles of pemetrexed/ cisplatin alone. They may then be eligible for maintenance pemetrexed according to clinical response as directed by their Oncologist in line with local standard of care.