Phase II Trial of Combination Anti-PD-1 and Aldesleukin for Metastatic Melanoma and Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background: High-dose interleukin-2 was approved by the FDA for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma, with overall response rates of 15-16%. Complete regression of disease was seen in 6-7% of participants with many long-term durable responses. The regimen has not been widely adopted due to complexities in management and the development of alternative effective therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies targeting immune checkpoints (ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, nivolumab) or small molecule inhibitors. Pembrolizumab was approved by the FDA for the treatment of metastatic melanoma based on a series of studies demonstrating objective response rates from 21-34%. There remains a considerable population of participants with disease that never responded to treatment, in addition to participants with short durations of response prior to recurrence. There has been limited clinical investigation of the combination of interleukin-2 and pembrolizumab. The hypothesis under investigation is that non-specific activation of the immune system with both positive stimulation (aldesleukin) and release of negative regulation (pembrolizumab) may have meaningful clinical impact for participants with limited therapeutic options. Objectives: Primary: To determine the objective response rate as determined by RECIST 1.1 criteria to combined aldesleukin and pembrolizumab in participants with advanced melanoma refractory to anti-PD-1 therapy and treatment-refractory metastatic renal cell carcinoma Secondary: To determine progression free survival with the combined regimen To determine the toxicity profile of this treatment regimen To determine the objective response rate as determined by RECIST 1.1 criteria to combined aldesleukin and pembrolizumab in participants with treatment-na(SqrRoot) ve advanced melanoma Exploratory: To evaluate clinical and laboratory correlates of response To perform immunologic correlative studies of peripheral blood, tumor, and/or tumor infiltrating lymphocytes including but not limited to phenotype and functional analysis of longitudinal samples Eligibility: Participants must be/have: Age \>= 18 years of age. ECOG performance status of 0 or 1. Expected survival of greater than 6 months. Histologically or cytologically confirmed melanoma or renal cell cancer, as follows: Cohort 1: Metastatic melanoma or advanced locoregional melanoma not amenable to curative surgical resection and refractory to anti-PD-1 therapy. Cohort 2: Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (clear cell histology) refractory to at least one line of PD1/PDL1 based therapy. Cohort 3: Metastatic or advanced locoregional melanoma not amenable to curative surgical resection na(SqrRoot) ve to anti-PD-1 therapy. No allergies or hypersensitivity to high-dose aldesleukin or pembrolizumab administration. No concurrent major medical illnesses or any form of immunodeficiency. No history of Grade 3/4 immune-related adverse events affecting major organ systems associated with the administration of single agent pembrolizumab or nivolumab. Design: Study treatment will be given in two courses. A course shall consist of two cycles (each 21 days) of treatment. Cycles in Course 1 shall consist of pembrolizumab (200 mg IV) infusion on the morning of Day 1 with aldesleukin (IL-2) administration (600,000 IU/kg intravenous bolus every eight hours) to begin later that day. IL-2 will be administered to tolerance or to a maximum of 10 doses. A second cycle of treatment will begin during Week 4 (Day 22-28). Approximately two months from the beginning of therapy, participants will be evaluated for response including physical exam, clinical laboratory testing, and cross-sectional imaging. Participants that do not demonstrate progressive disease will receive a second course of pembrolizumab alone, if clinically appropriate. Participants with stable disease will be monitored until disease progression (every 3 months x 3) up to one year. Participants with an objective response will be monitored until disease progression (every 3 months x 3, every 6 months x 8) up to five years.