Harnessing Allo-immunity to Enhance Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Responses in Advanced NSCLC

This is a phase 1b, a first-in-humans, study to examine the safety and feasibility of administration of intratumor (IT) IVIG + poly-ICLC (Hiltonoll®), and intramuscular (IM) poly-ICLC (Hiltonoll®) for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Veterans without targetable mutations. The investigators will employ the Bayesian optimal interval (BOIN) design 1, with dose escalation, de-escalation endpoints to find the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in IT injections (IVIG + poly-ICLC) and IM poly-ICLC in 16 subjects while receiving front line Immune Checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as the standard of care (SOC). All patients continue to receive ICIs. If safe, a future phase II randomized-controlled study will be designed to determine if treatment with IT injections (IVIG + poly-ICLC) and IM injections (poly-ICLC) results in improved progression free survival. Primary Objective: To evaluate the safety and determine the MTD as assessed by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 6 (CTCAE v. 6) of IT injection of IVIG + poly-ICLC, and IM poly-ICLC given in combination with ICI in Veterans with stage IV NSCLC. Secondary Objective: To quantitate systemic and tissue-specific immune responses in patients who receive intertumoral IVIG + poly-ICLC, and IM poly-ICLC while receiving ICIs. Primary Endpoint: Assessment of an MTD dose for IT injection of IVIG + poly-ICLC, and IM injection of poly-ICLC given in combination with ICI in patients with stage IV NSCLC. The primary safety endpoint includes short term and long-term dose limiting toxicity (DLT), and observing less than 25% grade 3 toxicity. Secondary Endpoints: 1) To assess the correlation of pre-therapy tumor PD-L1 expression with clinical benefit - All tumors will be assessed for PD-L1 expression prior to therapy initiation. 2) To determine the pre-treatment tumor immune infiltrate, and post treatment T cell activation, and correlation with treatment response.