A Phase I clinical trial, led by N2CR clinician-scientist A/Prof David Tan, tested a new drug combination—Selinexor, nivolumab (NIVO), and ipilimumab (IPI)—in Asian patients with advanced solid tumours/cancers and had stopped responding to standard treatment options. Selinexor, a nuclear transport inhibitor which affects how proteins move within cells, was combined with two immunotherapy drugs, NIVO and IPI.

The study found the combination was generally safe, with manageable side effects like fatigue and nausea. Out of the 12 patients enrolled, 11 were evaluable for response and 6 were evaluable for dose-limiting-toxicity. A patient showed tumour shrinkage and 3 had stable disease for several months and 7 had progressive disease. All patients had previously already failed treatment with immunotherapy, suggesting this new combination may improve responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors and warrants further investigation.

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