Atezolizumab and nab-Paclitaxel in Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Biomarker Evaluation of the IMpassion130 Study.

Background Understanding the impact of the tumor immune microenvironment and BRCA-related DNA repair deficiencies on the clinical activity of immune checkpoint inhibitors may help optimize both patient and treatment selection in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC). In this substudy from the phase 3 IMpassion130 trial, immune biomarkers and BRCA alterations were evaluated for association with clinical benefit with atezolizumab (A) + nab-paclitaxel (nP) vs placebo + nP in unresectable locally advanced or mTNBC. Methods Patients were randomized 1:1 to nab-paclitaxel 100 mg/m2 (days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle) + atezolizumab 840 mg every 2 weeks or placebo until progression or toxicity. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated based on programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression on immune cells (IC) and tumor cells (TC), intratumoral CD8, stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs), and BRCA1/2 mutations. Results PD-L1 IC+ in either primary or metastatic tumor tissue was linked to PFS and OS benefit with A+nP. PD-L1 IC+ low (26.9%; 243 of 902 patients) and high (13.9%; 125 of 902 patients) populations had improved outcomes that were comparable. Intratumoral CD8 and sTILs positivity were associated with PD-L1 IC+ status; A+nP vs P+nP improved outcomes were observed only in CD8+ and sTIL+ patients who were also PD-L1 IC+. BRCA1/2 mutations (occurring in 14.5% [89 of 612 patients]) were not associated with PD-L1 IC status, and PD-L1 IC+ patients benefited from A+nP regardless of BRCA1/2 mutation status. Conclusions Although A+nP was more efficacious in patients with richer tumor immune microenvironment, clinical benefit was only observed in patients whose tumors were PD-L1 IC+.S.