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ACTIVE NOT RECRUITINGPhase1

PAveMenT: Palbociclib and Avelumab in Metastatic AR+ Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Sponsor: Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

NCT ID: NCT04360941

View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

At a glance

What the study gets you
Access to the study treatment being tested
Type of study
Interventional (receives a drug or procedure)
Time in hospital
In-person visits at study sites — visit count not specified by the sponsor
Drug or intervention
Palbociclib (drug), Avelumab (drug)
How long the study runs
Study runs about 83 months (dates as stated)
About the drug or intervention
Palbociclib — drug: Highly selective oral inhibitor of CDK4 and CDK6. · Avelumab — drug: Fully human IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) binds to the PD-L1 cell surface ligand and blocks its interaction with the PD-1 cell surface receptor.
Patient visit burden
Not specified by the sponsor

In plain English

This trial is testing two drugs, palbociclib (a tablet) and avelumab (given by drip into a vein), in people with breast cancer that has spread or come back and cannot be removed by surgery. Palbociclib blocks proteins called CDK4/6 that help cancer cells grow, and avelumab is an immunotherapy that helps the immune system attack cancer. The trial has two parts: Part A includes several types of breast cancer, while Part B is only for triple negative breast cancer that is androgen receptor positive (AR+), which is checked on old tumour tissue. The sponsor is the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Who can take part

  • Adults aged 18 or over with breast cancer that has come back or spread (locally advanced that cannot be operated on, or metastatic) and cannot be cured by surgery.
  • Have had at least one but no more than two courses of chemotherapy for advanced disease. People with ER+ breast cancer must have had at least one course of hormone therapy; people with HER2-positive breast cancer must have had at least one course of HER2-targeted treatment.
  • Have cancer that can be measured on scans (RECIST 1.1). For Part B, the cancer must also be in a place where a new biopsy (small sample of the tumour) can be taken.
  • For Part B: triple negative breast cancer that is androgen receptor positive (AR+). This is checked centrally on stored tumour tissue. If no stored tissue from the spread is available, tissue from the original breast tumour may be used if it was collected within 5 years before the cancer spread and was ER and PgR negative.
  • Blood and other body test results within the ranges set out in the study plan, checked within one week before joining.
  • Able to carry out normal activities with little or no restriction (WHO performance status 0 or 1) and an expected life span of at least 3 months, in the doctor's opinion.
  • Willing and able to give written informed consent and to attend study visits, treatment, tests and follow-up.
  • For Part B: willing to have a new tumour biopsy at the start of the study.
  • If able to become pregnant, a negative pregnancy test within 7 days before starting, and both patients and male partners must use a very reliable method of contraception — starting 2 weeks before treatment, during treatment, and for 1 month after stopping (women) or 14 weeks after (men).

Who may not be able to

  • Recent chemotherapy: oral chemotherapy in the past 2 weeks, weekly chemotherapy into a vein in the past 3 weeks, or any other chemotherapy or experimental drug in the past 4 weeks.
  • Hormone therapy in the past 7 days (except certain ovarian-suppressing injections, and bone-strengthening drugs like bisphosphonates or RANK ligand antagonists are allowed).
  • Previous treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors or immune-stimulating drugs for advanced disease (though people who had pembrolizumab earlier for early-stage breast cancer may join if it finished at least 6 months before the cancer came back).
  • Previous treatment with palbociclib or any CDK4/6-blocking drug (though people who had abemaciclib or ribociclib after early breast cancer surgery may join if it finished at least 12 months before the cancer came back).
  • Major surgery in the past 4 weeks or radiotherapy in the past 14 days.
  • Brain metastases causing symptoms needing steroids, untreated brain metastases, disease in the lining of the brain or spinal cord, or spinal cord compression.
  • An infection needing treatment at the time of joining.
  • Serious heart problems in the past 12 months (heart attack, myocarditis, uncontrolled angina, bypass surgery, symptomatic heart failure, stroke, or mini-stroke), or uncontrolled high blood pressure or irregular heartbeat such as atrial fibrillation.
  • An active autoimmune disease that could get worse with immunotherapy (some conditions like type 1 diabetes, vitiligo, psoriasis, or thyroid problems not needing immunosuppressants are allowed).
  • Taking immunosuppressive medicines, with some exceptions such as steroid creams, inhalers, nose sprays, joint injections, or low-dose steroid tablets (10 mg prednisone a day or less).
  • Other serious ongoing illnesses, such as colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, pneumonitis (even if better now), lung fibrosis, kidney failure on dialysis, or mental health conditions including recent or current suicidal thoughts.
  • Taking warfarin or direct-acting blood-thinning tablets (people needing blood thinners may be switched to heparin injections).
  • HIV, AIDS-related illness, or hepatitis B or C showing active infection.
  • Severe allergic reactions to monoclonal antibodies, any history of anaphylaxis, or uncontrolled asthma.
  • Unable or unwilling to swallow tablets or receive injections into a vein.
  • Ongoing side effects from previous treatment worse than mild (except stable numbness/tingling in hands or feet, or hair loss).
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • Another cancer diagnosed in the past 3 years, apart from previous breast cancer, treated skin cancers, pre-cancer of the cervix, or low-grade prostate cancer.
  • Taking part in another trial testing a treatment at the same time (taking part in a purely observational study is fine).
  • Known allergy to the study drugs or their ingredients; the tablet contains lactose, so people with rare inherited galactose intolerance, Lapp lactase deficiency, or glucose-galactose malabsorption cannot take it.
  • Live vaccines within 4 weeks before starting avelumab and during the trial (and for 3 months after the last dose); inactivated vaccines are allowed.
  • Psychiatric conditions that prevent understanding or giving informed consent.
  • Needing to keep taking St John's Wort, or medicines that strongly affect the CYP3A liver enzyme.
  • Any other condition that, in the doctor's view, makes taking part unsuitable.

What taking part involves

  • • Palbociclib, taken as a tablet by mouth.
  • • Avelumab, an immunotherapy given as a drip into a vein (an intravenous infusion).
  • • For Part B, a fresh tumour biopsy (a small sample of the cancer) taken at the start of the study.
  • • Blood tests and other checks within one week before starting treatment, plus regular study visits, scans and follow-up.

Time commitment: Not stated — ask the trial team. The data shows you would need blood tests before joining, attend regular scheduled visits for treatment and tests, and (in Part B) have a new tumour biopsy.

Plain-English summary (AI-generated) from registry data. Not eligibility advice — only the trial team can confirm whether you can take part. Use the eligibility checker to see how your health profile matches this trial.

Type of study
Testing a treatment
Ages
18 Years and over
Who
All
Number of participants
45
Started
2020-08-11
Last checked
2026-08

Plain English Summary

What is this study?

  • • Testing a new treatment for triple negative breast cancer
  • • Phase1 - 45 participants
  • • This clinical study is aiming to determine the safest doses and schedule for the combination of two drugs named palbociclib and avelumab

Who can take part?

  • • Ages 18 Years and over
  • • Diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer

Where?

  • • Manchester - The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
  • • Cambridge - Addenbrooke's Hospital Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • • Glasgow - Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre
  • • Leicester - Hope Clinical Trials Cancer Centre
  • • +5 more UK sites

This is a simplified summary. Always discuss with your doctor before making any decisions.

About This Trial

This clinical study is aiming to determine the safest doses and schedule for the combination of two drugs named palbociclib and avelumab. The study will also be investigating how effective the combination is for a subgroup of breast cancer patients whose cancer expresses the androgen receptor (AR) but not the oestrogen (hormone) or HER2 receptors. Palbociclib is a drug used in routine care for hormone-receptor (HR) positive and HER2 negative advanced breast cancer, the most common subtype of breast cancer. It is possible that the combination of palbociclib and avelumab will be a more effective cancer treatment than each drug separately, but this is unknown and this study is needed to establish the best dosage and schedule of each drug as well as how effective the combination is.

More detail

This is a phase Ib study designed to confirm the safety and evaluate the efficacy of palbociclib combined with avelumab in AR positive TNBC. It is a multi-centre study design (it will run at several hospitals in the UK). Palbociclib inhibits two proteins involved in cell growth called cyclin dependent kinase 4 and cyclin dependent kinase 6 (CDK4/6). Inhibiting CDK4/6 stops cells, such as cancer cells, from dividing and multiplying further. Palbociclib is currently approved for the treatment of metastatic HR positive HER2 negative breast cancer, based on good results from large clinical trials. Laboratory studies have shown that palbociclib might be also useful in some patients with triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive subtype of breast cancer that does not express the hormone receptors or HER2 receptor, but only if the cancer is positive for the androgen-receptor (AR). Avelumab is an immunotherapy drug which does not destroy cancer cells, but tries to stimulate the body's immune system to do this. Avelumab has been tested in a number of different types of tumours including breast cancer, but although approved for use in the USA, it is not currently an approved standard treatment in the UK. The combination of both drugs has never been tested in humans before. Recruitment to Part A will be conducted only at the Royal Marsden Hospital and Part A of the study will establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and optimal schedule of the combination in any suitable patients with advanced breast cancer. Once this dose schedule has been confirmed, the chosen dose level will be recruited to, aiming to include 27 patients with AR positive TNBC (Part B).Part B will recruit at up to 8 high volume centres. The androgen receptor is not routinely tested for in hospital laboratories, so patients with advanced triple negative breast cancer who are interested in taking part in the study will be asked to provide consent for previously taken cancer samples/biopsies to be sent to the Royal Marsden for testing, to see if the cancer expresses the androgen receptor, which would make participants potentially eligible for part B of the study. Approximately 20% of triple negative breast cancers express AR. This phase of the study will include important translational work using new cancer samples (biopsies) and blood samples to investigate potential "biomarkers" -predictors of efficacy and resistance to the combination. In Part A of the study, patients with previously treated, advanced breast cancer will have an ECG (heart trace) a CT scan of the body and potentially an MRI scan of the brain and a bone scan (depending upon where the breast cancer is known to have spread to) as well as blood tests to determine if participants are suitable for the study. During the study participants will receive daily palbociclib tablets and intravenous infusions of avelumab every two weeks. Participants will be monitored with regular blood tests and repeat CT scans every 8 weeks. At whatever time point the treatment stops working, the patient will stop treatment and will be asked to have further blood tests one month later as well as a check up with the study doctor. In Part B of the study, patients with triple negative histology and positive androgen receptor status tested at the Royal Marsden will be required to have a cancer biopsy before participants start treatment on the study. LIke in Part A, participants will also have an ECG (heart trace)a CT scan of the body and potentially an MRI scan of the brain and a bone scan (depending upon where the breast cancer is known to have spread to) as well as blood tests to determine if participants are suitable for the study. During the study participants will receive daily palbociclib tablets and intravenous infusions of avelumab every two weeks. Participants will be monitored with regular blood tests and check-ups with the study doctor and repeat CT scans every 8 weeks as well as additional blood tests for research. After 3 weeks of treatment, the patient may have a further tumour biopsy, which is optional. At whatever timepoint the treatment stops working, the patient will stop treatment and will be asked to have further blood tests and a further biopsy. Participants will also have a check-up with the study doctor and blood tests one month later. A maximum of 45 breast cancer patients will be enrolled; up to 18 patients in part A and 27 patients with AR+ triple negative breast cancer in part B.

Triple Negative Breast CancerLocally Advanced Breast CancerRecurrent Breast CancerMetastatic Breast CancerER+ Breast CancerHER2-positive Breast Cancer

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What we know so far

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Preliminary match based on your answers. Full eligibility requires on-site assessment including medical history, physical exam, and lab tests. This does not guarantee enrolment.

Eligibility at a Glance

Key info

  • Age: 18 Years and over
  • Who can join: All genders

Biomarkers mentioned

ERHER2have a negativetriple negativePgR negativeor positive

Treatment history

Treatments you must have had:

  • ✓ received at least one prior line of hormone therapy for advanced disease
  • ✓ of chemotherapy f
  • ✓ a negative urine or serum pregnancy test within 7 days
  • ✓ been ER/PgR negative and collected within 5 years

What the study is looking for

  • ✓Inclusion Criteria Part A:
  • ✓Patients with recurrent inoperable that has grown locally or that has spread breast cancer.
  • ✓cancer that can be measured on scans ((standard scan measurements))
  • ✓Haematological and biochemical indices within the ranges stated in the study protocol. These measurements must be...
  • ✓Oral, intra-vaginal or transdermal combined hormonal contraception
See the full criteria
Inclusion Criteria Part A: 1. Patients with recurrent inoperable locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. 2. Previously treated with at least one prior line of chemotherapy for advanced disease, but no more than two prior lines of chemotherapy for advanced disease. Patients with ER+ breast cancer must have received at least one prior line of hormone therapy for advanced disease. Patients with HER2+ breast cancer must have received at least one prior line of HER2 directed therapy. 3. Measurable disease (RECIST 1.1) 4. Haematological and biochemical indices within the ranges stated in the study protocol. These measurements must be performed within one week (Day -7 to Day 1) before the patient goes in the trial. 5. Women/female patients with child-bearing potential (defined as the fertile status following menarche and until becoming post-menopausal unless permanently sterile by methods that include hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy and bilateral oophorectomy) must have a negative urine or serum pregnancy test within 7 days prior to start of trial. Women/females of child bearing potential or their male partners must use a highly effective method of contraception for 2 weeks before starting the study treatment, throughout the treatment period and for 1 month after discontinuation of treatment with palbociclib and avelumab (women/female patients) or 14 weeks (men/male patients). Highly effective methods are defined as methods that can achieve a failure rate of less than 1% per year when used consistently and correctly are considered as highly effective birth control methods, such methods include: * Oral, intra-vaginal or transdermal combined hormonal contraception * Oral, injectable or implantable progesterone-only contraception * Intrauterine device * Intrauterine hormone-releasing system, * Bilateral tubal occlusion * Vasectomised partner * True abstinence:\* When this is in line with the preferred and usual lifestyle of the subject Key: \* it is only considered highly effective if the patient is refraining from sexual intercourse during the entire period of risk associated with the study treatments 6. 18 years of age or over. 7. World Health Organisation (WHO) performance status 0 or 1 8. Estimated life expectancy of at least 3 months in the opinion of the investigator 9. Signed and dated informed consent. 10. Patients willing and able to comply with scheduled visits, treatment plans, laboratory tests, follow up and other procedures Inclusion Criteria Part B: 1. Patients with recurrent inoperable locally advanced or metastatic AR+ triple negative breast cancer with ER, PgR and HER2 status determined locally and AR determined centrally on archival metastatic tissue. Archival tissue from the primary tumour (which must have been ER/PgR negative and collected within 5 years prior to metastatic relapse) may be used for AR testing if no archival metastatic tissue is available. 2. Previously treated with at least one prior line of chemotherapy for advanced disease, but no more than two prior lines of chemotherapy for advanced disease. 3. Measurable disease (RECIST 1.1) amenable to fresh biopsy 4. Haematological and biochemical indices within the ranges stated in the study protocol. These measurements must be performed within one week (Day -7 to Day 1) before the patient goes in the trial. 5. Female patients with child-bearing potential must have a negative urine or serum pregnancy test within 7 days prior to start of trial. Women/females of child bearing potential or their male partners must use a highly effective method of contraception for 2 weeks before starting the study treatment, throughout the treatment period and for 1 month after discontinuation of treatment with palbociclib and avelumab (women/female patients) or 14 weeks (men/male patients). Highly effective methods are defined as methods that can achieve a failure rate of less than 1% per year when used consistently and correctly are considered as highly effective birth control methods, such methods include: * Oral, intra-vaginal or transdermal combined hormonal contraception * Oral, injectable or implantable progesterone-only contraception * Intrauterine device * Intrauterine hormone-releasing system, * Bilateral tubal occlusion * Vasectomised partner * True abstinence:\* When this is in line with the preferred and usual lifestyle of the subject Key: \* it is only considered highly effective if the patient is refraining from sexual intercourse during the entire period of risk associated with the study treatments 6. Age 18 years of age or over 7. World Health Organisation (WHO) performance status 0 or 1 8. Estimated life expectancy of at least 3 months in the opinion of the investigator 9. Signed and dated informed consent 10. Patients willing and able to comply with scheduled visits, treatment plans, laboratory tests, follow up, and other procedures 11. Available archival breast primary tumour tissue (or metastatic tissue if de novo metastatic disease) 12. Patient willing to undergo a mandatory baseline fresh tumour tissue biopsy procedure (clinical or radiologically-guided) Exclusion Criteria Parts A \& B: 1. Oral chemotherapy within two weeks, weekly iv chemotherapy within three weeks or any other systemic chemotherapy or investigational medicinal products during the previous four weeks. 2. Hormonal therapy within 7 days except luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analogues for ovarian suppression. Bisphosphonates or RANK ligand antagonists are permitted for the management of bone metastases. 3. Previous exposure to immune checkpoint inhibitors or immune co-stimulatory drugs in the advanced setting. (Note: Patients who have received neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant pembrolizumab are eligible if treatment was completed at 6 months prior to metastatic relapse.) 4. Previous treatment with palbociclib or any agents which inhibit CDK4/6. (Note: Patients who have received adjuvant abemaciclib or ribociclib for early breast cancer are eligible if treatment was completed at least 12 months prior to metastatic relapse.) 5. Major surgery (excluding minor procedures, e.g. placement of vascular access) within 4 weeks or radiation therapy within 14 days prior to study entry 6. Patients with known symptomatic brain metastases requiring steroids, untreated brain metastases, leptomeningeal disease or spinal cord compression. 7. Active infection requiring systemic therapy 8. Any of the following within 12 months prior to study entry: myocardial infarction, history of myocarditis, uncontrolled angina, coronary/peripheral artery bypass graft, symptomatic congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular accident, or transient ischemic attack. 9. Uncontrolled hypertension or cardiac dysrhythmia including atrial fibrillation 10. Active autoimmune disease that might deteriorate when receiving an immuno-stimulatory agent. Patients with diabetes type I, vitiligo, psoriasis, or hypo- or hyperthyroid diseases not requiring immunosuppressive treatment are eligible. 11. Current use of immunosuppressive medication, EXCEPT for the following: a. intranasal, inhaled, topical steroids, or local steroid injection (e.g., intra-articular injection); b. Systemic corticosteroids at physiologic doses ≤ 10 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent; c. Steroids as premedication for hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., CT scan premedication). 12. Other severe acute or chronic medical conditions including colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, pneumonitis (even if fully resolved), pulmonary fibrosis, end stage renal disease on haemodialysis or psychiatric conditions including recent (within the past year) or active suicidal ideation or behaviour; or laboratory abnormalities that may increase the risk associated with study participation or study treatment administration or may interfere with the interpretation of study results and, in the judgment of the investigator, would make the patient inappropriate for entry into this study. 13. Patients on warfarin or direct acting oral anticoagulants. Patients requiring anticoagulation for rate-controlled AF or previous venous thromboembolism should be switched to low-molecular weight heparin. 14. Known HIV or AIDS-related illness, active infection requiring systemic therapy, or positive HBV or HCV test indicating acute or chronic infection 15. Known severe hypersensitivity reactions to monoclonal antibodies (Grade ≥ 3 NCI CTCAE v 5), any history of anaphylaxis, or uncontrolled asthma (that is, 3 or more features of partially controlled asthma) 16. Inability or unwillingness to swallow pills, or receive IV injections. 17. Persisting toxicity related to prior therapy \>Grade 1 (except for stable peripheral neuropathy grade ≤2 or alopecia grade ≤2). 18. Pregnancy or lactation (women/females of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test within 7 days prior to treatment initiation) 19. Diagnosis of other malignancy within 3 years, except for previous breast cancer, adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, or carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or low-grade (Gleason ≤6) prostate cancer 20. Is a participant or plans to participate in another interventional clinical trial, whilst taking part in this study. Participation in an observational trial would be acceptable. 21. Known prior or suspected hypersensitivity to investigational products or to any of the excipients 22. Vaccination within 4 weeks of the first dose of avelumab and while on trial is prohibited except for administration of inactivated vaccines. Live vaccines must also be avoided for 3 months after the last dose of avelumab. 23. Any psychiatric condition that would prohibit the understanding or rendering of informed consent 24. Requirement for continued use of preparations containing St. John's Wort is specifically contraindicated. Other herbal medicinal or natural products that patient is intended to take during the trial must be explored at the beginning and during the course of the trial and discussed with the investigator. 25. Requirement for continued use of CYP3A inhibitors, inducers or substrates (listed in Appendix 4). 26. Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency, or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicine as this medicinal product contains lactose. 27. Any other condition which in the Investigator's opinion would not make the patient a good candidate for the clinical trial.

Where Is This Study? (9 UK sites)

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

Manchester M20 4BX, United Kingdom

Hospital R&D contact (matched)

Research and Innovation Office

the-christie.ri@nhs.net---

Addenbrooke's Hospital Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom

Hospital R&D contact (matched)

Stephen Kelleher

cuh.research@nhs.net01223 348490

Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre

Glasgow G12 0YN, United Kingdom

Hospital R&D contact (matched)

Jennifer McLean

jennifer.mclean@health.scot.nhs.uk0131 537 4718

Hope Clinical Trials Cancer Centre

Leicester LE1 5WW, United Kingdom

Barts Cancer Institute

London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom

Hospital R&D contact (matched)

Dr Mays Jawad

research.governance@qmul.ac.uk020 7882 6826

Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

London SW3 6JJ, United Kingdom

Hospital R&D contact (matched)

Mark Brandon-Grove

research.development@rmh.nhs.uk020 3186 5416

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

London W1T 7HA, United Kingdom

Hospital R&D contact (matched)

Rajinder Sidhu - Associate Director, Research Governance and Operations

uclh.jro-communications@nhs.net020 3447 9825

Nottingham University Hospital

Nottingham NG5 1PB, United Kingdom

Hospital R&D contact (matched)

Alison Lloyd

nuhnt.researchsponsor@nhs.net0115 9249924

Weston Park Hospital

Sheffield S10 2SJ, United Kingdom

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov · Last verified: 2026-08