Immunotherapy combo for liver cancer shows early promise but trial halted

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female patients ≥ 18 years of age * Histological diagnosis of HCC, whether new or recurrent following a prior curative therapeutic management \> 6 months. * Barcelona Clinical Liver Cancer(BCLC) stage Category A * Patients with HCC eligible for EP as assessed by multidisciplinary board corresponding to the following extension: * Uninodular HCC≥ 2 cm and ≤ 5 cm, no macroscopic vascular invasion * Multinodular HCC maximum 3 nodules ≤ 3 cm, no macroscopic vascular invasion * At least one uni-dimensional measurable lesion by computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) according to modified RECIST for HCC * Liver function status Child-Pugh Class A * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status ≤ 2 * Adequate bone marrow, liver and renal function * Life expectancy ≥ 3 months * Women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception * Patients affiliated to a Social Security System * Written informed consent signed Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with contraindications to EP (Pacemakers or patients who have a history of cardiac arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats, ascites, Coagulopathy, Ongoing infection) * Patients with contraindication to contrast medium intravenous injection either gadolinium or iodinate * Prior liver transplantation or candidates for liver transplantation * Prior systemic treatment for HCC, in particular agents targeting T-cell costimulation or checkpoint pathways (including those targeting PD-1, PD-L1 or PD-L2, CD137, or cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen \[CTLA-4\]). * Patients with uncontrolled HBV infection and viral load above 100 IU/mL. * Patients with large esophageal varices at risk of bleeding that are not being treated with conventional medical intervention * Past or concurrent history of neoplasm other than HCC, except for in situ carcinoma of the cervix uteri and/or non-melanoma skin cancer and superficial bladder tumors. Any cancer curatively treated \> 3 years prior to study entry is permitted * Known history or symptomatic metastatic brain or meningeal tumors * Major surgical procedure or significant traumatic injury within 28 days before enrolment * Congestive heart failure New York Heart Association (NYHA) ≥ class 2 * Unstable angina or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months before enrolment * Grade 3 (severe) hypertension ≥180 and/or ≥110 mmHG (systolic and diastolic, according to National Heart Foundation 2016) * Patients with phaeochromocytoma * Refractory ascites according to EASL guidelines definition (ascites that cannot be mobilized or the early recurrence of which cannot be prevented because of a lack of response to sodium restriction and diuretic treatment) * Persistent proteinuria of NCI-CTCAE version 4.0 ≥ Grade 3 * Ongoing infection \> Grade 2 according to NCI-CTCAE version 4.0. Hepatitis B is allowed if no active replication is present (HBV replication below 100 IU/mL). Hepatitis C is allowed if no antiviral treatment is required * Clinically significant bleeding NCI-CTCAE version 4.0 ≥ Grade 3 within 30 days before enrolment * Arterial or venous thrombotic or embolic events such as cerebrovascular accident, deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism within 6 months before enrolment * Any psychological, familial, sociological, geographical or illness or medical condition that could jeopardize the safety of the patient and/or his compliance with the study protocol and follow-up procedure * Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection * Seizure disorder requiring medication * Non-healing wound, ulcer or bone fracture * Known hypersensitivity to the study drug or excipients in the formulation * Any malabsorption condition * Breast feeding * Pregnancy