Lung cancer trial halted: did adding an Anti-Inflammatory drug help?

NCT ID NCT03631199

Terminated Disease control Sponsor: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This phase 3 study tested whether adding canakinumab (an anti-inflammatory drug) to standard immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) and chemotherapy could help people with advanced non-small cell lung cancer live longer. The trial enrolled 673 participants but was terminated early, so the full results are not available. The approach aimed to reduce inflammation that might help tumors grow, but the early stop raises questions about safety or lack of benefit.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: canakinumab (an anti-inflammatory drug) plus pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy) and chemotherapy
What this could lead to: If successful, this combination could improve survival for people with advanced lung cancer by boosting the immune system's ability to fight tumors.
What could go wrong: The trial was terminated early, so results are limited. Adding canakinumab may increase side effects without clear benefit, and the study's early stop means we may never know if it truly works.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Neoplasm Metastasis non-small cell lung carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER

Contacts and locations

Locations

AdventHealth

Orlando, Florida, 32804, United States
Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
Novartis Investigative Site

Caba, Buenos Aires, C1426ANZ, Argentina
Novartis Investigative Site

Caba, C1431FWO, Argentina
Novartis Investigative Site

Westmead, New South Wales, 2145, Australia
Novartis Investigative Site

Wooloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
Novartis Investigative Site

Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia
Novartis Investigative Site

Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
Novartis Investigative Site

Linz, Upper Austria, 4020, Austria
Novartis Investigative Site

Salzburg, 5020, Austria
Novartis Investigative Site

Barretos, São Paulo, 14784 400, Brazil
Novartis Investigative Site

São Paulo, São Paulo, 01246 000, Brazil
Novartis Investigative Site

São Paulo, São Paulo, 04014-002, Brazil
Novartis Investigative Site

Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1Z2, Canada
Novartis Investigative Site

Brampton, Ontario, L6R 3J7, Canada
Novartis Investigative Site

Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada
Novartis Investigative Site

Temuco, Araucania, 4810469, Chile
Novartis Investigative Site

Santiago, 8420383, Chile
Novartis Investigative Site

Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, China
Novartis Investigative Site

Wuhan, Hubei, 430022, China
Novartis Investigative Site

Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
Novartis Investigative Site

Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
Novartis Investigative Site

Changchun, Jilin, 130012, China
Novartis Investigative Site

Xi’an, Shanxi, 710038, China
Novartis Investigative Site

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
Novartis Investigative Site

Beijing, 100036, China
Novartis Investigative Site

Valledupar, Cesar Department, 200001, Colombia
Novartis Investigative Site

Ostrava, Vitkovice, 703 84, Czechia
Novartis Investigative Site

Brno, 625 00, Czechia
Novartis Investigative Site

Brno, 656 53, Czechia
Novartis Investigative Site

Prague, 128 08, Czechia
Novartis Investigative Site

Herning, 7400, Denmark
Novartis Investigative Site

Oulu, FIN-90220, Finland
Novartis Investigative Site

Marseille, Bouches Du Rhone, 13915, France
Novartis Investigative Site

Lyon, 69373, France
Novartis Investigative Site

Montpellier, 34070, France
Novartis Investigative Site

Nantes, 44093, France
Novartis Investigative Site

Paris, 75231, France
Novartis Investigative Site

Munich, Bavaria, 81377, Germany
Novartis Investigative Site

Göttingen, Lower Saxony, 37075, Germany
Novartis Investigative Site

Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, 50937, Germany
Novartis Investigative Site

Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, 51109, Germany
Novartis Investigative Site

Dresden, Saxony, 01307, Germany
Novartis Investigative Site

Leipzig, Saxony, 04347, Germany
Novartis Investigative Site

Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, 06120, Germany
Novartis Investigative Site

Berlin, 13125, Germany
Novartis Investigative Site

Essen, 45147, Germany
Novartis Investigative Site

Georgsmarienhütte, 49124, Germany
Novartis Investigative Site

Gerlingen, 70839, Germany
Novartis Investigative Site

Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
Novartis Investigative Site

Athens, GR, 115 27, Greece
Novartis Investigative Site

Athens, 185 47, Greece
Novartis Investigative Site

Kowloon, 999077, Hong Kong
Novartis Investigative Site

Veszprém, 8200, Hungary
Novartis Investigative Site

Reykjavik, 101, Iceland
Novartis Investigative Site

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, 500034, India
Novartis Investigative Site

Gurgaon, Haryana, 122 001, India
Novartis Investigative Site

Pune, Maharashtra, 411013, India
Novartis Investigative Site

Jaipur, Rajasthan, 302017, India
Novartis Investigative Site

Hyderabad, Telangana, 500082, India
Novartis Investigative Site

Kolkata, West Bengal, 700160, India
Novartis Investigative Site

Avellino, AV, 83100, Italy
Novartis Investigative Site

Genova, GE, 16132, Italy
Novartis Investigative Site

Milan, MI, 20132, Italy
Novartis Investigative Site

Milan, MI, 20133, Italy
Novartis Investigative Site

Rozzano, MI, 20089, Italy
Novartis Investigative Site

Modena, MO, 41124, Italy
Novartis Investigative Site

Padova, PD, 35128, Italy
Novartis Investigative Site

Perugia, PG, 06129, Italy
Novartis Investigative Site

Parma, PR, 43126, Italy
Novartis Investigative Site

Orbassano, TO, 10043, Italy
Novartis Investigative Site

Milan, 20141, Italy
Novartis Investigative Site

Nagoya, Aichi-ken, 4648681, Japan
Novartis Investigative Site

Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8648, Japan
Novartis Investigative Site

Himeji, Hyōgo, 670-8520, Japan
Novartis Investigative Site

Yokohama, Kanagawa, 241-8515, Japan
Novartis Investigative Site

Sakai, Osaka, 591-8555, Japan
Novartis Investigative Site

Sunto Gun, Shizuoka, 4118777, Japan
Novartis Investigative Site

Chuo Ku, Tokyo, 1040045, Japan
Novartis Investigative Site

Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-0241, Japan
Novartis Investigative Site

Osaka, 5458586, Japan
Novartis Investigative Site

Beirut, 1100 2070, Lebanon
Novartis Investigative Site

Saida, 652, Lebanon
Novartis Investigative Site

Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, 50586, Malaysia
Novartis Investigative Site

Kuantan, Pahang, 25100, Malaysia
Novartis Investigative Site

Kuching, Sarawak, 93586, Malaysia
Novartis Investigative Site

Kuala Lumpur, 59100, Malaysia
Novartis Investigative Site

Groningen, 9713 GZ, Netherlands
Novartis Investigative Site

Groningen, 9728 NZ, Netherlands
Novartis Investigative Site

Drammen, 3004, Norway
Novartis Investigative Site

City of Taguig, National Capital Region, 1634, Philippines
Novartis Investigative Site

Makati City, 1229, Philippines
Novartis Investigative Site

Quezon, 1102, Philippines
Novartis Investigative Site

San Juan City, 1502, Philippines
Novartis Investigative Site

Gliwice, 44 101, Poland
Novartis Investigative Site

Poznan, 60 569, Poland
Novartis Investigative Site

Tomaszw Mazowiecki, 97-200, Poland
Novartis Investigative Site

Lisbon, 1769 001, Portugal
Novartis Investigative Site

Porto, 4200-072, Portugal
Novartis Investigative Site

Cluj-Napoca, Cluj, 400015, Romania
Novartis Investigative Site

Craiova, Dolj, 200347, Romania
Novartis Investigative Site

Arkhangelsk, 163045, Russia
Novartis Investigative Site

Omsk, 644013, Russia
Novartis Investigative Site

Saint Petersburg, 192148, Russia
Novartis Investigative Site

Saint Petersburg, 196603, Russia
Novartis Investigative Site

Saint Petersburg, 197022, Russia
Novartis Investigative Site

Singapore, 119228, Singapore
Novartis Investigative Site

Singapore, 168583, Singapore
Novartis Investigative Site

Singapore, S308433, Singapore
Novartis Investigative Site

Bratislava, 83310, Slovakia
Novartis Investigative Site

Kosice-Saca, 958 01, Slovakia
Novartis Investigative Site

Gyeonggi-do, Korea, 10408, South Korea
Novartis Investigative Site

Seoul, 03080, South Korea
Novartis Investigative Site

Seoul, 03722, South Korea
Novartis Investigative Site

Seoul, 05505, South Korea
Novartis Investigative Site

Seoul, 06591, South Korea
Novartis Investigative Site

Granada, Andalusia, 18014, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Badalona, Barcelona, 08916, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Donostia / San Sebastian, Gipuzkoa, 20014, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Las Palmas de Gran C, Las Palmas, 35016, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Barcelona, 08035, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Barcelona, 08036, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Madrid, 28009, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Madrid, 28040, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Madrid, 28041, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Madrid, 28046, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Málaga, 29010, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Valencia, 46026, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Zaragoza, 50009, Spain
Novartis Investigative Site

Stockholm, 171 76, Sweden
Novartis Investigative Site

Basel, 4031, Switzerland
Novartis Investigative Site

Kaohsiung City, 83301, Taiwan
Novartis Investigative Site

Tainan, 704, Taiwan
Novartis Investigative Site

Taipei, 10002, Taiwan
Novartis Investigative Site

Taipei, 11217, Taiwan
Novartis Investigative Site

Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan
Novartis Investigative Site

Songkhla, Hat Yai, 90110, Thailand
Novartis Investigative Site

Khon Kaen, THA, 40002, Thailand
Novartis Investigative Site

Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
Novartis Investigative Site

Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
Novartis Investigative Site

Bangkok, 10700, Thailand
Novartis Investigative Site

Istanbul, Bagcilar, 34214, Turkey (Türkiye)
Novartis Investigative Site

Ankara, Bilkent Cankaya, 06800, Turkey (Türkiye)
Novartis Investigative Site

Edirne, Merkez, 22030, Turkey (Türkiye)
Novartis Investigative Site

Ankara, Sihhiye-Altindag, 06230, Turkey (Türkiye)
Novartis Investigative Site

High Heaton, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE7 7DN, United Kingdom
Novartis Investigative Site

London, NW3 2QG, United Kingdom
Novartis Investigative Site

Manchester, M20 2BX, United Kingdom
Novartis Investigative Site

Plymouth, PL6 8DH, United Kingdom
Novartis Investigative Site

Hanoi, 100000, Vietnam
Pacific Shores Medical Group

Long Beach, California, 90813, United States
USC Kenneth Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

Los Angeles, California, 90033, United States

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