Can reprogrammed immune cells take on a rare thyroid cancer?
NCT ID NCT04877613
First seen Jul 22, 2026 · Last updated Jul 23, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This early-phase trial is testing whether a single infusion of specially engineered immune cells (called CAR T cells) can safely target and attack medullary thyroid cancer that has spread or come back. The cells are designed to recognize a protein called GFRα4 found on the cancer cells. Participants receive chemotherapy first to make room for the new cells, then the infusion. The main goal is to check safety, but researchers will also watch for any signs that the tumors shrink or stop growing.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a single dose of engineered immune cells (CAR T cells) targeting GFRα4, given after chemotherapy to prepare the body
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could offer a new treatment option for people with advanced medullary thyroid cancer that has stopped responding to standard therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early phase 1 trial with only 9 participants, focused mainly on safety. CAR T-cell therapy can cause serious side effects, and it is unknown whether it will shrink tumors or improve survival.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
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