New drug combo targets Hard-to-Treat head and neck cancers

NCT ID NCT05721443

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

Summary

This phase 2 trial tests a combination of two drugs—cetuximab and dalpicilib—in people with a type of head and neck cancer that has returned or spread and no longer responds to standard immunotherapy. The study includes 28 adults aged 18 to 75 whose tumors are HPV-negative. The goal is to see if this drug pair can shrink tumors or slow disease progression.

What this could mean

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

Active substance

cetuximab and dalpicilib

What this could lead to

If successful, this combination could offer a new treatment option for patients with head and neck cancer that has stopped responding to immunotherapy.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-phase trial with only 28 participants, so results may not apply to all patients. The drugs can cause side effects like infusion reactions and low blood cell counts.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

head and neck squamous cell carcinoma Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • the Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200011, China