Experimental cocktail aims to tackle Hard-to-Treat head and neck cancer
NCT ID NCT06308913
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This early-phase trial is testing a new combination of an experimental drug (INCB081776), an immunotherapy (pembrolizumab), and radiation therapy in 10 people with advanced head and neck cancer that has spread or come back. The main goal is to check safety and side effects, while also seeing if the treatment can shrink tumors. Because it is a very small pilot study, the results will only show whether this approach is worth studying further.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- INCB081776 (an experimental drug) combined with pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy) and palliative radiation therapy
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could offer a new treatment option for people with advanced head and neck cancer that has stopped responding to standard therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small pilot study with only 10 participants, focused mainly on safety. The experimental drug may cause side effects, and it is unknown whether the combination will effectively shrink tumors or improve survival.
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.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
UW Carbone Cancer Center
Madison, Wisconsin, 53792, United States
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