New Vaccine-Immunotherapy combo targets breast cancer brain metastases

NCT ID NCT04348747

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: Roswell Park Cancer Institute Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 22, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This phase IIa trial tests a combination of a dendritic cell vaccine (targeting HER2/HER3 proteins) and the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in 23 women with breast cancer that has spread to the brain. The vaccine aims to train the immune system to attack cancer cells, while pembrolizumab helps unleash the immune response. The study is currently recruiting and will measure how well the treatment shrinks brain tumors.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: dendritic cell vaccine (targeting HER2/HER3) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a new treatment option for breast cancer that has spread to the brain, potentially shrinking tumors and improving outcomes.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial with only 23 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The combination therapy may cause side effects or fail to shrink brain metastases.

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.

brain cancer breast cancer HER2 positive breast carcinoma hormone receptor-positive breast cancer metastatic malignant neoplasm in the brain metastatic neoplasm triple-negative breast carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

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

ANATOMIC STAGE IV BREAST CANCER AJCC V8 METASTATIC MALIGNANT NEOPLASM IN THE BRAIN METASTATIC TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CARCINOMA PROGNOSTIC STAGE IV BREAST CANCER AJCC V8

Contacts and locations

Locations

Moffitt Cancer Center
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Tampa, Florida, 33612, United States
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
RECRUITING

Buffalo, New York, 14263, United States
University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center
RECRUITING

Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903, United States

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