Engineered immune cells take aim at Hard-to-Treat lung cancer
NCT ID NCT06348797
First seen Jul 21, 2026 · Last updated Jul 22, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This phase 1 trial tests a new type of CAR-T cell therapy designed to target a protein called DLL3 found on small cell lung cancer cells. The CAR-T cells are also modified to boost their activity through PD-L1 and 4-1BB signals. The study enrolls adults with relapsed or refractory extensive-stage small cell lung cancer who have already tried one platinum-based chemotherapy. Participants receive low-dose chemotherapy and some may get targeted radiotherapy before the CAR-T infusion, with the goal of finding a safe dose and seeing if the treatment can shrink tumors.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a modified CAR-T cell therapy targeting DLL3, combined with PD-L1/4-1BB signaling enhancement, given after low-dose chemotherapy and optional radiotherapy
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a durable treatment option for relapsed small cell lung cancer, a disease with few effective therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early phase 1 trial with only 30 participants, so safety and dosing are still being established. CAR-T therapy can cause severe side effects like cytokine release syndrome, and it may not shrink tumors in all patients.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
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About 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Apr 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 70 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with recurrent or refractory small cell lung cancer (SCLC) confirmed by histology or cytology who have relapsed or progressed after treatment with one previous platinum-based regimen; * Patients can provide sufficient tumor tissue (fresh or paraffin sections, etc.); * Age 18 \~70 (including boundary), for both men and women; * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-1; * Life expectancy ≥3 months; * At least one extracranial measurable lesion (RECIST v1.1) exists;for lesion after radiotherapy, must be confirmed that the lesion has progressed ; * Patients in limited-stage at the initial diagnosis must undergo radical thoracic radiotherapy and the time of tumor progression is not less than 1 months from the end of radiotherapy, or radical thoracic dose radiotherapy cannot be performed for specific reasons; The time elapsed since the completion of radiotherapy for brain metastases shall be no less than 1 months; * The test results of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C and syphilis were negative at screening (If hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) is positive, additional HBV DNA testing is required, and subjects whose test result is less than the reference value can be included in the study) ; * Female patients or male reproductive age patients and their partners should agree to effective contraception from sighing Informed Consent Form (ICF) to 6 months after the last BHP01 infusion. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with known primary Central Nervous System (CNS) tumor, or meningeal metastasis, or patients with unstable CNS metastasis (symptomatic, requiring hormonal therapy within 4 weeks before investigational treatment, or no radiographic evidence of stabilization of the lesion for more than 4 weeks); * Received major surgical procedures (except for diagnosis) within 4 weeks before PBMCs collection, or are expected to require major surgical procedures during the study; * Received Chinese herbal medicine or Chinese patent medicine for anti-tumor indications within 7 days before Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) collection; * Patients with a history of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, mechanical pneumonia (such as bronchiolitis obliterans), drug-induced pneumonia or idiopathic pneumonia, or evidence of active pneumonia by chest computer tomography (CT) at screening \[a history of radiation pneumonia (fibrosis) in the irradiated field may participate in this study\]; * Poorly controlled pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, or ascites requiring repeated drainage procedures (once a month or more frequently); * Poorly controlled or symptomatic hypercalcemia (ionic calcium\> 1.5 mmol/L, calcium\> 12 mg/dL or corrected calcium\> ULN); * Presence of active or previous autoimmune diseases or immunodeficiencies, including but not limited to myasthenia gravis, myositis, autoimmune hepatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.; * Severe infection within 4 weeks before the start of PBMCs collection, including but not limited to hospitalization due to infection, bacteremia, severe pneumonia, or any active infection that may affect the patient's safety; * Serious cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (such as heart disease ≥New York Heart Association class II, myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular accident), unstable arrhythmia or unstable angina pectoris within 3 months before PBMCs collection; * Previous treatment with DLL 3 target drugs or CAR-T or other gene-modified T cells; * Received any other Investigational drug within 28 days prior to PBMCs collection; * A history of mental illness; * Incapacitated persons or persons with limited capacity; * pregnant or lactating females; Males or females who are unwilling to use adequate contraception; Females of childbearing potential are required to undergo a pregnancy study during the screening period;
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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West China Hospital Sichuan University
RECRUITINGChengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
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