Lung cancer drug combo shows promise in large trial

NCT ID NCT02504489

First seen May 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 22, 2026 · Updated 5 times

Summary

This phase 3 trial tested whether adding plinabulin to standard chemotherapy (docetaxel) helps people with advanced non-small cell lung cancer live longer. 559 participants who had already tried one or two prior treatments were randomly assigned to receive either docetaxel plus plinabulin or docetaxel alone. The study measured overall survival, tumor response, and side effects like severe low white 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.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for NON SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • 527-Linyi Cancer Hospital

    Linyi, Shangdong, 276000, China

  • Adult Mater Hospital

    South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Australia

  • Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Harbin Medical Unive

    Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150040, China

  • Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical Univ

    Ürümqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China

  • Allegheny Health Network

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15212, United States

  • Anhui Provincial Hospital

    Hefei, Anhui, 230000, China

  • Beijing Cancer Hospital

    Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100142, China

  • Blacktown Cancer Centre

    Blacktown, New South Wales, 2148, Australia

  • Border Medical Oncology Research Unit

    East Albury, New South Wales, 2640, Australia

  • Cancer Center of Central Connecticut

    Plainville, Connecticut, 06062, United States

  • Cancer Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Science

    Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100021, China

  • Carle Cancer Center

    Urbana, Illinois, 61801, United States

  • Central Care Cancer Center

    Bolivar, Missouri, 65613, United States

  • Cookeville Regional Medical Center Cancer Center

    Cookeville, Tennessee, 61801, United States

  • Epworth Hospital

    Richmond, Victoria, 3121, Australia

  • Fiona Stanley Hospital

    Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia

  • Gosford Hospital

    Gosford, New South Wales, 2250, Australia

  • Guizhou Provincial Hospital

    Guiyang, Guizhou, 550002, China

  • Hattiesburg Clinic Hematology/Oncology

    Hattiesburg, Mississippi, 39401, United States

  • Henan Cancer Hospital

    Zhengzhou, Henan, 450008, China

  • Henry Ford Hospital

    Detroit, Michigan, 48202, United States

  • Innovative Clinical Research Institute

    Whittier, California, 90603, United States

  • Ironwood Cancer & Research Centers

    Chandler, Arizona, 85224, United States

  • Jiangsu Cancer Hospital

    Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China

  • Jiangxi Provincial Tumor Hospital

    Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330000, China

  • Jiangyin People's Hospital

    Jiangyin, Jiangsu, 214400, China

  • Jilin Province Cancer Hospital

    Changchun, Jilin, 100013, China

  • Kansas University Medical Center

    Westwood, Kansas, 00913, United States

  • Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute

    Shenyang, Liaoning, 110042, China

  • Memorial Health Care System

    Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80909, United States

  • Michigan Center of Medical Research

    Farmington Hills, Michigan, 48334, United States

  • Nantong Tumor Hospital

    Nantong, Jiangsu, 226361, China

  • Orchard Healthcare Research Inc.

    Skokie, Illinois, 60077, United States

  • Pacific Cancer Medical Center, Inc.

    Anaheim, California, 92801, United States

  • Peachtree Hematoloy-Oncology Consultants, PC

    Atlanta, Georgia, 30318, United States

  • Peninsula and South East Oncology

    Melbourne, Victoria, 3199, Australia

  • Perth Oncology/Mount Hospital

    Perth, Western Australia, 6000, Australia

  • Shandong Cancer Hospital

    Jinan, Shangdong, 250117, China

  • Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong Univers

    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200030, China

  • Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University

    Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China

  • St John of God Hospital, Subiaco

    Subiaco, Western Australia, 6008, Australia

  • The Fifth People's Hospital of Shanghai

    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200240, China

  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong U

    Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China

  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University

    Xiamen, Fujian, 361000, China

  • The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University

    Hanzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China

  • The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University

    Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050011, China

  • The PLA General Hospital

    Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100853, China

  • The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South Unive

    Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China

  • Tianjin People's Hospital

    Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, 300060, China

  • Toledo Cancer Center

    Toledo, Ohio, 43623, United States

  • University of Cincinnati

    Cincinnati, Ohio, 45267, United States

  • University of Louisville-Brown Cancer Center

    Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, United States

  • Wake Forest Baptist Health

    Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, United States

  • West China Hospital of Sichuan University

    Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China

  • Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital

    Yantai, Shangdong, 264000, China

  • Zhejiang Cancer Hospital

    Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China

  • Zhongshan Hospital Xiamen University

    Xiamen, Fujian, 361000, China

What this could mean

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

Active substance

docetaxel plus plinabulin

What this could lead to

If it works, this combination could improve survival and reduce severe side effects for people with advanced lung cancer who have already tried other treatments.

What could go wrong

This is a completed phase 3 trial, but results may not show a clear benefit over standard docetaxel alone. The drug combination also carries typical chemotherapy risks like infection and fatigue.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

non-small cell lung carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

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