Engineered immune cells take on childhood brain cancer in first human trial
NCT ID NCT04903080
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This early-stage trial tests a new treatment for children whose ependymoma brain tumor has come back or not responded to standard therapy. The treatment uses the patient's own immune cells, modified in a lab to recognize and attack tumor cells that carry a protein called HER2. The main goals are to check if the treatment is safe and if it can be delivered across multiple hospitals.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
HER2 CAR T cells (a type of immune cell therapy made from the patient's own blood, engineered to target HER2 on tumor cells)
What this could lead to
If this treatment proves safe and effective, it could offer a new option for children with ependymoma that has not responded to standard treatments.
What could go wrong
This is an early Phase 1 trial with only 50 participants, focused mainly on safety. The treatment may not shrink tumors or may cause serious side effects. It is too early to know if it will work.
Disclaimer
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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.
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.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
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Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia, 30329, United States
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Children's Hospital Colorado
Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States
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Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, 90026, United States
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Children's National Medical Center
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20010, United States
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Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45229, United States
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Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
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Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York, 10065, United States
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Nationwide Children's Hospital
Columbus, Ohio, 43205, United States
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Pittsburgh Children's Hospital of UPMC
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15224, United States
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Texas Children's Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
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The Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Ontario, M5G1X8, Canada
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University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida, 32608, United States