Engineered immune cells take on HPV cancers in early trial
NCT ID NCT02379520
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tested a new experimental treatment called HPVST cells in 32 people with HPV-related cancers that had returned or not responded to standard care. The cells are grown from the patient's own blood and trained to attack HPV-infected cancer cells. The goal was to find a safe dose and see if the cells can survive and fight the tumor. Some participants also received the drug nivolumab to boost the immune response.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- HPV-specific T cells (HPVSTs) with or without nivolumab
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a new treatment option for patients with HPV-related cancers that have not responded to standard therapy.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early Phase 1 trial with only 32 participants, so results may not apply broadly. Side effects from the cell infusion or combination with nivolumab could be serious.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS POSITIVE ANAL CARCINOMA are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
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
-
Houston Methodist Hospital
Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- At-Home cervical cancer screening could save lives in rural uganda
- Could a delayed booster still protect against HPV?
- Free HPV shots help prevent cancer in Low-Income adults
- Can a Pre-Transplant HPV shot shield patients from cancer?
- Could a 3-Week radiation blast tame HPV throat cancer?
- Could a vaccine help fight throat cancer? new trial tests promising combo