Experimental tumor injection aims to supercharge immunotherapy in rare skin cancer
NCT ID NCT06947928
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether adding an experimental drug called IFx-Hu2.0 (injected directly into a tumor) to the standard immunotherapy pembrolizumab can improve outcomes for people with advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. About 118 adults who have not received checkpoint inhibitors before will be randomly assigned to get either IFx-Hu2.0 or a placebo injection, followed by pembrolizumab. The main goal is to see if the combination leads to more tumor shrinkage or disappearance.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- IFx-Hu2.0 (an experimental immune-boosting drug injected into tumors) combined with pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy given intravenously)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this combination could shrink or eliminate tumors in more people with advanced Merkel cell carcinoma than pembrolizumab alone.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-to-mid stage trial with only 118 participants. The added benefit of IFx-Hu2.0 is unproven, and side effects from the combination may be greater than with standard treatment.
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 ADVANCED OR METASTATIC MERKEL CELL 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
Show contact details
Enter your email to view the contact information for this study.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Study contacts
-
Contact
Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
-
Atlantic Health System
RECRUITINGMorristown, New Jersey, 07960, United States
-
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
-
East Carolina University
RECRUITINGGreenville, North Carolina, 27834, United States
-
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
RECRUITINGSeattle, Washington, 98109, United States
-
Hackensack University Medical Center
RECRUITINGHackensack, New Jersey, 07601, United States
Contact Email: •••••@•••••
-
Inova Schar Cancer
RECRUITINGFairfax, Virginia, 22031, United States
-
Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center
RECRUITINGJacksonville, Florida, 32224, United States
-
Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center
RECRUITINGRochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States
-
Moffitt Cancer Center
RECRUITINGTampa, Florida, 33612, United States
-
Stanford Health Care - Skin Cancer Program
RECRUITINGStanford, California, 94304, United States
-
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
RECRUITINGMiami, Florida, 33136, United States
-
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
RECRUITINGHouston, Texas, 77384, United States
-
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
RECRUITINGPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15232, United States
-
USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
RECRUITINGLos Angeles, California, 90033, United States
-
University of California San Francisco - Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
RECRUITINGSan Francisco, California, 94143, United States
-
University of Colorado Hospital - Anschutz Cancer Pavilion
RECRUITINGAurora, Colorado, 80045, United States
Contact Email: •••••@•••••
-
Virginia Commonwealth University
RECRUITINGRichmond, Virginia, 23298, United States
-
West Virginia University
RECRUITINGMorgantown, West Virginia, 26506, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.