New hope for kids with relapsed neuroblastoma: targeted drug lorlatinib enters first pediatric trial

NCT ID NCT03107988

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This early-stage trial tested a drug called lorlatinib in 65 children and young adults with a type of nerve cancer (neuroblastoma) that had come back or not responded to treatment. The drug targets a specific genetic change (ALK) found in their tumors. The study looked at safety, the right dose, and how the body processes the drug, both alone and with chemotherapy.

What this could mean

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

Active substance

Lorlatinib (an oral drug that targets ALK/ROS1 proteins), sometimes combined with chemotherapy drugs cyclophosphamide, topotecan, and filgrastim

What this could lead to

If successful, this could lead to a new treatment option for children with a hard-to-treat form of neuroblastoma that has come back or not responded to standard therapy.

What could go wrong

This is an early Phase 1 trial focused on safety and dosing, so it is too soon to know if lorlatinib will work well. Side effects from the drug or chemotherapy may be significant, and the study is small.

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.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

neuroblastoma

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • C.S Mott Children's Hospital

    Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States

  • Children Hospital of Colorado

    Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States

  • Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

    Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States

  • Children's Hospital Los Angeles

    Los Angeles, California, 90027-0700, United States

  • Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center - Seattle

    Seattle, Washington, 98105, United States

  • Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104-4318, United States

  • Childrens Hospital Boston, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States

  • Cook Children's Healthcare System

    Fort Worth, Texas, 76104, United States

  • Hospital for Sick Children

    Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada

  • Institut Curie

    Paris, Cedex, 05, France

  • Royal Marsden Hospital

    Sutton, Surrey, SM25NG, United Kingdom

  • UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

    San Francisco, California, 94143, United States

  • University of Chicago, Comer Children's Hospital

    Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States