New drug cocktail aims to boost head and neck cancer surgery success
NCT ID NCT07586124
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This phase II trial tests whether combining two drugs—pucotenlimab (an immunotherapy) and becotatug vedotin (a targeted chemotherapy)—given before and after surgery can improve outcomes for people with locally advanced head and neck cancer. About 80 participants will receive either the drug combo or a placebo alongside standard surgery. The main goal is to see if the treatment increases the number of patients whose tumors shrink significantly or disappear completely before surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- pucotenlimab and becotatug vedotin
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could shrink tumors before surgery, potentially improving survival and reducing recurrence in head and neck cancer patients.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early phase II trial with only 80 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The drugs may cause side effects like immune reactions or nerve damage, and the combination might not work better than standard care.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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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
Locations
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Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGShantou, Guangdong, 515041, China
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Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGNanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
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Hubei Cancer Hospital
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGWuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
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Hunan Cancer Hospital
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGChangsha, Hunan, 410013, China
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Liaoning Cancer Hospital & institute
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGShenyang, Liaoning, 110042, China
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Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGNingbo, Zhejiang, 315040, China
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Peking University Cancer Hospital
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGBeijing, Beijing Municipality, 100142, China
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Shanghai East Hospital
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGShanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200120, China
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Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGShanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200011, China
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Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University
RECRUITINGGuangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China
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Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGGuangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, China
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The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGFuzhou, Fujian, 350005, China
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The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGShijiazhuang, Hebei, 050011, China
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Xiangya Hospital of Central South University
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGChangsha, Hunan, 410008, China
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Zhejiang Cancer Hospital
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGHangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
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