Immune cells and drugs injected directly into brain tumor in new trial

NCT ID NCT03233152

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing This study
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase I/II trial tests a combination of immune cells (dendritic cells) and two immunotherapy drugs (ipilimumab and nivolumab) for people with recurrent glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. The treatment is given directly into the tumor during surgery, followed by more doses into the brain cavity and vein. The goal is to see if this approach can improve survival without causing severe side effects.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
dendritic cells (immune cells) plus ipilimumab and nivolumab (immunotherapy drugs)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a new treatment option for recurrent glioblastoma, a brain cancer with very few effective therapies.
What could go wrong
This is an early-phase trial (phase I/II) with only 110 participants, so results may not apply to all patients. The treatment involves brain injections and carries risks like immune-related side effects.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 1/2

Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.

Participants

110 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Nov 2016

Expected to finish

Nov 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

1. Subjects must have signed and dated an approved written informed consent form in accordance with regulatory and institutional guidelines. This must be obtained before the performance of any protocol related procedures that are not part of normal subject care 2. Subjects must be willing and able to comply with scheduled visits, treatment schedule, laboratory tests, tumor biopsies, and other requirements of the study. 3. Histopathological diagnosis of glioblastoma (= WHO grade IV glioma of the central nervous system); both patients with "de novo" and "secondary" glioblastoma are eligible; patients who have histological proof of a lower-grade glioma (WHO grade I, II or III) and have evidence for transformation to WHO-grade IV glioma on imaging of the brain (gadolinium enhancement, areas of necrosis) are eligible for study participation; 4. Diagnosis of glioblastoma recurrence and/or progression following prior treatment with surgery consisting of a total or partial tumor resection, radiation therapy and temozolomide chemotherapy (recurrence/progression is defined as significant \[according to the investigators assessment\] growth and/or recurrence of the glioblastoma tumor mass on sequential MRI of the brain); 5. The following disease characteristics should be present: 1. Presence of a measurable tumor lesion that is characterized by gadolinium enhancement on T1-MRI of the brain (with a longest diameter of \> 10 mm and a perpendicular diameter of \>5mm). 2. No evidence of clinically relevant spontaneous intra-tumor hemorrhage on baseline MRI imaging or in the prior disease history 6. No ventriculo-peritoneal drain 7. No contraindication for evaluation by gadolinium enhanced MRI, FET-PET of the brain or whole-body contrast enhanced CT; 8. ECOG performance status score of 0, 1 or 2; 9. An interval of at least 4 months (: 16 weeks) after the end of postoperative radiation therapy for glioblastoma unless progression is confirmed on an MRI of the brain obtained \> 4 week after the first observation of progression; and with an interval of at least 4 weeks after the last administration of temozolomide; 10. Male or female, 18 years of age or older; 11. Resolution of all acute treatment related adverse effects of prior surgical procedures, radiotherapy and temozolomide to NCI CTCAEv4.0 grade 0 or 1 except for alopecia; 12. Adequate organ function as defined by the following criteria: 1. Total serum bilirubin \< 1.5 x ULN (patients with Gilbert's disease exempt who should have bilirubin \< 2x ULN) 2. AST and ALT \< 2.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN); 3. Serum creatinine ≤1.5 x ULN or calculated creatinine clearance ≥60 mL/min 4. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \> 1500/mm³ without growth factor support 5. Platelets \> 75 000 cells/mm³ 6. Hemoglobin ≥9 g/dL (which may be obtained by transfusion or growth factor support) 7. FT4 hormone levels within normal range 13. No prior treatment on a nivolumab and/or ipilimumab trial; 14. No prior treatment with an anti-CTLA-4 or anti-PD-1/-L1 targeted therapy 15. No gastrointestinal abnormalities including: 1. Inability to take oral medication. 2. Requirement for intravenous alimentation. 3. Prior surgical procedures affecting absorption including gastric resection. 4. Treatment for active peptic ulcer disease in the past 6 months. 5. Malabsorption syndromes. 6. Active gastrointestinal bleeding, unrelated to cancer, as evidenced by hematemesis, hematochezia or melena in the past 3 months without evidence of resolution documented by endoscopy or colonoscopy; 16. No evidence of pre-existing uncontrolled hypertension as documented by baseline blood pressure reading. The baseline systolic blood pressure reading must be ≤140 mm Hg, and the baseline diastolic blood pressure readings must be ≤90 mm Hg. If baseline blood pressure reading exceeds the inclusion values a second blood pressure reading (taken at least 1 hour apart) must be documented in order to confirm the absence of uncontrolled hypertension. Patients whose hypertension is controlled by antihypertensive therapies are eligible; 17. No concurrent treatment: 1. In another therapeutic clinical trial; 2. No requirement for permanent therapeutic anticoagulation therapy. 18. Subjects with active, known, or suspected autoimmune disease are not eligible. Subjects with type I diabetes mellitus, residual hypothyroidism due to autoimmune thyroiditis only requiring hormone replacement, skin disorders (such as vitiligo, psoriasis, or alopecia) not requiring systemic treatment are permitted to enroll. 19. Subjects requiring systemic treatment with either corticosteroids (\> 8 mg daily methylprednisolone equivalent) or other immunosuppressive medications within 14 days of study enrollment. Inhaled or topical steroids are permitted in the absence of active autoimmune disease. 20. Adequate venous access to undergo a leukapheresis procedure. 21. No active uncontrolled seizure disorder. 22. No myocardial infarction, severe/unstable angina, coronary/peripheral artery bypass graft, symptomatic congestive heart failure or any unstable arrhythmia, cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attack, within the 12 months prior to study drug administration. No current or recent (within 1 month) use of a thrombolytic agent or a thrombo-embolic event; 23. No known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related illness; 24. No serious uncontrolled medical disorder or active infection that would impair their ability to receive study treatment; 25. No history of a malignancy (other than glioma) except those treated with curative intent for skin cancer (other than melanoma) or in situ breast or cervical cancer or those treated with curative intent for any other cancer with no evidence of disease for 5 years; 26. No other severe acute or chronic medical or psychiatric condition, or laboratory abnormality that would impart, in the judgment of the investigator, excess risk associated with study participation or study drug administration, or which, in the judgment of the investigator, would make the patient inappropriate for entry into this study; 27. No dementia or significantly altered mental status that would prohibit the understanding or rendering of informed consent and compliance with the requirements of this protocol; 28. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test within 3 days prior to treatment.; Female patients must be surgically sterile or be postmenopausal, or must agree to use effective contraception measures during the period of therapy which should be continued for 12 weeks after the last dose of nivolumab. All female patients with reproductive potential must have a negative pregnancy test (serum or urine) prior to enrollment. Male patients must be surgically sterile or must agree to use effective contraception during the period of therapy. The definition of effective contraception will be based on the judgment of the principal investigator or a designated associate; No pregnancy or breastfeeding; a) No contra-indication for neurosurgical resection of the glioblastoma recurrence.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

glioblastoma Recurrence

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel

    Brussels, 1090, Belgium

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