Cancer-Fighting virus teams up with immunotherapy to tackle rare skin tumors
NCT ID NCT02978625
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This phase II trial is testing whether a combination of talimogene laherparepvec (a modified herpes virus that infects and kills cancer cells) and nivolumab (an immunotherapy drug) can shrink tumors in people with rare skin cancers or lymphomas that haven't responded to standard treatments. The study enrolls 68 participants and will first test the virus alone, then add the immunotherapy. The goal is to see if this approach can control the disease when other options have failed.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Talimogene laherparepvec (a modified herpes virus that attacks tumors) and nivolumab (an immunotherapy drug)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could offer a new treatment option for people with rare skin cancers or lymphomas that have stopped responding to standard therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial (68 participants) with no control group, so results may not apply broadly. The virus-based therapy can cause flu-like symptoms and injection-site reactions, and the immunotherapy may trigger immune-related side effects.
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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Baylor College of Medicine/Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
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Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center/Dartmouth Cancer Center
Lebanon, New Hampshire, 03756, United States
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Huntsman Cancer Institute/University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, United States
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Johns Hopkins University/Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center
Baltimore, Maryland, 21287, United States
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Keck Medical Center of USC Pasadena
Pasadena, California, 91105, United States
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Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone
New York, New York, 10016, United States
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Los Angeles General Medical Center
Los Angeles, California, 90033, United States
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Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center
Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
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Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
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Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Buffalo, New York, 14263, United States
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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08903, United States
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Siteman Cancer Center at Saint Peters Hospital
City of Saint Peters, Missouri, 63376, United States
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Siteman Cancer Center at West County Hospital
Creve Coeur, Missouri, 63141, United States
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Siteman Cancer Center-South County
St Louis, Missouri, 63129, United States
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UC Irvine Health/Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Orange, California, 92868, United States
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UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital
Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States
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UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at Aventura
Aventura, Florida, 33180, United States
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UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at Coral Gables
Coral Gables, Florida, 33146, United States
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UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at Deerfield Beach
Deerfield Beach, Florida, 33442, United States
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UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at Kendall
Miami, Florida, 33176, United States
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UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at Plantation
Plantation, Florida, 33324, United States
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UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States
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UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15232, United States
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USC / Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
Los Angeles, California, 90033, United States
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University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
Sacramento, California, 95817, United States
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University of Kansas Cancer Center - Lee's Summit
Lee's Summit, Missouri, 64064, United States
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University of Kansas Cancer Center - North
Kansas City, Missouri, 64154, United States
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University of Kansas Cancer Center at North Kansas City Hospital
North Kansas City, Missouri, 64116, United States
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University of Kansas Cancer Center-Overland Park
Overland Park, Kansas, 66210, United States
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University of Kansas Clinical Research Center
Fairway, Kansas, 66205, United States
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University of Kansas Hospital-Indian Creek Campus
Overland Park, Kansas, 66211, United States
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University of Kansas Hospital-Westwood Cancer Center
Westwood, Kansas, 66205, United States
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University of Miami Miller School of Medicine-Sylvester Cancer Center
Miami, Florida, 33136, United States
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University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, Nebraska, 68198, United States
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Washington University School of Medicine
St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a drug duo outsmart resistant T-Cell lymphoma?
- Can a smart immune cell with a kill switch beat tough lymphomas?
- Could a lighter immunotherapy schedule keep advanced cancers in check?
- New drug cocktails aim to outsmart Hard-to-Treat T-Cell lymphomas
- Two-Drug combo aims to shrink vulvar tumors before surgery
- Combination therapy aims to boost response in rare skin cancers