New drug combo aims to save kidneys in rare bladder cancer

NCT ID NCT05656235

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This phase II trial tests two drugs—enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab—in 20 people with high-grade upper tract urothelial cancer who cannot or choose not to have surgery to remove the kidney and ureter. The goal is to see if the combination can control the cancer and preserve kidney function over one year. Participants receive the drugs intravenously every three weeks for up to 35 weeks.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda)
What this could lead to: If successful, this drug combination could offer a non-surgical option to control high-grade upper tract urothelial cancer, potentially preserving kidney function.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial with only 20 participants. The drugs may cause side effects like nerve damage or immune reactions, and the cancer might still progress.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

bladder transitional cell carcinoma renal pelvis/ureter urothelial carcinoma urinary bladder carcinoma Urinary Bladder Neoplasms urothelial carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

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

BLADDER CANCER HIGH GRADE UROTHELIAL CARCINOMA UROTHELIAL CARCINOMA BLADDER

Contacts and locations

Locations

Johns Hopkins University: Sibley Memorial Hospital
RECRUITING

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20016, United States
Johns Hopkins University: Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
RECRUITING

Baltimore, Maryland, 21287, United States

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