Drug cocktail aims to shrink kidney tumors before surgery and prevent return
NCT ID NCT07691476
First seen Jul 09, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This phase 2 trial is testing whether a combination of two drugs—zanzalintinib (a pill taken daily) and pembrolizumab (given by IV every three weeks)—can shrink advanced kidney tumors before surgery and help prevent the cancer from coming back afterward. The study enrolls people with a type of kidney cancer called clear cell renal cell carcinoma that is locally advanced or has spread but can still be surgically removed. Participants receive the drug combination for about 18 weeks before surgery, then continue pembrolizumab alone for about 33 weeks after surgery. The main goal is to see how many patients' tumors shrink or disappear with the treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- zanzalintinib and pembrolizumab
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could shrink tumors before surgery and reduce the chance of cancer returning afterward, offering a new treatment option for people with advanced kidney cancer that can be surgically removed.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 48 participants and no comparison group, so results may not apply broadly. The drug combination can cause significant side effects, and it is not yet known if it improves long-term survival.
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
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Study contacts
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