Engineered immune cells take aim at Mesothelioma—Can they deliver?
NCT ID NCT04577326
First seen Jul 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 28, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This early-stage trial is testing whether a new type of CAR-T cell therapy is safe for people with malignant pleural mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the lung lining. The CAR-T cells are engineered to target a protein called mesothelin on cancer cells and include a built-in checkpoint inhibitor to boost their activity. Participants receive a single dose of these cells directly into the chest cavity, after a low dose of chemotherapy to prepare the immune system. The goal is to find the safest dose and observe any effects on the tumor.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- genetically engineered CAR-T cells targeting mesothelin with cell-intrinsic checkpoint inhibition, plus a preconditioning dose of cyclophosphamide
- What this could lead to
- If safe and effective, this approach could point toward a new treatment for mesothelioma, a cancer with limited options.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early phase 1 trial with only 14 participants, so safety and dosing are the main focus—benefit is not yet known. CAR-T therapy can cause severe side effects like cytokine release syndrome.
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
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Phase 1
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
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14 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2020
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Aged ≥18 years 2. Karnofsky performance status ≥70% 3. Pathologically confirmed MPM 1. Epithelioid or biphasic histologic diagnosis provided that ≥10% of the tumor expresses MSLN by IHC analysis 2. Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma with pleural involvement are eligible only if there is radiographic and pathologic confirmation of mesothelioma in the pleural cavity and ≥10% of the tumor expresses MSLN by IHC analysis. 4. Previously treated with at least 1 treatment regimen 5. Measurable or evaluable disease (disease is considered evaluable but not measurable if it does not meet the eligibility criteria for mRECIST but is a manifestation of malignancy that can be followed qualitatively as an indicator of disease progression or treatment response) 6. Chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or radiotherapy must be completed at least 7 days before leukapheresis. a. CPI must be completed at least 21 days before leukapheresis. 7. Chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or therapeutic radiotherapy must be completed at least 14 days before administration of T cells. 1. Palliative radiotherapy can be completed 2 days before lymphodepletion. Immunotherapy with CPI must be completed at least 42 days before administration of T cells. 9\. Any major thoracic (thoracotomy with lung or esophageal resection) or abdominal (laparotomy with organ resection) operation must have occurred at least 28 days before study enrollment. Patients who have undergone diagnostic VATS or laparoscopy can be included in the study. 10\. All acute toxic effects of any previous therapeutic or palliative radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or surgical procedures must have resolved to grade 1 (CTCAE v5.0). 11\. Lab requirements (hematology): a. Absolute neutrophil count ≥1.5 K/mcL b. Platelet count ≥100 K/mcL 12\. Lab requirements (serum chemistry): a. Bilirubin ≤1.5x upper limit of normal (ULN) b. Serum alanine aminotransferase and serum aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST) level ≤5x ULN c. Serum creatinine level ≤1.5x ULN or creatinine \>1.5x ULN but calculated clearances of \>60 by Cockcroft-Gault Equation 13\. Negative screen for infectious disease markers including Hepatitis B core antibody, Hepatitis B surface antigen, Hepatitis C antibody, HIV 1-2 antibody, HTLV 1-2 and Syphilis (rapid plasma regain profile) Note - Patients with history of prior hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are eligible if the HBV viral load is undetectable. Patients with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who were treated for hepatitis C and cured are eligible if hepatitis C viral load is undetectable. 14\. Life expectancy at the time of screening ≥4 months Exclusion Criteria: 1. Patients receiving therapy for concurrent active malignancy a. Patients receiving treatment for in situ skin malignancies are not excluded. 2. Patients who received prior CAR T-cell therapy 3. Untreated or active central nervous system (CNS) metastases (progressing or requiring anticonvulsants or corticosteroids for symptomatic control). Patients with a history of treated CNS metastases are eligible if all the following criteria are met: 1. Presence of measurable or evaluable disease outside of the CNS 2. Radiographic demonstration of improvement upon completion of CNS-directed therapy and no evidence of interim progression between completion of CNSdirected therapy and the screening radiographic study 3. Completion of radiotherapy ≥8 weeks before the screening radiographic study 4. Discontinuation of corticosteroids and anticonvulsants ≥4 weeks before the screening radiographic study 4. History of seizure disorder 5. Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past year (with use of disease-modifying agents, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive drugs) a. Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency) is not considered a form of systemic treatment and is allowed. 6. Patients who are receiving daily systemic corticosteroids that are above physiological doses for any reason or who are under immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory treatment 7. Patients with the below cardiac conditions: 1. New York Heart Association stage III or IV congestive heart failure 2. Myocardial infarction ≤6 months before enrollment 3. History of myocarditis 4. Serious uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia, unstable angina, or uncontrolled infection 8. Patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% 9. Patients with active interstitial lung disease/pneumonitis or a history of interstitial lung disease/pneumonitis requiring treatment with systemic steroids 10. Baseline pulse oximetry \<90% on room air at the screening timepoint 11. Pregnant or lactating women a. Subjects and their partners with reproductive potential must agree to use an effective form of contraception during treatment and for 1 year following treatment. 12. Known active infection requiring antibiotic treatment 7 days before the start of treatment (Day 0). Note: treatment can be delayed at the discretion of the treating physician to allow the patient to recover from the infection. 13. Administration of live, attenuated vaccine within 8 weeks before the start of treatment (Day 0) and for 100 days following treatment. 14. Any other medical condition that, in the opinion of the PI, may interfere with a subject's participation in or compliance with the study 15. Any patient deemed to be noncompliant by the study team for administration of a high risk treatment agent and for close follow-up after treatment as required by the protocol 16. Patients with known hematologic malignancy requiring treatment in the preceding 5 years or a known history of lymphoid malignancy.
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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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Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (All Protocol Activities)
New York, New York, 10065, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.