Can a 1950s antipsychotic help fight glioblastoma?
NCT ID NCT05190315
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This early-stage trial tested whether adding chlorpromazine, an old antipsychotic drug, to standard treatment (radiation and chemotherapy) is safe for people newly diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. Ten adults took part. The main goal was to find a safe dose and check for side effects, not to measure if the drug works against the cancer.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new, affordable addition to standard therapy for glioblastoma, potentially improving outcomes.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small phase 1 trial focused on safety, not effectiveness. The drug may not improve survival or could cause 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
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
-
10 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Jan 2022
- Finished
-
Jul 2024
- 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 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: * Patients must have newly diagnosed (i.e., within 5 weeks from recent surgery), histologically or cytologically or molecularly confirmed glioblastoma, gliosarcoma, or diffuse midline glioma. * Diagnosis must be made by surgical biopsy or excision. * Therapy must begin ≤ 5 weeks after most recent surgery. * Age ≥ 18 years * ECOG performance status 0-2 (Karnofsky \> 50%, see Appendix B). * A complete blood count and differential must be obtained within 21 days prior to radiation fraction 1, with adequate bone marrow functions as defined below: * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1500 cells per mm\^3 * Platelets ≥ 100,000 per mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL * Plasma blood chemistries within 21 days of radiation fraction 1, as defined below: * Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * ALT ≤ 3 times the institutional upper limit of normal * AST ≤ 3 times the institutional upper limit of normal * Patient or patient's legally authorized representative's ability to understand and willingness to sign a written informed consent document. Exclusion Criteria: * Recurrent high-grade glioma. * Significant abnormalities on ECG at screening. QTcF \> 450 msec for males or \> 470 msec for females at screening. * History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to temozolomide or chlorpromazine. * Significant co-morbid central nervous system disease, including but not limited to, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, history of myasthenia gravis, or dementia. * Patients with prior malignancies of the same or different tumor type and patients with concurrent malignancies of the same or different tumor type whose natural history or treatment has the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational drug. * Patients who have received prior chemotherapy (including Gliadel wafers) for the current glioma * Prior radiation therapy to the head or neck, which would result in overlap of radiation therapy fields. * Patients may not be receiving any other investigational agents. Use of tumor treating fields (TTF) in adjuvant phase is permitted as per standard of care. * Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, hypoparathyroidism, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements. Uncontrolled seizures despite being on maximal anti-seizure therapy. * Pregnant women are excluded from this study because ionizing radiation is a known teratogen, and temozolomide is a Class D agent with the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with temozolomide, breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with temozolomide.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Diffuse midline glioma are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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
-
University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Iowa City, Iowa, 52242, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- New drug targets Sugar-Coated proteins on cancer cells
- Off-the-Shelf immune cells target solid tumors
- Could a parasite drug fight childhood brain tumors?
- Can a special MRI reveal hidden brain tumors and guide a stronger radiation strike?
- Can mapping the Blood-Brain barrier in brain tumors unlock new clues?
- Can a pill that starves tumors of oxygen help fight advanced cancer?