Experimental kidney cancer drug trial halted early
NCT ID NCT04895748
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This early-stage trial tested a new drug called DFF332, which targets a protein (HIF2α) that helps some cancers grow. The study included 40 adults with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma or other cancers with specific gene changes. DFF332 was tested alone and in combination with other drugs, but the trial was terminated early, so we have limited information on its safety or effectiveness.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- DFF332 (a drug that targets HIF2α protein)
- What this could lead to
- If it worked, DFF332 might offer a new way to slow or stop certain kidney cancers by blocking a protein that helps tumors grow.
- What could go wrong
- This was a very early (phase 1) trial that was terminated, meaning it was stopped before completion. It involved only 40 people, so any benefits or risks are not well understood.
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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40 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Nov 2021
- Finished
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Feb 2026
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
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 to 100 years
- 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. Male and female ≥ 18 years of age For Arm 1B: Male and female of age ≥ 12 years of age 2. Histologically confirmed and documented clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Disease must be measurable as determined by RECIST v1.1. For Arm 1B: histologically confirmed and documented malignancies in the context of the following cancer predisposing syndromes/disorders or harboring somatic mutations on one of these genes: * Malignancies with VHL mutations (e.g. Von Hippel-Lindau disease) * Malignancies with FH mutations (e.g. Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma) * Malignancies with mutations in SDHD, SDHAF2, SDHC, SDHB, SDHA (e.g. Hereditary paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma syndrome) * Malignancies with EPAS1/HIF2A mutations * Malignancies with ELOC/TCEB1 mutations Note: Mutations must have been previously identified through local molecular assays. 3. Patient with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic ccRCC with documented disease progression following all standard of care therapy, including PD-1/L1 checkpoint inhibitor and a VEGF targeted therapy as monotherapy or in combination. Escalation: No restriction on the number of prior treatments Expansion (with the exception of Arm 1B): Up to 3 prior lines of treatment for advanced/metastatic disease For Arm 1B: Patients must have either metastatic disease or locally advanced disease that is unresectable or that patients be unfit for resection or other treatment modalities. Patients must have received prior standard therapy appropriate for their tumor type and stage of disease, and have no available therapies of proven clinical benefit; or in the opinion of the investigator, would be unlikely to tolerate or derive clinically meaningful benefit from appropriate standard of care therapy. 4. For patients age ≥ 16 years: ECOG performance status ≤ 1 For patients age ≥ 12 and \< 16 years: Lansky performance status ≥ 70 Exclusion Criteria: 1. History of seizure disorder \& extrapyramidal (EPS) symptoms 2. Impaired cardiac function or clinically significant cardiac disease, including any of the following: * Clinically significant and/or uncontrolled heart disease such as congestive heart failure requiring treatment (NYHA Grade ≥ 2), uncontrolled hypertension * Patients with corrected QT using the Fridericia's correction (QTcF) \> 470 msec for all patients on screening ECG or congenital long QT syndrome Acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina \< 3 months prior to study entry * History of stroke or transient ischemic event requiring medical therapy * Concomitant clinically significant cardiac arrhythmias, e.g. sustained ventricular tachycardia, and clinically significant second or third degree AV block without a pacemaker 3. Treatment with any of the following anti-cancer therapies prior to the first dose of study treatment within the stated timeframes: 1. ≤ 4 weeks for radiation therapy or limited field radiation for palliation within ≤ 2 weeks prior to the first dose of study treatment. 2. ≤ 4 weeks or ≤ 5 half-lives (whichever is shorter) for chemotherapy or biological therapy (including monoclonal antibodies) or continuous or intermittent small molecule therapeutics or any other investigational agent. 3. ≤ 6 weeks for cytotoxic agents with major delayed toxicities, such as nitrosourea and mitomycin C. 4. ≤ 4 weeks for immuno-oncologic therapy, such as CTLA-4, PD-1, or PD-L1 antagonists. 5. Patients who have undergone major surgery ≤ 4 weeks prior to first dose of study treatment or who have not recovered for the surgical procedure. 4. Patient previously treated with a HIF2α inhibitor. 5. Uncontrolled concurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing active infection, uncontrolled hypertension, active peptic ulcer disease or gastritis, active bleeding diatheses, including any Patient known to have evidence of acute or chronic hepatitis B, hepatitis C, human immunodeficency virus (HIV), or a psychiatric illness/social situation that in the investigator's opinion would limit compliance with study requirements or compromise the ability of the patient to give written informed consent. Patients with chronic HBV or HCV disease that is controlled under antiviral therapy are allowed in the expansion parts but not in the escalation parts. 6. Use of any live vaccines against infectious diseases within 4 weeks of initiation of study treatment. 7. Presence of Grade ≥ 2 toxicity according to National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAEv5.0), from prior cancer therapy with the exception of neuropathy (inclusion of patients with neuropathy of Grade 2 or less is permitted), ototoxicity, and alopecia. 8. Pregnant or nursing (lactating) women Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply.
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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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City of Hope National Medical
Duarte, California, 91010, United States
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Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
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Memorial Sloane Ketterin Cancer Ctr
New York, New York, 10065, United States
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Novartis Investigative Site
Brno, 656 53, Czechia
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Novartis Investigative Site
Villejuif, 94800, France
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Novartis Investigative Site
Milan, MI, 20133, Italy
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Novartis Investigative Site
Koto Ku, Tokyo, 1358550, Japan
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Novartis Investigative Site
Singapore, 119228, Singapore
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Novartis Investigative Site
Barcelona, 08035, Spain
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Uni Of TX MD Anderson Cancer Cntr
Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
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WA Uni School Of Med
St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- New antibody GNR-051 tested for safety in Hard-to-Treat cancers
- Engineered immune cells target CD70 in kidney cancer
- Can a year of sunitinib delay kidney Cancer's return after lung surgery?
- Can a Patient's own immune cells beat advanced kidney cancer?
- Can a Two-Pronged immune attack shrink kidney tumors before surgery?
- A simple blood draw may spot kidney cancer early