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Promising combo therapy for head and neck cancer hits early snag

NCT ID NCT03646461

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early This study
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase II trial tested two drug combinations—ibrutinib plus nivolumab or ibrutinib plus cetuximab—in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The goal was to see if these combinations could shrink tumors or slow disease progression. However, the study was terminated early after enrolling only 5 participants, so we have very little data on how well these treatments work or what side effects they might cause.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) combined with either nivolumab (Opdivo) or cetuximab (Erbitux)
What this could lead to
If successful, this combination approach could point toward a new treatment option for patients with advanced head and neck cancer that has stopped responding to standard therapies.
What could go wrong
This trial was terminated early with only 5 participants, so results are very limited. It is a small, early-phase study, and the combinations may cause significant side effects or fail to improve outcomes.

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 2

Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.

Participants

5 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Oct 2018

Finished

May 2021

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

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: \- To be enrolled in the study, each potential subject must satisfy all of the following inclusion criteria. 1. Histologically or cytologically proven squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck not amenable to curative intent therapy. P16 or HPV status must be known on all patients with oropharyngeal primaries or unknown primaries. 2. Known p16 and/or HPV status by institutional standard. 3. Presence of measurable tumor lesions per RECIST criteria v1.1 by investigator review 4. Life expectancy greater than 12 weeks 5. Previously archived or newly obtained tumor specimens for correlative analysis 6. Adequate hematologic function independent of transfusion and growth factor support for at least 7 days prior to screening and randomization, with the exception of pegylated G-CSF (pegfilgrastim) and darbepoetin which require at least 14 days prior to screening and randomization defined as: * Absolute neutrophil count \>750 cells/mm3 (0.75 x 109/L). * Platelet count \>50,000 cells/mm3 (50 x 109/L). * Hemoglobin \>8.0 g/dL. 7. Adequate hepatic and renal function defined as: * Serum aspartate transaminase (AST) or alanine transaminase (ALT) ≤ 3.0 x upper limit of normal (ULN). * Estimated Creatinine Clearance ≥30 ml/min (Cockcroft-Gault) * Bilirubin ≤1.5 x ULN (unless bilirubin rise is due to Gilbert's syndrome or of non-hepatic origin) 8. PT/INR \<1.5 x ULN and PTT (aPTT) \<1.5 x ULN 9. Men and women ≥ 18 years of age. 10. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-1. 11. Female subjects who are of non-reproductive potential (ie, post-menopausal by history - no menses for ≥1 year; OR history of hysterectomy; OR history of bilateral tubal ligation; OR history of bilateral oophorectomy). Female subjects of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test upon study entry. 12. Male and female subjects who agree to use highly effective methods of birth control (eg, , implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, some intrauterine devices \[IUDs\], complete abstinence, or sterilized partner) and a barrier method (eg., condoms, vaginal ring, sponge, etc) during the period of therapy and for for 30 days after the last dose of study drug for females and 90 days for males.Ability and willingness to provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: \- To be enrolled in the study, potential subjects must meet NONE of the following exclusion criteria: 1. Prior therapy with an EGFR inhibitor in the recurrent or metastatic setting 2. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma histology 3. Known, clinically active central nervous system metastases (stable metastases permitted) 4. Chemotherapy ≤ 28 days prior to first administration of study treatment and/or monoclonal antibody (including immunotherapy) ≤16 weeks prior to first administration of study treatment. 5. Prior exposure to BTK inhibitor, PD-1 inhibitor, or PD-L1 inhibitor 6. History of other malignancies, except: * Malignancy treated with curative intent and with no known active disease present for ≥3 years before the first dose of study drug and felt to be at low risk for recurrence by treating physician. * Adequately treated non-melanoma skin cancer or lentigo maligna without evidence of disease. * Adequately treated carcinoma in situ without evidence of disease. 7. Concurrent systemic immunosuppressant therapy (eg, cyclosporine A, tacrolimus, etc., or chronic administration \[\>14 days\] of \>10 mg/day of prednisone) within 28 days of the first dose of study drug. 8. Vaccinated with live, attenuated vaccines within 4 weeks of first dose of study drug. 9. Recent infection requiring systemic treatment that was completed ≤14 days before the first dose of study drug. 10. Unresolved toxicities from prior anti-cancer therapy, defined as having not resolved to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Event (CTCAE v4.0), Grade ≤1, or to the levels dictated in the inclusion/exclusion criteria with the exception of alopecia. 11. Known bleeding disorders (eg, von Willebrand's disease) or hemophilia. 12. History of stroke or intracranial hemorrhage within 6 months prior to enrollment. 13. Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or active with hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV). Subjects who are positive for hepatitis B core antibody, hepatitis B surface antigen, or hepatitis C antibody must have a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result before enrollment. Those who are PCR positive will be excluded. 14. Any uncontrolled active systemic infection. 15. Any history of interstitial lung disease. 16. Active autoimmune disease or other contraindication to PD-1 inhibition. 17. Major surgery within 4 weeks of first dose of study drug. 18. Any life-threatening illness, medical condition, or organ system dysfunction that, in the investigator's opinion, could compromise the subject's safety or put the study outcomes at undue risk. 19. Currently active, clinically significant cardiovascular disease, such as uncontrolled arrhythmia or Class 3 or 4 congestive heart failure as defined by the New York Heart Association Functional Classification; or a history of myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or acute coronary syndrome within 6 months prior to randomization. 20. Unable to swallow capsules or malabsorption syndrome, disease significantly affecting gastrointestinal function, or resection of the stomach or small bowel, symptomatic inflammatory bowel disease or ulcerative colitis, or partial or complete bowel obstruction. 21. Concomitant use of warfarin or other Vitamin K antagonists. 22. Requires treatment with a strong cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A inhibitor 23. Currently active, clinically significant hepatic impairment Child-Pugh Class B or C according to the Child-Pugh Classification 24. Lactating or pregnant. 25. Unwilling or unable to participate in all required study evaluations and procedures. 26. Unable to understand the purpose and risks of the study and to provide a signed and dated informed consent form (ICF) and authorization to use protected health information (in accordance with national and local subject privacy regulations).

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

head and neck cancer Head and Neck Neoplasms head and neck squamous cell carcinoma Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • UCSD Moores Cancer Center

    La Jolla, California, 92093, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.