New combo therapy aims to tackle resistant lymphomas
NCT ID NCT07283822
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This phase II trial is testing whether adding the JAK inhibitor ruxolitinib to the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab is safe and effective for people with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The study will enroll 53 participants with specific lymphoma subtypes, including peripheral T-cell lymphoma and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Participants will receive ruxolitinib for up to one year and pembrolizumab every three weeks, with researchers tracking response rates and side effects.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Ruxolitinib (a JAK inhibitor) and pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy drug)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could offer a new treatment option for people with hard-to-treat lymphomas that have not responded to standard therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial (phase II) with only 53 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Side effects from the drug combination are possible and are being monitored.
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 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 53 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Dec 2025
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2029
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 to 95 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) Histologically confirmed relapsed/refractory HL, PMBCL, GZL, and TCL including the below subtypes: * Arm 1: PTCL * Nodal PTCL Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma- Not Otherwise Specified (PTCL-NOS) * Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL) T-follicular Helper Lymphomas (TFH) and its subtypes including angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphoma (AITL) * Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma * Subcutaneous Panniculitis T-Cell Lymphoma * Arm 2: CTCL * Mycosis Fungoides * Sezary Syndrome * Arm 3: exploratory cohort * Classic HL * PMBCL * GZL * (2) All patients must have received at least one-line systemic therapy. * Patients with systemic ALCL must have received prior CD30-directed therapy. * Other PTCL subtypes that express CD30 (\>10%), must have received prior CD30-directed therapy. * Special Consideration for CTCL in Arm 2: * Systemic therapies including bexarotene (targretin) are permissible up to 2 weeks prior to enrollment. * Skin directed therapies including light therapy/phototherapy, extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP), topical steroids, or mechlorethamine (valchlor) gel are NOT considered a systemic line of therapy when given alone. * Treatment with radiation, phototherapy, histone deacetylase inhibitor, retinoids, interferons, therapeutic doses of systemic corticosteroids, or denileukin diftitox (18 µg/kg/day) up to 2 weeks prior to enrollment is allowed. * Treatment with alemutuzumab up to 8 weeks prior to enrollment is permissible. * (3) Patients must not have had chemotherapy or immunotherapy within 2 weeks prior to entering the study and must have recovered from adverse events (to grade 1 or less) * (4) Anti PD-1/PDL-1is permissible up to two weeks prior to enrollment. * (5) Age ≥ 18 * (6) Participants must have measurable disease, as defined in the protocol * Patients must have a PET-CT scan performed within ≤4 weeks. * Contrast enhanced CT scan or MRI of the neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis is permissible, however; PET is preferred. * (7) Patients cannot have active central nervous system (CNS) disease. Patients that have been treated and asymptomatic are allowed on study. * (8) All participants must be screened for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) with hepatitis B viral load and serologies (core antibody, surface antigen, and surface antibody) within 30 days prior to enrollment. * Patients with positive Hep B core will need to be on HBV prophylaxis * Patients with positive Hep B core will need to be on HBV prophylaxis. * (9) Participants with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection must have been treated and cured. If actively on treatment, HCV viral load mut be undetectable 30 days prior to enrollment. * (10) Participants with known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection are eligible providing they are on effective anti-retroviral therapy and have undetectable viral load at their most recent viral load test (must be within 26 weeks prior to enrollment). * (11) Organ function as assessed by laboratory testing and Eastern Cooperate Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2 and or a Karnofsky performance score of equal or greater to 50 (see Section 20.1.1, Appendix A) for receipt of ruxolitinib and pembrolizumab. * Absolute Neutrophil Count ≥ 1000/μL (not growth factor independent) * Platelets ≥ 70,000/μL (or ≥50,000/mm3 if known bone marrow involvement with dose modifications allowed. See protocol for specific instructions for dose modifications). * Baseline hemoglobin level ≥ 8 g/dL (irrespective of bone marrow involvement). * Calculated creatinine clearance ≥ 30 ml/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula * Bilirubin ≤ 2 x upper limit of normal (ULN) * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5 × ULN * Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5 × ULN * (12) Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document. * (13) Patients with prior history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) that has been treated or actively requiring anticoagulation are permitted to enroll. * (14) Due to the potential teratogenic effects, women of childbearing age must have a documented negative serum β-hCG measured within 2 weeks of starting treatment. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while she is participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician and Incyte immediately (see protocol). Additionally, both women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence). Contraception should continue for 6 months after you stop taking study drug. Similarly, women must agree to not breastfeed during the entirety of the study period. Exclusion Criteria: * 1\) Diagnosis of Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATLL) * 2\) History of autoimmune disease that requires systemic treatment. * 3\) Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or receiving immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of study drug. * 4\) Actively chronic systemic steroids therapy (in dosing exceeding 10mg daily of prednisone or its drug equivalent). o Patients must be off steroid therapy exceeding 10mg or greater of prednisone (or its equivalent) at the start of therapy. * 5\) Patients with HL and PMBCL patients must not be eligible and agreeable to autologous stem cell transplant. o Patients with PMBCL must not be eligible and agreeable to CAR-T. * 6\) Allowed to have disease progression after or refractory to autologous bone marrow transplant. * 7\) Progression after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) can be determined on a case-by-case basis after discussion with the primary investigator. * 8\) History of solid organ transplant requiring active immunosuppression for which treatment with immunotherapy would be contraindicated. * 9\) Active TB (Tuberculosis Bacillus) at time screening. Prior cases of adequately treated TB are permissible. * 10\) Has severe hypersensitivity (≥ Grade 3) to pembrolizumab and/or any of its excipients. * 11\) Has severe hypersensitivity (≥ Grade 3) to ruxolitinib and/or any of its excipients. Patients with G1 and G2 hypersensitivity remain eligible. * 12\) Inability to swallow or take medications by mouth * 13\) Is pregnant or breastfeeding or expected to conceive children within the projected duration of the study, starting with the screening visit through 120 days after the last dose of trial treatment. * 14\) History of concurrent and active malignancy for which he or she is currently receiving directed therapy for. * 15\) History of major adverse cardiac events such as myocardial infraction or stroke within 6 months of enrollment. Cardiovascular events within 6 months such as pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis is permissible if on therapeutic treatment. * 16\) Subjects with active, systemic, and uncontrolled bacterial, viral, or fungal infections at the time of screening will be excluded from study participation. Exceptions include: Infections that have been appropriately treated, with evidence of clinical resolution and return to baseline organ function within 14 days prior to study entry. * Localized, non-systemic infections (e.g., uncomplicated urinary tract infections or cellulitis) that are being actively managed and are not associated with systemic symptoms. * Please see section protocol for eligibility requirements specifically for HCV, HBV, HIV and Tuberculosis infections at time of screening.
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The study's own enquiry address
This study publishes an address for enquiries. See it below .
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Show contact details
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Study contacts
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Contact
Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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Columbia University Irving Medical Center
RECRUITINGNew York, New York, 10032, United States
Contact Email: •••••@•••••
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