New drug cocktail aims to prime immune system against aggressive breast cancer before surgery
NCT ID NCT04427293
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Aug 28, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This early-phase trial is testing whether giving two drugs—lenvatinib and pembrolizumab—before surgery can boost the immune response in people with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. Only 12 participants will receive the short treatment before their planned surgery. The main goal is to see changes in immune cells within the tumor, not to measure cure or long-term survival.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- lenvatinib and pembrolizumab
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new pre-surgery treatment combination that boosts the immune system's ability to fight triple-negative breast cancer.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small phase 1 trial with only 12 participants. It is designed to measure immune cell changes, not cure or long-term outcomes. The combination may not improve standard treatment and 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
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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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About 12 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jul 2020
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2027
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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Female participants only
- 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. Age ≥ 18 years of age at time of consent 2. Histologically confirmed invasive breast carcinoma documented by core needle biopsy or incisional biopsy (excisional biopsy is not allowed). AJCC 8th edition clinical stage T1b-T3/N0-N3/M0 by physical exam or radiologic studies 3. Must be candidates for curative surgical resection 4. Have an FFPE diagnostic core biopsy specimen available that is determined by the study pathologist to be adequate for planned analyses 5. Definitive surgical excision of the primary breast tumor (either partial mastectomy or total mastectomy) and ipsilateral axillary lymph node sampling (sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary dissection) is planned following completion of preoperative chemotherapy. 6. Estrogen Receptor (ER)- and Progesterone Receptor (PR)-negative as determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC), and Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (HER)2-negative (triple-negative) cancer of the breast Triple-negative tumors are defined as: * Less than or equal to 10% of tumor cells staining for ER and for PR by immunohistochemistry (IHC) * HER2-negative, as defined by ASCO/CAP guidelines55 7. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0, 1 or 2 within 30 days prior to study registration 8. Demonstrate adequate organ function as defined in the table below; all screening labs to be obtained within 30 days prior to registration Hematological Leukocytes ≥2,500/mm3 Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm3 Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) ≥ 1,500/mm3 Hemoglobin (Hgb) ≥ 9.0 g/dL Renal Creatinine/Calculated creatinine clearance (CrCl) Cr \< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) or CrCl ≥ 50 mL/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula Hepatic Bilirubin Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × ULN. Subjects with Gilbert's syndrome may have a bilirubin \> 1.5 × ULN, if no evidence of biliary obstruction exists Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5 × ULN Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5 × ULN 9. No evidence of distant metastases (M0 as per AJCC staging guidelines) 10. Provided written informed consent and HIPAA authorization for release of personal health information, approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) 11. NOTE: HIPAA authorization may be included in the informed consent or obtained separately 12. Women of childbearing potential (WOCP) must not be pregnant or breast-feeding. A negative serum or urine pregnancy test is required within 14 days of study registration. If the urine test cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required 13. Women of childbearing potential (WOCP) must be willing to use two effective methods of birth control such as an oral, implantable, injectable, or transdermal hormonal contraceptive, an intrauterine device (IUD), use of a double barrier method (condoms, sponge, diaphragm, or vaginal ring with spermicidal jellies or cream), or total abstinence for the course of the study until 120 days after the last dose of study drug NOTE: Women are considered to be of childbearing potential unless they are postmenopausal (≥45 years of age and has not had menses for greater than 12 consecutive months or bilateral oophorectomy) or surgically sterile (bilateral tubal ligation or hysterectomy) or not heterosexually active for the duration of the study and at least 120 days after the last dose of study drug 14. As determined by the enrolling physician or protocol designee, ability of the subject to understand and comply with study procedures for the entire length of the study Exclusion Criteria: 1. Active infection requiring systemic therapy 2. Pregnant or breastfeeding (NOTE: breast milk cannot be stored for future use while the mother is being treated on study) 3. Previous anti-cancer treatment (cytotoxic chemotherapy, immunotherapy, biologic therapy, radiotherapy directed towards the primary breast tumor and/or ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes or investigational agents) with therapeutic intent for the current breast cancer 4. Previous treatment with lenvatinib or any immune checkpoint inhibitor within the past 2 years 5. Treatment with any investigational drug within 14 days prior to registration or within 5 half-lives of the investigational product, whichever is longer 6. Major surgery within 14 days prior to registration or has not recovered from major side effects of a major surgery (tumor biopsy and placement of an indwelling venous access device are not considered major surgery) 7. Any prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment has the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of this investigational regimen, as determined by the treating Medical Oncologist. 8. Known history of AIDS (HIV testing is not mandatory). HIV-positive individuals on active HARRT therapy with virologic suppression (defined as an HIV-1 RNA level below the lower limit of detection of the assay used) within 90 days of study enrollment and a CD4 cell count \>500 cells/mm3 on the most recent determination are eligible for the study 9. . Subjects with any of the following conditions: * History of abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra- abdominal abscess within 28 days prior to registration * History of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or transient ischemic attack within 6 months prior to registration * History of acute coronary syndromes (including myocardial infarction, unstable angina, coronary artery bypass grafting, coronary angioplasty, or stenting) or symptomatic pericarditis within 6 months prior to registration * Symptomatic congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association III-IV) or documented current left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) \<50% on most recent assessment of LV function * Clinically significant cardiac ventricular arrhythmias (e.g. sustained ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation) or high-grade AV block (e.g. bifascicular block, Mobitz type II and third-degree AV block) unless a pacemaker is in place * Any concurrent severe and/or uncontrolled medical condition that would, in the investigator's judgment, cause unacceptable safety risks, contraindicate subject participation in the clinical study or compromise compliance with the protocol 10. Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, might jeopardize the safety of the patient or interfere with protocol compliance 11. Any mental or medical condition that prevents the patient from giving informed consent or participating in the trial
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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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University of Illinois
Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States
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