Supercharged immune cells take on melanoma that resists standard treatment
NCT ID NCT05629546
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jul 22, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This early-phase trial tests a new combination treatment for people with advanced melanoma that has worsened despite standard immunotherapy. The treatment uses specially trained natural killer cells (either from the patient or a healthy donor) along with two immunotherapy drugs, nivolumab and relatlimab. The goal is to see if this approach is safe and can shrink tumors. The study is currently recruiting 33 participants.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Memory-like natural killer cells (from the patient or a donor) combined with nivolumab and relatlimab
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could offer a new treatment option for advanced melanoma that has stopped responding to standard immunotherapy.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early Phase 1 trial with only 33 participants, so safety and effectiveness are not yet known. The approach is complex and may cause serious 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 33 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Nov 2024
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2030
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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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: * Diagnosis of histologically confirmed advanced or metastatic melanoma that has progressed after at least 12 weeks or a minimum of 2 doses of treatment with a standard of care PD1/PDL1 containing therapy (nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, or durvalumab). * Age: ≥18 years of age * Have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG) ≤ 2 at screening Form Arm 1 only: Patients must meet the eligibility criteria to undergo apheresis to obtain autlogous NK cells. * For Arm 2 only: Patient must have an available allogeneic NK cell donor who meets the eligibility criteria. * Adequate organ function as defined below: * Total bilirubin \< 2 mg/dL * AST(SGOT)/ALT(SGPT) \< 3.0 x ULN * Creatinine within normal institutional limits OR creatinine clearance \> 40 mL/min/1.73 m\^2 by Cockcroft-Gault Formula * Oxygen saturation ≥ 90% on room air * Ejection fraction ≥ 45% * Patients with a prior history of symptomatic CNS metastases must have received treatment and be neurologically stable for at least for 4 weeks and off anti-seizure medication and steroids for 7 days prior to initiation of LDC. * Able to be off corticosteroids and any other immune suppressive medications for at least 14 days prior to apheresis or lymphodepletion and continuing until 30 days after the infusion of the ML NK cells. However, use of physiological dosing of corticosteroids (defined as ≤15mg prednisone or equivalent) is permitted if deemed medically necessary. * Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test within 28 days prior to study registration. Female and male patients (along with their female partners) must agree to use two forms of acceptable contraception, including one barrier method, throughout participation in the study and for at least 5 months after the last dose of relatlimab. * Life expectancy \>12 weeks * Ability to understand and willingness to sign an IRB approved written informed consent document Exclusion Criteria: * Active autoimmune disorder requiring immunosuppression (physiologic steroids defined as ≤15mg prednisone or equivalent are acceptable). * Prior history of an immune-related Grade 3 or 4 AE attributed to prior cancer immunotherapy (other than endocrinopathy managed with either replacement therapy or asymptomatic elevation of serum amylase or lipase) that resulted in permanent discontinuation of the prior immunotherapeutic agent. * Patients with Grade ≤2 irAE who have not completely recovered from irAE (i.e. have residual toxicities \>Grade 1) related to prior cancer immunotherapy (other than endocrinopathy management with replacement therapy or stable vitiligo). Patients treated with corticosteroids for irAE must demonstrate absence of related signs or symptoms for ≥7 days following discontinuation of corticosteroids. * Leptomeningeal disease, carcinomatous meningitis, or symptomatic CNS metastases. Patients with asymptomatic brain metastasis with no pending intervention needed, or patients with treated CNS disease and stable for at least 4 weeks and off anti-seizure medication and steroids for 7 days prior to initiation of LDC are eligible. * Known hypersensitivity to one or more of the study agents. * Comorbidities and any conditions, that in the opinion of the investigator, that put the subject at unacceptable risk for study therapy or prevent the participant from consenting or participating in the study. * Uncontrolled and active systemic infections, including but not limited to HIV, Hepatitis B or C infection. * Uncontrolled angina, severe uncontrolled ventricular arrhythmias, or EKG suggestive of acute ischemia or active conduction system abnormalities. * New progressive pulmonary infiltrates concerning for new or uncontrolled infectious process. Infiltrates attributed to infection must be stable/ improving after 1 week of appropriate therapy (4 weeks for presumed or proven fungal infections). * Received any investigational or off-label drugs, or cytotoxic chemotherapy within the 14 days or five half-lives (whichever is greater) prior to apheresis. * Pregnant or breastfeeding. * Subjects are not acceptable candidates if they received prior tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) therapy (either in the setting of clinical trial or standard of care if TIL therapy is FDA approved in the future), or an organ allograft. * Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or required active treatment within the past 2 years. Note: participants with basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or carcinoma in situ (eg. Breast carcinoma, cervical cancer in situ) that has undergone potentially curative therapy are not excluded. * Received a live or attenuated vaccine within 28 days prior to the beginning of the lymphodepletion therapy. Eligibility Criteria for Haploidentical Donors (For Arm 2 only) * Donor must be at least 18 years of age. * Donor must be willing, in general good health, and medically able to tolerate leukapheresis required for harvesting the NK cells for this study. * Donor must be negative for hepatitis, HTLV, and HIV on donor viral screen. * Donor may not be pregnant and/or breastfeeding. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test within 30 days prior to apheresis. * Donor must be able to understand and willing to sign an IRB-approved written informed consent document. * Only haploidentical donors will be included. * Donor must meet the requirements of institutional donor guidelines, including the requirements of Foundation for the Accreditation of Hematopoietic Cell Therapy (FACT) criteria. Eligibility Criteria for Autologous Patients (For Arm 1 only) * Patient must be willing and medically able to tolerate leukapheresis required for harvesting the NK cells for this study. * Patient must be negative for hepatitis, HTLV, and HIV on the viral screen. * Patient may not be treated with any cytotoxic treatment within 2 weeks prior to leukapheresis.
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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 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
Locations
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Washington University School of Medicine
RECRUITINGSt Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
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