Immune cells injected into brain show promise against deadly cancer
NCT ID NCT03383978
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This early-phase study tests a new treatment for people with a recurring type of brain cancer called glioblastoma. The treatment uses specially designed immune cells (NK-92/5.28.z) that are injected directly into the brain to attack cancer cells. The main goals are to check safety, find the best dose, and see if the treatment can shrink tumors or slow the disease. Some participants will also receive an additional immunotherapy drug.
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 42 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Dec 2017
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2028
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: 1. Recurrent or refractory HER2-positive glioblastoma or its variant gliosarcoma in which relapse surgery (partial or total) or a biopsy (biopsy only for the "CAR2BRAIN-CheckR" cohort) is being planned. Those patients with planned biopsy may be included into the "CAR2BRAIN-CheckR" cohort, if all of the following conditions apply: * Biopsy is necessary (as determined by the treating physician) to rule out the differential diagnosis of pseudoprogression prior to relapse surgery. * Patients must be candidates for relapse surgery, which must be postponable for four weeks. 2. Prior therapy must include the standard of care for glioblastoma (radiotherapy and alkylating chemotherapy, or at least a part thereof if the therapy was terminated prematurely due to therapy failure or poor tolerance). For patients with non-methylated MGMT-Promotor, prior alkylating chemotherapy is dispensable. 3. Age ≥ 18 years 4. Life expectancy ≥ 3 months 5. Bilirubin ≤ 3x normal, AST ≤ 5x normal, ALT ≤ 5x normal, serum creatinine ≤ 2x upper limit of normal for age, leukocyte count ≥ 3/nl, thrombocyte count ≥ 100/nl and Hb ≥ 8.0 g/dl 6. Blood oxygenation of ≥ 90% as measured by pulse oximetry on room air 7. Women must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 72h prior to the start of the first NK-92/5.28.z cell injection. 8. Sexually active patients must be willing to utilize effective birth control methods throughout the study and for 24 weeks after the last NK-92/5.28.z cell injection. This includes two different forms of effective contraception (e.g. hormonal contraceptive and condom, IUD/IUS and condom) or sterilization. 9. Patients should have been off other antineoplastic therapy for two weeks prior to entry in this study. Temozolomide will be allowed up to 48h preinjection. At the time of inclusion, dexamethasone up to a total dose of 4 mg per day will be allowed if medically indicated. 10. Informed consent explained to and signed by patient; patient given copy of informed consent. 11. Karnofsky performance score of ≥ 70% Exclusion criteria: 1. Anti-angiogenic therapy e.g. with bevacizumab in the last four weeks prior to study entry 2. Previous anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 directed checkpoint inhibitor therapy (only "CAR2BRAIN-Check" cohort) 3. Coagulation disorder (INR\>1.4 or PTT\>50sec) or anticoagulation in therapeutic dosage 4. History of autoimmune disease, including but not limited to myasthenia gravis, myositis, autoimmune hepatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, vascular thrombosis associated with antiphospholipid syndrome, Wegener's granulomatosis, Sjögren's syndrome, Guillain-Barré syndrome, multiple sclerosis, vasculitis, or glomerulonephritis. However, patients with a history of autoimmune-related hypothyroidism on a stable dose of thyroid replacement hormone may be eligible for this study. 5. Patients with Type I diabetes mellitus not on a stable dose of insulin regimen 6. Psoriatic arthritis (however, patients with eczema, psoriasis, lichen simplex chronicus, or vitiligo with dermatologic manifestations only are permitted provided that they meet all of the following conditions: * Rash must cover less than 10% of body surface area * Disease is well controlled at baseline and only requiring low potency topical steroids * No acute exacerbations of underlying condition within the previous 12 months (not requiring psoralen plus ultraviolet A radiation, methotrexate, retinoids, biologic agents, oral calcineurin inhibitors, high potency or oral steroids)) 7. Patients with clinical or laboratory signs for immunodeficiency or under immunosuppressive medication other than corticosteroids 8. Severe intercurrent infection 9. Known HIV, HBV (defined by detection of HBsAg) or HCV positivity (defined by detection of HCV-IgG) 10. Chronic heart failure NYHA ≥III 11. Patients with a prior solid organ transplantation or allogenic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation 12. Patients unable to undergo MRI 13. Pregnancy or breastfeeding 14. Drug or alcohol abuse 15. Severe psychiatric disorder which might interfere with the study treatment or examination 16. Simultaneous participation in another interventional clinical trial. If a subject participated in a trial testing another IMP, such IMP should have been terminated at least 30 days before inclusion of the subject.
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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
5 sites. 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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Johann W. Goethe University Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery
RECRUITINGFrankfurt, 60590, Germany
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Johann W. Goethe University Hospital, Senckenberg Institute of Neurooncology
RECRUITINGFrankfurt, 60590, Germany
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Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
RECRUITINGHeidelberg, Baden-Wurttemberg, 69120, Germany
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Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsmedizin Mainz
RECRUITINGMainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, 55131, Germany
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Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim
RECRUITINGMannheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, 68167, Germany
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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