Experimental triple therapy for advanced cancers shows early promise but trial halted
NCT ID NCT04902040
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This early-phase trial tested the drug plinabulin combined with radiation and immunotherapy in 19 people with advanced cancers (like lung, bladder, or melanoma) that had stopped responding to standard immunotherapy. The goal was to see if the combination was safe and could shrink tumors. However, the study was terminated early, so we have limited information on how well it works.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- plinabulin
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could offer a new treatment option for patients with advanced cancers that have stopped responding to standard immunotherapy.
- What could go wrong
- The trial was terminated early with only 19 participants, so results are very limited. It is unclear if the combination is safe or effective, and it may not work for all cancer types studied.
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 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
-
19 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Apr 2021
- Finished
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Feb 2025
- 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 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: * Subjects must have one of seven histologically or cytologically confirmed malignant neoplasms (non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, renal cell cancer, bladder cancer, Merkle cell cancer, microsatellite instability high (MSI-H) cancer (any histology), and melanoma) progressed on previous anti-PD-1/PD-L1 mAb treatment +/- chemotherapy or anti-CTLA4 requiring further treatment * At least one lesion is amenable to radiation * At least one additional non-contiguous lesion that has not been irradiated amenable to radiographic evaluation * Have measurable disease based on immune-related response criteria (immune-related Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors \[RECIST\]) * Tissue must be newly obtained as a core needle biopsy (not fine-needle aspiration \[FNA\]) of the lesion being evaluated * Age \>= 18 years * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-2 * Subjects must be recovered from any prior major surgery. The major surgery must be performed at least 4 weeks prior to consent date * Platelets \>= 100 x 10\^9/L * Transfusions and growth factors are allowed * Hemoglobin \>= 9 g/dL * Transfusions and growth factors are allowed * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1.5 x 10\^9/L * Transfusions and growth factors are allowed * White blood cell (WBC) \>= 3 x 10\^9/L * Transfusions and growth factors are allowed * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) =\< 2.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) (=\< 1.5 x ULN if alkaline phosphatase is \> 2.5 x ULN) (In the expansion cohort, subjects with known liver involvement may have ALT =\< 5 x ULN) * Alkaline phosphatase \< 4 x ULN * Total bilirubin =\< 1 x ULN (In the expansion cohort, subjects with Gilbert's syndrome \[hereditary indirect hyperbilirubinemia\] who must have a total bilirubin of =\< 3 x ULN) * Albumin \>= 3 g/dL * Renal function defined as a calculated or measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR) \>= 30 mL/min and Cockcroft-Gault equation * The patient has recovered to grade =\< 1 by the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0 (NCI CTCAE v5.0) from the effects of recent surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or other targeted therapies, with the exception of alopecia. The exceptions for such effects are allowed lab values of =\< grade 2 specified elsewhere in these inclusion criteria * Subjects must give informed consent according to the rules and regulations of the individual participating sites * Negative urine pregnancy test in women of child bearing potential within 7 days of first dose of treatment and subjects of child-bearing potential must agree to use effective contraception during and for 5 months following the last dose of atezolizumab or nivolumab, and for 4 months after the last dose of pembrolizumab, and for 3 months after last dose of durvalumab and avelumab, and for 3 months after your last dose of plinabulin. A woman of childbearing potential is defined as a premenopausal female capable of becoming pregnant. This includes women on oral, injectable or mechanical contraception; women who are single and women whose male sexual partners have been vasectomized or whose male sexual partners have received or are utilizing mechanical contraceptive devices Exclusion Criteria: * Evidence of complete or partial bowel obstruction * Subjects with primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor or CNS tumor involvement. However, subjects with metastatic CNS tumors may participate in this study if the patient is: * \> 4 weeks from prior therapy completion * Clinically stable with respect to the CNS tumor at the time of study entry * Not receiving steroid therapy in treating CNS tumor or CNS tumor involvement * Not receiving anti-convulsive medications (that were started for brain metastases) * Need of total parenteral nutrition * Allergic to any of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) intended to receive * Prior exposure to plinabulin * Pregnancy or lactation * Radiation (except planned or ongoing palliative radiation to bone outside of the region of measurable disease) =\< 3 weeks prior to study drug administration date * Chemotherapy, or immunotherapy or any other systemic anticancer therapy =\< 3 weeks prior to study drug administration date except anti-PD-1/PD-L1 mAb mono or combination therapy * Diagnosis or recurrence of invasive cancer other than the present cancer within 3 years (except basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that has been definitively treated) * Major surgery within four weeks before consent date * Unstable cardiovascular function or active cardiac disease: * Symptomatic ischemia (chest pain of cardiac origin),or * Uncontrolled clinically significant conduction abnormalities (e.g. ventricular tachycardia on antiarrhythmics are excluded; 1st degree AV block or asymptomatic Left anterior fascicular block (LAFB)/ right bundle branch block (RBBB) will not be excluded),or * Congestive heart failure (CHF) of New York Heart Association (NYHA) class \>= 3, or * Myocardial infarction (MI) within 3 months of consent date * Uncontrolled active infection requiring parenteral antibiotics, antivirals, or antifungals within one week prior to the first dose. Active infection with concurrent treatment is acceptable only if the patient is clinically stable * Subject is known to be positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B or hepatitis C * Significantly diseased (as determined by the PI or treating physician) or obstructed gastrointestinal tract or uncontrolled vomiting or diarrhea. Presence of ileus or other significant gastrointestinal disorder known to predispose to ileus or chronic bowel hypomotility * Treatment with an investigational anti-cancer study drug within 3 weeks prior to study drug administration date * Concurrent therapy with approved or investigational anticancer therapeutics * Medical, psychological or social conditions that may interfere with the patient's participation in the study or evaluation of the study results * Men whose partner is a woman of child-bearing potential, (i.e. biologically able to conceive), and who is not employing two forms of highly effective contraception. Highly effective contraception (e.g. male condom with spermicide, diaphragm with spermicide, intra-uterine device) must be used by both sexes during the study and must be continued for 5 months following the last dose of atezolizumab or nivolumab, for 4 months after the last dose of pembrolizumab, and for 3 months after last dose of durvalumab and avelumab, and for 3 months after your last dose of plinabulin. Women of child-bearing potential is defined as sexually mature women who are not surgically sterile or who have not been naturally postmenopausal for at least 12 consecutive months (e.g., who has had menses any time in the preceding 12 consecutive months)
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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
-
M D Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
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