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Can a drug duo outsmart head and neck cancer?

NCT ID NCT04856631

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 04, 2026 · Last updated Aug 05, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial is testing whether combining two drugs—toripalimab, an immunotherapy, and cetuximab, a targeted therapy—can shrink tumors in people with advanced head and neck squamous cell cancer. The study includes patients whose cancer has returned or spread after initial treatment, as well as those with a specific marker (PD-L1) who haven't had systemic therapy yet. The goal is to see if the combo is safe and effective in controlling the disease.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
toripalimab and cetuximab
What this could lead to
If successful, this combination could offer a new treatment option for advanced head and neck cancer, potentially improving tumor shrinkage and disease control.
What could go wrong
This is an early-phase trial, so the combination may not work as hoped or could cause significant side effects. Results may not apply to all patients.

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

88 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Apr 2021

Finished

Oct 2024

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 to 75 years

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

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion criteria 1.Patients voluntarily participate in this study after full informed consent and sign a written informed consent form; 2.Age \>=18 to \<=75 years at time of consenting; 3.Advanced, relapsed, or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma confirmed histologically or cytologically, occurring in the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, or paranasal sinuses, and unsuitable for local therapy such as surgery or radiotherapy. 4.Phase Ib and Phase II Cohort A:Previously receiving a first-line platinum-based chemotherapy against relapsed or metastatic disease, and developing progressive disease during or after treatment; or receiving platinum-based chemotherapy as neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy (or chemoradiotherapy), and developing relapse or metastasis within 6 months after end of treatment. 5.Phase II cohort B: 1. No previous systemic treatment for relapsed or metastatic disease. Relapse or metastasis more than 6 months after the end of treatment if previously treated with systemic therapy as part of local treatment. 2. Qualified tumor tissue samples with positive PD-L1 expression (defined as Combined Positive Score (CPS) ≥ 1) tested by the central laboratory are required. 6\. All acute toxic reactions from prior antitumor therapy, surgical procedures, or radiotherapy, etc., are relieved to Grades 0-1 (in accordance with NCI-CTCAE version 5.0) or to the level specified in the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Hair loss or pigmentation, or other toxicities that would not result in safety risk to subjects and would not influence compliance, as considered by the investigator, Are ruled out. 7\. Previous tumor samples or fresh tumor tissue biopsy samples may be provided. 8 For subjects with oropharyngeal cancer, a prior test report for HPV16 may be provided, or eligible tumor tissue samples are provided to test HPV status. 9\. At least one measurable lesion in accordance with RECIST 1.1 assessment criteria; 10 Patients with life expectancy \>=12 weeks; 11\. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status score 0-1 point; 12\. Good organ function level: System organ Lab Value Hematology (no blood transfusion or colony-stimulating factor or other drug correction within 14 days prior to the first study dose) Neutrophil count ≥1.5×10\^9/L Platelet count ≥100×10\^9/L Hemoglobin ≥90 g/L Kidney function Serum creatinine \<=1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) or Creatinine clearance is calculated with reference to the Cockcroft-Gault formula or the site practices ≥50 mL/min Hepatic function total Bilirubin \<=1.5 x ULN or\<=3 x ULN (patients with known Gilbert's disease) ALT/AST \<=3 x ULN (without liver metastasis) or\<=5 x ULN (in case of liver metastases) Albumin (no infusion of albumin product with 14 days prior to the first dose of the investigational medical product)≥30g/L Coagulation function International normalized ratio (INR) Prothrombin Time (PT) Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) \<=1.5 x ULN 13\. Within 72 h prior to the first dose, for women of childbearing age must confirm that the serum pregnancy test is negative and agree to adopt effective contraceptive measures during use of the investigational medical product and for 5 months after last dose. A female of childbearing potential in this Protocol is defined as a sexually mature female who: 1\) No hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy, 2) Spontaneous menopause does not last for 24 consecutive months (amenorrhea after cancer treatment does not rule out fertility) (i.e., menstruation at any time within the previous 24 consecutive months). Male patients with partners of childbearing potential must agree to use effective contraception during the use of the investigational medical product and for 5 months after last dose. Exclusion criteria: 1. Nasopharyngeal cancer or salivary gland cancer confirmed histologically or cytologically, or other non-squamous cell cancer (e.g., adenocarcinoma, sarcoma, or mixed cancer), or metastatic squamous cell cancer with unknown primary site. 2. Patients with necrotic lesion, at risk for major hemorrhage as judged by the investigator. 3. Previously receiving other immune checkpoint inhibitors/drugs acting on immune checkpoint pathway/other drugs acting on T cell costimulation (e.g.: PD-1/PD-L1 antibody or CTLA-4 antibody); 4. Previous treatment of EGFR inhibitor (including radiotherapy sensitization therapy); 5. Diagnosed with other malignancies within 5 years prior to study entry, except for basal cell carcinoma of the skin or squamous cell carcinoma, superficial bladder cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix or carcinoma in situ of the breast that can be cured by local therapy 6. Existing uncontrollable or symptomatic active central nervous system (CNS) metastasis, that may be characterized by clinical symptoms, cerebral edema, spinal cord compression, cancerous meningitis, pia mater disease, and/or progressive growth; 1\) Patients with asymptomatic spinal cord compression indicated radiologically may be enrolled, if assessed as stable by the specialist and requiring no treatment presently; 2) Patients who have previously received treatment for CNS metastases, and become stable for \>=4 weeks as indicated radiologically in the screening period, and stopped systemic hormone therapy (prednisone in a dose \>10 mg/d or an equivalent hormone) for \>=4 weeks prior to the first dose of the investigational therapy may be enrolled; 7\. Poorly controlled hydrothorax, hydrops abdominis, or pericardial effusion; 8\. Existing Grade \>=2 (in accordance with NCI-CTCAE 5.0) peripheral neuropathy or hearing loss; 9\. Pregnant or breastfeeding female subjects; 10\. In the following cases within 6 months prior to the first dose: Myocardial infarction, serious/unstable angina, NYHA Grade \>=2 cardiac insufficiency, clinically significant supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmia, or symptomatic congestive heart failure; Note: Patients with known coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure not meeting the above criteria, or left ventricular ejection fraction \< 50% must be treated with an optimized stable medical regimen at the discretion of the treating physician, with consultation with a cardiologist, as appropriate; 11\. Poorly controlled hypertension (systolic blood pressure (BP) \>=160 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure \>=100 mmHg) (based on the mean of \>=3 BP readings obtained from \>=2 measurements); hypertensive crisis or hypertensive encephalopathy within 6 months prior to the first dose. 12\. Patients with known allergy to the investigational medical product or any excipient, or with serious allergic reaction to other monoclonal antibodies; 13\. Receiving the following drugs or therapies prior to first dose of investigational medical product : 1. Major surgery within 28 d prior to the first dose of the investigational therapy (tissue biopsy required for diagnosis, and pieripherally inserted central catheter \[PICC\] or infusion port implantation are permissible). 2. Antitumor therapy (including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, endocrine therapy, targeted therapy, cytokine therapy, or biological therapy, etc.) with 28 d prior to the first dose of the investigational medical product; 3. Participation in other intervention studies within 28 d prior to the first dose of the investigational medical product; 4. Treatment with a systemic immunostimulatory drug (including but not limited to interferon or IL-2) within 14 d or 5 half-lives of the investigational medicinal product (whichever is longer) prior to the first dose of the investigational medical product; 5. Treatment of a systemic corticosteroid (\> 10 mg/d prednisone or equivalent drug) or other systemic immunosuppressive drugs (including but not limited to Cyclophosphamide, Azathioprine, Methotrexate, Thalidomide and anti-tumor necrosis factor drugs \[anti-TNF\]) within 14 d prior to the first dose of the investigational therapy; o Topical, ocular, intra-articular, intranasal, and inhaled corticosteroids are permitted; * Patients receiving an acute low-dose systemic immunosuppressive agent (e.g., a single dose of dexamethasone for nausea, or preventive medication prior to administration of Cetuximab ) may be enrolled after discussion with and approval by the medical monitor; * Patients who need baseline and follow-up MRI/CT tumor assessment can use steroids prophylaxis if they have previous allergic reactions to intravenous contrast media. * Inhaled corticosteroids for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, mineralocorticoids (e.g., fludrocortisone) for orthostatic hypotension, and low-dose corticosteroids for maintenance treatment of adrenocortical insufficiency are permitted; 6. Treatment of oral or intravenous antibiotic therapy (except preventive use of antibiotics) with 14 d prior to the first dose of the investigational therapy; 7. Vaccination of any live vaccine (e.g., vaccine against infectious diseases, such as influenza vaccine or varicella vaccine, etc.) within 28 d prior to the first dose of the investigational medical product; 14\. History of autoimmune disease, including but not limited to myasthenia gravis, myositis, autoimmune hepatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, antiphospholipid syndrome-related vascular thrombosis, Wegener's granulomatosis, Sjogren's syndrome, Guillain-Barre syndrome, multiple sclerosis, vasculitis, glomerulonephritis; 1. Patients with autoimmune-related hypothyroidism on a stable dose of thyroid hormone replacement are eligible; 2. Patients with type 1 diabetes who are controlled after receiving a stable insulin regimen are eligible for this study; 15\. Known history of allogeneic organ transplantation or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; 16\. Serious infection (NCI-CTCAE Grade \>2) within 28 d prior to the first dose of the investigational therapy, e.g., serious pneumonia requiring hospitalization, bacteremia, or infection complications, etc. 17\. Active infection, including but not limited to tuberculosis (clinical diagnosis including clinical history, physical examination and imaging findings, and TB screening according to local medical routine), hepatitis B, hepatitis C or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV antibody positive); 1. Patients who are positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg+) and/or hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb+) are required to undergo hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV DNA) test. If HBV DNA copy number is ˂1000 cps/mL or \<200 IU/mL, or less than the lower limit of detectable value at the study site, the patients are eligible to participate in this study; 2. Patients who are positive for hepatitis C antibody (HCV Ab+) are required to have an HCV RNA test and are eligible for this study only if they are negative for HCV RNA (defined as below the lower limit of detectable value at the research site); 18\. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, drug-induced pneumonia, organized pneumonia (i.e., bronchiolitis obliterans), clinically symptomatic radiation pneumonia or active pneumonia, or those requiring steroid therapy, or other moderate to severe pulmonary diseases influencing seriously pulmonary function. 19\. Patients with existing other serious physical or mental disorders or laboratory test abnormalities, or alcoholism or drug abuse, etc., that may increase the risk for participation in the study, influence compliance to the treatment, or interference the study results, or other conditions that are not suitable for participation in the study, as judged by the investigator

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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

  • Shanghai East Hospital

    Shanghai, China

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.