New drug cocktail aims to shrink oral tumors before surgery
NCT ID NCT07484139
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Sep 01, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This phase 2 trial tests a combination of two drugs, XL-092 and pembrolizumab (Keytruda), given before surgery to people with a type of oral cancer that is HPV-negative and can be removed. The goal is to see if the drugs can shrink or eliminate the tumor before the operation. About 26 participants will be enrolled, and the study will check how many have a major or complete response in their tumor tissue after treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- XL-092 (Zanzalintinib) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda)
- What this could lead to
- If this works, it could lead to a new treatment option that shrinks oral cavity tumors before surgery, potentially improving survival and reducing recurrence.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 26 participants. The combination may cause side effects, and it's not yet known if it works better than current treatments.
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 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 26 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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May 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: * Written informed consent obtained to participate in the study and HIPAA authorization for release of personal health information. * Subject is willing and able to comply with study procedures based on the judgement of the investigator or protocol designee. * Age ≥ 18 years at the time of consent. * Tumors must have PD-L1 Combined Positive Score (CPS) ≥ 1. * ECOG or Karnofsky Performance Status of 0-1 * Measurable disease according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) within 30 days prior to treatment . Exclusion Criteria: * Known HPV-positive cancer * Active infection requiring systemic therapy. * Prior treatment with XL-092 * Pregnant or breastfeeding (NOTE: breast milk cannot be stored for future use while the mother is being treated on study).
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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
3 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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Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States
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Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107, United States
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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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