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Head and Neck CancerPhase 1NCT06096038

Autologous CAR-T Cells Targeting CSPG4 in Relapsed/Refractory HNSCC

A Phase 1 study testing Cyclophosphamide, Fludarabine and Cell Therapy in people with Head and Neck Cancer and Relapse, run by UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to test the safety and tolerability of using a new treatment called autologous T lymphocyte chimeric antigen receptor cells against the CSPG4 antigen (iC9.CAR-CSPG4 T cells) in patients with head and neck cancer that came back after receiving standard therapy for this cancer. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Head and Neck Cancer, Relapse, Recurrent
What is being tested?
Cyclophosphamide, Fludarabine and Cell Therapy
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
33 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
5 Apr 2024to 30 Nov 2030
Phase
Phase 1
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Unless otherwise noted, subjects must meet all of the following criteria to participate in all phases of the study:
  • Written informed consent and HIPAA authorization for release of personal health information explained to, understood by and signed by the subject; subject given a copy of the informed consent form.
  • Age ≥ 18 years at the time of consent.
  • Karnofsky score of > 60%
  • Histologically or cytologically confirmed stage recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck as defined by American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). This includes squamous cancer of: oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx.

Who cannot join

  • Subject with a history or current severe progressive heart disease (congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, uncontrolled arterial hypertension, uncontrolled arrhythmia, or myocardial infarction in the past 6 months.
  • Subject with a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) within 12 months before procurement.
  • Subject with a history of severe immediate hypersensitivity reaction to cyclophosphamide or fludarabine.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

United States1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

    Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599

    Jared Weiss, MD, 919-843-7718, UNCImmunotherapy@med.unc.edu

    Lauren Higgins, UNCImmunotherapy@med.unc.edu

    Recruiting

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Administration of T Cells Expressing Chondroitin-Sulfate-Proteoglycan-4 Specific Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) in Subjects With Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)

The purpose of this study is to test the safety and tolerability of using a new treatment called autologous T lymphocyte chimeric antigen receptor cells against the CSPG4 antigen (iC9.CAR-CSPG4 T cells) in patients with head and neck cancer that came back after receiving standard therapy for this cancer. The iC9.CAR-CSPG4 treatment is experimental and has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

How many (dose) of the iC9.CAR. CSPG4 T cells are safe to use in patients without causing too many side effects, and what is the maximum dose that could be tolerated will be investigated. The information collected from the study would help cancer patients in the future.

Read more

There are two parts to this study. In part 1, blood will be collected to prepare the iC9.CAR-CSPG4 T cells. Disease fighting T cells will be isolated and modified to prepare the iC9.CAR-CSPG4 T cells. In part 2, the iC9.CAR-CSPG4 T cells are given by infusion after completion of lymphodepletion chemotherapy.

The data from the dose escalation will be used to determine a recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D), which will be decided based on the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Additionally, recommended phase 2 dose will be tested.

Eligible subjects will receive lymphodepletion chemotherapy standard followed by infusion of iC9-CAR.CSPG4 T cells. After treatment completion or discontinuation, subjects will be followed since involving gene transfer experiments.

Being tested
Cyclophosphamide, Fludarabine, Cell Therapy
Keywords
cellular therapy
Medical subject headings
Head and Neck Neoplasms, Recurrence, Neoplasms

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • CyclophosphamideDrug

    Also called Cycloblastin, Cytoxan, Endoxan, Neosar

    cyclophosphamide 300 mg/meter square IV

  • FludarabineDrug

    Also called Fludara, Fludarabine Phosphate

    fludarabine 30 mg/meter square IV × 3 days

  • Cell TherapyBiological

    the autologous T lymphocyte chimeric antigen receptor cells against the CSPG4 antigen iC9-CAR.CSPG4 T cell infusion iC9-CAR.CSPG4 T cell infusion

Study groups in NCT06096038
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Chimeric Antigen ReceptorsExperimentalblood will be collected to prepare the iC9.CAR-CSPG4 T cells. Disease-fighting T cells will be isolated and modified to prepare the iC9.CAR-CSPG4 T cells. In part 2, the iC9.CAR-CSPG4 T cells are given by infusion after completion of lymphodepletion chemotherapy.
Receives: Drug: Cyclophosphamide; Drug: Fludarabine; Biological: Cell Therapy

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Toxicity: NCI-CTCAE

    Toxicity will be graded as the Number of participants with adverse events (AE)s.

    AEs will be classified and graded according to the National Cancer Institute's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE) version 5.0. Dose Limiting Toxicities (DLTs) is defined as at least possibly related to CAR.B7-H3T cell product administration.

    Measured: Up to 4 weeks

  2. Toxicity: Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS)

    CRS will be graded according to the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) CRS Consensus Grading. Grade 1 - Mild: Fever ≥38^ o C, No hypotension, No hypoxia, Grade 2 - Moderate: Fever ≥38^ o C, Hypotension not requiring vasopressors, Hypoxia requiring low-flow nasal cannula (≤6 L/minute) or blow-by, Grade 3 - Severe: Fever ≥ 38^ o C, Hypotension requiring a vasopressor with or without vasopressin, Hypoxia requiring high-flow nasal cannula (>6 L/minute), facemask, nonrebreather mask, or Venturi mask, Grade 4 - Life-threatening: Fever ≥38^oC, Hypotension requiring multiple vasopressors (excluding vasopressin), Hypoxia requiring positive pressure (e.g. Continuous positive airway pressure, BiPAP, intubation, mechanical ventilation), Grade 5 - Death

    Measured: Up to 4 weeks

  3. Toxicity: Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS)

    Neurotoxicity will be graded according to the Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) criteria.

    Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) symptoms will be graded according to the criteria outlined in the protocol on a scale from 1 (mild) to 4 (critical). Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) will be graded according to criteria outlined in the protocol on a scale from 1 (mild) to grade 5 (death).

    Measured: Up to 4 weeks

  4. Dose Limiting Toxicity

    An event will be considered a Dose limiting toxicity per NCI CTCAE version 5.0, the CRS Grading and ICANS grading criteria.

    • Grade 3-5 allergic reactions related to the CAR-T cell infusion.
    • A treatment-emergent Grade 3 CRS that does not improve to Grade 0-1 by 72 hours or Grade 4 CRS
    • Grade ≥3 ICANS that is unresponsive to the standard of care interventions and does not decrease to Grade ≤1 within 7 days or grade 4 ICANS of any duration that has evidence of cerebral edema and/or generalized convulsive status epilepticus.
    • Any treatment-emergent Grade 4 non-hematologic AE that does not resolve to Grade 2 within 7 days.
    • Any Grade 5 events are not due to the underlying malignancy.

    Measured: Up to 4 weeks

  5. Tumor inflammation-associated neurotoxicity (TIAN)

    TIAN will be assessed as a clinical endpoint using the Tumor Inflammation-Associated Neurotoxicity (TIAN) grading system, a standardized clinician-reported tool for evaluating the severity of neurotoxicity associated with tumor-related inflammatory responses, particularly following immunotherapy. Assessments will be based on neurological examination, mental status, cognitive function, focal neurological deficits, seizure activity, level of consciousness, functional status, and relevant diagnostic investigations (e.g., neuroimaging and cerebrospinal fluid analysis), as clinically indicated. Neurotoxicity will be graded on a four-level scale (Grades 1-4): Grade 1, mild symptoms; Grade 2, moderate symptoms requiring medical intervention or causing functional limitation; Grade 3, severe neurological impairment requiring hospitalization or significantly limiting self-care; and Grade 4, life-threatening neurotoxicity requiring urgent intensive management.

    Measured: Up to 4 weeks

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. The recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of iC9-CAR.CSPG4

    The recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) for administration of iC9-CAR.CSPG4 T cells will be determined based on the modified 3+3 dose finding rule and the tolerability of iC9-CAR.CSPG4 T cells. tolerability of iC9-CAR.CSPG4 T cells will be assessed by NCI-CTCAE v5, ASTCT Consensus ICANS Grading, and CRS Grading Criteria.

    Measured: Up to 4 weeks

  2. Objective response rate

    The objective response rate will be assessed per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.1) and immune-related Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (irRECIST).

    RECIST v1.1: Complete Response (CR) as Disappearance of all target lesions; Partial Response (PR), >=30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions; and Overall Response Rate (ORR) = CR + PR/total number of subjects.

    irRECIST: Complete Response (irCR), Disappearance of all lesions, no new lesions, lymph nodes < 10 mm in short axis; Partial Response (irPR), ≥30% decrease in the sum of target lesions and non-target lesions are irNN; Stable response (irSD), not meeting criteria for irCR, irPR, or irPD; Progressive Disease (irPD), ≥20% increase in tumor burden and minimum 5 mm absolute increase in compared to nadir.

    Measured: Up to 2 years

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted23 Oct 2023
  2. Study start5 Apr 2024
  3. Primary completion30 Dec 2028 (estimated)
  4. Study completion30 Nov 2030 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
33 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06096038
Sponsor's protocol ID
LCCC2060-ATL
Other IDs
R01CA296807-01
Status last verified
Nov 2026
First submitted
13 Oct 2023
Last updated
5 Nov 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1 study testing Cyclophosphamide, Fludarabine and Cell Therapy in people with Head and Neck Cancer and Relapse, run by UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Nov 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Catherine Cheng (+1 919-445-4208, UNCImmunotherapy@med.unc.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Toxicity: NCI-CTCAE (time frame: Up to 4 weeks). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Nov 2026.

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