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Immunotherapy Combination: Irradiated PD-L1 CAR-NK Cells Plus Pembrolizumab Plus N-803 for Subjects With Recurrent/Metastatic Gastric or Head and Neck Cancer

NCT04847466 · Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING · Phase: PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 18

Last updated 2026-04-08

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Background:

Immunotherapy is a powerful tool in the fight against cancer. It uses the body s own immune system to fight the cancer. Unfortunately, cancer cells can find ways to escape from destruction by the body s immune system, even when immunotherapy is used.

Natural killer (NK) cells are an important part of the body s immune system and can help fight cancer. In combination with immunotherapy, researchers are using engineered NK cells that recognize and kill cancer cells trying to escape destruction by the immune system.

Objective:

To test the effectiveness of irradiated PD-L1 CAR-NK cells, combined with pembrolizumab and N-803, in people with advanced forms of gastric or head and neck cancer.

Eligibility:

Adults ages 18 and older with advanced gastric or head and neck cancer who have already had standard cancer treatment.

Design:

Participants will be screened with a medical history and physical exam. Their symptoms and ability to do normal activities will be assessed. They will have blood and urine tests. They will have imaging scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis.

Participants will get PD-L1 CAR-NK cells by intravenous (IV) infusion. They will get the cells once a week for 6 weeks. Then they will get the cells once every 2 weeks. Before each infusion, an IV catheter will be placed in a large arm vein for infusion of these treatments.

Participants will get pembrolizumab by IV every 6 weeks. They will get N-803 under the skin every 4 weeks.

Participants will get the study drugs for up to 2 years. They will have study visits every 1-2 weeks during treatment. They will have a safety visit 28 days after treatment ends.

After treatment ends, participants will be contacted for follow-up every 2 months for a year. Then they will be contacted every 6 months. They will have tumor scans every 6-12 weeks until their cancer gets worse.

Conditions

  • Gastroesophageal Junction (GEJ) Cancers
  • Advanced HNSCC

Interventions

DRUG

N-803

N-803 will be given via subcutaneous injection at a dose of 15 mcg/kg every 4 weeks (1 week after starting treatment with the PDL-1 CAR-NK cells).

DRUG

Pembrolizumab

Pembrolizumab 400 mg will be administered as a 30-minute IV infusion every 6 weeks. Pembrolizumab will be administered on the same day as the PD-L1 CAR-NK cells.

BIOLOGICAL

PD-L1 t-haNK

PD-L1 CAR NK cells (2x109) will be administered by IV infusion over approximately 30 minutes every week. After the week 6 treatment, these cells will be given every 2 weeks.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • National Cancer Institute (NCI)

    lead NIH

Principal Investigators

  • Charalampos Floudas, M.D. · National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
120 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2021-12-14
Primary Completion
2027-01-31
Completion
2027-12-31
FDA Drug
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Drugs

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT04847466 on ClinicalTrials.gov