Recent studies show progress in cancer treatment: HDAC inhibitors enhance pancreatic cancer therapy, AI-guided radiation targets glioblastoma, and reprogrammed tumor cells trigger antitumor immunity. Nanoparticle drug delivery for brain cancer is also being explored.
A world-first clinical trial testing immunotherapy for glioblastoma has opened in the US. The GIANT trial will evaluate Nivolumab and Relatlimab before surgery, with results expected in about two years. Three patients have been enrolled so far.
The FDA has approved nivolumab with chemotherapy for pediatric and adult Hodgkin lymphoma patients aged 12+, based on clinical trial data showing improved survival. Separately, the agency cleared investigational new drug applications for FG001 for brain cancer surgery visualization and FRF-001 gene therapy for FOXG1 syndrome, allowing both to proceed to clinical trials.
A clinical trial combining laser interstitial thermal therapy with pembrolizumab immunotherapy showed nearly half of recurrent high-grade astrocytoma patients alive at 18 months, far exceeding typical survival. Separate research reveals steroids make glioblastoma cells vulnerable to dietary interventions targeting their altered metabolism.
CAR T-cell therapy market advances with AI-driven manufacturing improvements and over 250 companies developing 500+ drug candidates, including breakthrough solid tumor treatments and GPC3-targeted therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma.
A clinical trial combining laser interstitial thermal therapy with pembrolizumab shows nearly half of patients with recurrent high-grade astrocytoma alive at 18 months, compared to zero in the control group.
A world-first pediatric mRNA cancer vaccine trial is launching in Australia that could open new possibilities for children with aggressive brain tumors. The Paedneo-Vax trial will evaluate individualized mRNA vaccines designed specifically for each child's cancer.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared FluoGuide's Investigational New Drug application for FG001, enabling the company to proceed with a Phase 2 registration trial in high-grade glioma patients with first enrollment expected in Q2 2026.
Telix Pharmaceuticals submitted a marketing authorization application in Europe for TLX101-Px, a glioma imaging agent, on February 18, 2026. The filing covers major European markets and a U.S. NDA submission will follow.
Pharmaceutical companies are prioritizing de-risked, late-stage assets with human clinical validation over early-stage programs. Oncology and CNS programs have emerged as strategic M&A targets due to large commercial markets and significant unmet medical needs.
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCT07629089 |
VorAsidenib With Lomustine In Patients With rEcurrent IDH-mutaNT Glioma Harboring IDH1 and/or IDH2 Mutations |
NOT_YET_RECRUITING | PHASE1 |
| NCT07628647 |
Living Well With Brain Cancer: A Group-Based Intervention to Promote Whole-Person Well-Being |
NOT_YET_RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT07512154 |
Precision Radiotherapy Enabled by Molecular MRI |
RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT07493447 |
Pilot Study Evaluating Panitumumab-IRDye800 as an Optical Imaging Agent to Detect Intracranial Lesions During Neurosurgical Procedures |
RECRUITING | EARLY_PHASE1 |
| NCT07416188 |
Novel Indenoisoquinolone CMYC/TOPOISOMERASE 1 Inhibitor (LMP744) in Recurrent Glioblastoma |
RECRUITING | PHASE1/PHASE2 |
| NCT07398066 |
DEXmedetomidine for Postoperative Analgesia and Delirium Prevention After NEUROsurgery (DEX-NEURO Trial) |
NOT_YET_RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT07374692 |
Observational Study of Responses to Treatments in Advanced Central Nervous System (CNS) Tumors |
RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT07326566 |
Study of Silevertinib With Temozolomide for the Treatment of Newly Diagnosed GBM With Unmethylated MGMT and EGFRvIII |
RECRUITING | PHASE2 |
| NCT07313709 |
Measuring the Feasibility and Effect of a Virtual Reality Cognitive Training Intervention for Brain Cancer Survivors. |
NOT_YET_RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT07307157 |
Head-to-Head Evaluation of the Cancer Ontology Supervised Multimodal Orchestration (COSMO) AI System Versus Pathologist-Only Review |
ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION |
