Clinical Trials
For a list of our currently enrolling clinical trials for brain tumors and to preliminarily determine your eligibility, please either call 215-349-8245 or email us at PMCancerResearch@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
CART-EGFR-IL13Ra2 in Newly Diagnosed GBM Following Initial Radiotherapy
This is an open-label phase 1 study to assess the safety, feasibility, pharmacokinetics and preliminary efficacy of autologous T cells co-expressing two CARs targeting the cryptic EGFR epitope 806 and IL3Ra2 (referred to as "CART-EGFR-IL13Ra2 cells"). Patients with newly diagnosed, EGFR-amplified, MGMT-unmethylated glioblastoma who have undergone maximal safe surgical resection will be approached for initial study participation. A two-step screening/eligibility process will be utilized. Following informed consent, subjects who meet Step #1 Eligibility Criteria will remain on study and complete a course of radiotherapy (60 Gy) without temozolomide as per their routine cancer care. If there is no overt evidence of disease recurrence/progression following radiotherapy, additional screening tests/procedures will be performed. Subjects who then meet Step #2 Eligibility Criteria will undergo apheresis collection to initiate cell product manufacturing and surgical placement of a CSF-Ventricular Reservoir to allow for intracerebroventricular injection of the CART-EGFR-IL13Ra2 cells. All subjects will receive a single fixed dose of CART-EGFR-IL13Ra2 cells on Day 0 via intracerebroventricular delivery.
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Different Approaches for CART-EGFR-IL13Ra2 Dosing in Recurrent GBM
This is an open-label, phase 1b study to evaluate different approaches for CART-EGFR-IL13Ra2 dosing and further characterize the safety, feasibility, preliminary efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of CART-EGFR-IL13Ra2 cells in patients with EGFR-amplified glioblastoma that has recurred following prior radiotherapy.
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All-Trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA) Plus PD-1 Inhibition in Recurrent IDH-Mutant Glioma
This is a Phase II study of the combination of All-Trans Retinonic Acid (ATRA) and PD-1 inhibition (Retifanlimab) in patient with recurrent IDH-mutant glioma. The Sponsor-Investigator hypothesizes that the proposed regimen will be safe and stimulate a robust anti-tumor immune response.
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A Trial to Evaluate Multiple Regimens in Newly Diagnosed and Recurrent Glioblastoma (GBM AGILE)
Glioblastoma (GBM) adaptive, global, innovative learning environment (GBM AGILE) is an international, seamless Phase II/III response adaptive randomization platform trial designed to evaluate multiple therapies in newly diagnosed (ND) and recurrent GBM.
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Vismodegib, FAK Inhibitor GSK2256098, Capivasertib, and Abemaciclib in Treating Patients With Progressive Meningiomas
This phase II trial studies how well vismodegib, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor GSK2256098, and capivasertib work in treating patients with meningioma that is growing, spreading, or getting worse (progressive). Vismodegib, FAK inhibitor GSK2256098, capivasertib, and abemaciclib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.
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WBSI Guided Personalized Delivery of TTFields
This research study is for Glioblastoma (GBM) patients who will be beginning Optune as part of their clinical care, which is a novel treatment that utilizes - tumor treating fields (TTFields), (aka, electrical therapy), which has shown to improve overall survival in large multi-center trials. As a part of this study, participants will either receive Optune with "standard array mapping" (based on regular contrast enhanced MRI) or an "alternative (more precise) array mapping" based on sophisticated state of the art MRI techniques including "whole brain spectroscopy". Whole brain MRI spectroscopy provides additional metabolic information to map out the full extent of tumor spreading within the brain (far beyond from what is seen on regular MRI), by identifying certain metabolites that are present in cancer cells versus healthy tissue. This study is being performed to show whether alternative array mapping improves treatment outcomes, as opposed to the standard array mapping, by maximizing delivery of TTFields dose, thereby achieving more effective tumor cell killing, decreasing the rate of local recurrence, and improving the overall survival as well as quality of life measures.
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Multitracer [18F]Fluciclovine and 18F-FDG PET, and Advanced MRI for Metabolic Profiling of Glioblastoma (GBM)
- To perform metabolic phenotyping of treatment naïve and recurrent GBM by multitracer [18F]Fluciclovine and 18F-FDG PET.
- To compare uptake measures of 18F-Fluciclovine and 18F-FDG and MRI quantification of glutamate and lactate levels to tumor tissue laboratory assays (RNA seq and proteomics) of glutamine/glutamate, glucose, and lactate metabolism.
- To perform metabolic phenotyping of treatment naïve and recurrent GBM by advanced MRI methods at 7 Tesla