Recruiting
Phase 1

Adoptive Cell Therapy & PD-1 Blockade

Sponsor:

University of Florida

Code:

NCT06514898

Conditions

Recurrent Group 3 Medulloblastoma

Recurrent Group 4 (Non-SHH/Non-WNT) Medulloblastoma

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 4 - 30

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

TTRNA-DC vaccines with GM-CSF

TTRNA-xALT

Td vaccine

autologous HSCs

Pembrolizumab

Study Details

Brief summary:

This is a pilot study in a small number of children and young adults with suspected recurrent/progressive medulloblastoma (MB) looking at the feasibility and safety of adoptive cell therapy plus PD-1 blockade.

Conditions

Recurrent Group 3 Medulloblastoma

Recurrent Group 4 (Non-SHH/Non-WNT) Medulloblastoma

Study ID

NCT06514898

Start date

May 5, 2025

Status verified date

Aug, 2026

Completion date

Dec 1, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Sep 1, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 4 - 30

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Children and young adults ages 4-30 years with suspected recurrence/progression of Group 3 or 4 (non-SHH/non-WNT) MB since completion of definitive focal +/- craniospinal irradiation who are a candidate for surgical resection or biopsy. Of the 6 evaluable subjects, a minimum of 3 slots must be reserved for patients with confirmed Group 4 MB. Patients who are unable to receive radiation therapy due to genetic disorders that put them at significant risk for radiation-induced secondary malignancies (i.e. Gorlin's syndrome or NF1 mutation) are eligible for enrollment at first disease recurrence/progression.
2. Patients must currently be prescribed and approved to receive pembrolizumab therapy (patients who have progressed on anti-PD-1 targeting therapy but are otherwise eligible may be enrolled to receive combination with immunotherapy. Patients who have been previously treated with anti-PD-1 targeting therapy alone or in combination with other agents and discontinued for reasons other than toxicity may be enrolled).
3. Must be a candidate for surgery/biopsy Or tumor tissue obtained clinically, has been previously stored in a qualified site in a manner suitable for tumor RNA extraction and amplification and sample is made available to the PI.
4. Karnofsky or Lansky Performance Status (KPS) ≥ 60% (KPS for > 16 years of age) or Lansky performance Score (LPS) of ≥ 60 (LPS for < 16 years of age)
5. Adequate bone marrow and organ function as defined below:

  • ANC ≥ 1,000/mcL (unsupported)
  • Platelets ≥ 100,000/mcL (unsupported for at least 3 days)
  • Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL (may be supported)
  • Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 x IULN OR Creatinine clearance by Cockcroft-Gault ≥ 60 mL/min for patients with serum creatinine > 1.5 x IULN
  • Serum total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x IULN for age OR Direct bilirubin ≤ IULN for patients with total bilirubin > 1.5 x IULN for age
  • AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) ≤ 3 x IULN for age
  • Cardiac shortening fraction ≥27% or LVEF ≥50% by echocardiogram
  • Adequate pulmonary function defined as baseline pulse oximetry of ≥92% on room air
6. For females of childbearing potential, negative serum pregnancy test at enrollment
7. For women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) must be willing to use acceptable contraceptive methods to avoid pregnancy throughout the study and for at least 24 weeks after the last dose of study drug.

or For males with female partners of childbearing potential must agree to use physician-approved contraceptive methods (e.g., abstinence, condoms, vasectomy) throughout the study and should avoid conceiving children for 24 weeks following the last dose of study drug.
8. Signed informed consent by patient and/or legally authorized representative

Exclusion Criteria:

this study:

1. Prior discontinuation of PD-1 inhibitor treatment due to toxicity.
2. Corticosteroids equivalent to ≥ 4mg dexamethasone daily.
3. Known HIV, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C seropositive.
4. Known active infection or immunosuppressive disease.
5. Known autoimmune disease requiring medical management with immunosuppressant.
6. Pregnancy or lactation, due to possible adverse effects on the developing fetus or infant.
7. Treatment with another investigational drug or other intervention within 30 days prior to projected first dose of study treatment (Priming phase with TTRNA-DC).
8. Known severe, active co-morbidity, defined as follows:

  • Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization.
  • Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months.
  • Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at time of enrollment.
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy.
  • Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects.
  • Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) based upon current CDC definition. The need to exclude patients with AIDS from this protocol is necessary because the treatments involved in this protocol may be significantly immunosuppressive.
  • Major medical illnesses or psychiatric impairments that, in the investigator's opinion, will prevent administration or completion of protocol therapy.

Study Design

Enrollment

12 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Adoptive Cellular Therapy (ACT) + PD-1 blockade with pembrolizumab

ACT + PD-1 blockade consists of the intravenous delivery of ex vivo expanded tumor-reactive lymphocytes and autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) with concomitant tumor RNA-pulsed DC vaccines followed by intravenous delivery of PD-1 blocking antibodies.

Interventions

TTRNA-DC vaccines with GM-CSF

After chemoradiation subjects will receive the first cycle of dose-intensified TMZ followed by three biweekly TTRNA-DC vaccines with GM-CSF. Monthly DC vaccines will be given during TMZ Cycles 2-5 for Groups A and B and 48-96 hours after completion of TMZ Cycle 6 Day 21 for Group A and 12-36 hours after HSCs for Group B. All subjects will receive an additional two bi-weekly vaccines during Cycle 6 for a total of 10 DC vaccines. All DC vaccines will be embedded with GM-CSF (150 µg per injection) and given intradermal.

up to 9 intradermal DC vaccines (three -bi-weekly (q2 weeks) for priming, monthly for additional 2-3 cycles during T cell expansion, and three bi-weekly during T cell engraftment)

TTRNA-xALT

All participants will receive a single infusion of T-cells.

Td vaccine

A full Td booster vaccine will be administered IM at Vaccine #1 to all subjects, and vaccine site pretreatment will be administered to all subjects prior to Vaccine#3, #5, #7 and #9.

autologous HSCs

All participants will receive a single intravenous infusion of autologous HSCs.

Pembrolizumab

Participants will receive PD-1 blockade IV starting with ACT continuing for up to 2 years as long as tolerable and without disease progression.

Primary outcome measure

  • Number of participants with immunotherapy-related dose-limiting toxicities after treatment with TTRNA-DCs, TTRNA-xALT and HSCs plus PD1 blockade [ Time Frame: enrollment to completion of DLT window; up to 12 months ]
  • Number of enrolled participants who receive qualified immunotherapy products out of the total number of participants enrolled. [ Time Frame: enrollment up to 12 months ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Locations

University of Florida Health

Recruiting

Gainesville, Florida, United States, 32608

Contacts

Principal Investigator:

John Ligon, MD

More Information

Sponsor

University of Florida

Last update posted

Aug 7, 2026

Last verified

Aug, 2026

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Florida on 2026-08-07.