Recruiting
Phase 1
Phase 2

Isunakinra & Pembrolizumab

Sponsor:

University Health Network, Toronto

Code:

NCT07698106

Conditions

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Group 1-Isunakinra

Study Details

Brief summary:

This study is a phase I/II open-label randomized clinical trial to examine whether administration of isunakinra (EBI-005), a modified recombinant IL1 receptor antagonist, can sensitize human TNBC to the PD1 inhibitor-pembrolizumab-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC/P) by changing the tumor microenvironment (TME) via reducing the recruitment of immunosuppressive tumorassociated macrophages (TAMs) and increasing activated cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs).

Conditions

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)

Study ID

NCT07698106

Start date

Oct 20, 2026

Status verified date

Oct, 2026

Completion date

Aug, 2034

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Aug, 2034

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age > 18 years
2. Newly diagnosed, locally advanced, previously untreated and centrally confirmed TNBC, as defined by the most recent American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines, and staging per current AJCC staging criteria for breast cancer as assessed by the investigator based on radiological and/or clinical assessment:

Clinical stage T1c/N1-N2, T2-4/N0-2
3. Provides core needle biopsies consisting of at least 2 separate tumor cores from the primary tumor to the central laboratory
4. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1
5. Demonstrates adequate organ function
6. Participants of childbearing potential must be willing to use an adequate method of contraception for the course of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Male Gender
2. Luminal A/B and HER2 positive breast cancer
3. Multifocal early breast cancer
4. History of invasive malignancy ≤5 years prior to signing informed consent, except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or in situ cervical cancer
5. Received prior chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and radiation therapy within the past 12 months
6. Has received prior therapy with an anti-PD1, anti-PDL1/-PDL2 agent or with an agent directed to another co-inhibitory T-cell receptor
7. Participated in an interventional clinical study with an investigational compound or device within 4 weeks of randomization for this study
8. Pre-existing inflammatory arthritis
9. Has received a live vaccine within 30 days of the first dose of study treatment
10. Has an active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in past 2 years (i.e., with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs)
11. Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving systemic steroid therapy (i.e., dosing exceeding 10 mg daily of prednisone or equivalent) or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of study treatment
12. Active or uncontrolled Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C
13. Has a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required steroids or current pneumonitis
14. Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy
15. Has significant cardiovascular disease
16. Is pregnant or breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive children within the duration of the study
17. Has a known history of active tuberculosis (TB, Bacillus Tuberculosis)
18. Platelets ≤ 100x109/L. ANC ≤ 1.5 x109/L. Hemoglobin ≤ 80 g/L
19. ECOG≥2
20. History of stroke or intracranial hemorrhage within 6 months prior to enrollment
21. Presence of moderate or severe renal function impairment (estimated creatinine clearance <60 mL/min/1.73m2)
22. Patients with mild, moderate, or severe hepatic impairment or inadequate liver function (total bilirubin > 23 umol/L, serum albumin < 35 g/L, INR > 1.70)
23. Known hypersensitivity to E-coli derived proteins, isunakinra or any component of the product

Study Design

Enrollment

60 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Group 1-Isunakinra treatment Group

Study participants randomized to Group 1 treatment group will receive isunakinra at a dose of 25mg SC daily x 24 weeks in addition to standard pembrolizumab-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC/P).

no intervention: Group 2-Standard of care treatment group

Study participants randomized to Group 2, the control group, will receive standard pembrolizumab-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC/P).

Interventions

Group 1-Isunakinra

isunakinra at a dose of 25mg SC daily x 24 weeks in addition to standard pembrolizumab-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC/P).

Primary outcome measure

  • Outcome-Study will test whether IL1 blockade can reduce TAM and sensitize human TNBCs to ICB. Outcome measure-changes in the TME induced by the addition of isunakinra to NAC/P will be determined. [ Time Frame: 6 years ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Locations

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

Recruiting

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5G2C4

Contacts

More Information

Sponsor

University Health Network, Toronto

Last update posted

Oct 29, 2026

Last verified

Oct, 2026

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-10-30. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University Health Network, Toronto on 2026-10-29. Recruitment status is synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the sponsor's current status. Confirm during your call.