X-ray Psoralen Activated Cancer Therapy in Head and Neck, Breast, Sarcoma and Melanoma
Phase 1 Study of X-PACT (X-ray Psoralen Activated Cancer Therapy) for Intra-tumoral Injection of Superficial Tumors in Patients With Advanced Head and Neck Cancer, Breast Cancer, Soft Tissue Sarcoma or Melanoma
Who can join
As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.
- Age
- 18 Years and older
- Sex
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Compensation
- Not stated
Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.
What to expect
No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.
What participation involves
- Time periods mentioned: 12 months
- Procedures mentioned: Injections, X-rays
Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.
Show the study's own words
- "In this Phase I trial for subjects with advanced head \& neck cancer, breast cancer, soft tissue sarcoma or melanoma all subjects will receive open label X-PACT treatment as a intra-tumoral injection."
- "The primary objective will be to establish the safety of X-PACT when dosed with 5 intra-tumoral injections of the combination product (the phosphor device and methoxsalen sterile solution and subsequently exposing the tumor to X-ray energy) over a period of 6 weeks (on day D1, D3 and D5 of Week 1, on D1 of Week 2, and a booster on D1 of Week 6)."
- "Treatment will be considered safe provided ≤ 2 out of 12 patients experience a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) during the 6 weeks after the first intra-tumoral injection."
- "The primary endpoint will be to establish the safety of X-PACT when dosed with 5 intra-tumoral injections of the combination product (the phosphor device and methoxsalen sterile solution and subsequently exposing the tumor to X-ray energy) over a period of 6 weeks (on day D1, D3 and D5 of Week 1, on D1 of Week 2, and a booster on D1 of Week 6)."
- "Part C has been added to the study to allow patients who respond to treatment to receive an additional 12 treatments over 12 months."
- Compensation
- Not stated
- Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
- Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
- Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
- Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.
About this study
In plain language
This early study tests the safety of X-PACT for adults with advanced head and neck cancer, breast cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, or melanoma. Treatment is injected into a tumor and then activated with X-rays, with five treatments over six weeks. Some patients may receive two more treatments.
In this Phase I trial for subjects with advanced head \& neck cancer, breast cancer, soft tissue sarcoma or melanoma all subjects will receive open label X-PACT treatment as a intra-tumoral injection. The primary objective will be to establish the safety of X-PACT when dosed with 5 intra-tumoral injections of the combination product (the phosphor device and methoxsalen sterile solution and subsequently exposing the tumor to X-ray energy) over a period of 6 weeks (on day D1, D3 and D5 of Week 1, on D1 of Week 2, and a booster on D1 of Week 6). After the week 8 tumor assessment subjects demonstrating stable disease, partial response or unconfirmed progression assessed by iRecist, will be eligible to receive two additional booster treatments 4-6 weeks apart. Treatment will be considered safe provided ≤ 2 out of 12 patients experience a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) during the 6 weeks after the first intra-tumoral injection. Two expansion cohorts have been added to the study. One for TNBC and one for soft tissue sarcoma. 16 additional subjects will be added in each of the expansion cohorts.
Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.
Eligibility
Who can join
- Be age 18 or older, able to do most daily activities, and expected to live at least four months.
- Have confirmed advanced cancer that grew after standard treatment, or standard treatment was not tolerated, was refused, or is not available.
- Have a tumor that can be measured and safely reached for injection. It must be outside internal organs, no deeper than 5 cm, and at least 80% reachable for injection. Eye and brain tumors will not be treated.
- If cancer previously spread to the brain, treatment for it must have ended at least four weeks ago. Have no brain-related symptoms and be off steroid medicines for at least two weeks.
- A radiation doctor must decide that more radiation is safe. Past treatment side effects must be mild or gone, and radiation side effects must be fully gone. Extra rules apply if the treatment area had radiation meant to cure the cancer.
- Meet blood test requirements for blood cells, kidney and liver health, and blood clotting.
- If able to become pregnant, have a negative blood pregnancy test within three days before treatment and use highly effective birth control. Men must use condoms. These protections must continue from consent until 28 days after treatment ends.
- Sign consent and permission to share health information, and be able to follow study instructions.
Who can't join
- Being pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Past use of methoxsalen, or unusual or allergic reactions to psoralen drugs or parts of the phosphor device used in treatment.
- A condition that makes you sensitive to light, or a missing lens in an eye.
- Known HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C infection; or an active infection needing treatment throughout the body. Some simple urinary infections may be allowed.
- Another active or growing cancer needing treatment, except certain skin, cervical, or bladder cancers. Some past cancers are allowed after five cancer-free years.
- Recent cancer treatment that acts throughout the body or use of an experimental drug. The waiting time is usually 28 days or the time for five drug half-lives, whichever is shorter. A half-life is the time it takes the body to clear half a drug.
- Serious heart problems, including uncontrolled heartbeat or blood pressure, severe heart failure, or a heart attack or unstable chest pain in the past six months.
- Other uncontrolled illness, mental health problems, or life circumstances that would prevent following study rules. The source's final exclusion rule is cut off.
Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.
Official eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Written informed consent and HIPAA authorization for release of personal health information. NOTE: HIPAA authorization may be included in the informed consent or obtained separately. 2. Age ≥ 18 years at the time of consent 3. ECOG Performance Status of ≤ 1 4. Subjects with histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced solid tumors which have progressed after standard therapy(ies), intolerant to standard therapy, refused standard therapy or for which no standard therapy(ies) exist. Furthermore, the tumor targeted for injections should be: 1. A non-visceral tumor, a metastatic lymph node, a metastasis from a visceral solid tumor provided the lesion is extravisceral, or a cutaneous tumor. Visceral tumors will not be treated. 2. The tumor must be measurable as per RECIST criteria. 3. The tumor should be directly accessible for injection or accessible with the use of ultrasound/CT guidance. 4. The tumor identified for injection should be selected so local control could potentially provide benefit to the patient. 5. 80% of the tumor must be accessible for injection with X-PACT (assessed by the treating physician) 6. The tumor must be superficial and not exceed a depth of 5 cm. 7. Eye or brain tumors will not be treated. 5. A patient with prior brain metastasis may be considered if they have completed their treatment for brain metastasis at least 4 weeks prior to day 1 of treatment, have been off of corticosteroids for ≥ 2 weeks, and brain metastases are asymptomatic. 6. The study site Radiation Oncologist Investigator/sub-investigator has determined additiional radiation delivered via X-PACT is appropriate given patient's prior radiation exposure. The treating Radiation Oncologist will review all prior radiation received to the proposed site of X-PACT treatment and assess the potential for unacceptable toxicity to the site or local organ(s) using QUANTEC. 7. All toxicities from prior therapy should be ≤Grade 1 before start of study treatment. All radiation associated toxicities must have completely resolved to be considered for inclusion into the study. 8. Demonstrate adequate organ function as defined in the table below: Hematological: White blood cell (WBC) ≥ 3 x 109/L Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) ≥ 1.5 x 109/L Platelet Count ≥ 100 x 109/L Hemoglobin (Hgb) ≥ 8 g/dL2 Renal: Serum creatinine OR Creatinine clearance ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) OR, in patients with a serum creatinine 1.5 x ULN, ≥ 60 mL/min as measured by a 24-hour urine collection or estimated by the Cockcroft and Gault formula Hepatic: Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × ULN (in patients with known Gilbert Syndrome a total bilirubin ≤3.0× ULN with direct bilirubin ≤1.5 X ULN) Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5 × ULN (or ≤ 5 if liver metastases are present) Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5 × ULN (or ≤ 5 if liver metastases are present) Coagulation: International Normalized Ratio (INR) ≤ 1.5 9. Females of childbearing potential (FCBP) must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 3 days prior to day 1 of treatment. NOTE: Females are considered of childbearing potential unless they are surgically sterile (have undergone a hysterectomy, bilateral tubal ligation, or bilateral oophorectomy) or are postmenopausal (at least 12 consecutive months with no menses without an alternative medical cause). 10. FCBP must be willing to use a highly effective contraceptive method (i.e., achieves a failure rate of \<1% per year when used consistently and correctly) from the time of informed consent until 28 days after treatment discontinuation. Contraceptive methods with low user dependency are preferable but not required (see table below, adapted from: http://www.hma.eu/fileadmin/dateien/Human\_Medicines/01-About\_HMA/Working\_Groups/CTFG/2014\_09\_HMA\_CTFG\_Contraception.pdf) Highly Effective Birth Control Methods: * combined (estrogen and progestogen containing) hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation o oral * intravaginal * transdermal * progestogen-only hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation o oral * injectable * implantable * intrauterine device (IUD) * intrauterine hormone-releasing system (IUS) * vasectomised partner * sexual abstinence 11\. Male patients must be willing to use condoms from the time of informed consent until 28 days after treatment discontinuation. For a non-pregnant FCBP partner, contraception recommendations should also be considered. 12\. As determined by the enrolling physician, ability of the patient to understand and comply with study procedures for the entire length of the study 13\. Patient is expected to have a life expectancy of at least 4 months 14\. If the proposed site of treatment with X-PACT had prior exposure to curative-intent radiation, the patient may be entered into the trial with the following provisions satisfied. * There is at least a 6 month wash out period from the last date radiation was received to assess for radiation toxicity. * If there was previous radiation toxicity at the proposed site of X-PACT, the toxicity resolved at least three months ago and the site did not involve a major organ. * The site investigator in addition to the radiation oncologist (as a part of criterion #6) has fully reviewed the subject's radiation history, has examined the area for radiation toxicity and assessed the cumulative dose for either 5 or 7 X-PACT treatments and determined they will not pose additional risk for radiation toxicity or re-activate any other previous toxicity. Exclusion Criteria: * Exclusion Criteria: 1. Pregnant or breastfeeding (NOTE: breast milk cannot be stored for future use while the mother is being treated on study.) 2. Prior exposure to methoxsalen 3. History of any of the following: a. Idiosyncratic or hypersensitivity reactions to any psoralen compounds or any of their excipients b. Light sensitive disease state c. Disease associated with photosensitivity including lupus erythematosus, porphyria cutanea tarda, erythropoietic protoporphyria, variegate porphyria, xeroderma pigmentosum and albinism d. Aphakia 4. History of idiosyncratic or hypersensitivity reactions to any of the phosphor device components 5. Known diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection (NOTE: testing not required) 6. Active infection requiring systemic therapy (NOTE: at discretion of investigator, patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infections may be eligible.) 7. Has a known additional other primary malignancy that is active and/or progressive requiring treatment; exceptions include basal cell skin cancer, in situ cervical or bladder cancer, or other cancer for which the patient has been disease-free for at least five years. 8. Systemic anti-cancer treatment within 28 days (or 5 half-lives, whichever is shorter) prior to day 1 of treatment 9. Treatment with any investigational drug within 5 half-lives or 28 days, whichever is shorter (or if half-life is unknown, within 28 days) prior to day 1 of treatment 10. Impaired cardiac function or clinically significant cardiac diseases, including any of the following: a. Uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia (patients with rate-controlled atrial fibrillation are not excluded) b. Uncontrolled hypertension (systolic BP \> 170 mmHg or diastolic BP \> 105 mmHg at screening) despite two concomitant antihypertensive therapies. c. Acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina ≤ 6 months prior to day 1 of treatment d. New York Heart Association Class III or IV congestive heart failure ( 11. Other uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements as determined by the investigator. 12. The tumor identified for treatment has a volume greater than 500 cc (Soft Tissue Sarcoma only). All other tumor types may have a maximum volume of 300 cc 13. Receiving or planned use of corticosteroids. Subjects will require a one-week washout period from prior corticosteroid use. Inhaled or topical steroids are permitted. 14. Subjects with active autoimmune disease requiring 10 mg or greater of prednisone and/or biologic agents. 15. Subjects with a history of pancreatitis or elevated baseline serum lipase without otherwise specified etiology. For the Expansion Cohorts, the inclusion criteria remain the same except for Inclusion Criteria #4 and #14 and which reads: 4\. Subjects with histologically and/or cytologically confirmed, inoperable locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer\* (TNBC Cohort) or advanced, metastatic or relapsed soft tissue sarcoma\*\* (STS Cohort). Furthermore, the tumor targeted for injections should be: 1. A non-visceral tumor, a metastatic lymph node, a metastasis from a visceral solid tumor provided the lesion is extravisceral, or a cutaneous tumor. Visceral tumors will not be treated. 2. The tumor must be measurable as per RECIST criteria, at least 1 cm for masses and 1.5 cm for lymph nodes. 3. The tumor should be directly accessible for injection or accessible with the use of ultrasound/CT guidance. 4. 80% of the tumor must be accessible for injection with X-PACT (assessed by the treating physician) 5. Up to 4 target lesions may be selected for injection in up to two radiation fields, but the radiation fields may not overlap, however, the total phosphors delivered may not exceed 840 mg for each treatment day (e.g. investigators may elect to treat only one very large tumor, two medium tumors, one large and one small tumor, or 4 very small tumors to ensure the total phosphors limit per treatment). Selected lesions must represent at least 50% of the tumor load by investigator determination. * For the TNBC Cohort, participants must have either unresectable, locally advanced, relapsed, refractory or metastatic disease with HER2 negative/low ER/PR status (\<10%) or HER2 negative/ER/PR negative. Patients determined to be HER2 ultra-low will not be enrolled. Furthermore, participants must have received at least one prior treatment (best medical treatment for cancer stage, PDL-1 status, BRCA 1 or 2 status and general health status) as per Figure 26-1 (see Protocol for schematic . Participants who are intolerant or refuse best medical care would also be eligible. * For the STS Cohort, participants must have received at least one prior treatment (best medical treatment recommended for the participants sub-type) for unresectable, locally advanced, relapsed, refractory or metastatic disease. Participants who are intolerant to or have refused best medical treatment for their subtype will also be eligible. Best medical treatment includes: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy (including doxorubicin, Trabectedin), gene therapy, targeted therapy (pazopanib) or antibody-drug conjugates. * 14 It is preferable to select tumors that have not been previously radiated, but if other options are not available and the tumor selected is in a field which received curative-intent radiation, then the participant may only be enrolled with the following provisions satisfied. * There is at least a 6 month wash out period from the last date radiation was received to assess for radiation toxicity. * If there was previous radiation toxicity at the proposed site of X-PACT, the toxicity resolved at least three months ago and the site did not involve a major organ. * The site investigator in addition to the radiation oncologist (as a part of criterion #6) has fully reviewed the subject's radiation history, has examined the area for radiation toxicity, has assessed the cumulative dose for total X-PACT treatments and determined they will not pose additional risk for radiation toxicity or re-activate any other previous toxicity. For the TNBC cohort the following exclusion criteria has been added: 17\. For the TNBC Cohort, patients determined to be HER2 ultra-low.
Study sites (4)
DC
- Sibley Hospital - Johns Hopkins University · Washington D.C., DC 20016Panagis Galiatsatos, MD · Study contactMore trials in Washington D.C.
NC
- Levine Cancer Institute · Charlotte, NC 28204Heather Neagle · Study contactShahab Babakoohi, MD · Study contactMore trials in Charlotte
- Duke University · Durham, NC 27710Betsy Sachs · Study contactWillam Eward, MD · Principal investigatorMore trials in Durham
SC
- Prisma Health · Greenville, SC 29605William J Edenfield, MD · Study contactMore trials in Greenville