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Monoclonal Antibodies

Pembrolizumab + Temozolomide + TTFields for Glioblastoma (2-THE-TOP Trial)

Phase 2
Waitlist Available
Led By David Tran, MD, PhD
Research Sponsored by University of Florida
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Steroid dose equivalent to dexamethasone dose of ≤ 4mg daily at the time of starting adjuvant treatment
Patients must be at least 18 years of age
Must not have
Prior treatment with specific antibodies or drugs targeting T-cell co-stimulation or checkpoint pathways
Prior treatment with anti-angiogenic agents including bevacizumab
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up assessed up to 5 years
Awards & highlights
No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial is testing whether adding pembrolizumab to the standard treatment for glioblastoma (surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy) can help patients live longer without their disease progressing.

Who is the study for?
Adults with newly diagnosed Glioblastoma who've had surgery and radiotherapy can join. They must be healthy enough for further treatment, have a life expectancy of at least 3 months, and use effective contraception. Those with certain other cancers, previous treatments like anti-PD-1 or bevacizumab, implanted electronic brain devices, severe allergies to trial drugs, uncontrolled illnesses or active infections cannot participate.
What is being tested?
The study tests if adding Pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy drug) to Temozolomide chemotherapy and TTFields (Optune®), an electric field therapy, extends the time patients live without their brain cancer getting worse compared to past data.
What are the potential side effects?
Possible side effects include immune system reactions that may affect organs; skin reactions from Optune device; fatigue; nausea from Temozolomide; increased risk of infection due to Pembrolizumab's effect on the immune system.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
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I am taking a low dose of steroids, not more than 4mg of dexamethasone daily.
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I am 18 years old or older.
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I am eligible for high dose temozolomide and Optune therapy after my main treatment.
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I am able to care for myself but may not be able to do active work.
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My blood tests show my organs and bone marrow are working well.
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I've had the safest possible surgery and specific treatment for my brain tumor.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:
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I have been treated with drugs that target the immune system.
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I have previously been treated with medications that stop the formation of new blood vessels.
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I have been diagnosed with HIV.
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I have an active hepatitis B or C infection.
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I have not taken immunosuppressive drugs in the last 7 days.
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I have an active tuberculosis infection.
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I am taking more than 4 mg of steroids daily.
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My cancer has spread to the lining of my brain and spinal cord.
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I have had pneumonitis treated with steroids or have it now.
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I have multiple brain tumors that are separate from each other.
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My tumor is located in the lower part of my brain.
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I have had another type of cancer.
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I have a specific device implanted in my brain or a related condition.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~assessed up to 5 years
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and assessed up to 5 years for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Progression-free Survival Between the Groups From Time of Enrollment
Secondary study objectives
Augmentation of TTFields-initiated Glioma-specific Immune Reaction by Pembrolizumab
Number of Participants With Toxicities, Serious Adverse Events and/or Other Adverse Events Treated With Triple Combination Treatment
Overall Survival (OS)

Side effects data

From 2024 Phase 3 trial • 804 Patients • NCT03040999
64%
Radiation skin injury
63%
Stomatitis
58%
Anaemia
56%
Nausea
48%
Dry mouth
45%
Constipation
45%
Weight decreased
44%
Dysphagia
42%
Neutrophil count decreased
33%
Dysgeusia
33%
Vomiting
32%
Fatigue
31%
White blood cell count decreased
28%
Hypomagnesaemia
26%
Decreased appetite
25%
Hypothyroidism
25%
Hypokalaemia
24%
Lymphocyte count decreased
24%
Platelet count decreased
23%
Oropharyngeal pain
23%
Blood creatinine increased
22%
Diarrhoea
22%
Odynophagia
20%
Hypoacusis
20%
Alanine aminotransferase increased
20%
Hyponatraemia
19%
Tinnitus
19%
Oral candidiasis
19%
Asthenia
16%
Pyrexia
16%
Cough
15%
Aspartate aminotransferase increased
15%
Rash
14%
Insomnia
13%
Acute kidney injury
13%
Pharyngeal inflammation
13%
Pruritus
12%
Dysphonia
12%
Gamma-glutamyltransferase increased
11%
Pneumonia
11%
Dehydration
10%
Hyperthyroidism
10%
Hypoalbuminaemia
10%
Hypocalcaemia
10%
Headache
10%
Productive cough
9%
Neck pain
9%
Peripheral sensory neuropathy
8%
Gastrooesophageal reflux disease
8%
Hiccups
8%
Hyperglycaemia
8%
Hyperuricaemia
8%
Dizziness
8%
Hypophosphataemia
7%
Urinary tract infection
7%
Ear pain
7%
Localised oedema
7%
Hyperkalaemia
7%
Erythema
7%
Oral pain
6%
Abdominal pain upper
6%
Arthralgia
6%
Anxiety
6%
Febrile neutropenia
6%
Dyspepsia
6%
Saliva altered
5%
Back pain
5%
Oedema peripheral
5%
Hypertension
5%
Dyspnoea
4%
Nasopharyngitis
4%
Alopecia
4%
Dry skin
3%
Sepsis
3%
Pneumonia aspiration
3%
Trismus
3%
Pneumonitis
3%
Laryngeal oedema
2%
Malnutrition
2%
Pharyngeal haemorrhage
2%
Cellulitis
1%
Septic shock
1%
Clostridium difficile colitis
1%
Systemic infection
1%
Cardiac arrest
1%
Death
1%
Bronchitis
1%
Hepatitis
1%
Immune-mediated hepatitis
1%
Oesophagitis
1%
General physical health deterioration
1%
Hypophagia
1%
Tumour haemorrhage
1%
Cerebrovascular accident
1%
Syncope
1%
Acute respiratory failure
1%
Aspiration
1%
Colitis
1%
Mouth haemorrhage
1%
Hypersensitivity
1%
Acute myocardial infarction
1%
Abscess neck
1%
Device related infection
1%
Stoma site infection
1%
Vascular device infection
1%
Wound infection
1%
Hypercalcaemia
1%
Pulmonary embolism
1%
Respiratory failure
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Study treatment Arm
Placebo + CRT Followed by Placebo
Pembrolizumab + CRT Followed by Pembrolizumab

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group
All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Optune System combined with Temozolomide (TMZ) + PembrolizumabExperimental Treatment3 Interventions
Patients with newly-diagnosed GBM who undergo maximal safe resection (biopsy alone is eligible) followed by chemoradiation consisting of concomitant TMZ daily and radiation therapy (RT) with minimal RT will be eligible for this trial. Four to six weeks after finishing chemoradiation, patients will start monthly cycles of adjuvant TMZ. Treatment with Optune will start at approximately the same time as the first cycle of adjuvant TMZ and continue until second disease progression or a maximum of 2 years. Within one week after starting Cycle 2 of adjuvant TMZ and Optune therapy, patients will begin open-label treatment with pembrolizumab every 3 weeks until first disease progression or unacceptable toxicities or 2 years, whichever comes first.
Group II: Historical ControlExperimental Treatment2 Interventions
Historical control of patients treated with Optune System combined with Temozolomide alone from the EF-14 study will be compared with the Optune System combined with Temozolomide (TMZ) + pembrolizumab
Treatment
First Studied
Drug Approval Stage
How many patients have taken this drug
Pembrolizumab
2017
Completed Phase 3
~3150
Temozolomide (TMZ)
2005
Completed Phase 3
~760

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

University of FloridaLead Sponsor
1,400 Previous Clinical Trials
767,069 Total Patients Enrolled
12 Trials studying Glioblastoma
511 Patients Enrolled for Glioblastoma
NovoCure Ltd.Industry Sponsor
62 Previous Clinical Trials
5,950 Total Patients Enrolled
29 Trials studying Glioblastoma
3,696 Patients Enrolled for Glioblastoma
David Tran, MD, PhDPrincipal InvestigatorUniversity of Florida
2 Previous Clinical Trials
66 Total Patients Enrolled

Media Library

Pembrolizumab (Monoclonal Antibodies) Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT03405792 — Phase 2
Glioblastoma Research Study Groups: Optune System combined with Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab, Historical Control
Glioblastoma Clinical Trial 2023: Pembrolizumab Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT03405792 — Phase 2
Pembrolizumab (Monoclonal Antibodies) 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT03405792 — Phase 2
~5 spots leftby Nov 2025