Immune treatment for melanoma that has spread to the brain
Official title: Immune Therapy for Brain Metastasis
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11303348 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Seeing whether adding the blood-vessel drug bevacizumab to the immune drug pembrolizumab helps people with melanoma that has spread to the brain work better than immune therapy alone.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | April 18, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $550,079 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA269286-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11303348 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with melanoma that has metastasized to the brain, including those with untreated or newly diagnosed brain metastases who can receive immunotherapy and anti-VEGF treatment, would be the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without melanoma brain metastases, patients with other cancer types, or those who cannot tolerate immunotherapy or anti-VEGF drugs are unlikely to benefit from this work.
What this research studies
This work builds on earlier trials that treated people with melanoma brain metastases using the immune drug pembrolizumab and then tested pembrolizumab plus bevacizumab after promising early results. You may be asked to provide clinical information, blood samples, and tumor or brain tissue when available, and some experiments will use animal models and lab studies to understand how tumors interact with the brain's blood vessels and immune system. The team will combine clinical outcomes, imaging, and laboratory analyses to learn why the combination produced higher response rates and to search for ways to lower brain swelling and other complications. The goal is to refine treatments so future patients with brain metastases get better disease control with fewer side effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could increase tumor responses and survival for people with melanoma brain metastases while reducing brain swelling and treatment-related toxicity.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier trials reported a modest 26% response to pembrolizumab alone and a higher (~55%) response when bevacizumab was added, while dual checkpoint blockade (nivolumab plus ipilimumab) also shows activity but with greater toxicity.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jilaveanu, Lucia Beatrice — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Jilaveanu, Lucia Beatrice
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.