Aglatimagene Besadenovec with Prodrug and Pembrolizumab vs Docetaxel for Advanced Non-Squamous NSCLC
Official title: A Phase 3, Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled, Open-Label Clinical Trial of Aglatimagene Besadenovec (CAN-2409) Plus Prodrug and Pembrolizumab Versus Docetaxel for Stage IV Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Progressing on Pembrolizumab-based Treatment
Run by Candel Therapeutics, Inc. · NCT07660094 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This phase 3 trial tests whether giving aglatimagene besadenovec with a prodrug and pembrolizumab works better than standard chemotherapy (docetaxel) for adults with stage IV non-squamous NSCLC that progressed on pembrolizumab.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 3 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 500 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Candel Therapeutics, Inc. Industry-sponsored |
| Drugs / interventions | pembrolizumab, bevacizumab, ramucirumab, ipilimumab, chemotherapy, prednisone, Immunotherapy |
| Locations | 1 site (New York, New York) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | June 15, 2026 |
| Main results expected | October 22, 2031 |
| Study ends | October 22, 2031 |
| Registry record updated | June 22, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07660094 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults (18+) with metastatic stage IV non-squamous NSCLC, measurable thoracic lesions suitable for injection, and progression on pembrolizumab after platinum-based therapy.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients without measurable injectable lesions or who do not respond to the combination may not experience benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
In this randomized phase 3 study, adults with metastatic non-squamous NSCLC previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy and pembrolizumab are assigned to receive intratumoral injections of aglatimagene besadenovec plus a prodrug and pembrolizumab, or standard docetaxel chemotherapy. The treatment aims to induce tumor cell death and stimulate an immune response, potentially enhancing the effect of pembrolizumab. Primary outcome is overall survival, with secondary goals including patient-reported outcomes and safety. Eligible patients must have measurable, injectable thoracic lesions and documented progression after pembrolizumab treatment. The trial is sponsored by Candel Therapeutics, conducted at NYU Langone Health, and uses a two-arm randomization to compare the new combination to standard therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the combination could improve overall survival and quality of life for patients with advanced NSCLC who have progressed on pembrolizumab.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies exploring tumor-directed gene therapy and immunotherapy have shown potential, but this exact combination is investigational with limited prior success data.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
1. Age ≥ 18 years, at the time of signing the informed consent.
2. Histologically confirmed metastatic Stage IV non-squamous NSCLC.
3. Measurable disease per RECIST v1.1 with at least 1 thoracic lesion amenable to intratumoral injection (e.g., pathological lymph node or lung lesion).
Note: Able to be reached by bronchoscopy (including robotic bronchoscopy or flexible bronchoscopy with or without endobronchial ultrasound), or by percutaneous injection.
4. Documented radiographic progression observed in at least 3 consecutive scans or according to RECIST v1.1 criteria after a minimum of 12 weeks on continued pembrolizumab, determined by central review.
Note: Participants on a pembrolizumab-based regimen should have achieved a best overall response (BOR) of at least SD (e.g., participants with a BOR of PD while on pembrolizumab are not eligible).
5. Prior treatment requirements:
1. Must have received platinum-based chemotherapy in any line of therapy.
2. May have received pembrolizumab therapy in combination with chemotherapy or sequentially. Note: The participant must be currently progressing on pembrolizumab or a pembrolizumab-based regimen.
6. ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 at screening.
7. Has adequate bone marrow function, defined as:
1. Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm3.
2. Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL (
3. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1500/mm3
8. Has adequate organ function, defined as: a) Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5 ×upper limit of normal (ULN); (≤ 5.0 × ULN if transferase elevation is due to liver metastases) AND b) Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × ULN (\< 3.0 × ULN in the presence of documented Gilbert's syndrome \[unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia\] or liver metastases at baseline). c) Creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min as calculated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation). d) International normalized ratio (INR) \< 1.5 without anticoagulants, INR \< 3 if on prophylactic anticoagulation therapy.
e) Prothrombin time (PT) and either partial thromboplastin (PTT) or activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) ≤ 1.5 × ULN.
9. Completion of prior therapy with required washout and recovery:
* Cytotoxic chemotherapy: \> 14 days from the last dose.
* Monoclonal antibodies (e.g., bevacizumab, ramucirumab): ≥ 5 half-lives or ≥ 42 days, whichever is longer.
* Recovered to ≤ Grade 1 from prior therapy-related clinical toxicities (except alopecia and stable endocrine replacement).
10. Projected life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks (or 3 months) in the opinion of the Investigator.
11. Pregnancy test (for females of childbearing potential) negative at screening.
12. Male and female individuals of childbearing potential who engage in heterosexual intercourse must agree to use protocol-specified method(s) of contraception.
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants meeting any exclusion criteria for this trial will be disqualified from entering the study.
1. Has a known actionable genomic alteration, including EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 rearrangements, for which approved targeted therapy exists. Participants who are receiving or have previously received tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy targeting EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 are excluded.
2. Prior therapy with docetaxel either as monotherapy or in combination with other agents.
3. Prior treatment with CTLA-4 inhibitor (e.g., ipilimumab).
4. History of severe irAEs related to ICI.
5. Has a known history of active autoimmune disease requiring systemic immunosuppressive therapy within the past 2 years is excluded. Note: Participants receiving physiologic corticosteroid replacement (e.g., ≤ 10 mg/day prednisone equivalent) are eligible.
6. History of hypersensitivity or allergic reactions to valacyclovir.
7. Active, uncontrolled, clinically significant bacterial, fungal, or viral infection, or any ongoing infection requiring systemic therapy.
8. Clinically active central nervous system (CNS) metastases or leptomeningeal disease. Evidence of new or progression of CNS confirmed by imaging during the study screening.
9. Persistently symptomatic bone metastases.
10. Has liver metastases involving more than half of the liver.
11. Prior radiotherapy within 2 weeks of the start of the study drug.
12. Has a known history of active interstitial lung diseases (ILD) (≥ grade 2) or noninfectious pneumonitis requiring active therapy, or for whom suspected ILD/pneumonitis cannot be ruled out by imaging at screening, or clinically severe pulmonary compromise due to intercurrent pulmonary illness and/or pulmonary disorder (e.g., severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, restrictive lung disease, etc.) requiring supplemental oxygen (\>2L/min at rest) or any autoimmune, connective tissue or inflammatory disorders with active pulmonary involvement (i.e., rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, sarcoidosis, etc.), or any prior pneumonectomy.
13. Receiving or anticipated to receive investigational agents or has used an investigational device within 4 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug.
14. Ongoing clinically significant toxicity (\> Grade 2 except alopecia), associated with prior treatment including systemic therapy, radiotherapy, or surgery.
15. Has a known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and/or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related illness.
16. Has a known active or known prior history of Hepatitis B (HBV) infection (e.g., hepatitis B virus surface antigen \[HBsAg\] reactive or detectable quantitative levels of HBV DNA) or known active Hepatitis C (HCV) (e.g., hepatitis C virus RNA \[quantitative\] is detected).
17. Has an uncontrolled or significant heart disease, defined as:
1. Mean QT interval corrected for heart rate using Fridericia's formula (QTcF) prolongation \> 470 msec (based on the average of Screening triplicate 12-lead electrocardiogram \[ECG\] determinations).
2. Myocardial infarction or uncontrolled/unstable angina within 6 months before randomization.
3. Congestive heart failure (CHF) (New York Heart Association \[NYHA\] Class II to IV) at Screening (see Appendix 12.3).
4. Uncontrolled or significant cardiac arrhythmia (i.e., ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation), high-grade atrioventricular block, or other cardiac arrhythmias requiring anti-arrhythmic medications (except for atrial fibrillation that is well controlled with antiarrhythmic medication).
5. NYHA Class III or IV Functional Classification.
6. LVEF \< 40% by ECHO or MUGA scan within 28 days before randomization.
7. Uncontrolled hypertension (resting systolic blood pressure \> 180 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure \> 110 mmHg) within 28 days before randomization.
18. Has a concurrent malignancy requiring active systemic or local anti-cancer treatment except for the following:
* Adequately treated non-melanoma skin cancer (squamous or basal cell cancers).
* In situ cervical cancer that has been adequately treated.
* Early-stage malignancies under active surveillance or observation only, including but not limited to:
* Low-risk prostate cancer managed with active surveillance- Ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast managed with observation
19. Participants of childbearing potential, who are pregnant, lactating, or intend to become pregnant or father children during the study.
20. Any other significant physical and medical co-morbid conditions, including psychiatric conditions that, in the opinion of the Investigator, would impair study participation or cooperation.
Where it's running
-
Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health
New York, New York, United States Recruiting
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
First-line treatment with pembrolizumab, pemetrexed, and platinum with or without zoldonrasib for metastatic non-squamous NSCLC
This trial tests whether adding zoldonrasib to standard pembrolizumab and platinum chemotherapy helps people with untreated metastatic non-squamous NSCLC that has a RAS G12D mutation.
-
BL-M07D1 plus pembrolizumab for advanced HER2‑overexpressing non-squamous NSCLC
This treatment combines BL-M07D1 with pembrolizumab to see if it helps people with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic HER2‑overexpressing non‑squamous non‑small cell lung cancer.
-
Comparing Rilvegostomig and Pembrolizumab with Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer
This study is testing whether a new drug called rilvegostomig or pembrolizumab, both used with chemotherapy, can help people with advanced lung cancer whose tumors have a specific marker.
-
Lenvatinib and Pembrolizumab With or Without SBRT for Metastatic Kidney Cancer
This study tests whether adding SBRT to standard lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab helps people with metastatic kidney cancer who have stable disease after initial treatment.
-
KRAS Inhibitor ETX-929 in advanced solid tumors
This trial tests ETX-929, alone or with cetuximab, in people whose cancers have KRAS mutations and have progressed after prior therapy.
-
Bladder cancer: test a biomarker-guided plan after neoadjuvant therapy
This phase 2 study tests a biomarker- and response-guided plan to preserve the bladder in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer after neoadjuvant therapy.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.