Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Phase 2 Interventional Ages 18 and up

Bladder cancer: test a biomarker-guided plan after neoadjuvant therapy

Official title: GU-254: A Phase II Trial of Risk-Enabled Therapy After Initiating Neoadjuvant Enfortumab Vedotin/Pembrolizumab for Bladder Cancer (RETAIN-3)

Run by Fox Chase Cancer Center · NCT07908979 · Data updated 2026-11-12

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.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment70 (estimated)
SponsorFox Chase Cancer Center
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionsenfortumab, pembrolizumab, chemotherapy, prednisone
Locations1 site (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
StatusRecruiting
StartedOctober 16, 2026
Main results expectedOctober 1, 2029
Study endsNovember 1, 2031
Registry record updatedNovember 2, 2026
Trial IDNCT07908979 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are adults with cT2-T3N0M0 muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder who have received neoadjuvant therapy and are suitable for biomarker-guided management.

Probably not a fit

Patients with metastatic disease, non-muscle-invasive histology, or unfavorable biomarkers may not benefit from bladder-preserving strategies.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

RETAIN-3 is a multicenter, open-label phase II trial in people with cT2-T3N0M0 muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. Participants receive neoadjuvant enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab, followed by clinical restaging and biomarker assessments to decide the next steps. Depending on response and biomarkers, management may include active surveillance, maintenance therapy, cystectomy, or chemoradiation. The goal is to see if a biomarker-guided approach can maintain oncologic control while preserving the bladder in selected patients.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the trial could allow some patients to avoid radical surgery and keep their bladder without compromising cancer control.

How similar studies have gone: Previous biomarker-guided approaches in bladder cancer have shown potential, but this specific strategy is exploratory and builds on emerging evidence.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Primary urothelial or predominantly urothelial carcinoma of the bladder confirmed from pathology report. Patients with some component of variant histology mixed with predominant urothelial carcinoma will be allowed. Upper tract urothelial carcinoma patients are not allowed.
* Urothelial carcinoma of the prostatic urethra in men is allowed
* Histologic evidence of muscularis propria invasion.
* AJCC(22) clinical stage T2-T3 N0M0.
* No radiographic evidence of lymph node positive disease as per RECIST 1.1 (≥15 mm short axis diameter). If a lymph node is greater than 1.5 cm, it must be biopsy proven negative for the patient to be eligible.
* No metastatic disease (M0).
* ECOG performance status 0, or 1.
* Negative pregnancy test in women of child bearing potential within 72 hours of the first dose of study treatment.
* Normal organ and bone marrow function

Exclusion Criteria:

* Any component of small cell histology.
* Prior systemic chemotherapy for muscle-invasive urothelial cancer of the bladder.
* Uncontrolled diabetes (HbA1c \>8.5%)
* Pre-existing sensory or motor neuropathy grade \> 2
* Has a known additional malignancy that has had progression or has required active treatments in the last two years except for locally curable cancers that have been apparently cured. Exceptions include basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that has undergone potentially curative therapy or in situ cervical cancer. Patients with intermediate or low risk prostate cancer as defined by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) risk stratification guidelines may be eligible for enrollment.
* Patients who have received experimental agents within 4 weeks of study entry.
* Patients who have received enfortumab vedotin based treatment in the past.
* Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection (defined by current oral or intravenous antibiotic therapy), symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.
* Pregnant women are excluded from this study due to the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects of cytotoxic therapy.
* HIV-infected patients on effective anti-retroviral therapy with an undetectable viral load are eligible
* Any condition requiring systemic treatment with corticosteroids (\> 10 mg daily prednisone or equivalent) or other immunosuppressive medications within 7 days prior to first dose of study drug. Inhaled or topical steroids and adrenal replacement steroid doses \< 10 mg daily prednisone or equivalent are permitted in the absence of active autoimmune disease. Use of steroids as pre-medication for contrast allergy prior to PET scans or CT scans is permitted.
* History of autoimmune disease including but not limited to myasthenia gravis, myositis, autoimmune hepatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, vascular thrombosis associated with antiphospholipid syndrome, Wegener's granulomatosis, Sjögren's syndrome, Guillain-Barré syndrome, multiple sclerosis, vasculitis, or glomerulonephritis. Any history of autoimmune disease not explicitly listed above should be evaluated by the Principal Investigator and may result in exclusion based on clinical judgment.
* Prior treatment with CD137 agonists, anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1), or anti-PD-L1 therapeutic antibody or pathway-targeting agents. Has had an allogenic tissue/solid organ transplant.
* Treatment with systemic immunostimulatory agents (including but not limited to interferons or interleukin \[IL\]-2) within 4 weeks or five half-lives of the drug, whichever is shorter, prior to enrolment.
* Allergy to EV, pembrolizumab or any excipient in the products

Where it's running

  • Fox Chase Cancer Center - Philadelphia
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
    Recruiting

Study contacts

  • Principal investigator: Pooja Ghatalia, MD — Fox Chase Cancer Center
  • Study coordinator: Investigator-Sponsored Research Unit ISRU
  • Email: protocoldev@fccc.edu
  • Phone: 2678388380

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.