Cadonilimab plus high-dose interferon in neoadjuvant treatment for stage III/IV melanoma
Official title: Efficacy and Safety of Neoadjuvant Cadonilimab Plus High-Dose Recombinant Human Interferon α1b in Stage III/IV Melanoma: A Single-Center, Open-Label, Phase Ib Trial
Run by Xijing Hospital · NCT07586904 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests whether giving cadonilimab with high-dose interferon before surgery can shrink tumors in people with stage III or resectable stage IV melanoma and whether it is safe.
Quick facts
| Phase | Early Phase 1 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years to 75 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 10 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Xijing Hospital Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy, immunotherapy, prednisone, cadonilimab |
| Locations | 1 site (Xi'an) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | May 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 2026 |
| Study ends | June 2027 |
| Registry record updated | May 14, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07586904 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18-75 with histologically confirmed stage III or resectable stage IV melanoma, excluding mucosal/ocular primaries and unknown primary origin, who have not recently received PD-1/PD-L1/PD-L2 inhibitors, anti-CTLA-4, interferon, targeted therapy, radiotherapy, or systemic chemotherapy within the past month.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients whose tumors do not respond to the combination therapy or who experience intolerable toxicity may not benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is an early-phase interventional study evaluating a neoadjuvant combination of cadonilimab and high-dose recombinant human interferon α1b in patients with stage III or resectable stage IV melanoma. The study assesses tumor response by RECIST, pathological response after surgery, and safety outcomes including adverse events. Exploratory aims include linking response to PD-L1 expression, CD8+ T-cell infiltration, and tumor mutational burden. Primary purpose is to generate preliminary efficacy and safety data to inform future multicenter trials. Conducted at Xijing Hospital with collaboration from Air Force Medical University Xi'an in China.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants may experience tumor shrinkage before surgery and potentially improved outcomes after resection.
How similar studies have gone: Early-phase trials in related immunotherapy combinations have shown activity in melanoma, but this specific cadonilimab and high-dose interferon α1b neoadjuvant approach is novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
* Voluntarily participate in this trial, sign the informed consent form, and be between 18 and 75 years of age, regardless of gender.
* Patients with histopathologically or cytologically confirmed stage III or resectable stage IV malignant melanoma.
* Stage III is defined as the presence of at least one clinically accessible lymph node metastasis or in-transit metastasis.
* Resectable stage IV is defined as a single distant metastasis, excluding brain metastases or any other metastases that cannot be completely surgically resected.
* Mucosal or ocular melanomas are excluded.
* Melanomas of unknown primary origin are excluded.
* Have not received treatment with PD-1, PD-L1, or PD-L2 antibodies, anti-CTLA4 antibodies, interferon (IFN), targeted therapy, radiotherapy, or systemic chemotherapy within the past month.
* Have an expected survival period of ≥ 6 months.
* Have at least one measurable lesion according to RECIST version 1.1.
* Have an ECOG performance status score of 0 or 1.
* Have adequate organ function, as indicated by the following laboratory values (within 4 weeks prior to the start of study treatment):
1. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L
2. Platelets ≥ 100 × 10⁹/L
3. Hemoglobin ≥ 90 g/L (no blood transfusion within 14 days prior to enrollment)
4. Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 × upper limit of normal (ULN)
5. Serum total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × ULN
6. AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) ≤ 2.5 × ULN or ≤ 5 × ULN (for patients with liver metastases)
7. Prothrombin time (PT)/International Normalized Ratio (INR) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) ≤ 1.5 × ULN (unless the subject is receiving anticoagulant therapy, in which case PT or aPTT must be within the therapeutic range intended for the anticoagulant used).
8.Female patients of childbearing potential must have a negative urine or serum pregnancy test within 7 days prior to receiving the first dose of the study drug.
9.Female patients enrolled in the study must be willing to use appropriate contraception methods until 12 months after the last dose of the study drug.
Exclusion Criteria:
* The patient is currently participating, or has participated within 4 weeks prior to the first dose of the study drug, in another interventional clinical trial of drugs or medical devices.
* The patient has received any anti-tumor therapy within the past month, including but not limited to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy (e.g., anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, or anti-CTLA-4 antibodies, or any other antibody targeting T-cell co-regulatory pathways), etc.
* The patient has received systemic steroid therapy (\>10 mg/kg prednisone or equivalent) within two weeks prior to the first dose, or any other form of immunosuppressive medication.
* The patient has a known history of hematologic malignancy, primary brain tumor, sarcoma, or another primary solid tumor, unless the patient has been cured and has had no evidence of recurrence for 5 years. Exceptions include cured basal cell carcinoma of the skin and carcinoma in situ of the cervix.
* The patient has known central nervous system metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis.
* The patient has a history of severe hypersensitivity to another monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy.
* The patient has had an active autoimmune disease requiring systemic treatment (e.g., with corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs) within the past 2 years, and related replacement therapies (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement for renal or pituitary insufficiency). Exceptions include patients with vitiligo, type I diabetes, childhood asthma/atopy.
* Other severe, uncontrolled concomitant diseases that may affect protocol compliance or interpretation of results, including active opportunistic or advanced (severe) infections; uncontrolled diabetes; cardiovascular disease (e.g., Class III or IV heart failure as defined by the New York Heart Association classification, second-degree or greater heart block, myocardial infarction within the past 6 months, unstable arrhythmias or unstable angina, cerebral infarction within 3 months); pulmonary disease (interstitial lung disease, obstructive pulmonary disease, history of symptomatic bronchospasm); HIV positivity; HCV positivity; HBsAg or HBcAb positivity with detectable HBV DNA (quantitative limit ≥500 IU/mL); or a documented history of tuberculosis.
* The patient has received a live vaccine within 4 weeks prior to the first dose; hematopoietic growth factors (e.g., colony-stimulating factors, erythropoietin) within 2 weeks prior to treatment initiation; or major surgical procedures (excluding diagnostic surgery) within 2 weeks prior to treatment initiation.
* The patient has a known psychiatric or substance use disorder that would interfere with cooperation with trial requirements.
* The patient is pregnant or breastfeeding, or plans to become pregnant or father a child during the study period.
* Any other severe, acute, or chronic medical or laboratory abnormality that, in the investigator's judgment, could increase the risk associated with study participation or could interfere with the interpretation of study results.
Where it's running
-
Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
Xi'an, China Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Weinan Guo
- Email: guown@fmmu.edu.cn
- Phone: + 86-29-84775406
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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.