Combining Ibrutinib and Indoximod for Pediatric Brain Cancer Treatment
Official title: Repurposing Ibrutinib for Chemo-Immunotherapy in a Phase 1b Study of Ibrutinib With Indoximod Plus Metronomic Cyclophosphamide and Etoposide for Pediatric Patients With Brain Cancer
Run by Augusta University · NCT05106296 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new combination of two drugs, ibrutinib and indoximod, to see if they can safely help children and young adults with hard-to-treat brain tumors feel better.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 1 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 3 Years to 25 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 37 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Augusta University Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | bevacizumab, ibrutinib, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, cyclophosphamide |
| Locations | 1 site (Augusta, Georgia) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 8, 2022 |
| Main results expected | March 30, 2028 |
| Study ends | December 28, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | November 2, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT05106296 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are children and young adults aged 6 to 25 with relapsed or refractory ependymoma, medulloblastoma, glioblastoma, or other primary brain tumors.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with curative conventional therapy options available or those unable to swallow pills may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This phase 1 trial investigates the safety and optimal dosage of ibrutinib, a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in combination with indoximod, an IDO inhibitor, alongside a chemotherapy regimen for children and young adults aged 6 to 25 with relapsed or refractory primary brain tumors. The study aims to enhance anti-tumor immune responses by targeting metabolic checkpoints in tumor-associated antigen-presenting cells. Participants must have documented progressive disease and meet specific health criteria to be eligible for this innovative treatment approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could provide a new therapeutic option for pediatric patients with difficult-to-treat brain cancers.
How similar studies have gone: While this approach is innovative, similar studies combining immunotherapy with targeted therapies have shown promise, suggesting potential for success.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Diagnosis: * Patients must have prior documented progressive or refractory disease with histologically proven initial diagnosis of ependymoma, medulloblastoma, glioblastoma, or another type of primary cancer of the central nervous system with no curative conventional therapy options available. * Metastatic disease is acceptable. * Patients must have MRI confirmation (with and without gadolinium contrast) of current active disease. Patients must be able to swallow pills. Lansky or Karnofsky performance status score must be ≥ 50%. Adequate renal function: * Creatinine clearance (CLcr) \> 25 mL/min (by calculated methods) AND Creatinine ≤ 1.5-times upper limit of age-adjusted normal for age of patient. Adequate liver function: * Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 3-times upper limit of normal. * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 3-times upper limit of normal. * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5-times upper limit of normal unless bilirubin rise is due to Gilbert's syndrome or of non-hepatic origin. Adequate bone marrow function: * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1000/mm3 (independent of growth factor support). * Platelets ≥ 100,000/mm3 (independent of transfusion support). * Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL (independent of transfusion support). Seizure disorders must be well controlled on antiepileptic medication. Prior therapy: * Patients previously treated with chemotherapy drugs included in this protocol are eligible for enrollment. * At the time of Screening, patients must be at least 21 days from the administration of any investigational agent (other than indoximod) or prior cytotoxic therapy (including chemotherapy). * At the time of Screening, patients must be at least 28 days from administration of antibody-based therapies (e.g., bevacizumab), tumor-directed vaccines, or cellular immune therapies (e.g., T cells, NK cells, etc.). * At the time of Screening, patients must be at least 56 days from administration of tumor-directed therapies using infectious agents (e.g., viruses, bacteria, etc.). * At the time of Screening, patients must be at least 90 days from any radiation or proton therapy (all modalities, including radiosurgery) that targeted all sites of known disease. * There is no lock-out window for patients who were treated with focal radiation or focal proton therapy (all modalities, including radiosurgery) that did not target all disease sites, if at least one site of active tumor is expected to persist and/or grow. Concurrent anti-neoplastic therapy: * No investigational or commercial agents, including intrathecal drugs, other than that described by this clinical study protocol (GCC2020) may be administered with the intent to treat the patient's malignancy while they remain enrolled on this study. Contraception, pregnancy, and breastfeeding: * Women of childbearing potential and men who are sexually active must be practicing a highly effective method of birth control during and after the study. Men must agree to not donate sperm during and for 3 months after the study. * Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are ineligible for this study. * Patients who become pregnant while participating in this study will have to stop Study Therapy. Patients, or their parent for patients less than 18 years of age, must sign an Informed Consent Document indicating that they understand the purpose of and procedures required for the study, including biomarkers, and are willing to participate in the study. . Exclusion Criteria: Patients who are unable to swallow pills. Patients with known hypersensitivity to any drugs in the treatment plan. Patients with active autoimmune disease that requires systemic therapy. * Allergies, allergic conditions, and reactive inflammatory conditions that are not autoimmune in nature would not exclude patients (e.g., eczema, asthma, etc.). Pregnant or breastfeeding women. Major surgery or a wound that has not fully healed within 4 weeks of Screening. Known central nervous system lymphoma. Patients with active bleeding or history of thrombotic or hemorrhagic stroke, or intracranial hemorrhage, within 6 months prior to Screening; with the exception of retained blood products from recent prior uncomplicated surgery (e.g., tumor biopsy, debulking, or resection; VP shunt placement, etc.). Requires anticoagulation with warfarin or equivalent vitamin K antagonists (e.g., phenprocoumon). Requires chronic treatment with strong CYP3A inhibitor drugs. Clinically significant cardiovascular disease such as uncontrolled or symptomatic arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, or myocardial infarction within 6 months of Screening, or any Class 3 (moderate) or Class 4 (severe) cardiac disease as defined by the New York Heart Association Functional Classification. Patients with baseline QTc interval of more than 470 msec at the time of Screening, and patients with congenital long QT syndrome. Vaccinated with live, attenuated vaccines within 4 weeks of Screening. Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or active Hepatitis C Virus or active Hepatitis B Virus infection or any uncontrolled active systemic infection. Any life-threatening illness, medical condition, or organ system dysfunction which, in the investigator's opinion, could compromise the patient's safety, interfere with the absorption or metabolism of ibrutinib, indoximod, or chemotherapy, or put the study outcomes at undue risk.
Where it's running
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Augusta University, Georgia Cancer Center
Augusta, Georgia, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Theodore S. Johnson, MD, PhD — Augusta University
- Study coordinator: Theodore S. Johnson, MD, PhD
- Email: thjohnson@augusta.edu
- Phone: 706-721-4962
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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.