DOC1021 dendritic cell vaccine for refractory melanoma

Clinical Study of DOC1021 Dendritic Cell Immunotherapy for Refractory Melanoma

This trial tests whether DOC1021, a personalized vaccine made from your own tumor and immune cells combined with weekly peginterferon (pIFN), is safe and can shrink tumors in people whose melanoma stopped responding to prior treatments including anti‑PD‑1 drugs.

Quick facts

• Phase: Phase1; Phase2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 35 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Diakonos Oncology Corporation (Industry-sponsored)
• Drugs / interventions: immunotherapy, radiation, methotrexate
• Locations: 2 sites (Birmingham, Alabama and 1 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT07288112 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a Phase 1/2 interventional study that first confirms the safety and tolerability of DOC1021 and peginterferon (phase 1) and then examines tumor responses in a single‑arm phase 2 cohort. Participants receive filgrastim to mobilize immune cells, undergo leukapheresis, and provide tumor tissue (biopsy or resection) used to make a personalized dendritic cell product loaded with tumor lysate and mRNA. Treatment consists of two image‑guided DOC1021 injections two weeks apart with weekly subcutaneous peginterferon for four doses, and an optional perinodal DOC1021 booster at about six months. The trial enrolls adults with unresectable or metastatic melanoma who have progressed after at least one prior systemic therapy including anti‑PD‑1 therapy and have at least one measurable lesion.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults with unresectable or metastatic melanoma that has progressed after at least one prior systemic therapy including anti‑PD‑1, who can provide sufficient tumor tissue for vaccine manufacture, undergo leukapheresis, and temporarily withhold anti‑PD‑1 therapy are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Patients who cannot provide adequate tumor tissue, cannot undergo leukapheresis, cannot pause anti‑PD‑1 therapy, or who have rapidly progressive or uncontrolled disease may not be helped by this approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the treatment could stimulate a patient’s own T cells to attack melanoma cells, potentially shrinking tumors or prolonging disease control.

How similar studies have performed: Prior dendritic cell and personalized tumor‑vaccine approaches have generated immune responses and occasional clinical benefit in melanoma, but consistent, durable tumor shrinkage has been limited, making this specific DOC1021 combination relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Provision of signed and dated informed consent form
2. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and avail-ability for the duration of the study
3. Age 18 years or older
4. Patients diagnosed with unresectable or metastatic melanoma and progressed following ≥1 prior systemic therapy including anti-PD-1 (i.e., refractory to anti-PD-1). Refractory defined as primary or secondary resistance as per SITC guidelines, except that confirmatory scan not required if clinical progression requiring surgery or radiation to relieve symptoms
5. Willing and able to withhold anti-PD-1 treatment from the time of enrollment through \~6 weeks after the first DOC1021 administration
6. One or more lesions available for biopsy or resection to yield at least 50 mg (e.g., 5 core biopsies) and preferably 100 mg of tumor for generating DOC1021 and at least 1 measurable target tumor lesion evaluable after DOC1021 by RECIST version 1.1.
7. Brain metastases allowed if stable after prior treatment
8. Ability to receive filgrastim (e.g. Neupogen), leukapheresis and perinodal injections of DOC1021 near regional nodes + weekly pIFN x 4 weeks.
9. Females of reproductive potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test and agree to use effective contraception (as deter-mined appropriate for the patient by the investigator) during study treatment.
10. Adequate kidney, liver, bone marrow function, and immune function, as follows:

    1. Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 gm/dL (use of transfusion or other intervention to achieve is acceptable)
    2. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500 cells/mm3
    3. Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm3
    4. Calculated creatinine clearance (CrCl) \> 30 mL/min using Cockcroft and Gault formula:

    i. For males = (140 - age\[years\]) x (body weight \[kg\]) / (72 x serum creatinine \[mg/dL\]) ii. For females = 0.85 x value from male formula e. Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) except in patients with Gilbert's disease for which total bilirubin must be ≤ 3 times ULN f. Aspartate transaminase AST (SGOT) and alanine aminotransferase ALT (SGPT) ≤ 3 times the ULN (or ≤ 5.0 × ULN if liver metastases)
11. Eastern Cooperative Group (ECOG) Performance Score 0 or 1

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
2. Known active HIV or hepatitis infection. Patients with HIV that is well-controlled and have undetectable viral titers remain eligible. Patients with history of HCV adequately treated such that RNA viral load is negative also remain eligible.
3. Any severe or uncontrolled medical condition or other condition that could affect participation in this study as determined by the investigator, including but not limited to uncontrolled or severe cardiac dis-ease, systemic autoimmune disorders requiring immunosuppression\*, autoimmune hyper/hypothyroidism, untreated viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis (\*autoimmune disorders include but are not limited to rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease and immunosuppressive medications include DMARDs like methotrexate, TNF inhibitors, IL-6 receptor blockers, CD80/86 inhibitors, anti-CD20 and JAK inhibitors)
4. Residual immune-related toxicities from prior immunotherapy \> Grade 1 severity. However, patients who experienced prior endocrine toxicity are eligible if well-controlled on replacement therapy.
5. Treatment with another investigational drug or other experimental intervention within the last 30 days.

Where this trial is running

Birmingham, Alabama and 1 other locations

• The University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, Alabama, United States (Recruiting)
• City of Hope — Duarte, California, United States (Recruiting)

Conditions Refractory Melanoma; Dendritic Cell Vaccine; Immunotherapy; Tumor Vaccine