Clinical trial Recruiting at 15 sites Phase 1 Interventional Ages 18 and up

KQB168 alone or with pembrolizumab for adults with advanced solid tumors

Official title: A Phase 1, Open-label, Multicenter, Dose Escalation Study Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of KQB168 as Monotherapy and in Combination With Pembrolizumab in Participants With Advanced Solid Malignancies

Run by Kumquat Biosciences Inc. · NCT06994806 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This will test whether daily KQB168, alone or together with pembrolizumab, can shrink tumors and is safe for adults with advanced solid cancers that have progressed after prior immunotherapy.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 1
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment84 (estimated)
SponsorKumquat Biosciences Inc.
Industry-sponsored
Drugs / interventionsimmunotherapy, pembrolizumab
Locations15 sites (Phoenix, Arizona and 14 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedJune 24, 2025
Main results expectedNovember 30, 2027
Study endsMay 31, 2028
Registry record updatedMarch 3, 2026
Trial IDNCT06994806 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Adults with histologically confirmed unresectable or metastatic solid tumors that have progressed on prior immunotherapy, with measurable disease and adequate organ function, represent the ideal candidates.

Probably not a fit

Patients with active primary central nervous system tumors, significant cardiac or lung disease, uncontrolled autoimmune conditions, problems with oral drug absorption, or those who have potentially curative treatment options are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.

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, dose-finding trial gives daily oral KQB168 either by itself or combined with pembrolizumab to adults with unresectable or metastatic solid tumors. The study escalates or adjusts doses to identify a safe and tolerable dose, monitors adverse events, measures tumor size by RECIST v1.1, and collects blood samples to study pharmacokinetics. Participants visit the clinic about eight times in the first eight weeks and then every three weeks for ongoing treatment and monitoring. Primary goals are safety, tolerability, how the drug behaves in the body, and preliminary evidence of tumor response.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, KQB168 could become a new option that shrinks or controls tumors in patients whose advanced solid cancers no longer respond to prior immunotherapy.

How similar studies have gone: Combining novel oral agents with pembrolizumab has produced responses in some early-phase studies for certain cancers, but KQB168 itself is experimental and has limited prior human data.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically confirmed diagnosis of solid tumor malignancy.
* Unresectable or metastatic disease that has progressed on immunotherapy.
* No available treatment with curative intent
* Adequate organ function
* Measurable disease per RECIST v1.1

Exclusion Criteria:

* Active primary central nervous system tumors
* Cardiac abnormalities
* History of lung diseases
* Any condition that may impair drug absorption or prevent oral dosing
* Known history of immune-mediated colitis and uncontrolled autoimmune diseases

Where it's running

  • Mayo Clinic - Phoenix
    Phoenix, Arizona, United States
    Recruiting
  • USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Los Angeles, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at HealthONE
    Denver, Colorado, United States
    Recruiting
  • Yale Cancer Center- New Haven
    New Haven, Connecticut, United States
    Recruiting
  • Mayo Clinic - Jacksonville
    Jacksonville, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • Florida Cancer Specialists - Sarasota
    Sarasota, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
Show 9 more locations
  • University of Iowa
    Iowa City, Iowa, United States
    Recruiting
  • Mayo Clinic - Rochester
    Rochester, Minnesota, United States
    Recruiting
  • Cleveland Clinic
    Cleveland, Ohio, United States
    Recruiting
  • NEXT Austin
    Austin, Texas, United States
    Recruiting
  • Mary Crowley Cancer Research Centers
    Dallas, Texas, United States
    Recruiting
  • UT MD Anderson Cancer Center - Houston
    Houston, Texas, United States
    Recruiting
  • NEXT Huston
    Houston, Texas, United States
    Recruiting
  • NEXT Oncology
    San Antonio, Texas, United States
    Recruiting
  • NEXT Virginia
    Fairfax, Virginia, United States
    Recruiting

Study contacts

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.