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

NK Cells Plus Immunotherapy for Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer Maintenance

Official title: A Randomized, Controlled, Open and Exploratory Clinical Trial of Immunization Combined With Allogeneic NK Cells in the Immune Maintenance Stage After First-line Treatment of Extensive Small Cell Lung Cancer

Run by Tianjin First Central Hospital · NCT07759856 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study tests whether adding allogeneic NK cell therapy to standard immunotherapy helps people with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer who have disease control after initial chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

More Small Cell Lung Cancer trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment42 (estimated)
SponsorTianjin First Central Hospital
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionsDuvalumab, atezolizumab, slulizumab, adbelimumab, toripalimab, chemotherapy, durvalumab, serplulimab, adebrelimab, immunotherapy
Locations1 site (Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality)
StatusRecruiting
StartedAugust 2026
Main results expectedAugust 2028
Study endsAugust 2029
Registry record updatedAugust 12, 2026
Trial IDNCT07759856 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Adults 18 years or older with extensive-stage SCLC who recently completed four cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy with at least two immunotherapy cycles and have stable disease, partial response, or complete response, as per RECIST 1.1.

Probably not a fit

Patients whose disease progresses after initial therapy or who cannot tolerate immunotherapy or NK cell infusions may not receive additional benefit.

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

What this trial studies

This phase 2 trial enrolls adults with extensive-stage SCLC who have completed four cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy with at least two cycles of immunotherapy and achieved disease control. Participants are adaptively randomized to receive either standard immunotherapy alone or standard immunotherapy plus 1 to 3 courses of allogeneic NK cell therapy given over 28 days, alongside ongoing immunotherapy. NK cell courses consist of six infusions delivered on Days 12–14 and 26–28 of the first two 21-day cycles. The trial uses immune checkpoint inhibitors chosen per major guidelines and continues treatment until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Primary aims include safety and feasibility of adding NK cells, with potential efficacy signals in progression-free or overall response rates.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, adding NK cell therapy could improve how long patients stay disease‑free or benefit from ongoing immunotherapy.

How similar studies have gone: Previous immunotherapy trials for extensive-stage SCLC show benefits with checkpoint inhibitors; adding NK cell therapy to immunotherapy is exploratory and has limited prior data.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* 1: Male or female, aged 18 years or above

  2: ECOG score 0-2

  3: metastatic or extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) confirmed by histology or cytology, followed by 4 cycles of platinum-based doublet-chemotherapy with at least 2 cycles of immune checkpoint inhibitor plus chemotherapy. And stable disease (SD), partial response (PR), or complete response (CR) as assessed by imaging (RECIST1.1 criteria) after the last treatment. (The checkpoint inhibitors used were those recommended by the NCCN, ESMO, and CSCO guidelines for extensivestage SCLC, including but not limited to: Duvalumab, atezolizumab, slulizumab, adbelimumab, toripalimab, etc.)

  4: After standard concurrent chemoradiotherapy, LS-SCLC could be enrolled in this study if sensitive relapse (relapse more than 6 months after the end of first-line treatment) progressed to extensive-stage (Ed) and met the inclusion criteria No.3;

  5: At least 4 weeks after major surgery or trauma, and the wound must be completely healed; At least 1 week after minor surgical procedures or trauma (e.g., tissue biopsy or fine-needle aspiration);

  6: Objective measurable lesions according to RECIST 1.1 criteria;

  7: predicted survival time ≥1 year;

  8: bone marrow function: ANC≥1.5×109/L, HB≥70 g/L (blood transfusion allowed), PLT≥80×109/L;

  9: Liver function: ALT≤3×ULN, AST≤3×ULN, TBIL≤2×ULN (patients with liver metastasis ALT≤5×ULN, AST≤5×ULN, TBIL≤2×ULN) Child-Pugh score ≤7; Renal function: uric acid \<500 μmol/L, serum creatinine \<1.7 mg/dL, proteinuria ≤2+ or ≤2g/24h, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) ≥60 ml/min/1.73m2;

  10: no history of autoimmune diseases or current autoimmune diseases;

  11: The subjects voluntarily participated in the study, signed the informed consent form, communicated well with the investigators, and completed the study in accordance with the protocol.

Exclusion Criteria:

* 1:Participate in other clinical trials or use other research drugs or equipment within 4 weeks of the first treatment.

  2: During the screening period and previous imaging evaluation, active or untreated CNS metastasis was found by CT scanning or MRI. Patients with asymptomatic CNS metastasis who had been treated in the past can participate in this study as long as they meet all the following criteria: corticosteroids are not needed to treat CNS diseases, and imaging examination has not found any progress from the end of CNS directional treatment to the screening period。 If new asymptomatic CNS metastases are found in patients during the screening period, they must undergo radiotherapy and/or CNS metastasis surgery

  3: The effusion in the third space with clinical symptoms needs repeated drainage (for example, less than once every four weeks), such as pericardial effusion, pleural effusion and peritoneal effusion that are still uncontrollable after pumping or other treatments

  4: Live vaccine was inoculated within 30 days before the first administration of the study drug. Live vaccines include but are not limited to measles, mumps, minute needle, chickenpox/herpes zoster, rabies, BCG, typhoid vaccine, etc. Seasonal influenza vaccine for injection is generally inactivated virus vaccine, which is allowed to be used.

  5: The patient is known to have other malignant tumors, which are progressing or need active treatment in the past 3 years (except for in situ cancer or localized prostate cancer supplemented by PSA test)

  6: Received major surgery, open surgical biopsy or severe traumatic injury 28 days before joining the group.

  7: Clinically related or preexisting interstitial lung disease

  8: Severe unhealed wound, ulcer or fracture

  9: Suffering from autoimmune diseases requiring systemic treatment in the past 2 years

  10: Unstable systemic concomitant diseases (active infection, moderate and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, poorly controlled hypertension, unstable angina pectoris, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, pulmonary embolism or untreated history of Grade 3 deep vein thrombosis (DVT) within 6 months, serious mental disorder requiring drug control, liver, kidney or other metabolic diseases, neuropsychiatric diseases such as Alzheimer's disease).

  11: According to the judgment of the researcher, there are patients with accompanying diseases that seriously endanger the safety of patients or affect the completion of the study.

Where it's running

  • Tianjin First Central Hospital
    Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, China
    Recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

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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.