Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Phase 2 Interventional Ages 18 to 95

Ruxolitinib plus pembrolizumab for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas

Official title: A Phase II Trial of JAK Inhibitor Added to Immunotherapy for Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory T-cell Lymphoma and 9p Amplified Lymphomas

Run by Columbia University · NCT07283822 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This trial will try adding ruxolitinib to pembrolizumab to see if it is safe and helps people whose Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphomas have come back or did not respond to prior treatment.

More Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years to 95 Years
SexAll
Enrollment53 (estimated)
SponsorColumbia University
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionsalemutuzumab, pembrolizumab, ruxolitinib, CAR-T, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation, prednisone
Locations1 site (New York, New York)
StatusRecruiting
StartedDecember 3, 2025
Main results expectedJanuary 2028
Study endsJanuary 2029
Registry record updatedDecember 16, 2025
Trial IDNCT07283822 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are adults with histologically confirmed relapsed or refractory PTCL, CTCL, HL, PMBCL, or GZL who have received at least one prior systemic therapy and meet the subtype‑specific prior CD30 therapy requirements.

Probably not a fit

Patients with newly diagnosed disease, those who cannot discontinue prior therapies as required, or those with contraindications to immunotherapy or JAK inhibitors are unlikely to benefit from this trial.

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, single-center trial gives ruxolitinib together with pembrolizumab to patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T‑cell lymphomas (PTCL), cutaneous T‑cell lymphomas (CTCL), and an exploratory group including classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), primary mediastinal B‑cell lymphoma (PMBCL), and gray zone lymphoma (GZL). Participants are enrolled into three arms (PTCL, CTCL, and an exploratory HL/PMBCL/GZL cohort) with disease confirmed by histology. The trial's key goals are to measure complete remission rate in the PTCL arm and overall response rate in the CTCL arm while monitoring safety and tolerability across cohorts. All participants must have had at least one prior systemic therapy, and certain CD30‑expressing subtypes must have received prior CD30‑directed therapy.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the combination could increase response rates and duration of remission for patients with relapsed or treatment‑resistant lymphomas who have limited options.

How similar studies have gone: Prior early‑phase studies combining JAK inhibition with PD‑1 blockade and prior pembrolizumab experience in these lymphomas have shown promise, but this specific ruxolitinib plus pembrolizumab combination in these indications remains investigational.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* (1) Histologically confirmed relapsed/refractory HL, PMBCL, GZL, and TCL including the below subtypes:

  * Arm 1: PTCL

    * Nodal PTCL Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma- Not Otherwise Specified (PTCL-NOS)
    * Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL) T-follicular Helper Lymphomas (TFH) and its subtypes including angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphoma (AITL)
    * Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma
    * Subcutaneous Panniculitis T-Cell Lymphoma
  * Arm 2: CTCL

    * Mycosis Fungoides
    * Sezary Syndrome
  * Arm 3: exploratory cohort

    * Classic HL
    * PMBCL
    * GZL
* (2) All patients must have received at least one-line systemic therapy.

  * Patients with systemic ALCL must have received prior CD30-directed therapy.
  * Other PTCL subtypes that express CD30 (\>10%), must have received prior CD30-directed therapy.
  * Special Consideration for CTCL in Arm 2:

    * Systemic therapies including bexarotene (targretin) are permissible up to 2 weeks prior to enrollment.
    * Skin directed therapies including light therapy/phototherapy, extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP), topical steroids, or mechlorethamine (valchlor) gel are NOT considered a systemic line of therapy when given alone.
    * Treatment with radiation, phototherapy, histone deacetylase inhibitor, retinoids, interferons, therapeutic doses of systemic corticosteroids, or denileukin diftitox (18 µg/kg/day) up to 2 weeks prior to enrollment is allowed.
    * Treatment with alemutuzumab up to 8 weeks prior to enrollment is permissible.
* (3) Patients must not have had chemotherapy or immunotherapy within 2 weeks prior to entering the study and must have recovered from adverse events (to grade 1 or less)
* (4) Anti PD-1/PDL-1is permissible up to two weeks prior to enrollment.
* (5) Age ≥ 18
* (6) Participants must have measurable disease, as defined in the protocol

  * Patients must have a PET-CT scan performed within ≤4 weeks.
  * Contrast enhanced CT scan or MRI of the neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis is permissible, however; PET is preferred.
* (7) Patients cannot have active central nervous system (CNS) disease. Patients that have been treated and asymptomatic are allowed on study.
* (8) All participants must be screened for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) with hepatitis B viral load and serologies (core antibody, surface antigen, and surface antibody) within 30 days prior to enrollment.

  * Patients with positive Hep B core will need to be on HBV prophylaxis
  * Patients with positive Hep B core will need to be on HBV prophylaxis.
* (9) Participants with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection must have been treated and cured. If actively on treatment, HCV viral load mut be undetectable 30 days prior to enrollment.
* (10) Participants with known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection are eligible providing they are on effective anti-retroviral therapy and have undetectable viral load at their most recent viral load test (must be within 26 weeks prior to enrollment).
* (11) Organ function as assessed by laboratory testing and Eastern Cooperate Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2 and or a Karnofsky performance score of equal or greater to 50 (see Section 20.1.1, Appendix A) for receipt of ruxolitinib and pembrolizumab.

  * Absolute Neutrophil Count ≥ 1000/μL (not growth factor independent)
  * Platelets ≥ 70,000/μL (or ≥50,000/mm3 if known bone marrow involvement with dose modifications allowed. See protocol for specific instructions for dose modifications).
  * Baseline hemoglobin level ≥ 8 g/dL (irrespective of bone marrow involvement).
  * Calculated creatinine clearance ≥ 30 ml/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula
  * Bilirubin ≤ 2 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
  * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5 × ULN
  * Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5 × ULN
* (12) Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
* (13) Patients with prior history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) that has been treated or actively requiring anticoagulation are permitted to enroll.
* (14) Due to the potential teratogenic effects, women of childbearing age must have a documented negative serum β-hCG measured within 2 weeks of starting treatment. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while she is participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician and Incyte immediately (see protocol). Additionally, both women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence).

Contraception should continue for 6 months after you stop taking study drug. Similarly, women must agree to not breastfeed during the entirety of the study period.

Exclusion Criteria:

* 1\) Diagnosis of Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATLL)
* 2\) History of autoimmune disease that requires systemic treatment.
* 3\) Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or receiving immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of study drug.
* 4\) Actively chronic systemic steroids therapy (in dosing exceeding 10mg daily of prednisone or its drug equivalent).

  o Patients must be off steroid therapy exceeding 10mg or greater of prednisone (or its equivalent) at the start of therapy.
* 5\) Patients with HL and PMBCL patients must not be eligible and agreeable to autologous stem cell transplant.

  o Patients with PMBCL must not be eligible and agreeable to CAR-T.
* 6\) Allowed to have disease progression after or refractory to autologous bone marrow transplant.
* 7\) Progression after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) can be determined on a case-by-case basis after discussion with the primary investigator.
* 8\) History of solid organ transplant requiring active immunosuppression for which treatment with immunotherapy would be contraindicated.
* 9\) Active TB (Tuberculosis Bacillus) at time screening. Prior cases of adequately treated TB are permissible.
* 10\) Has severe hypersensitivity (≥ Grade 3) to pembrolizumab and/or any of its excipients.
* 11\) Has severe hypersensitivity (≥ Grade 3) to ruxolitinib and/or any of its excipients.

Patients with G1 and G2 hypersensitivity remain eligible.

* 12\) Inability to swallow or take medications by mouth
* 13\) Is pregnant or breastfeeding or expected to conceive children within the projected duration of the study, starting with the screening visit through 120 days after the last dose of trial treatment.
* 14\) History of concurrent and active malignancy for which he or she is currently receiving directed therapy for.
* 15\) History of major adverse cardiac events such as myocardial infraction or stroke within 6 months of enrollment. Cardiovascular events within 6 months such as pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis is permissible if on therapeutic treatment.
* 16\) Subjects with active, systemic, and uncontrolled bacterial, viral, or fungal infections at the time of screening will be excluded from study participation.

Exceptions include:

Infections that have been appropriately treated, with evidence of clinical resolution and return to baseline organ function within 14 days prior to study entry.

* Localized, non-systemic infections (e.g., uncomplicated urinary tract infections or cellulitis) that are being actively managed and are not associated with systemic symptoms.
* Please see section protocol for eligibility requirements specifically for HCV, HBV, HIV and Tuberculosis infections at time of screening.

Where it's running

  • Columbia University Irving Medical Center
    New York, New York, United States
    Recruiting

Study contacts

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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.