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

Triapine plus temozolomide for recurrent glioblastoma

Official title: A Phase 1 Adaptive Dose Escalation With Dose Expansion Study of Triapine in Combination With Temozolomide (TMZ) for Patients With Recurrent Glioblastoma

Run by Northwestern University · NCT06410248 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This trial tests whether adding the drug triapine to temozolomide helps people with recurrent IDH‑wildtype glioblastoma.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 1
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment22 (estimated)
SponsorNorthwestern University
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionsbevacizumab, chemotherapy, radiation
Locations1 site (Chicago, Illinois)
StatusRecruiting
StartedJuly 23, 2024
Main results expectedJuly 22, 2026
Study endsAugust 31, 2030
Registry record updatedSeptember 9, 2026
Trial IDNCT06410248 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are adults with histologically and molecularly confirmed IDH‑wildtype recurrent WHO grade 2–4 glioma (including glioblastoma) who have progressed after prior therapy and meet the protocol's surgical or non‑surgical group criteria with stable steroid dosing.

Probably not a fit

Patients with IDH‑mutant tumors, those unable to take oral medications, or those with uncontrolled medical conditions or infections are unlikely to benefit from or be eligible for this protocol.

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‑escalation trial gives oral triapine together with daily temozolomide to patients with recurrent IDH‑wildtype glioma to identify a recommended Phase 2 dose and characterize safety. Participants are assigned to groups for non‑surgical or surgically planned recurrent tumors, with triapine and temozolomide given on defined schedules (triapine PO days 1–5 of each cycle alongside daily temozolomide). Secondary endpoints include progression‑free and overall survival and overall response by RANO criteria, and exploratory work includes measuring drug levels in plasma and tumor tissue, methemoglobin monitoring, and quality‑of‑life assessments. The trial also collects biospecimens and imaging to correlate drug distribution with serum levels and clinical outcomes.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the combination could improve tumor control or extend survival for some patients with recurrent glioblastoma.

How similar studies have gone: Temozolomide is an established treatment, but combining it with triapine is experimental and prior early‑phase trials of similar combinations have shown mixed or limited success.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients must have histologically confirmed World Health Organization (WHO) grade 2-4 glioma, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wild type (WT) (by immunohistochemistry \[IHC\] R132H negative \[neg\] or sequencing). Astrocytoma with molecular features of glioblastoma (GBM). Confirmed diagnosis via molecular testing
* Patients must have an established diagnosis of recurrent glioblastoma and:

  * Group 1 and 2: recurrent glioblastoma
  * Group 3: Surgically amenable recurrent glioblastoma
* Patients must have stable or decreasing dose of corticosteroids equivalent to ≤ 6 mg dexamethasone, for ≥ 7 days prior to registration
* Patients with 3 or fewer lines of prior therapy
* Patients with a life expectancy of at least 3 months
* Patients with disease that has progressed after a standard or investigational first-line therapy (e.g. radiotherapy \[RT\], RT plus temozolomide) with or without tumor treating fields therapy (TTFields)

  * Note: Patients who have received fractionated first-line radiation therapy and no prior chemotherapy (e.g. as common practice for MGMT unmethylated tumors), or who have participated in an investigational protocol substituting TMZ for a novel agent are eligible
* Patients must be able to undergo contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
* Patients must be age ≥ 18 years
* Patients must exhibit a Karnofsky performance status ≥ 70
* Patients must have adequate organ and bone marrow function as defined below: Leukocytes (white blood cells \[WBC\]) ≥ 3,000/mcL, Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500/mcL, Hemoglobin (Hgb) ≥ 8 g/dL (transfusion may be used for eligibility outside of 7 days), Platelets (PLT) ≥ 100,000/mcL (transfusion or growth factor may be used for eligibility outside of 7 days), Total bilirubin ≤ 2 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase \[SGPT\]) ≤ 3 x institutional ULN, Creatinine ≤ 1.5 x institutional ULN, International normalized ratio (INR) ≤ 1.5 x ULN, Prothrombin time (PT)/partial thromboplastin time (PTT) ≤ 1.5 x ULN
* Patients with known history or current symptoms of cardiac disease, or history of treatment with cardiotoxic agents, should have a clinical risk assessment of cardiac function using the New York Heart Association Functional Classification. To be eligible for this trial, patients should be class 2B or better
* Patients of child-bearing potential (POCBP) must agree to use two forms of adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control, abstinence) from time of informed consent and for the duration of study participation. Patients who can impregnate their partners must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control, abstinence) from time of informed consent and for the duration of study participation

  * Should a patient become pregnant or suspect they are pregnant while they or their partner is participating in this study, they should inform their treating physician immediately.
  * Note: At the discretion of the investigator, acceptable methods of contraception may include total abstinence in cases where the lifestyle of the patient ensures compliance. (Periodic abstinence \[e.g., calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, postovulation methods\] and withdrawal are not acceptable methods of contraception.)
  * Note: A POCBP is any person with an egg-producing reproductive tract (regardless of gender, sexual orientation, having undergone a tubal ligation, or remaining celibate by choice) who meets the following criteria:

    * Has not undergone a hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, or bilateral oophorectomy
    * Has had menses at any time in the preceding 12 consecutive months (and therefore has not been naturally postmenopausal for \> 12 months) (in patients \> 45 years of age in the absence of other biological or physiological causes)

      * Potential POCBP who may be menopausal and are \< 55 years of age must have a serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level \> 40 mIU/mL to confirm menopause
      * Note: Documentation may include review of medical records, medical examination, or medical history interview by study site staff
* Patient must be willing and able to comply with the protocol for the duration of the study and provide written, signed, and dated informed consent prior to study registration.
* Patients must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients who have a prior or concurrent malignancy that may interfere with study treatment or safety

  * NOTE: Patients with a prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment does not have the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen are eligible, per principal investigator (PI) discretion
* Patients who are receiving any other investigational agents.

  * Exceptions: COVID-19 vaccine and treatment is allowed, per PI's discretion
* Patient's interval since last therapy ≥ 1 cycle or ≥ 2 biological half-lives, i.e.

  * ≥ 28 days since start of last cycle of temozolomide (cycle length-28 days)
  * ≥ 42 days since start of last cycle of lomustine or other nitrosourea (cycle length-42 days)
  * ≥ 21 days since start of last cycle of a small molecule targeted agent (cycle length-21 days)
  * ≥ 42 days from last bevacizumab infusion (cycle length-42 days)
* Patients who have a history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical composition to temozolomide or triapine
* Patients with brainstem, spinal cord and diffuse leptomeningeal dissemination.
* Patients with gliomatosis or multifocal disease
* Patients with a history of G6PD deficiency or other congenital or autoimmune hemolytic disorders. All participants will be screened for G6PD levels prior to registration
* Patients who have an uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to any of the following:

  * Have uncontrolled epilepsy
  * Have an uncontrolled intercurrent illness
  * Are pregnant or nursing
  * Concurrent malignancy (outside of glioblastoma) that requires tumor directed treatment
  * Known concurrent shingles, herpes, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection
  * Known concurrent opportunistic fungal infection
  * Known immunodeficiency that could lead to opportunistic infections
  * Psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
  * Any other illness or condition that the treating investigator feels would interfere with study compliance or would compromise the patient's safety or study endpoints
* Patients who are pregnant or nursing. Pregnant patients are excluded from this study because temozolomide is an alkylating agent with potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with temozolomide, breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with temozolomide
* Patients who are unable to swallow oral medication or have problems/diseases that affect absorption or oral medication
* Patients with a known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV). If patient does not have a known history testing will not be conducted

  * Note: Temozolomide is an immunosuppressive agent. Patients with a known history of HIV, HBV, and HCV, and unexplained opportunistic infections are not eligible due to safety reasons

Where it's running

  • Northwestern University
    Chicago, Illinois, 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.