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NCT01753089CompletedPhase 1

Dendritic Cell Activating Scaffold in Melanoma

A Phase I Trial of a Dendritic Cell Activating Scaffold Incorporating Autologous Melanoma Cell Lysate (WDVAX) in Metastatic Melanoma Patients

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 15 Sept 2025

Brief summary (registry, in English)

This research study is a Phase I clinical trial. Phase I clinical trials test the safety of investigational melanoma vaccines. Phase I studies also try to define the appropriate dose of the investigational vaccine, in this case WDVAX, to use for further studies. "Investigational" means that the vaccine is still being studied and that research doctors are trying to find out more about it. It also means that the FDA has not yet approved WDVAX for any use in patients, including people with Melanoma. The purpose of this study is to determine if it is possible to make a vaccine against melanoma by using your own melanoma tumor cells and combining them with other proteins which activate the immune system. We hope that by combining the cells and the proteins in this way that the vaccine will cause your own immune system to react against your melanoma tumor cells. The purpose of this study is also to determine the safest way to give this vaccine with the least amount of side effects. Each vaccine will contain your own tumor cells which have been killed by a freezing and thawing process which destroys the cells but keeps the proteins from the melanoma cells. This is called a "tumor lysate" Your tumor lysate is combined with other proteins which activate the immune system. The other proteins are called GM-CSF and CpG. All of this is held together to form a "tablet" or "scaffold" which is about the size of a regular aspirin tablet. The material that holds the protein together is called PLGA. PLGA is the same material that doctors use for "dissolvable stitches" If you have ever had a problem with these types of stitches in the past, be sure to let your study doctor know about this.

Status (registry)
Completed
Phase (registry)
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
23 (actual)
First submitted
17 Dec 2012
Start date
Jun 2013
Primary completion date
4 Aug 2025
Lead sponsor
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Diseases
Melanoma
NCT number
NCT01753089

What you commit to

  • Study type: Interventional · Phase 1
  • Participants enrolled: 23
  • From Jun 2013 to the primary completion date, 4 Aug 2025
  • 2 sites in 1 country
  • Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them

Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.

Who cannot take part

Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.

Prior treatment

  • Receiving other investigational study agents

Other illness

  • Known allergy or adverse reaction to PLG
  • Active autoimmune disease requiring treatment for suppression of inflammation
  • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness
  • History of a different malignancy unless disease-free for at least 5 years or diagnosed and treated cervical cancer in situ, basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
  • HIV positive

Other

  • Pregnant or breastfeeding

Who the study is looking for

  • Histologically or cytologically confirmed Stage IV melanoma
  • Life expectancy of 6 months or greater
  • At least four weeks since treatment
  • Recovered from any acute toxicity associated with prior therapy
  • At least 8 weeks since treatment with any check point blockade agent

Age in the registry: 18 years to - · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers

Full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov

Sites (2)

Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.

SiteCityCountrySite status
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
BostonUnited StatesUnknown status
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
BostonUnited StatesUnknown status

This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.