NCT04877613Active, not recruitingPhase 1
GFRα4 CAR T Cells in MTC Patients
Phase I Trial of GFRα4 CAR T Cells in Adult Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 22 Jul 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
This is an open-label phase 1 study to assess the safety and feasibility of autologous T cells expressing a single-chain scFv targeting GFRα4 with tandem TCR/CD3ζ and 4-1BB (TCRζ/4-1BB) co-stimulatory domains (referred to as "CART-GFRa4 cells") in patients with incurable medullary thyroid cancer (MTC).
- Status (registry)
- Active, not recruiting
- Phase (registry)
- Phase 1
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 9 (actual)
- First submitted
- 3 May 2021
- Start date
- 19 Aug 2021
- Primary completion date
- 1 Jun 2039
- Lead sponsor
- University of Pennsylvania
- Diseases
- Thyroid cancer
- NCT number
- NCT04877613
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional · Phase 1
- Participants enrolled: 9
- From 19 Aug 2021 to the primary completion date, 1 Jun 2039
- 1 site 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
- Evidence of active hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection. The following would not qualify as an active infection, thus would not exclude the subject from participating
- Positive HBV serology with undetectable viral load and ongoing antiviral prophylaxis for potential HBV reactivation.
- Positive HCV serology with quantitative PCR for plasma HCV RNA below the lower limit of detection, with or without concurrent antiviral HCV treatment.
- Any prior history of moderate to severe (Grade 2 or higher) pneumonitis.
- Planned concurrent treatment with systemic high dose corticosteroids. Patients may be on a stable low dose of steroids (≤10mg equivalent of prednisone). Use of inhaled steroids is allowable. Corticosteroid treatment as anti-emetic prophylaxis on the day of lymphodepleting chemotherapy administration is allowed per institutional practice.
- Receipt of immune checkpoint inhibitors within 2 months prior to physician-investigator confirmation of eligibility - Retired with Protocol Version 3.
- Have any history of prior or active central nervous system (CNS) involvement (e.g., leptomeningeal disease, parenchymal masses) with MTC. Screening for this (e.g., with lumbar puncture and/or brain MRI) is not required unless suspicious symptoms and/or radiographic findings are present. Subjects with calvarial metastatic disease that extends intracranially and involves the dura will be excluded, even if CSF is negative for MTC.
- Known seizure disorder or history of prior seizures requiring medication.
Other illness
- Any other active, uncontrolled infection.
- Class III/IV cardiovascular disability according to the New York Heart Association Classification.
- Clinically apparent arrhythmia or arrhythmias that are not stable on medical management within two weeks of physician-investigator confirmation of eligibility.
- Any moderate to severe skin rash or allergies requiring systemic treatment.
- Active autoimmune disease requiring systemic immunosuppressive treatment equivalent to ≥ 10mg daily of prednisone. Patients with autoimmune neurological diseases (such as MS or Parkinson's) will be excluded.
Lab values
- Subjects with chronic kidney disease with Grade 2 or higher renal impairment (eGFR or CrCl 59-30 ml/min/1.73 m2).
- History of allergy or hypersensitivity to study product excipients (human serum albumin, DMSO, and Dextran 40).
Other
- Pregnant or nursing (lactating) women.
Who the study is looking for
- Signed, written informed consent
- Male or female age ≥ 18 years
- Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC).
- Incurable recurrent/metastatic disease that is progressive after at least 1 prior tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) containing regimen, or the patient was intolerant of or declined such therapy.
- Adequate organ function defined as:
- Serum creatinine ≤ 2.5 mg/dl or estimated creatinine clearance ≥ 30 ml/min and not on dialysis.
- AST ≤ 5x upper limit of normal range and total bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dl; except for patients in whom hyperbilirubinemia is attributed to Gilbert's syndrome.
- Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) ≥ 45% confirmed by ECHO/MUGA
- Must have a minimum level of pulmonary reserve defined as ≤ Grade 1 dyspnea and pulse oxygen greater than 92% on room air.
- ECOG Performance Status that is either 0 or 1.
- Toxicities from prior therapies must have recovered to grade ≤ 2 according to the CTCAE 5.0 criteria or to the patient's prior baseline.
- Patients must have evaluable disease as defined by RECIST 1.1.
- Subjects of reproductive potential must agree to use acceptable birth control methods.
Age in the registry: 18 years to - · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Philadelphia | United States | Unknown status |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.