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Taking people in TaiwanPhase 2

Intrathecal pemetrexed with targeted pills for lung cancer spread to the brain lining

Tests intrathecal pemetrexed with EGFR-targeted pills in adults with lung cancer spread after osimertinib.

Key facts

Who runs it
Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan
Where
Taipei, TaiwanSee the site
Trial code
Registry title
Intrathecal Pemetrexed for Leptomeningeal Metastasis in EGFR-Mutant NSCLC
Status
Recruiting
Phase
Phase 2
People taking part
23 people, planned
Started
1 Aug 2024
Expected to end
31 Dec 2027
Type of study
Interventional
Treatments tested
  • Pemetrexed
Record updated
24 March 2026

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to the lining of the brain and spinal cord, and has grown again after osimertinib. It tests pemetrexed given into the spinal fluid together with an EGFR-TKI.

Age
At least 20 years old.
Sex
All sexes can join.
Disease stage
Metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer with an EGFR activating mutation. Probable or confirmed leptomeningeal metastasis. The disease in the brain has grown again, shown on contrast-enhanced MRI. The disease outside the brain is stable.
Earlier treatment
Must have had osimertinib, with disease progression in the brain afterwards. No intrathecal chemotherapy or whole-brain radiotherapy within 2 weeks before starting intrathecal pemetrexed.
Biomarker or test result
Known EGFR activating mutation (exon19 deletion, T790M, L858R, G719X, L861Q or S768I).

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Disease outside the brain that needs treatment other than EGFR-TKI
  • History of HIV infection, or active hepatitis C
  • Uncontrolled epilepsy
  • Allergic reaction to intravenous pemetrexed in the past
  • Severe symptomatic hydrocephalus or a bulky brain lesion that needs other treatment

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 27 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • At least 20 years of age
  • Patients with metastatic non-squamous NSCLC harboring known EGFR activating mutation and with a diagnosis of probable or confirmed LM by the European Association of Neuro-Oncology-European Society for Medical Oncology (EANO-ESMO) guideline. [5] EGFR activating mutations include exon19 deletion, T790M, L858R, G719X, L861Q, or S768I
  • Intracranial disease progression after osimertinib use, proved by contrast-enhanced MRI
  • Stable extra-cranial disease status, judged by investigators
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-3 and a minimum life expectancy of 12 weeks
  • Normal bone marrow and organ function as defined below:; Marrow: Hemoglobin ≥9gm/dL, ANC ≥1500/mm3 platelets ≥100,000/mm3; Hepatic: Serum total bilirubin ≤1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN), ALT (SGPT) and AST (SGOT) ≤3 x ULN; Renal: Creatinine clearance (Ccr) ≥45 mL/min
  • For female patients of childbearing potential, agreement (by patient and/or partner) to use a highly effective form(s) of contraception that results in a low failure rate (< 1% per year) when used consistently and correctly, and to continue its use for 5 months after the last dose of IP. Such methods include: combined (estrogen and progestogen containing) hormonal contraception, progestogen-only hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation together with another additional barrier method always containing a spermicide, intrauterine device (IUD), intrauterine hormone-releasing system (IUS), bilateral tubal occlusion, vasectomized partner (on the understanding that this is the only one partner during the whole study duration), and sexual abstinence
  • Ability to understand and willingness to sign an IRB approved written informed consent document
  • Willing to provide CSF and plasma samples for ctDNA analysis

Who cannot take part

  • Malignancies other than NSCLC within 5 years prior to study enrollment, with the exception of those with a negligible risk of metastasis or death (e.g., expected 5-year OS > 90%) treated with expected curative outcome (such as adequately treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix, basal or squamous-cell skin cancer, localized prostate cancer treated surgically with curative intent, ductal carcinoma in situ treated surgically with curative intent)
  • On chronic systemic steroid therapy more than 20 mg prednisolone per day (or equivalent) or on any other form of immunosuppressive medication
  • Has received a live-virus vaccination within 30 days of planned treatment start
  • Systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy or major surgery within 2 weeks of the first dose of study medication
  • Hepatitis B carrier: Patients with HBV infection were required to be receiving effective antiviral therapy and have a viral load less than 100 IU/mL at screening
  • Has received intrathecal chemotherapy within 2 weeks before the start of IP
  • Has received whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) within 2 weeks before the start of IP
  • Active infection requiring therapy
  • History of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection
  • Active Hepatitis C
  • Uncontrolled epilepsy
  • History of allergic reaction to intravenous pemetrexed
  • Uncontrolled extra-CNS disease which needs other systemic treatment than EGFR-TKI
  • Uncontrolled or symptomatic hypercalcemia (> 1.5 mmol/L ionized calcium or Ca > 12 mg/dL or corrected serum calcium > ULN). Patients who are receiving denosumab prior to study enrollment must be willing and eligible to receive a bisphosphonate instead while in the study
  • Severe coagulation abnormality (INR > 2)
  • Uncontrolled tumor-related pain
  • Severe symptomatic hydrocephalus that requires other treatment modalities other than IP
  • Bulky intra-cranial lesion that requires other treatment modalities other than IP

Where in Taiwan

  • Department of Chest Medicine, Taipei Veterans General HospitalTaipei, TaiwanContact: Chi-Lu ChiangTaking people

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a complication of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The incidence of LM in NSCLC patients is around 3-5 %, reaching 9.4 % of those with an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. Generally, the efficacy of systemic treatment for LM is limited due to the blood-brain barrier. Osimertinib has a high central nervous system penetration rate, making it the preferred first-line treatment for EGFR-mutant NSCLC. Previous studies indicated that osimertinib had shown promising efficacy in pretreated patients harboring EGFR mutations and LM. However, intracranial disease progression eventually develops, and the prognosis of patients with LM progression after osimertinib is poor. Recently, intrathecal chemotherapy with pemetrexed (IP) was reported to be an alternative treatment in patients with NSCLC and LM. The results from a phase I/II trial examining the efficacy and safety of IP in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC after the failure of previous TKI, and 83% of study enrollees received osimertinib before IP. The clinical response rate was 84.6%, and the median overall survival was 9.0 months. Despite initial promising efficacy, further trials are needed to verify these results. Therefore, the investigators plan to conduct a prospective study to examine the safety and effectiveness of IP combined with EGFR-TKI for patients with EGFR mutant NSCLC after osimertinib failure.

The group in the trial

  • Experimental armTreatment being tested

    Intrathecal pemetrexed combined with EGFR-TKI (physician choice)

    Treatment: Pemetrexed

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
Efficacy of Intrathecal Pemetrexed Combined With Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor for Treating Leptomeningeal Metastasis in EGFR-Mutant NSCLC After Failure of Osimertinib
Plain-language title
Intrathecal pemetrexed with targeted pills for lung cancer spread to the brain liningGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
Record updated
24 March 2026