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NCT Number: NCT04049669

Pediatric Trial of Indoximod With Chemotherapy and Radiation for Relapsed Brain Tumors or Newly Diagnosed DIPG

Indoximod was developed to inhibit the IDO (indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase) enzymatic pathway, which is important in the natural regulation of immune responses. This potent immune suppressive mechanism has been implicated in regulating immune responses in settings as diverse as infection, tissue/organ transplant, autoimmunity, and cancer. By inhibiting the IDO pathway, we hypothesize that indoximod will improve antitumor immune responses and thereby slow the growth of tumors.

The central clinical hypothesis for the GCC1949 study is that inhibiting the pivotal IDO pathway by adding indoximod immunotherapy during chemotherapy and/or radiation is a potent approach for breaking immune tolerance to pediatric tumors that will improve outcomes, relative to standard therapy alone.

This is an NCI-funded (R01 CA229646, MPI: Johnson and Munn) open-label phase 2 trial using indoximod-based combination chemo-radio-immunotherapy for treatment of patients age 3 to 21 years who have progressive brain cancer (glioblastoma, medulloblastoma, or ependymoma), or newly-diagnosed diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). Statistical analysis will stratify patients based on whether their treatment plan includes up-front radiation (or proton) therapy in combination with indoximod. Central review of tissue diagnosis from prior surgery is required, except non-biopsied DIPG. This study will use the "immune-adapted Response Assessment for Neuro-Oncology" (iRANO) criteria for measurement of outcomes. Planned enrollment is up to 140 patients.

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This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

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Key information

About this study

Disease-specific Cohorts :

Cohort 1A, 1B (closed to enrollment): relapsed or refractory glioblastoma

Cohort 2A, 2B: relapsed or refractory medulloblastoma

Cohort 3A, 3B, 3C: relapsed or refractory ependymoma

Cohort 4C (closed to enrollment): newly-diagnosed DIPG (must have no prior radiation or other therapy)

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Radiation (or proton) plan sub-cohorts:

Sub-cohort A: for patients not eligible for re-irradiation

Sub-cohort B: for patients who are eligible for partial re-irradiation

Sub-cohort C: for patients who are eligible for full-dose radiation (All newly diagnosed DIPG patients and some relapsed ependymoma patients)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Diagnosis:

  • Progressive disease with histologically proven initial diagnosis of glioblastoma, medulloblastoma, or ependymoma; With confirmation of progression by either MRI or CSF analysis; Measureable disease is not required for study entry; Patients with progressive disease must have been previously treated with therapeutic radiation as part of treatment for the initial brain cancer diagnosis or for a prior relapse.
  • Newly diagnosed DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma) with no prior therapy (including no prior radiation); Biopsy is not required for DIPG.
  • Central review of tissue diagnosis is required, except non-biopsied DIPG; Archival tumor tissue must be located and available prior to study entry.
  • Patients with metastatic disease are eligible.

Lansky or Karnofsky performance status score must be ≥ 50%.

Adequate renal function: creatinine ≤ 1.5-times upper limit of age-adjusted normal.

Adequate liver function:

  • ALT ≤ 5-times upper limit of normal.
  • Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5-times upper limit of normal.

Adequate Bone marrow function:

  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 750/mcL.
  • Platelets ≥ 75,000/mcL (transfusion independent).
  • Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL (transfusion independent).

Central nervous system: seizure disorders must be well controlled on antiepileptic medication.

Prior therapy

  • DIPG patients must not have been treated with any prior radiation or medical therapy.
  • Patients previously treated with indoximod are excluded.
  • Patients previously treated with any other immunotherapy agent, including other IDO-targeted drugs, are eligible for enrollment.
  • Patients previously treated with chemotherapy drugs included in this protocol are eligible for enrollment.

Patients must be 14 days from the administration of any investigational agent or prior cytotoxic therapy with the following exceptions:

  • Temozolomide dosed at or above 150 mg/m2 (allowed, but must be at least 21 days from the last dose of temozolomide).
  • Must be 28 days from administration of antibody-based therapies (e.g., bevacizumab), tumor-directed vaccines, or cellular immune therapies (e.g., T cells, NK cells, etc).
  • Must be 56 days from administration of tumor-directed therapies using infectious agents (e.g., viruses, bacteria, etc).

Pregnant women are excluded from this study, where pregnancy is confirmed by a positive urine or serum hCG laboratory test.

Patients must be able to swallow pills.

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Exclusion criteria

Patients who cannot swallow indoximod pills are excluded.

Patients previously treated with indoximod are excluded.

Patients with DIPG who have been treated with any prior radiation or medical therapy are excluded.

Midline glioma that does not include significant brain stem involvement is not considered DIPG for enrollment purposes, and is excluded.

Patients with active systemic infection requiring treatment, including any HIV infection or toxoplasmosis, are excluded.

Patients with active autoimmune disease that requires systemic therapy are excluded.

Pregnant women are excluded

Treatment and study plan

Indoximod

Drug

Indoximod will be taken by mouth twice daily during radiation and throughout each chemo-immunotherapy treatment cycle.

Partial Radiation

Radiation

Palliative low-dose or partial-field radiation plan (low-dose radiation or not all disease sites included).

Full-dose Radiation

Radiation

Palliative full-dose radiation plan to all known sites of disease (>50 Gy to brain, >45 Gy to spine).

Temozolomide

Drug

Temozolomide will be taken by mouth once daily, on days 1-5 of each chemo-immunotherapy treatment cycle.

Cyclophosphamide

Drug

Cyclophosphamide will be taken by mouth once daily, on days 1-21 of each chemo-immunotherapy treatment cycle.

etoposide

Drug

Etoposide will be taken by mouth once daily, on days 1-21 of each chemo-immunotherapy treatment cycle.

lomustine

Drug

Lomustine will be taken by mouth once daily, on day 1 of each chemo-immunotherapy treatment cycle.

Primary outcomes

  1. 8-month iRANO-PFS (Progression-Free Survival, defined by immune-adapted iRANO criteria)

    Time frame: Up to 5 years

    For patients with relapsed glioblastoma, medulloblastoma, or ependymoma.

  2. 12-month Overall Survival (OS)

    Time frame: Up to 5 years

    For patients with newly diagnosed DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Median Overall Survival (OS)

    Time frame: Up to 5 years

    For each disease cohort

  2. Median iRANO-PFS (Progression-Free Survival, defined by immune-adapted iRANO criteria)

    Time frame: Up to 5 years

    For each disease cohort

  3. Median Time to Regimen Failure (TTRF)

    Time frame: Up to 5 years

    For each disease cohort

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Theodore S. Johnson

Other

Collaborators

  • Augusta University
  • Emory University
  • National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Registry information

Official study title

Phase 2 Trial of Indoximod With Chemotherapy and Radiation for Children With Progressive Brain Tumors or Newly Diagnosed DIPG

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2027
First posted
Aug 8, 2019
Registry last updated
Jan 8, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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